CAPTIONING
MAY 6, 2008
METROPOLITAN PLANNING ORGANIZATION
WORKSHOP

***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 MAY 6th METROPOLITAN PLANNING ORGANIZATION 
FOR HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY WORKSHOP.
WE WELCOME YOU HERE, AND THANKS FOR GETTING UP SO EARLY TO 
BE HERE.
WE HAVE TWO MEMBERS THAT WILL NOT BE HERE THIS MORNING.
ONE WILL PROBABLY BE LATE, BUT COUNCILMAN JOE CAETANO AND 
COUNCILMAN JOHN DINGFELDER WILL NOT BE ATTENDING THE 
WORKSHOP OR THE REGULAR MEETING, AND COMMISSIONER KEN HAGAN 
WILL NOT BE ATTENDING THE WORKSHOP BUT SHOULD BE IN 
ATTENDANCE AT OUR REGULAR MEETING.
SO WITH THAT, I'D LIKE TO START OFF.
WE'RE GOING TO HAVE -- TODAY IS A VERY IMPORTANT WORKSHOP, 
AS ALL OF YOU KNOW.
WE HOPE THAT THIS WILL HELP GET A CONSENSUS THAT WILL ALLOW 
US TO SET UP A GOOD PLAN FOR WHAT WE WANT THE MPO TO 
REPRESENT IN TERMS OF PRIORITIES, HOW WE'RE GOING TO GO 
ABOUT DOING THE SEARCH FOR A NEW EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, AND 
ABSORB ALL THE THINGS THAT WE CAN FROM OUR GUESTS HERE 
TODAY.
SARAH WARD, WHO'S A PINELLAS COUNTY TRANSPORTATION DIVISION 
MANAGER, WILL GIVE US INSIGHT AS TO WHAT MPOs ARE REQUIRED 
TO DO FEDERALLY, SO THIS WAY WE KNOW THAT'S OUR STARTING 
POINT, WE KNOW WHAT WE HAVE TO DO, THEN THE NEXT POINT -- 
THE NEXT THING WILL BE THE PERFORMANCE AUDITOR AUDIT THAT 
THE -- THAT KEN GENTILE JUST COMPLETED, WHICH IS AN 
EXCELLENT REPORT, AND WE APPRECIATE THE FINE WORK THAT YOU 
DID ON THAT, KEN.
AND THAT WILL GIVE US SOME IDEA WHAT OTHER MPOs AROUND THE 
NATION -- HOW THEY FUNCTION, WHAT THEY DO, AND GET SOME 
KIND OF A COMPARISON AS TO WHAT THEY DO IN COMPARISON TO 
OUR MPO, AND THAT'LL HELP US ESTABLISH OUR PRIORITIES FOR 
WHAT WE WANT TO -- WHAT WE WANT OUR MPO BOARD TO REPRESENT.
THEN NEXT WE'LL GET INTO -- TALK ABOUT -- MR. HUNTER WILL 
GIVE US AN IDEA ON JOB DESCRIPTIONS BASED ON THE 
INFORMATION THAT WE HAVE AND DISCUSSION OF PROCEDURES FOR 
HIRING THE MPO EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR.
WHAT WE'D LIKE TO DO IS -- AFTER WE COMPLETE OUR MEETING 
TODAY, OUR WORKSHOP, THAT SHOULD GIVE US A PRETTY GOOD IDEA 
OF A DIRECTION.
THEN I WOULD LIKE TO HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO WORK WITH BOB 
HUNTER AND RAY CHIARAMONTE TO DEVELOP A PLAN THAT WE WILL 
THEN COME BACK IN JUNE AND PRESENT IT TO THE MPO BOARD FOR 
YOUR CONSIDERATION AND HOPEFULLY APPROVAL.
SO THAT'S THE -- I DON'T THINK TODAY -- BECAUSE OF THE TIME 
RESTRICTIONS, WE'RE NOT GOING TO BE ABLE TO GO THROUGH 
EVERYTHING AND COME UP WITH A CONSENSUS AS TO EXACTLY WHAT 
WE WANT TO DO TO MAKE DECISIONS FOR HOW TO GO ABOUT THE 
TASKS AHEAD OF US, SO WE'LL BRING THAT BACK AT THE NEXT 
MEETING FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION AND HOPEFULLY APPROVAL.
SO WITH THAT, I WOULD LIKE TO ASK SARAH WARD FROM PINELLAS 
COUNTY TO PRESENT TO US THE FEDERALLY MANDATED FUNCTIONS OF 
AN MPO.
>> GOOD MORNING, MR. CHAIR AND BOARD MEMBERS.
AGAIN, MY NAME IS SARAH WARD.
I'M A STAFF DIRECTOR OVER THE PINELLAS COUNTY -- WITH THE 
PINELLAS COUNTY METROPOLITAN PLANNING ORGANIZATION, AND BOB 
ASKED IF I WOULD COVER FOR YOU THE FEDERAL REQUIREMENTS FOR 
MPOs AND STARTED LOOKING AT RESOURCE MATERIALS, GAVE ME 
AGAIN AN APPRECIATION FOR THE DIFFICULTY OF YOUR JOBS.
I KNOW THAT MANY OF YOU HAVE PRIVATE-SECTOR 
RESPONSIBILITIES, SERVE ON ALL THE BOARDS, AND THE PLANNING 
REQUIREMENTS FOR MPOs ARE QUITE EXTENSIVE, AND ACTUALLY, IN 
RECOGNITION OF THAT, STATE OF FLORIDA AND AT THE NATIONAL 
LEVEL THERE ARE A NUMBER OF TRAINING PROGRAMS THAT HAVE 
BEEN DEVELOPED SPECIFICALLY FOR BOARD MEMBERS, AND THE ONE 
THAT WE HAVE IN FLORIDA, AS AN EXAMPLE, THE MPOAC 
INSTITUTE, IT'S A FULL WEEKEND PROGRAM, AND I SAY THAT TO 
SAY THAT I CAN PROVIDE FOR YOU SOME OF THE HIGHLIGHTS OF 
THE RESPONSIBILITIES IN 15 OR 20 MINUTES, BUT TO GET THE 
FULL BREADTH OF WHAT AN MPO SHOULD DO IN TERMS OF ITS ROLE 
FEDERALLY AND THROUGH STATE LAW, THERE'S A LOT OF -- 
THERE'S A LOT THAT'S OUT THERE, SO I WON'T BE ABLE TO COVER 
FOR YOU IN DETAIL ALL OF THE REQUIREMENTS, BUT I HOPE THAT 
THROUGH HIGHLIGHTING THE MAJOR FUNCTIONS THAT I WILL HAVE 
GIVEN YOU SOME FOCUS ON AT LEAST WHERE MPOs SHOULD BE BASED 
ON CURRENT FEDERAL LAW.
ALSO, AS MENTIONED, I WAS ASKED TO COVER THE FEDERAL 
RESPONSIBILITIES FOR MPOs, BUT IN THE STATE OF FLORIDA 
THERE'S ADDITIONAL AUTHORITY FOR MPOs.
THAT'S NOT INCLUDED IN THE PRESENTATION, BUT I WILL MENTION 
SOME OF THOSE THINGS AS I GO THROUGH.
FIRST OF ALL, THE FRAMEWORK FOR MPOs -- AND JUST A MINUTE 
OR SO ON THE HISTORY OF MPOs.
IN THE EARLY 1900S TRANSPORTATION PLANNING PRIMARILY 
INVOLVED THE BUILDING OF ROADS FROM RURAL AREAS TO CITIES, 
PRIMARILY TO MOVE GOODS TO MARKET.
OVER THE COURSE OF THE EARLY PARTS OF THE CENTURY THAT WAS 
THE MAJOR FOCUS, AND TRANSIT, IN PARTICULAR EARLY 1900S, 
WAS PRIMARILY PROVIDED BY THE PRIVATE SECTOR.
IT WASN'T UNTIL THE '60s OR SO THAT THERE BECAME MORE 
CITIES THAT STARTED TO PROVIDE TRANSIT SERVICE THEMSELVES, 
AND THE FEDERAL AGENCIES BECAME INVOLVED IN FUNDING 
TRANSIT.
ALSO AFTER THE BUILDING OF THE INTERSTATE OR THE 
AUTHORIZATION OF THE BUILDING OF THE INTERSTATE IN THE '50s 
AND '60s, THERE CAME THE RECOGNITION THAT THERE NEEDED TO 
BE A LOCAL BODY IN URBANIZED AREAS.
PART OF IT IS TO PROVIDE A FORUM FOR DECISION-MAKING, AND A 
LOT OF THAT HAD TO DO WITH INTERSTATE FACILITIES AS THEY 
WERE BEGINNING TO BUILD IN THE URBANIZED AREAS, AND THERE 
WERE COMPETING INTERESTS WITH REGARD TO THOSE FACILITIES, 
THEIR PLACEMENT, THE IMPACTS, AND SO MPOs KIND OF WERE AN 
OUTGROWTH OF SOME OF THOSE ISSUES, RECOGNIZING AGAIN THAT 
THERE NEEDED TO BE A LOCAL BODY IN PLACE TO PROVIDE A FORUM 
FOR SOME OF THAT DECISION-MAKING, SO MPOs HAVE BEEN AROUND 
NOW SINCE AROUND THE '70s, AND AGAIN, ONE OF THE REQUIRED 
FUNCTIONS IS TO PROVIDE THAT FORUM FOR COOPERATIVE 
DECISION-MAKING IN THE METROPOLITAN AREA.
ALSO MAJOR FOCUS ON COLLABORATION AND COORDINATION WITH THE 
PLANNING PARTNERS IN THE AREA, AND THAT CAN RANGE FROM YOUR 
PUBLIC AGENCY PARTNERS IN TERMS OF DEPARTMENTS OF 
TRANSPORTATION AND PUBLIC TRANSIT PROVIDERS, BUSINESS 
COMMUNITY, LOCAL LAND USE AGENCIES, LOCAL GOVERNMENTS.
AGAIN, THE MPO's FUNCTION PROVIDING THAT FORUM BUT ALSO 
FACILITATING A COLLABORATIVE PROCESS FOR DECISION-MAKING.
ONE OF THE CHALLENGES THAT MPOs FACE IN THAT REGARD IS THE 
NEED TO LOOK AT THE REGIONAL TRANSPORTATION SYSTEM, AND 
WHEN I SAY "REGIONAL" IN THIS CONTEXT I'M TALKING ABOUT 
PRIMARILY THE COUNTY-LEVEL MPOs, ALTHOUGH WE TALK REGIONAL 
IN TERMS OF OTHER CONTEXT FOR ADJACENT AREA MPOs, BUT MPOs 
NEED TO BE ABLE TO BALANCE THE LARGER ISSUES OF THE 
COMMUNITY IN TERMS OF YOUR REGIONAL, NATIONAL ROADWAYS OF 
SIGNIFICANCE, AND ALSO WITH LOCAL TRANSPORTATION 
PRIORITIES, SO IT'S A DELICATE BALANCING GAME THAT THE MPOs 
MUST PLAY IN TERMS OF THE DECISION-MAKING REQUIRED FOR THE 
URBANIZED AREA.
MPOs HAVE AUTHORITY UNDER FEDERAL LAW BUT ALSO, AS I 
MENTIONED EARLIER, UNDER STATE LAW, CHAPTER 339 FLORIDA 
STATUTES.
THE MPO IS TO BE RESPONSIVE TO LOCAL STAKEHOLDERS, AND THE 
STAKEHOLDERS INCLUDE FULL BREADTH OF COMMUNITY GROUPS HERE, 
ENVIRONMENTAL GROUPS, COMMUNITY/NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION, 
YOUR CHAMBER OF COMMERCE AND BUSINESS COMMUNITY, GENERAL 
PUBLIC, LOCAL GOVERNMENT, SO THERE'S A WIDE RANGE OF 
STAKEHOLDERS THAT SHOULD BE ENGAGED IN THE MPO's PLANNING 
PROCESS AT THE LOCAL LEVEL.
THE MPO, THOUGH, IS THE LEAD TRANSPORTATION AGENCY OR THE 
LEAD ENTITY FOR TRANSPORTATION PLANNING IN THE URBANIZED 
AREA.
THAT RESPONSIBILITY IS INDICATED IN BOTH FEDERAL AND STATE 
LAW, AND THE MPO IS RESPONSIBLE FOR THE POLICYMAKING 
RELATIVE TO TRANSPORTATION PLANNING AND ALSO SETTING 
PROGRAMMING PRIORITIES.
THAT'S THE PRIORITIES FOR IMPLEMENTING YOUR TRANSPORTATION 
STRATEGIES ONCE THE LONG-RANGE PLAN HAS BEEN DEVELOPED.
AGAIN, THE MPO CARRIES OUT THESE FUNCTIONS IN COORDINATION 
AND COLLABORATION WITH ITS PARTNERS, AND TWO SPECIFICALLY 
REFERENCED IN BOTH STATE AND FEDERAL LAW ARE THE DEPARTMENT 
OF TRANSPORTATION AND YOUR TRANSIT OPERATORS, SO THERE 
SHOULD BE PARTNERS IN THIS EFFORT WITH THE MPO IN A LEAD 
ROLE.
TO MENTION THAT MPOs ARE REQUIRED IN ALL URBANIZED AREAS 
WITH POPULATIONS OF 50,000 OR MORE.
TYPICALLY NEW MPOs ARE DESIGNATED AFTER THE -- I MEAN AFTER 
THE TEN-YEAR CENSUS, AND AGAIN, AS YOU CAN SEE FROM THE 
MAP, LOTS OF MPOs ALONG THE EASTERN PART OF THE UNITED 
STATES, A LOT ALONG THE CALIFORNIA, WESTERN PART OF THE 
AREA.
NOT AS MANY IN SOME OF THE MIDDLE PARTS OF THE COUNTRY 
WHERE YOU DON'T HAVE THE CONCENTRATION OF POPULATION TO 
MEET THAT 50,000 THRESHOLD.
IN TERMS OF SOME OF THE FUNCTIONS OF THE MPO BOARD, THE MPO 
BOARD TAKES APPROVAL ACTIONS, AND CERTAINLY I KNOW THAT YOU 
ALL ARE ALL AWARE OF THAT BECAUSE I'M ASSUMING ON MOST OF 
YOUR AGENDAS YOU HAVE APPROVALS FOR YOUR TRANSPORTATION 
IMPROVEMENT PROGRAM, WORK PROGRAM AMENDMENTS, YOUR LONG-
RANGE PLANS, SO AGAIN, ONE OF YOUR ACTIONS IS JUST APPROVAL 
ON MATTERS THAT COME BEFORE YOU.
AS MENTIONED EARLIER, THE MPO BOARD ALSO SETS THE 
TRANSPORTATION POLICY FOR THE AREA, AND THAT'S TYPICALLY 
EMBODIED IN YOUR LONG-RANGE PLAN, AND IN SETTING THAT 
POLICY, THE FIRST THING THAT THE MPO BOARD SHOULD DO IS 
CREATE A VISION, A VISION FOR TRANSPORTATION FOR THE 
URBANIZED AREA.
THAT VISION IS THEN EMBODIED IN THE PROJECTS THAT ARE 
INCLUDED IN YOUR LONG-RANGE PLAN, AND IN DEVELOPING THAT 
VISION, IT'S CONSIDERATION THEN OF THE COMMUNITY'S VALUES 
AND INPUT FROM THE COMMUNITY, BUT IN CONSIDERATION OF ALL 
OF THOSE THINGS, THE MPO AGAIN SETS THE TRANSPORTATION 
POLICY AND APPROVES THE PLANS FOR THE URBANIZED AREAS.
FROM THOSE PLANS THE MPO ALSO HAS THE ROLE OF PRIORITIZING 
PROGRAMS AND PROJECTS FOR FUNDING.
YOU TYPICALLY DO THAT ON AN ANNUAL BASIS.
IN THE STATE OF FLORIDA, MPOs ARE REQUIRED TO GIVE TO THE 
DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION ITS PRIORITIES BY OCTOBER 1 OF 
EACH YEAR, SO THERE IS A SPECIFIC CYCLE FOR SETTING YOUR 
PRIORITIES ON AN ANNUAL BASIS, BUT ALL OF THIS SHOULD START 
WITH THE LONG-RANGE PLAN AND THE VISION THAT'S EMBODIED IN 
THAT LONG-RANGE PLAN.
AND JUST TO GIVE AN IDEA AGAIN OF MPO BOARD MEMBERSHIP, I 
USE YOUR OWN BOARD AS AN EXAMPLE, MPOs ARE COMPRISED 
TYPICALLY OF COUNTY MUNICIPAL AND MODAL OPERATORS IN TERMS 
OF THE MEMBERSHIP IN THE STATE OF FLORIDA, THE MEMBERSHIP 
CAN RANGE FROM A LOW OF FIVE MEMBERS UP TO 19 MEMBERS, AND 
IN FEDERAL LAW, IT SIMPLY REQUIRES THAT IT BE 
REPRESENTATIVE OF THE AREA.
YOUR CENTRAL CITY IS REQUIRED TO BE ON THE MPO.
IN HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY -- AND I'M JUST COMPARING YOURS TO 
PINELLAS COUNTY WHERE OUR MPO IS PRIMARILY COUNTY MUNICIPAL 
OFFICIALS AND WE HAVE ONLY ONE MODAL OPERATOR, THAT'S OUR 
TRANSPORTATION PROVIDER.
THE COUNTY'S AIRPORT IS OWNED BY THE COUNTY COMMISSION, SO 
THEY'RE REPRESENTED BY THE COUNTY COMMISSION, BUT IN 
HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY YOU CAN SEE YOU HAVE MORE MODAL 
AGENCIES ALSO INCLUDED ON YOUR BOARD, AND AGAIN, THAT'S 
REFLECTIVE OF THE COMPOSITION OF THE VARIOUS ENTITIES IN 
THE AREA, SO YOU'LL SEE VARIATIONS AROUND THE STATE WHEN 
YOU CAN HAVE A RANGE OF, LIKE I SAID, FIVE TO 19 MEMBERS.
IN TERMS OF CARRYING OUT ITS FUNCTIONS, THE MPO ACTIVELY 
SEEKS THE PARTICIPATION OF RELEVANT AGENT CIRCUMSTANCES AND 
I MENTIONED SOME OF THOSE AGENCIES EARLIER.
IT'S NOT JUST YOUR TRANSPORTATION PARTNERS, IT'S 
ENVIRONMENTAL GROUPS, IT'S YOUR COMMUNITY GROUPS, YOUR 
NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATIONS, YOUR BUSINESS COMMUNITY, AND AS 
WE SAY, SECOND BULLET, ALSO THE GENERAL PUBLIC.
AGAIN, THE MPO COOPERATING WITH THE STATE AND PUBLIC 
TRANSIT PROVIDERS IN COORDINATING WITH ITS OTHER 
TRANSPORTATION PARTNERS.
IN MAKING ITS DECISIONS, THE BOARD, THE POLICY BOARD, 
SHOULD CONSIDER COMMENTS RECEIVED FROM THE PUBLIC THROUGH 
ITS OUTREACH EFFORTS AS WELL AS COMMUNITY VALUES THAT ARE 
DISCERNED FROM OUTREACH EFFORTS THROUGH LOCAL GOVERNMENT 
PLANS OR WHATEVER MEANS.
ALSO, THE LONG-TERM VISION FOR THE COMMUNITY.
SO I GO BACK TO VISIONING BEING VERY IMPORTANT FOR AN MPO.
MPO LONG-RANGE PLANS, AS I'LL GET TO LATER, MUST HAVE A 20-
YEAR HORIZON, SO MPOs HAVE TO LOOK LONG-TERM IN TERMS OF 
CREATING THE VISION FOR THE COMMUNITY BECAUSE THEN YOUR 
DECISIONS AND PROJECTS AND PROGRAMS SELECTED FOR FUNDING 
WILL HAVE A LONG-TERM IMPACT ON THAT AREA, SO AGAIN, THE 
VISION IS VERY, VERY IMPORTANT.
THE MPO ALSO MUST CONSIDER THE EFFECT OF ITS DECISIONS ON 
SYSTEMS OPERATIONS, AND THERE'S MORE OF A FOCUS NOW FOR 
MANAGEMENT AND OPERATIONS TO BE CONSIDERED IN THE MPO FORUM 
THAN IT WAS PERHAPS 10, 15 YEARS AGO, BUT MANAGEMENT AND 
OPERATIONS IS ONE OF THE FOCAL POINTS.
AS I MENTIONED EARLIER, THE ENVIRONMENT, THE ECONOMY IN 
TERMS OF ECONOMIC IMPACT OF DECISION-MAKING.
IN ALL CASES, AS THE MPO LOOKS TO PROVIDE STRATEGIES IN 
RESPONSE TO A TRANSPORTATION NEED, YOU COMPARE ALL 
ALTERNATIVE OPTIONS IN TERMS OF LOOKING AT WHAT MIGHT BE 
THE BEST SOLUTION FOR A PARTICULAR TRANSPORTATION PROBLEM.
MPOs' PLANS MUST BE COST-EFFECTIVE.
THAT WAS A REQUIREMENT PLACED IN FEDERAL LAW WITH THE 
INTERMODAL TRANSPORTATION EFFICIENCY ACT IN 1991, THAT 
MPOs' PLANS AGAIN MUST BE BALANCED AGAINST AVAILABLE 
REVENUE, AND FINALLY, THE MPO PLAN MUST ALSO CONSIDER 
FEDERAL, STATE, AND LOCAL REGULATIONS.
THAT'S SPECIFICALLY IMPORTANT IN THE STATE OF FLORIDA.
THE STATE, THROUGH ITS FLORIDA TRANSPORTATION PLAN, THE 
STRATEGIC INTERMODAL SYSTEM, AND OTHER ACTIVITIES -- THERE 
IS A SPECIFIC ROLE FOR MPOs IN VARIOUS ASPECTS OF THE 
STATE'S PLANNING.
ALSO, BECAUSE OF THE COMPREHENSIVE PLANNING REQUIREMENTS IN 
THE STATE OF FLORIDA, MPOs ARE TO CONSIDER THE LOCAL 
COMPREHENSIVE PLANS IN THEIR COMMUNITIES AS THEY DEVELOP 
THEIR PLANS, SO IT'S LOOKING AGAIN AT THE FEDERAL AND THE 
STATE REGIONAL NEEDS BUT ALSO BEING CONSIDERATE OF THE 
LOCAL NEEDS IN THE COMMUNITY.
THE MPO BOARDS RECEIVE THEIR INFORMATION IN A NUMBER OF 
WAYS.
THE PRIMARY WAY THAT THE MPO BOARD RECEIVES ITS INFORMATION 
IS THROUGH STAFFS, AND SO THE MPO STAFF PROVIDE INFORMATION 
TO COMMITTEES THAT ALSO ADVISE THE MPO BOARDS, SO THE MPO 
STAFF FUNCTION IS AGAIN PROVIDING INFORMATION DIRECTLY TO 
THE BOARD OR TO THE MPO's ADVISORY COMMITTEE SO THAT THEY 
MIGHT UTILIZE THAT INFORMATION IN MAKING THEIR 
RECOMMENDATIONS TO THE BOARD, AND AGAIN, ADVISORY 
COMMITTEES ARE A PART OF THE PROCESS FOR INFORMING THE MPO 
BOARD.
AND FINALLY, MPOs ROUTINELY ENGAGE CONSULTANTS TO HELP WITH 
TECHNICAL ANALYSES AND OTHER DATA THAT MAY BE NEEDED TO 
FACILITATE THE PLANNING PROCESS.
I JUST, AGAIN, POINTED OUT SOME OF THE ADVISORY COMMITTEES 
THAT THE HILLSBOROUGH MPO HAS IN PLACE.
THERE ARE TWO COMMITTEES THAT ARE REQUIRED BY LAW.
THAT'S YOUR CITIZENS ADVISORY COMMITTEE AND YOUR TECHNICAL 
ADVISORY COMMITTEE.
OTHER COMMITTEES CAN BE SET UP AT YOUR DISCRETION AND BASED 
ON THE NEEDS OF THE AREA, SO YOU'LL FIND A LOT OF VARIATION 
FROM ONE COMMUNITY TO ANOTHER IN TERMS OF ITS COMMITTEE 
STRUCTURE.
AGAIN, THAT LOOKS AT THE NEEDS OF THE COMMUNITY AND THE 
PLANNING PROCESS THAT'S BEEN SET UP IN THAT AREA, BUT LIKE 
MOST MPOs IN THE STATE, YOU ALSO HAVE A BICYCLE AND 
PEDESTRIAN ADVISORY COMMITTEE.
SOME MPOs HAVE I.T.S. COMMITTEES, SOME DO NOT.
PINELLAS COUNTY, WE HAVE AN I.T.S. COMMITTEE TO PERFORM OUR 
TRANSPORTATION DISADVANTAGED NEEDS, WHICH IS MORE OF A 
STATE FUNCTION AS OPPOSED TO A FEDERAL FUNCTION.
THE TRANSPORTATION DISADVANTAGED COORDINATING BOARD'S PART 
OF YOUR PROCESS, AND THEN YOU HAVE SOME OTHERS THAT MAY BE 
A BIT UNIQUE TO YOUR PROCESS, YOUR POLICY COMMITTEE AND 
YOUR LIVABLE ROADWAYS COMMITTEES, AND I WOULD ASSUME THOSE 
HAVE BEEN PUT IN PLACE AGAIN BASED ON THE DESIRES AND NEEDS 
OF THIS COMMUNITY IN TERMS OF PROVIDING ADDITIONAL INPUT TO 
THE MPO BOARD ON THESE MATTERS.
JUST TO HIGHLIGHT SOME OF THE ROLES OF THE MPO STAFF, 
AGAIN, THE MPO STAFF IS RESPONSIBLE FOR MANAGING THE 
PLANNING PROCESS.
THAT'S ENSURING THAT ALL OF THE FEDERAL AND STATE 
REQUIREMENTS ARE MET, BUT IN MANAGING THAT PROCESS ENSURING 
THAT THE POLICY BOARD HAS THE INFORMATION NEEDED TO MAKE 
ITS DECISIONS, THAT THE TECHNICAL COMMITTEES HAVE THE 
INFORMATION THAT THEY NEED TO ADVISE THE BOARD, BUT BEYOND 
THAT PROCESS WITH THE POLICY BOARD AND WITH THE STAFFS, THE 
MPO STAFF ALSO IS RESPONSIBLE FOR FOSTERING INTERAGENCY 
COORDINATION, AGAIN, THE TRANSPORTATION PARTNERS OR THE 
COMMUNITY PARTNERS THAT ARE INVOLVED IN THE PROCESS.
AGAIN, THAT'S FUNCTION OF MPO STAFF ENSURING THAT 
COORDINATION OCCURS AT WHATEVER LEVEL APPROPRIATE IN THE 
PROCESS.
THE MPO STAFF AS A PART OF MANAGING THE PLANNING PROCESS IS 
ALSO RESPONSIBLE FOR FACILITATING THE PUBLIC OUTREACH, THE 
INPUT, AND FEEDBACK.
THERE'S A VERY HEAVY EMPHASIS IN TRANSPORTATION PLANNING AT 
BOTH THE FEDERAL AND STATE LEVEL ON EFFECTIVE PUBLIC 
INVOLVEMENT, AND THERE'S MORE EMPHASIS ON THAT, IT SEEMS, 
WITH EACH NEW FEDERAL PLANNING BILL, BUT AGAIN, THE MPO 
STAFF IS RESPONSIBLE FOR THAT PROCESS, AND AS I MENTIONED 
EARLIER, JUST MANAGING THE OVERALL PROCESS.
THERE'S CERTAIN PLANNING FACTORS AND REQUIREMENTS, 
DEADLINES THAT MUST BE ADHERED TO IN THE PLANNING PROCESS, 
AND THE STAFF IS RESPONSIBLE FOR MAKING SURE THAT THAT'S 
OCCURRED, AND THEN FINALLY PREPARING THE REQUIRED DOCUMENTS 
THAT COME OUT OF THAT PROCESS.
JUST SOME OF THE MPO PROCESSES AND PRODUCTS.
AGAIN, PLANNING AND PROGRAMMING, AND AS I INDICATE AT THE 
BOTTOM, THE PUBLIC HAS TO BE INVOLVED IN BOTH.
IN TERMS OF PLANNING, AGAIN, EMPHASIZING THE NEED TO HAVE A 
VISION FOR YOUR LONG-RANGE PLAN, AND FROM THAT VISION 
DEVELOPING THE POLICIES AND STRATEGIES THAT SUPPORT THAT 
VISION, AND THEN, OF COURSE, MAINTAINING A LONG-TERM 
PLANNING HORIZON, AND IN LAW, THAT HAS TO BE A MINIMUM OF 
20 YEARS.
THE PROGRAMMING RESPONSIBILITIES -- AND THAT'S TYPICALLY 
THROUGH YOUR TRANSPORTATION IMPROVEMENT PROGRAM -- AGAIN, 
THE MPO IS RESPONSIBLE FOR SETTING THE FUNDING PRIORITIES 
FOR CERTAIN FUNDS, LIKE YOUR SURFACE TRANSPORTATION FUNDS 
THAT ARE ALLOCATED TO THE URBANIZED AREA, YOUR 
TRANSPORTATION ENHANCEMENT FUNDS.
WHEN THIS AREA WAS ELIGIBLE FOR CONGESTION MITIGATION AIR 
QUALITY FUNDS, THOSE ARE JUST EXAMPLES OF SOME OF THE 
FUNDING PROGRAMS WHERE THE MPO HAS DIRECT RESPONSIBILITY 
FOR SETTING THE PRIORITIES.
AGAIN, THE MPO MUST MATCH ITS STRATEGIES AND INITIATIVES 
AGAINST THE AVAILABLE REVENUES, SO IN THE PROGRAMMING STEP, 
AGAIN, PROJECTS MUST BE COST-FEASIBLE, THE REVENUE MUST 
MATCH THE STRATEGY OF THE PROJECTS, AND YOUR PROGRAMMING IS 
TYPICALLY MORE OF A SHORT-TERM HORIZON.
YOUR TRANSPORTATION IMPROVEMENT PROGRAM'S FIVE YEARS IN 
TERMS OF IT LOOKS OUT FIVE YEARS FROM CURRENT FISCAL YEAR.
THERE ARE THREE C's THAT YOU'LL SEE AS WE TALK ABOUT THE 
MPO PLANNING PROCESS AND THAT THE MPOs NEED TO ENSURE THAT 
THE PROCESS IS CARRIED OUT IN A COMPREHENSIVE, COOPERATIVE, 
AND CONTINUING FASHION.
AGAIN, SO YOU'LL SEE THAT BEING ONE OF THE RESPONSIBILITIES 
IS THAT WE MAINTAIN A THREE "C" PLANNING PROCESS UNDER 
FEDERAL LAW.
I WANT TO TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE LATEST REQUIREMENTS 
FOR PLANNING FROM THE MOST RECENT FEDERAL ACT, SAFETEA-LU, 
AND SOME OF THIS IS REPEATING SOME OF THE THINGS THAT WERE 
IN THE EARLIER LAW, BUT AGAIN, THE MPO IS TO CONSIDER THE 
ECONOMIC VITALITY OF THE REGION WHEN IT'S DOING ITS 
PLANNING ACTIVITIES, HEAVY FOCUS NOW ON SAFETY AND 
SECURITY, ACCESSIBILITY, ALSO TO MENTION MORE EMPHASIS ON 
FREIGHT AND INCLUDING FREIGHT ENTITIES IN THE DECISION-
MAKING PROCESS.
I'M LOOKING AT HOW THE SYSTEM IS INTEGRATED AND CONNECTED, 
SO LOOKING AT THE SYSTEM AS A WHOLE AND LOOKING AT 
CONNECTIVITY IN PARTICULAR.
AGAIN, EFFICIENT SYSTEMS MANAGEMENT AND OPERATIONS.
A LOT OF THAT IS DONE THROUGH YOUR REQUIRED CONGESTION 
MANAGEMENT SYSTEM AND ALSO ENSURING THAT RESOURCES ARE 
AVAILABLE FOR SYSTEM PRESERVATION.
SO WHEN WE DO OUR LONG-RANGE PLAN, WE'RE NOT JUST LOOKING 
AT CAPITAL COSTS, WE ARE ALSO REQUIRED TO LOOK AT WHAT'S 
NEEDED IN TERMS OF RESOURCES TO EFFECTIVELY MAINTAIN THE 
SYSTEM.
THERE ARE NEW PLANNING REQUIREMENTS.
AGAIN, SOME OF THESE I JUST MENTIONED.
ONE OF THE NEW REQUIREMENTS THAT THERE BE A SEPARATE 
EMPHASIS ON SAFETY AND SECURITY AS WE DEVELOP OUR LONG-
RANGE PLANS.
EXCUSE ME.
ALSO WITH SAFETEA-LU SIMILAR TO WHAT WE HAVE AT THE STATE 
LEVEL WITH THE TRANSPORTATION DISADVANTAGED PROGRAM, 
SAFETEA-LU INCLUDED REQUIREMENTS FOR LOCAL AREAS TO DEVELOP 
COORDINATED HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES PLAN, AND I WANT TO 
MENTION IN THIS AREA WE'RE DOING THAT JOINTLY, THE 
HILLSBOROUGH, PINELLAS, AND PASCO COUNTY MPOs CREATING A 
PLAN FOR AGAIN TRANSPORTATION SERVICES FOR JOB ACCESS, FOR, 
AGAIN, INDIVIDUALS WHO DON'T HAVE ACCESS PARTICULARLY TO 
MAYBE TRANSIT SYSTEMS OR ADA SYSTEMS, AGAIN PROVIDING 
ADDITIONAL RESOURCES TO THE LOCAL AREA TO ENHANCE THOSE 
TYPE FUNCTIONS, AND SO THERE IS A REQUIREMENT NOW IN THE 
FEDERAL LAW AS WELL IN TERMS OF SPECIAL NEEDS 
TRANSPORTATION, AND THAT'S BEING DONE, AS I SAID, 
COORDINATED WITH THE OTHER MPOs IN THE REGION.
AS I MENTIONED EARLIER, AGAIN, OPERATIONS MANAGEMENT, 
CONSISTENCY WITH LOCAL PLANS, AND IN THE VENUE OF PUBLIC 
OUTREACH, A BIG FOCUS ON VISUALIZATION TECHNIQUES AS WE 
SHARE WITH THE COMMUNITY THE PLANS AND STRATEGIES, A BIG 
FOCUS AGAIN ON VISUALIZATION.
SOME OF THE PRIMARY PRODUCTS THAT THE MPO IS RESPONSIBLE 
FOR, FIRST IS YOUR UNIFIED PLANNING WORK PROGRAM.
THE UNIFIED PLANNING WORK PROGRAM IS YOUR PRIMARY BUDGET 
DOCUMENT, BUT ALSO YOUR UNIFIED PLANNING WORK PROGRAM 
SHOULD CONTAIN YOUR VISION AND YOUR PLANNING PRIORITIES FOR 
THE AREA, AGAIN, BASED ON THE NEEDS OF THAT AREA.
THERE'S AREA IN THE FRONT OF YOUR UNIFIED PLANNING WORK 
PROGRAM TO HIGHLIGHT THE PLANNING INITIATIVES IN THE AREA, 
THE FOCUS OF SOME OF THE TASKS THAT WILL BE INCLUDED IN 
YOUR BUDGET DOCUMENTS, SO AGAIN, YOUR UPWP IS YOUR BUDGET 
DOCUMENT BUT ALSO A DOCUMENT TO ENSURE YOUR STRATEGIC PLAN 
IN TERMS OF AS YOU GO FORTH WITH THE INITIATIVES FOR THAT 
AREA, YOUR LONG-RANGE TRANSPORTATION PLAN, YOUR FIVE-YEAR 
WORK PROGRAM, THE T.I.P., AND I MENTIONED AIR QUALITY 
ANALYSIS BECAUSE FOR THIS AREA, UNTIL A FEW YEARS AGO, THAT 
WAS ONE OF THE REQUIRED FUNCTIONS WHEN WE WERE IN 
NONATTAINMENT OR MAINTENANCE, AND IT MAY BECOME A 
REQUIREMENT IN THE FUTURE, SO FOR SOME MPOs AIR QUALITY 
ANALYSIS IS A REQUIRED FUNCTION.
PUBLIC INVOLVEMENT PROCESS AND CONGESTION MANAGEMENT ARE 
SOME OF THE OTHERS.
YOUR UPWP, AS I MENTIONED, IT INCLUDES THE TASKS AND 
STUDIES TO BE DONE, ALL OF YOUR FEDERALLY FUNDED STUDIES, 
BUT ALSO, IN ADDITION TO THE THINGS THAT THE FEDERAL 
GOVERNMENT IS FUNDING IN YOUR UPWP, IT SHOULD INCLUDE STATE 
AND LOCAL PLANNING ACTIVITIES THAT ARE TO BE CONDUCTED 
WITHOUT THE FEDERAL FUNDS.
AGAIN, THAT'S THE COMPREHENSIVENESS IN TERMS OF THE MPOs' 
FUNCTIONS, SO IF THE STATE DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION OR 
LOCAL AGENCIES ALSO ARE INVOLVED IN TRANSPORTATION PLANNING 
ACTIVITIES IN THE AREA, THOSE SHOULD ALSO BE INCLUDED IN 
YOUR UPWP, ALTHOUGH THEY MAY NOT BE FUNDED WITH FEDERAL 
FUNDS.
AGAIN, UPWP HAS TO SHOW THE FUNDING FOR EACH TASK, THE 
SCHEDULE FOR COMPLETION OF THE ACTIVITIES, AND THE 
RESPONSIBLE AGENCY REGARDING THE TASK OR STUDIES.
LONG-RANGE PLANS, AS MENTIONED, IT'S YOUR 20-YEAR GUIDE FOR 
INVESTMENT IN THE COUNTY.
IT HAS TO BE MULTIMODAL IN NATURE, MEANING IT NEEDS TO 
COVER HIGHWAYS, PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION, INTERMODAL 
FACILITIES, BICYCLE-PEDESTRIAN FACILITIES, FREIGHT, ALL OF 
THE MODES IN AN INTEGRATED FASHION.
NEEDS HAVE TO BE IDENTIFIED BASED ON USE OF A TRAVEL DEMAND 
FORECAST MODEL, AND IN THIS AREA, AGAIN, ALL OF THE MPOs 
WORKING WITH THE DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION UTILIZE WHAT 
WE CALL THE TAMPA BAY REGIONAL MODEL, AND AGAIN -- SO IT 
HAS TO BE BASED ON A TRAVEL DEMAND FORECAST MODEL, INCLUDE 
A FINANCIAL PLAN, BE FISCALLY CONSTRAINED, AND BECAUSE 
WE'RE NO LONGER AN AIR QUALITY NONE ATTAINMENT AREA, THE 
PLAN UPDATES ARE EVERY FIVE YEARS.
UNTIL THIS UPDATE, THEY WERE EVERY THREE YEARS.
YOUR TRANSPORTATION IMPROVEMENT PROGRAM IS THEN YOUR STAGED 
MULTI-YEAR PROGRAM OF PRIORITIZED PROJECTS.
IT SHOWS YOUR HIGHEST PRIORITIES FOR FUNDING.
TYPICALLY IT'S A FIVE-YEAR PERIOD.
AGAIN, FINANCIAL PLAN HAS TO BE INCLUDED, MUST BE FISCALLY 
CONSTRAINED, AND IF A PROJECT OR INITIATIVE IS NOT INCLUDED 
IN THE T.I.P., IT'S NOT ELIGIBLE FOR FEDERAL HIGHWAY OR 
FEDERAL TRANSIT FUNDS.
AS WITH ALL OF YOUR OTHER FUNCTIONS, THERE MUST BE PUBLIC 
INPUT IN DEVELOPING THE T.I.P. PRIORITIES AND IN THE 
FUNDING ALLOCATIONS, AND THE T.I.P. IS ANNUALLY UPDATED.
AGAIN, AS I MENTIONED, AIR QUALITY IS NOT AN ISSUE THAT WE 
HAVE TO DEAL WITH NOW, BUT WE MAY HAVE TO IN THE FUTURE 
BASED ON THE LATEST DESIGNATIONS THAT HAVE BEEN PUT OUT 
THERE BY EPA.
PUBLIC INVOLVEMENT PROCESS.
EACH MPO IS REQUIRED TO HAVE A PUBLIC INVOLVEMENT PROCESS, 
AND IT MUST BE FORMALIZED IN A WRITTEN DOCUMENT IN TERMS OF 
THE PUBLIC INVOLVEMENT STRATEGIES TO BE UTILIZED FOR ALL 
FACETS OF THE PLANNING PROCESS.
THE PUBLIC INVOLVEMENT PROCESS HAS TO BE PROACTIVE IN TERMS 
OF THE MPO THROUGH ITS BOARD AND THROUGH ITS STAFF 
PROACTIVELY ENGAGING THE COMMUNITY AT ALL LEVELS OF THE 
PROCESS.
BEFORE PLANS ARE PUT IN PLACE, GETTING PUBLIC INPUT AS 
VISIONS ARE DEVELOPED AND AS GOALS, OBJECTIVES, AND 
POLICIES ARE DEVELOPED, SO IT'S EARLY, IT'S OFTEN, AND IT'S 
CONTINUING.
MUST BE AN OPEN PROCESS, AND AGAIN, THERE'S THE FOCUS ON 
COLLABORATION WITH OUR PARTNERS.
AND I WANT TO POINT OUT AGAIN THAT IT'S A REQUIRED FORMAL 
DOCUMENT IN THE MPO AREAS.
YOUR CONGESTION MANAGEMENT PROCESS LOOKS MORE AT SYSTEMS 
OPERATIONS.
IT'S A PROCESS THAT IDENTIFIES AREAS OF CONGESTION IN THE 
TRANSPORTATION NETWORK, LOOKS AT THE CAUSES OF CONGESTION, 
AND THEN LOOKS AT STRATEGIES FOR ADDRESSING THAT 
CONGESTION.
TYPICALLY WITH THE CONGESTION MANAGEMENT PROCESS, WE'RE 
LOOKING AT TYPICALLY OPERATIONAL TYPE IMPROVEMENTS.
THEY MAY BE TRANSPORTATION SYSTEM MANAGEMENT, INTERSECTION 
IMPROVEMENTS, ACCESS MANAGEMENT, DEPLOYMENT OF INTELLIGENT 
TRANSPORTATION SYSTEMS, LOOKING AT ALL ALTERNATIVE MODES.
TYPICALLY THE CMS'S DON'T FOCUS AS MUCH ON SAY ROADWAY 
WIDENING AS IT DOES ON ENHANCING OPERATIONS THROUGH OTHER 
STRATEGIES.
THEN THERE'S THIS GRAPHIC THAT JUST KIND OF VISUALLY SHOWS 
THE PLANNING PROCESS OF THE LONG-RANGE PLAN, AND THEN THE 
T.I.P. BEING THE SHORT-RANGE COMPONENT OF THAT, AND THEN 
ULTIMATELY THE MPO SETTING THE PRIORITIES ON AN ANNUAL 
BASIS FOR FUNDING THE INITIATIVES, AND THEN THE ACTUAL 
IMPLEMENTATION.
SOME OF THE OTHER MPO FUNCTIONS, TRANSPORTATION 
DISADVANTAGED SERVICE PLANNING, LONG-RANGE PLANS OUTSIDE OF 
THE NORMAL PLAN UPDATE PROCESS.
SOMETIMES IT MAY BE ONGOING TRANSIT INITIATIVES IN SOME 
AREAS, LIKE WE HAVE UNDERWAY A GOODS MOVEMENT STUDY, 
LOOKING AT FREIGHT AND OTHER MATTERS OUTSIDE OF THE LONG-
RANGE PLAN, SO YOU WILL ALWAYS, BECAUSE THE PLANNING 
PROCESS IS CONTINUING, HAVE PLANNING ACTIVITIES ONGOING 
EVEN AFTER YOUR LONG-RANGE PLAN IS ADOPTED IN TERMS OF 
WHATEVER PRIORITIES HAVE BEEN SET FOR THAT LOCAL COMMUNITY 
MAY RESULT IN ONGOING PLANNING FUNCTIONS IN THAT REGARD.
ENVIRONMENTAL PLANNING -- EXCUSE ME -- CORRIDOR SUBAREA 
PLANNING, AND HERE I WANT TO MENTION, AGAIN IN THE STATE OF 
FLORIDA, MPOs ARE REQUIRED TO COORDINATE WITH THE MPOs IN 
THE ADJACENT AREA, AND IN THIS AREA IN PARTICULAR THERE IS 
LANGUAGE INCLUDED IN STATE LAW THAT REQUIRES A REGIONAL 
PROCESS.
AGAIN, THAT'S NOT A FEDERAL MANDATE, THAT'S A STATE 
MANDATE, BUT I WANT TO POINT THAT OUT BECAUSE THERE ARE 
SOME ADDITIONAL THINGS INCLUDED IN STATE LAW THAT YOU WON'T 
SEE HERE ON THE SLIDE.
AND THIS JUST VERY QUICKLY TALKS ABOUT THE ROLE OF THE 
STATE IN TRANSPORTATION PLANNING, BUT I'VE INCLUDED THAT 
BECAUSE THERE IS THE NEED FOR THE MPO PLANS AND THE STATE 
PLANS TO BE COORDINATED.
WE'RE PARTNERS IN THE EFFORT, SO THE STATE HAS PLANNING 
FUNCTIONS ALSO THAT ARE OUTLINED IN -- ALSO THAT ARE 
OUTLINED IN THE CODE OF FEDERAL REGULATIONS.
STATE ALSO IS RESPONSIBLE FOR DEVELOPING A VISION AND 
STRATEGY FOR THE TRANSPORTATION SYSTEM THROUGHOUT THE 
STATE, TYPICALLY THROUGH THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE FLORIDA 
TRANSPORTATION PLAN, AND THE MPOs ARE INVOLVED IN THAT 
EFFORT, BOTH THROUGH LOCAL WORKSHOPS AS WELL AS THROUGH THE 
STATEWIDE ORGANIZATION OF MPOs, AND OF COURSE, THE STATE 
ALSO DOES PLANNING FOR THE NONURBANIZED AREAS AND OVERSEES 
THE DISTRIBUTION OF FUNDS, STATE AND FEDERAL FUNDS.
ANOTHER GRAPHIC SHOWING HOW THE PROCESS HAS COME TOGETHER.
SOME OF THE ADDITIONAL BULLETS REGARDING COOPERATION AND 
COORDINATION.
AND THIS WAS JUST CITING SOME OF THE SPECIFIC LANGUAGE FROM 
THE FEDERAL LAW, SO I'VE ALREADY COVERED THIS IN EARLIER 
COMMENTS, AND WITH THAT, I'LL TAKE ANY QUESTIONS THAT YOU 
MIGHT HAVE.
>>JOE AFFRONTI:  THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS OF MS. WARD.
YES.
>>LINDA SAUL-SENA:  THANK YOU.
PERHAPS I MISSED IT, BUT THERE'S BEEN SO MUCH CONVERSATION 
LATELY ABOUT SUSTAINABILITY, REDUCING THE CARBON FOOTPRINT 
OF OUR COMMUNITIES.
IS THAT A NEW STATE OR FEDERAL CONSIDERATION THAT PLAYS 
INTO OUR PLANNING?
BECAUSE SOMETIMES I KNOW WHAT YOU DO IMMEDIATELY MIGHT BE -
- MIGHT REQUIRE A GREATER INFRASTRUCTURE INVESTMENT, BUT 
LONG-TERM IT'S A MORE SUSTAINABLE AND FINANCIALLY SMARTER 
CHOICE.
>> YES.
SO CERTAINLY SUSTAINABILITY AND LOOKING AT REDUCTION OF 
GREENHOUSE EMISSIONS, THOUGH NOT SPECIFICALLY STATED IN THE 
CURRENT REGS, IS A FOCUSED TRANSPORTATION PLANNING, THE 
GOVERNOR'S INITIATIVE.
WE'RE TRACKING THAT AND SEEING WHERE MPOs AS WELL AS LOCAL 
GOVERNMENTS THROUGH THEIR TRANSPORTATION PLANS NEED TO 
CONSIDER THAT, BUT CERTAINLY IN EVERYTHING WE DO NOW 
SUSTAINABILITY IS SOMETHING THAT NEEDS TO BE CONSIDERED.
>>LINDA SAUL-SENA:  THANK YOU.
>>JOE AFFRONTI:  ANY OTHER COMMENTS?
WE WANT TO THANK YOU VERY, VERY MUCH FOR BEING HERE AND 
GIVING US YOUR TIME.
WE APPRECIATE THAT VERY MUCH.
>>BRIAN BLAIR:  I HAD ONE QUESTION.
>>BOB HUNTER:  I JUST WANTED TO ANSWER HER QUESTION IN THAT 
THE STATE LEGISLATURE LAST WEEK PASSED A BILL THAT REQUIRED 
A SUSTAINABILITY FOOTPRINT DEALING WITH TRANSPORTATION AND 
PLANNING, AND YOU'LL -- I'M ASSUMING IT WILL BE SIGNED, AND 
SO YOU'LL BE GETTING THE DETAILS PROBABLY WITHIN THE NEXT 
FOUR TO SIX WEEKS, VERY DETAILED IN ADDRESSING THAT 
SPECIFICITY.
>>LINDA SAUL-SENA:  AND WILL WE BE REQUIRED AS AN MPO TO 
TAKE THIS INTO CONSIDERATION IN MAKING OUR PRIORITIES?
>>BOB HUNTER:  THAT'S MY UNDERSTANDING, YES.
>>LINDA SAUL-SENA:  OKAY.
CAN WE MAKE SURE THAT THAT GETS ON OUR --
>>BOB HUNTER:  IT WILL BE SUMMARIZED AND TO YOU AS SOON AS 
WE CAN.
>>LINDA SAUL-SENA:  THANK YOU.
>>BOB HUNTER:  I DIDN'T MEAN TO JUMP IN.
>>JOE AFFRONTI:  THANK YOU.
>> I'M GLAD BOB WAS ABLE TO ANSWER THAT.
THAT LEGISLATION DID PASS.
I KNOW THAT IT WAS UNDER CONSIDERATION.
>>JOE AFFRONTI:  ANY OTHER -- YES, MR. MILLER.
>>LOUIS MILLER:  SARAH, YOU DID AN EXCELLENT JOB.
I REALLY APPRECIATE THAT.
IF ONE WERE TO TRY AND DEFINE THE ROLE OF AN MPO VERY 
SHORTLY -- AND YOU WENT INTO A LOT OF DETAIL OF WHAT IT WAS 
DOING HERE -- WOULD IT BE FAIR TO SAY THAT THE MPOs' ROLE 
IN HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY OR PINELLAS COUNTY IS TO DEVELOP A 
TRANSPORTATION SYSTEM WITHIN THE COUNTY WHICH INCLUDES ALL 
THE CITIES AND THE PARTNERS AND EVERYBODY ELSE THAT'S 
INVOLVED IN THE MPO PLANNING PROCESS, AND THAT'S THE END OF 
THEIR BOUNDARIES, BUT SHOULD YOU ADD TO THAT THAT THEY 
SHOULD ALSO MAKE SURE THAT IT HAS CONNECTIVITY INTO AN MPO 
THAT BORDERS YOU --
>> YES, YES.
>>LOUIS MILLER:  -- SUCH AS HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY MPO TYING 
IN WITH WHAT YOUR PLANS ARE IN PINELLAS COUNTY AS TO HOW 
THEY COME TOGETHER?
I DIDN'T SEE THAT DEFINED IN THE STATE PLAN OR THE FEDERAL 
REQUIREMENTS, BUT I'M SURE THAT'S GOT TO BE A --
>> IT'S A STATE LAW.
>>LOUIS MILLER:  STATE LAW HAS THAT.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH, BECAUSE THAT'S IMPORTANT.
>> AND I MENTIONED THAT VERY BRIEFLY THAT THAT WAS INCLUDED 
AND IS SPECIFICALLY REQUIRED IN STATE LAW.
>>LOUIS MILLER:  THANK YOU.
>>JOE AFFRONTI:  GOOD QUESTION, MR. MILLER.
ANY OTHER COMMENTS?
>>BRIAN BLAIR:  YES.
>>JOE AFFRONTI:  YES, MR. BLAIR.
>>BRIAN BLAIR:  SARAH, YOU DID A GREAT JOB.
I APOLOGIZE FOR BEING A FEW MINUTES LATE, BUT VERY 
INTERESTING, VERY EDUCATING.
WHEN YOU TALK ABOUT THE TRANSPORTATION PROJECTS MUST BE 
COST-FEASIBLE WITH VISIONING, CAN YOU ELABORATE ON THAT 
JUST A LITTLE BIT.
>> YES.
THE FEDERAL LAW BASICALLY REQUIRES THAT WHEN WE DO OUR 
LONG-RANGE PLAN WE RECEIVE FORECASTS OF STATE AND FEDERAL 
REVENUE FROM THE DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION.
FOR LOCAL PROJECTS INCLUDED IN THE PLAN, WE HAVE TO GET 
THOSE FORECASTS FROM THE LOCAL GOVERNMENTS, BUT BASICALLY 
THE LAW REQUIRES THAT FOR ALL PROJECTS THAT YOU INCLUDE IN 
THE -- SAY THE COST-FEASIBLE OR COST-AFFORDABLE OF YOUR 
LONG-RANGE PLAN BE BALANCED AGAINST AVAILABLE REVENUES.
WE WERE TALKING A LITTLE BIT BEFORE THE MEETING ABOUT A NEW 
WRINKLE IN THAT REQUIREMENT IS THAT FOR OUR NEW LONG-RANGE 
PLAN UPDATES, THE PROJECTS HAVE TO BE REFLECTED IN YEAR-OF-
EXPENDITURE DOLLARS, SO AS WE DO THE PLAN UPDATES, NOT ONLY 
DO WE NEED TO LOOK AT REVENUE OVER THE 20-YEAR PERIOD IN 
MAKING SURE THAT THERE IS SUFFICIENT REVENUE AVAILABLE, WE 
NEED TO LOOK AT WHEN THOSE PROJECTS ARE GOING TO BE BUILT 
AND COST THEM OUT IN THOSE YEARS AND ENSURE THAT THE 
REVENUE IS THERE FOR THAT TIME PERIOD.
MPOs CAN INCLUDE IN THEIR LONG-RANGE PLANS -- I THINK THE 
LANGUAGE THEY USED TO USE WAS ILLUSTRATIVE PROJECTS.
THOSE ARE ONES THAT PERHAPS YOU DON'T HAVE THE REVENUE FOR, 
MAYBE PART OF YOUR NEEDS PLAN.
YOU CAN INCLUDE THOSE IN YOUR PLANS, BUT THEY'RE NOT 
CONSIDERED TO BE A PART OF THE OFFICIAL COST-AFFORDABLE 
PLAN, SO FOR EVERYTHING THAT'S IN YOUR COST-AFFORDABLE 
PLAN, THERE NEEDS TO BE A REVENUE ASSOCIATED WITH IT.
>>BRIAN BLAIR:  OKAY.
THEN MY FINAL QUESTION WOULD BE -- FOR EXAMPLE, WE JUST 
APPROVED A HALF A BILLION DOLLARS IN INFRASTRUCTURE 
PROJECTS, ROAD PROJECTS, AND SOME BRT.
HOW WOULD THAT -- THAT'S JUST THE COUNTY.
HOW WOULD THAT TIE IN WITH MPO OR WOULD IT OR WOULD IT NOT?
>> TO THE DEGREE THAT THOSE COUNTY FACILITIES ARE PART OF 
YOUR TRANSPORTATION SYSTEM -- AND I THINK MOST OF THEM 
PROBABLY ARE YOUR MAJOR COUNTY ROADS.
>>BRIAN BLAIR:  RIGHT.
>> THAT WILL NEED TO BE REFLECTED AS THE MPO DOES ITS 
UPDATE.
YOUR UPDATE IS DUE NEXT YEAR, 2009, JUST AS OURS, SO YOU 
WOULD THEN BE REFLECTING THOSE COUNTY PROJECTS AND THE 
REVENUE SOURCES AS WELL AS THE TRANSIT, SO THOSE PROJECTS 
ALL SHOULD BE ROLLED INTO YOUR UPDATED PLAN.
>>BRIAN BLAIR:  OKAY.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
>>JOE AFFRONTI:  OKAY.
ANY OTHER -- YES, MR. MILLER.
>>LOUIS MILLER:  THE ONLY COMMENT I WOULD HAVE FOLLOWS ON 
WHAT COMMISSIONER BLAIR WAS SAYING.
I KNOW THAT COMMISSIONER HAGAN'S TRANSPORTATION TASK FORCE 
THAT CAME UP WITH THE $500 MILLION, THE FULL PRESENTATION 
WAS MADE TO OUR MPO BOARD FOUR, FIVE MONTHS AGO, AND I KNOW 
IT WAS VERY SUPPORTIVE OF MEMBERS ON THE BOARD, BUT I GUESS 
IT HASN'T BEEN TOTALLY INTEGRATED INTO THE PLAN YET.
IS THAT CORRECT, RAY?
>>RAY CHIARAMONTE:  I THINK THAT ALL THE PROJECTS IN THERE 
OTHER THAN PROJECTS THAT WOULD BE SMALLER THAN WHAT WOULD 
SHOW IN THE MPO PLAN PRETTY MUCH FOLLOW THE MPO LONG-RANGE 
PLAN.
>>LOUIS MILLER:  THAT'S GREAT.
THAT'S GOOD TO KNOW BECAUSE THAT WAS A VERY PRODUCTIVE 
GROUP THAT CAME UP WITH SOME GOOD THINGS.
>>BRIAN BLAIR:  ABSOLUTELY.
>>JOE AFFRONTI:  OKAY.
ANY OTHER COMMENTS?
IF NOT, WE THANK YOU VERY MUCH, MS. WARD, FOR BEING HERE.
THANK YOU.
NEXT WE'D LIKE TO HAVE THE REPORT FROM THE COUNTY INTERNAL 
PERFORMANCE AUDITOR, KEN GENTILE.
I JUST WANTED TO MENTION ONE THING.
WE HAD HOPED TO GET THE REPORT OUT LAST FRIDAY EVENING SO 
YOU'D HAVE THE WEEKEND TO STUDY IT, BUT IT DIDN'T HAPPEN, 
SO WE APOLOGIZE FOR IT.
YESTERDAY WAS THE FIRST DAY THAT I SAW IT, AND WE MET WITH 
MR. GENTILE AND WENT OVER EVERYTHING, BUT ANYWAY, I JUST 
WANT TO APOLOGIZE FOR NOT GETTING IT OUT SOONER.
>>KEN GENTILE:  AND I TAKE RESPONSIBILITY FOR THAT.
GOOD MORNING TO BOARD MEMBERS, HONORED GUESTS.
MY NAME IS KEN GENTILE.
I'M THE SENIOR PERFORMANCE AUDITOR OF HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY, 
AND LAST MONTH I WAS AUTHORIZED TO CONDUCT A STUDY OF FIVE 
MPOs.
JUST POINT OF CLARIFICATION, IT WASN'T A FULL AUDIT OF 
EITHER THE PLANNING COMMISSION OR THE MPO, IT WAS A STUDY 
OF COMPARISON OF FIVE OTHER MPOs IN ORDER TO PROVIDE 
INFORMATION TO THIS BOARD FOR THIS WORKSHOP, SO THIS 
MORNING I'D LIKE TO PROVIDE THE RESULTS OF THAT STUDY.
I'M NOT SURE WHERE IT IS, BUT I THINK YOU HAVE HANDOUTS OF 
THAT, SO I'LL BASICALLY JUST WALK THROUGH SOME OF THE 
HIGHLIGHTS OF THAT.
TURN THIS OFF.
FIRST, I GUESS ON THE GOOD -- THE GOOD NEWS IS SOME OF THE 
HIGHLIGHTS OF THE HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY MPO, I WANTED TO 
FIRST THANK BOB HUNTER AND HIS TEAM FOR HELPING ME.
LUCIE AYER, RAY CHIARAMONTE, BOB ZAMBITO WERE ALL VERY 
HELPFUL IN GIVING ASSISTANCE TO ME TO CONDUCT THIS STUDY, 
AND WE WORKED VERY CLOSELY COMING UP WITH A QUESTIONNAIRE 
THROUGHOUT THE PROCESS, BUT WHAT THE HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY 
MPO IS DOING WELL, I WANT TO START THERE.
FIRST, AS SARAH WARD SAID, THERE IS -- THERE ARE STATE AND 
FEDERAL REQUIREMENTS FOR THE MPO, AND HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY 
MPO IS DOING THESE.
THEY'RE PERFORMING THESE WELL AND THEY'RE IN FULL 
COMPLIANCE WITH THEIR STATE AND FEDERAL MANDATES, SO THAT'S 
GOOD.
ALSO, WE WANTED TO NOTE THAT THE PUBLIC INVOLVEMENT PLAN 
THAT HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY HAS IS EXEMPLARY.
IT WAS NOTED BY AT LEAST TWO DIFFERENT AGENCIES, THE 
FEDERAL HIGHWAY ADMINISTRATION IN THEIR CERTIFICATION, THAT 
THEY HAVE A VERY GOOD PROCESS OF SOLICITING FEEDBACK FROM 
CITIZENS AND CONSTITUENTS, AND THAT WAS HIGHLIGHTED AS 
SOMETHING THEY DO VERY WELL.
THIRDLY, THEY HAVE A VERY EFFICIENT USE OF RESOURCES.
HAVING THE MPO EMBEDDED AS PART OF THE PLANNING COMMISSION 
WAS NOTED BY JEFF KRAMER IN TERMS OF PROCESS, WHO IS THE -- 
WORKS FOR THE CENTER OF URBAN TRANSPORTATION RESEARCH AS A 
STRUCTURE THAT HAS A VERY EFFICIENT USE OF RESOURCE IN 
USING PLANNERS AND ENGINEERS AND CROSS-POLLINATING THEM 
ACROSS THE AGENCIES.
AND LASTLY, THE MPO WAS COMMENDED FOR THE REGIONAL 
COORDINATION WORK DONE THROUGH THE WEST CENTRAL FLORIDA 
CHAIRS AND COORDINATING COMMITTEE.
THAT WAS I THINK SOMETHING THAT IS WORKING AND IS ABLE TO 
BRING MPOs ACROSS COUNTIES TOGETHER.
THAT WAS DONE VERY WELL.
IN TERMS OF THE STUDY, WE -- FIRST I WANT TO SAY I'M NOT AN 
AUTHORITY ON MPOs, I'M NOT AN EXPERT, AND COULD NOT BECOME 
AN EXPERT IN A MATTER OF A MONTH.
IT'S A PRETTY COMPREHENSIVE PROCESS, AND I APPLAUD YOU FOR 
GOING THROUGH THE PROCESS, AND THOSE THAT WORK IN THE 
FIELD, IT DOES INVOLVE A LOT, BUT NOT BEING AN EXPERT -- MY 
EXPERTISE IS MORE IN AUDITING AND FINANCE, PROCESS 
IMPROVEMENT, AND PERFORMANCE AUDITING.
SO WHAT WE DID IS WE CONDUCTED A STUDY, AND FIRST WE DID IS 
WE WANTED TO CONSULT THE EXPERTS, SO WE WENT OUT AND SPOKE 
TO SEVERAL FOLKS THAT ARE IDENTIFIED IN THE REPORT, 
TERRANCE REGAN, THE SENIOR RESEARCH ANALYST FROM VOLPE 
NATIONAL TRANSPORTATION CENTER; BOB CLIFFORD WITH FDOT, 
DeLANIA HARDY, WHO'S VERY HELPFUL.
SHE'S THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF AMPO, THE ASSOCIATION OF 
MPOs, AND JEFF KRAMER AS I MENTIONED, AND WHAT WE TRIED TO 
DO IS INTERVIEW THEM AND LOOK FOR MPOs THAT WERE TO SOME 
DEGREE COMPARABLE AND ALSO THAT HAD EXEMPLARY PRACTICES 
WHERE THEY WERE EITHER INNOVATIVE OR HAD SOME THINGS THAT 
THEY WERE DOING WELL.
WHEN WE ASKED WHAT ARE THE FIVE TOP MPOs, THERE IS NO LIST.
MPOs ARE AS VARIED AS NOSES ON FACES.
THERE'S JUST A LOT OF DIFFERENCES BETWEEN MPOs, EITHER 
LEGALLY, STRUCTURALLY, BASED ON THE REGIONS' NEEDS.
FLORIDA'S VERY UNIQUE IN THAT WE HAVE A LOT OF -- WE HAVE 
26 MPOs IN THE STATE.
MANY OF THEM ARE COUNTY-SPECIFIC, WHICH IS VERY UNIQUE 
ACROSS THE COUNTRY.
SO WE LOOKED AT THOSE MPOs AND CAME UP WITH FIVE.
IT WASN'T REALLY OUR DOING.
THESE WERE SUGGESTED IN TERMS OF DISCUSSING WITH THESE 
EXPERTS, AND THOSE WERE IN LAS VEGAS; AUSTIN; WE CHOSE TWO 
IN FLORIDA, ORLANDO AND JACKSONVILLE; AND ONE IN 
CHARLOTTESVILLE, AND ALTHOUGH CHARLOTTESVILLE, VIRGINIA, IS 
NOT COMPARABLE IN SIZE, THEY HAD A VERY INFORMATIVE 
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR THAT WAS VERY HELPFUL AND RECOMMENDED TO 
SPEAK WITH.
SO WE SPENT PROBABLY TWO-THIRDS OF OUR TIME RESEARCHING AND 
DOCUMENTING A QUESTIONNAIRE THAT WE GAVE OUT TO THEM AND 
RECEIVED THE RESULTS AND DID SOME COMPARISONS, AND WHAT I'D 
LIKE TO DO IS IDENTIFY SOME OF THOSE CONSIDERATIONS FOR 
YOUR REVIEW TODAY.
THE FIRST DEALT WITH THE MISSION THEME.
WHAT WE FOUND IS THAT IN CONSIDERING THE MISSION THEME -- 
AND I SAY MISSION THEME BECAUSE THEY'RE VERY VARIED, AND 
SOME OF THEM ARE QUITE LONG, BUT EVERY MPO IS STRUCTURED 
DIFFERENTLY LEGALLY AND HAS DIFFERENT -- THEREFORE, 
DIFFERENT MISSIONS, BUT WHAT WE SAW WITH THE HILLSBOROUGH 
COUNTY MPO IS THAT WE WERE VERY PLAN FOCUSED.
THIS WASN'T A TOTAL SURPRISE BECAUSE THEY ARE -- AS PART OF 
THE PLANNING COMMISSION, THE PLANS ARE VERY IMPORTANT, AS 
WELL AS THEY'RE REQUIRED BY FEDERAL AND STATE LAW, BUT WE 
SAW THAT WITH A PLAN-BASED MISSION STATEMENT -- JUST TO 
GIVE YOU A FEEL FOR SOME OF THE THEMES -- HILLSBOROUGH 
COUNTY'S MISSION THEME WAS TO DEVELOP A COMPREHENSIVE LONG-
RANGE TRANSPORTATION PLAN, WHICH THEY DO.
IN LAS VEGAS THEIR PLAN WAS TO PROVIDE TRANSPORTATION 
SERVICES.
THEY'RE A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT.
THEY ARE REQUIRED OR AS PART OF THEIR STRUCTURE TO PROVIDE 
THE SERVICES AS WELL AS THE PLAN.
IN METRO PLAN ORLANDO, THOUGH, THEY ARE AN MPO -- REGIONAL 
MPO.
THEY ARE TO PROVIDE LEADERSHIP IN PLANNING WAS THEIR THEME, 
WHICH WAS A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT, KIND OF A LITTLE BIT MORE 
EXTENSIVE, AND I WAS HAPPY TO HEAR SARAH ADDRESS THAT, THAT 
THERE'S SOME REQUIREMENTS BUT THERE'S ALSO SOME COOPERATION 
AND COORDINATION AND COLLABORATION THAT IS AVAILABLE AS 
WELL.
JACKSONVILLE HAD A KIND OF A CLASSIC DEFINITION.
IT WAS TO PROVIDE A REGIONAL FORUM.
THEY WHY LOOKING TO BRING ALL THE STAKEHOLDERS TO THE 
TABLE.
AND THEN FINALLY IN CHARLOTTESVILLE, WHICH IS PROBABLY THE 
MORE INNOVATIVE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, WAS TO PROVIDE AN 
APPROPRIATE BLEND OF TRANSPORTATION ALTERNATIVES, REALLY TO 
LOOK AT MULTIMODAL AND DIFFERENT ALTERNATIVES THAT WERE 
AVAILABLE.
SO I GUESS THE FIRST CONSIDERATION TO THE BOARD WOULD BE TO 
MAYBE LOOK AT OR READDRESS THE MISSION WITHOUT UNDERMINING 
THE MANDATES, BUT LOOK AT POSSIBLY EXPANDING JUST THE PLAN 
TO MAYBE A LITTLE BIT MORE EXPANSIVE MISSION THEME.
WE, I GUESS, AS A COUNTY ALSO ARE VERY UNIQUE IN THAT WE 
HAVE A LOT OF STAKEHOLDERS, SOME OF THEM INDEPENDENT, SOME 
QUASI-INDEPENDENT, THAT NEED TO BE BROUGHT TOGETHER, SO ON 
THE POWERPOINT PRESENTATION IF YOU'RE FOLLOWING ALONG, 
THERE'S A SLIDE THAT ADDRESSES STAKEHOLDERS, AND YOU'LL SEE 
A LOT OF CIRCLES ON THIS SLIDE.
THE SIZE AND PLACEMENT OF THE STAKEHOLDERS HAS NO BEARING 
ON THE IMPORTANCE OF THE ENTITY, SO IF YOU SEE, YOU KNOW, 
EITHER A CITY OR COUNTY OR AN ENTITY WITH A LARGER CIRCLE 
OR CLOSER TO THE MPO, THAT'S BY NO MEANS AN INDICATION OF 
IMPORTANCE OR PRIORITY.
WHAT IT REFLECTS, THOUGH, IS THAT THERE'S A LOT OF PLAYERS 
AND A LOT OF STAKEHOLDERS INVOLVED, TBARTA BEING ONE OF 
THEM, WHICH WAS RECENTLY FORMED.
WHAT WE'RE SUGGESTING FOR CONSIDERATION IS THAT A ROAD MAP 
BE LAID OUT, WHICH LAYS OUT THE ROLES AND THE RELATIONSHIPS 
OF THE MPO IN RELATION TO ALL THESE STAKEHOLDERS OF THESE 
ENTITIES.
THAT -- FOR INSTANCE, IF THERE WAS DISCUSSION OF A LIGHT 
RAIL OR SOME INITIATIVE UNDER CONSIDERATION, ALL OF THE 
STAKEHOLDERS IN PLAY COULD BE IDENTIFIED WITH SPECIFICS AS 
TO WHO'S RESPONSIBLE FOR EITHER SHUTTLE SERVICE OR SECURITY 
OR ENHANCEMENTS OR MAPS OR SCHEDULES, TO A GRANDER LEVEL OF 
DETAIL, AND KNOW WHAT THE ROLES ARE IN THESE STAKEHOLDERS.
WE FEEL THAT IT'S IMPORTANT THAT -- AND AS SARAH WARD HAD 
MENTIONED -- TO BE COOPERATIVE AND TO COORDINATE THAT -- 
THAT THIS MAP BE LAID OUT VERY CLEARLY WITHOUT JEOPARDIZING 
THE MANDATES UNDERLYING FOR THE MPO.
TO DO THAT, I WANTED TO HIGHLIGHT A COUPLE OF OTHER 
CONSIDERATIONS.
ONE DEALS WITH DIRECTION, AND THIS IS DEFINED BY THE BOARD.
SOME STEPS IN DEFINING THE DIRECTION OR THE PURSUIT BY THE 
BOARD WOULD INCLUDE QUESTIONS LIKE MODES OF MASS TRANSIT OR 
BUILDING A BELTWAY OR IMPROVING THE INFRASTRUCTURE, 
CONSIDERATIONS THAT YOU MAKE EVERY DAY, BUT WHAT POSTURE 
AND ROLE DOES THE MPO HAVE IN THAT PROCESS IS REALLY WHAT 
WE'RE DRIVING AT IN TERMS OF DIRECTION FOR THE MPO.
SECOND, THIS DISCUSSION WOULD HELP IDENTIFY AND PRIORITIZE 
THE ATTRIBUTES OF THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, WHAT SKILLS AND 
ATTRIBUTES DO THEY HAVE TO HAVE IN ORDER TO CARRY THIS OUT, 
AND I'M GOING TO TALK TO THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR ROLE IN A 
MOMENT.
THIRD WOULD BE TO LOOK FOR A PERFORMANCE ASSESSMENT TOOL, 
HOW DO YOU KNOW IF THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR IS DOING A GOOD 
JOB, HOW DO YOU KNOW IF THEY'RE CARRYING OUT THESE 
FUNCTIONS WELL OR ACHIEVING THESE PERFORMANCE GOALS, AND 
I'LL PROBABLY TALK TO THAT AND CLOSE WITH THAT.
IN TERMS OF THE SEARCH AND STRUCTURE, WE WERE, I GUESS, LED 
TO THE CITY OF AUSTIN, THE AUSTIN CAMPO MPO.
THEY HAD JUST GONE THROUGH A SEARCH PROCESS FOR THEIR 
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR AND HAVE EXISTING INFORMATION OF OVER 40  
EXECUTIVE DIRECTORS IN A NATIONWIDE SEARCH THAT ARE 
QUALIFIED CANDIDATES THAT THEY WENT THROUGH.
THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR JUST STARTED LAST MONDAY, AND WE 
THINK THERE MIGHT BE AN OPPORTUNITY FOR SOME LOW-HANGING 
FRUIT OF HAVING THAT AVAILABLE INFORMATION JUST FALL INTO 
OUR LAPS AND AT OUR DISPOSAL, SO WE WOULD ASK YOU TO 
CONSIDER THE POSSIBILITY OF PERFORMING A SEARCH COMMITTEE 
FROM THE BOARD TO WORK WITH THEM.
THEIR DIRECTOR OF HUMAN RESOURCE THERE IS VERY 
ACCOMMODATING, AND I CAN GIVE THE CONTACT INFORMATION FOR 
HER, AND SHE'S WILLING TO HELP US AND FORWARD THAT 
INFORMATION TO US AS WE SEE FIT.
IN TERMS OF THE -- I GUESS THE QUALITIES OF AN MPO -- OR OF 
AN MPO DIRECTOR, WE ASKED THAT.
WE ASKED FROM THE MPOs WHAT DO YOU THINK IS THE MOST 
IMPORTANT THING OR THINGS OR QUALITIES AN MPO DIRECTOR 
NEEDS, AND I JUST WANTED TO HIGHLIGHT SOME OF THOSE -- SOME 
OF THOSE QUALITIES.
FROM AUSTIN THEY SAID A STRONG WORKING KNOWLEDGE OF 
TRANSPORTATION PLANNING.
WE THINK THAT WAS VERY IMPORTANT.
THAT CAME UP MORE THAN ONCE.
IN LAS VEGAS THEY HAD MENTIONED STABILITY, TO WITHSTAND 
COMPETING DEMANDS OF JUDGMENT OF PRIORITIES AND UNDERSTAND 
THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN DEMANDS AND PRIORITIES AND KIND OF 
STAYING THE COURSE.
THEY -- I GUESS JUST POINT OF REFERENCE -- HAVE PUT IN 
PLACE A DOUBLE-DECKER BUS SYSTEM THAT IS PROFITABLE IN LAS 
VEGAS, WHICH IS SOMETHING THAT WAS EXEMPLARY ON THEIR SIDE.
IN JACKSONVILLE THEY EXPRESSED AN ATTRIBUTE OF AN EXECUTIVE 
DIRECTOR TO HAVE THE VISION TO LOOK BEYOND THE FEDERAL 
REQUIREMENTS AND MAKE SURE THE MPO IS RELEVANT TO THE 
COMMUNITY, WHICH WE THOUGHT WAS VERY INSIGHTFUL.
IT WASN'T JUST TO SEE THAT THEY'RE FULFILLING THEIR FEDERAL 
AND STATE REQUIREMENTS BUT ARE THEY RELEVANT, ARE THEY 
DOING WHAT IS REALLY NEEDED, AND THEN IN -- I GUESS JUST TO 
MIRROR THAT IN HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY, AN INTIMATE KNOWLEDGE 
OF THE LAWS AND REGS OF THE MPOs AND EFFECTIVE 
COMMUNICATION WERE CITED AS IMPORTANT QUALITIES.
FINALLY, IN CHARLOTTESVILLE, JUST TO -- AS INDICATIVE OF 
THEIR LEADERSHIP THEY CITED AN AGGRESSIVE ENTREPRENEURIAL 
LEADER WAS VERY IMPORTANT IN WORKING WITH THE BUSINESS 
COMMUNITY.
OH, AND THEN ORLANDO ALSO EXPRESSED AN ATTRIBUTE OF 
REACHING OUT TO THE BUSINESS COMMUNITY AS A QUALIFICATION 
THAT THEY THOUGHT WAS IMPORTANT.
JUST TO KIND OF CLOSE ON STRUCTURE IN TERMS OF 
RELATIONSHIP, WE'D LIKE YOU TO CONSIDER, I GUESS, OR THE 
BOARD TO CONSIDER TO ENGAGE A CONSULTANT.
WE SPOKE TO JEFF KRAMER OF CUTR, AND HE PUT TOGETHER A 
STUDY IN BROWARD COUNTY, WHICH IS AN ATTACHMENT IN THE 
REPORT, WHERE THEY LOOKED AT AND ANALYZED WHAT IS THE BEST 
STRUCTURE, THE BEST FIT FOR THAT MPO AS IT RELATES TO THE 
COMMUNITY, AND WE THINK THAT THERE'S PROS AND CONS OF EACH 
ONE.
RIGHT NOW WE'RE IN WHAT'S CONSIDERED A HOST STRUCTURE WHERE 
OUR MPO IS AN EMBEDDED INDEPENDENT PLANNING AGENCY.
THERE ARE DIFFERENCES.
WE SPOKE TO SARAH WARD OF PINELLAS COUNTY.
THEY HAVE KIND OF A HYBRID APPROACH.
THEY'RE PART AND PARCEL INDEPENDENT AND PART AND PARCEL 
WITHIN COUNTY GOVERNMENT AND THEY STAFF DIFFERENTLY, AND 
EVERY MPO IS DIFFERENT, BUT THERE ARE PROS AND CONS OF EACH 
STRUCTURE, SO I THINK AT A MINIMUM THERE'S SOMETHING TO BE 
LOOKED AT FROM THE BOARD AT LEAST IN RELATION TO THE 
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR.
IN TERMS OF PERFORMANCE, IN TERMS OF HOW DO YOU KNOW THAT 
THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR IS DOING A GOOD JOB OR WHAT TYPES OF 
THINGS ARE IMPORTANT TO KNOW WHETHER THE MPO IS 
ACCOMPLISHING ITS MISSION, THE FIRST DEALING WITH 
RELATIONSHIPS.
I'D LIKE TO AT LEAST HAVE YOU CONSIDER THE DEVELOPMENT OF A 
PLAN OF ENGAGEMENT, AND WHAT I MEAN BY THIS IS THAT AS PART 
OF THE MPO'S STRATEGIC PLAN YOU IDENTIFY SPECIFIC GROUPS 
AND INDIVIDUALS OR A PLAN OF APPROACH TO BUILD THIS 
COALITION, WHO DO YOU SPEAK TO, WHEN, WHAT TYPE OF 
INVOLVEMENT THEY HAVE, AND BUILD THIS COALITION.
WHAT WE FOUND IS THAT IN THE LONG-RANGE TRANSPORTATION PLAN 
THERE WERE GOALS OF PROMOTING, SUPPORTING, ENCOURAGING, BUT 
THERE WASN'T A LOT OF SPECIFICS AS TO HOW THAT WAS GOING TO 
GET DONE, AT LEAST AS PART OF THE PLANS IN TERMS OF THE 
ENGAGEMENT OF ROLES AND RELATIONSHIP WITH OTHER ENTITIES.
CHARLOTTE COUNTY SEEMED TO HAVE THIS IN PLACE TO A VERY 
HIGH DEGREE IN TERMS OF A PLAN OF ENGAGEMENT AND A ROLE OF 
ENGAGING SPECIFIC GROUPS IN A VERY TACTICAL WAY AND 
BUILDING A COALITION.
THE SECOND IS -- IN TERMS OF REPORTING, TO CONSIDER A STATE 
OF THE SYSTEM, SIMILAR TO THE ONE THEY PRODUCED IN ORLANDO 
WHERE THEY CALL IT TRACKING THE TRENDS.
SARAH HAD MENTIONED A FOCUS ON MANAGEMENT AND OPERATIONS.
THEY PRODUCE A REPORT AS WELL AS THE BAY AREA IN SAN 
FRANCISCO -- WE LOOKED AT THAT REPORT -- AND THOSE TWO 
REPORTS ARE ATTACHED IN YOUR PACKAGE AS WELL, THAT IDENTIFY 
TRENDS AND INFORMATION IN STATISTICS AND PERFORMANCE AS TO 
GIVE YOU AN IDEA OVER A FIVE-YEAR PERIOD IS THE PLAN THAT 
WAS PUT INTO PLACE WORKING, SO THE INFORMATION CAN COME 
BACK AND THEN BE ADJUSTED ACCORDINGLY AS TO WHAT IS THE 
STATE AND CONDITION OF TRANSPORTATION IN HILLSBOROUGH 
COUNTY.
AND THEN FINALLY, IN TERMS OF COMMUNICATION TO CONSIDER 
DEVELOPING A STRATEGIC PLAN USING THE ROLES AND 
RESPONSIBILITIES IDENTIFIED PREVIOUSLY IN THE MISSION ROAD 
MAP WITH THE STAKEHOLDERS TO DOCUMENT SPECIFIC OBJECTIVES, 
TASKS, AND MEASUREMENTS.
HOW DO YOU KNOW WHETHER YOU'RE ON TRACK OR NOT?
AND I GUESS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE STRATEGIC PLAN AND 
THE LONG-RANGE PLAN OR THE T.I.P. WOULD BE THAT THE 
STRATEGIC PLAN IS MORE A MANAGEMENT AND COMMUNICATION TOOL.
IT'S A WAY THAT THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR CAN COME BACK TO THE 
BOARD AND SAY IN IS WHAT WE'VE DONE, THIS IS WHAT WE'VE 
ACCOMPLISHED, AND KIND OF WHERE WE ARE.
BUT COMING FROM A PERFORMANCE AUDIT BACKGROUND, I GUESS I'M 
KIND OF BIASED INSOFAR AS I THINK EVALUATING PROGRESS 
TOWARD MEETING GOALS AND HAVING PERFORMANCE MEASURES IS 
VITAL AND IS IMPORTANT.
FINALLY, JUST IN SUMMARY, KIND OF TO WRAP UP THE PROCESS, 
IS THE FIRST STAGE IN TERMS OF LOOKING AT BOARD DIRECTION 
OR BEING BOARD DIRECTED WOULD BE TO LOOK AT THE MISSION, 
THE GOALS, AND THE DIRECTION AS TO WHERE THE MPO IS HEADED, 
AND I THINK MAYOR JOE HAD MENTIONED THAT IN THE BEGINNING.
BUT I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO HAVE AN MPO EXPERT.
WE FOUND THAT BY UTILIZING EXPERTISE OR THOSE WHO ARE 
EXPERTS IN THE FIELD WAS VERY BENEFICIAL TO US TO GAIN AN 
UNDERSTANDING OF KIND OF THE LAY OF THE LAND AND WORKING 
THROUGH THE PROCESS, SO HAVING AN MPO EXPERT IN PLACE TO 
FACILITATE A WORKSHOP WHO WAS INTERVIEWED, KEY STAKEHOLDERS 
IN HILLSBOROUGH, HAS A STRONG KNOWLEDGE OF OUR PROCESS, 
WOULD BE VITAL IN DETERMINING THE ENHANCEMENTS TO THE 
MISSION STATEMENT, MISSION MAP, AND WHAT STRUCTURE AND ROLE 
WE SHOULD TAKE AND THEN AFTER THAT NARROWING THE 
QUALIFICATIONS OF AN EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR.
AND THEN SECONDLY TO CONDUCT THE SEARCH, TO ACTUALLY 
CONSIDER, AS I MENTIONED, THE LOW-HANGING FRUIT I MENTIONED 
IN AUSTIN AND CAMPO AND POTENTIALLY HAVING AT OUR DISPOSAL, 
YOU KNOW, 40 POTENTIAL CANDIDATES AT ZERO COST AND 
SOMETHING THAT COULD BE BOARD DRIVEN.
AND THEN FINALLY THE PLAN IN PLACE FROM THE EXECUTIVE 
DIRECTOR ONCE HIRED, TO CONSIDER HAVING AN THE EXECUTIVE 
DIRECTOR DIRECT AND IMPROVE THE RELATIONSHIPS OF THE 
STAKEHOLDERS THROUGH THAT PLAN OF ENGAGEMENT WITH -- IN 
ACCORDANCE WITH THE MISSION AND BOARD DIRECTION AND TO COME 
UP WITH THAT IMPLEMENTATION PLAN FOR COALITION BUILDING AND 
REPORT THE STATUS OF TRANSPORTATION IN HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY 
WITH THE HELP OF THOSE STAKEHOLDERS, TO HAVE A STATE OF THE 
SYSTEM THAT WOULD SAY WHERE ARE WE OVER TIME AND 
COMMUNICATE THE PERFORMANCE AGAINST THE PLAN AS A MEANS OF 
A STRATEGIC PLAN BACK TO THE BOARD.
IT WAS A VERY HELPFUL PROCESS.
I WISH WE HAD MORE TIME TO, YOU KNOW, DELVE IN MORE.
IT WAS VERY INTERESTING.
I HOPE THIS HAS BEEN HELPFUL.
THE REPORT THAT YOU HAVE IN FRONT OF YOU HAS MORE 
INFORMATION IN THE BACK, HAS SOME COMPARATIVE QUOTES, AND 
CERTAINLY COULD MAKE AVAILABLE THE FULL QUESTIONNAIRE TO 
ANYONE WHO'S INTERESTED AND ANY OF OUR BACKUP INFORMATION.
ONCE AGAIN, MY APOLOGIES FOR NOT GETTING TO YOU BEFORE THE 
WEEKEND, AND I'M OPEN FOR ANY QUESTIONS.
>>JOE AFFRONTI:  OKAY.
GREAT JOB, KEN.
THANK YOU.
MR. MILLER.
>>LOUIS MILLER:  JUST A SHORT QUESTION.
DO YOU KNOW -- IN AUSTIN THEY HAVE THE 40 QUALIFIED 
CANDIDATES OUT THERE.
>> YES.
>>LOUIS MILLER:  DO YOU KNOW IF AUSTIN USED A PROFESSIONAL 
SEARCH FIRM OR DID THEY DO IT ON THEIR OWN OR DO YOU KNOW 
THE PROCESS THEY USED?
>> YES.
THEY -- AS PART OF THE PACKAGE, PART OF YOUR HANDOUT, THERE 
IS A WORK PLAN THAT THEY WENT THROUGH WITH DATES AND 
PROCESS.
THEY ACTUALLY USED THE CITY OF AUSTIN'S HR DEPARTMENT, WHO 
IS, I GUESS, IN THAT ROLE OF RECRUITMENT, SO THEY DID IT 
ALL INTERNAL, AND THEN THE CHAIR WAS VERY ACTIVE IN SOME OF 
THE SCREENING, THE DEVELOPING OF THE QUESTIONNAIRE, THINGS 
TO ASK, AND THEY BROUGHT IT DOWN I THINK IT WAS TO THREE 
AND PRESENTED THREE CANDIDATES TO THE BOARD.
>>LOUIS MILLER:  AND THE MPO BOARD ITSELF CREATED A 
COMMITTEE THAT WORKED IN THAT PROCESS ALL THE WAY THROUGH 
AND GOT DOWN TO THOSE THREE CANDIDATES AND ACTUALLY HELD 
INTERVIEWS AND THOSE KINDS OF THINGS?
>> THAT'S CORRECT.
>>JOE AFFRONTI:  OKAY.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS?
YES, MS. SAUL-SENA.
>>LINDA SAUL-SENA:  THANK YOU.
WERE ANY OF THESE MPOs AT ALL INVOLVED IN THE 
IMPLEMENTATION OF THE PLANS THEY DEVELOPED?
>> YES.
THE -- SPECIFICALLY THE CITY OF LAS VEGAS IS AN MPO THAT'S 
STRUCTURED WHERE THE TRANSPORTATION IS UNDER ONE UMBRELLA, 
SO THE PLANNING, THE IMPLEMENTATION, THE -- EVERYTHING FROM 
THE BUS SYSTEM IS ALL UNDER ONE GROUP SO THEY --
>>LINDA SAUL-SENA:  BECAUSE THAT STRIKES ME AS A REALLY 
DIFFERENT MODEL THAN OURS.
>> YES.
>>LINDA SAUL-SENA:  I MEAN INSTRUCTIVE BUT VERY DIFFERENT.
AND DID THE OTHER MPOs HAVE THEIR PORTS AND TRANSIT 
AUTHORITIES AND AIRPORTS ALSO SERVE AS MEMBERS ON THE MPO?
>> YES, AND PROBABLY THE MOST GLARING POINT IS PROBABLY 
JACKSONVILLE, JAXPORT IN JACKSONVILLE WORKED WITH THE MPO 
IN A STUDY TO GET FUNDING AND THE MPO FUNCTION TO DO THE 
ANALYSIS OR BACKGROUND INFORMATION FOR THEM TO GO OUT FOR 
FUNDING, SO THEY'RE PART OF THE BOARD AS WELL AS 
COLLABORATIVE PARTNERS.
>>LINDA SAUL-SENA:  THE FACT THAT JACKSONVILLE HAS A 
CONSOLIDATED GOVERNMENT I WOULD ASSUME ALSO SIMPLIFIED 
THEIR REPRESENTATION ON THE MPO?
>> THAT'S POSSIBLE.
I WOULD THINK THAT'S PROBABLE.
>>LINDA SAUL-SENA:  I WOULD THINK IT WOULD BE.
THANK YOU.
>> THAT'S PROBABLE.
THE OTHER TWO POINTS BETWEEN JACKSONVILLE AND ORLANDO IS 
THEY'RE BOTH INDEPENDENT, WHICH IS DIFFERENT AS WELL FROM 
US.
THEY HAVE A MEMBERSHIP PROCESS WHERE THE VOTING MEMBERS OF 
THE MPO BOARD ACTUALLY CONTRIBUTE A PER CAPITA AMOUNT OF 
MONEY TO HELP FUND THEM, WHICH IS A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT 
THAN US.
WE'RE NOT FUNDED THAT WAY, SO THAT'S DIFFERENT AS WELL.
>>LINDA SAUL-SENA:  THANK YOU.
>>JOE AFFRONTI:  COMMISSIONER SHARPE.
>>LOUIS MILLER:  JUST ONE THING IN JACKSONVILLE, MS. SAUL-
SENA.
THE PORTS ARE INDEPENDENT, AND THEY USED TO BE THE PORT -- 
THE PORT AND THE AIRPORT WERE ONE ENTITY.
NOW THEY'VE SEPARATED, SO THEY'RE SIMILAR TO WHAT WE HAVE 
HERE.
YOU HAVE A SECOND PORT AUTHORITY AND A SECOND AVIATION 
AUTHORITY IN JACKSONVILLE, JUST LIKE HERE.
>>LINDA SAUL-SENA:  THANK YOU.
>>JOE AFFRONTI:  COMMISSIONER SHARPE.
>>MARK SHARPE:  KEN, I WANT TO THANK YOU AGAIN.
I'VE HAD NUMEROUS OPPORTUNITIES TO TALK TO YOU THROUGHOUT, 
AND I THINK YOU'VE DONE A SUPERB JOB IN A VERY SHORT AMOUNT 
OF TIME.
>> THANK YOU.
>>MARK SHARPE:  THE REPORT IS VERY INFORMATIVE.
WITH REGARD TO -- LET ME START WITH FIRST THE ISSUE OF PLAN 
OF ENGAGEMENT.
YOU TALKED ABOUT CHARLOTTESVILLE AND THE FACT THAT THEY 
SPECIFIED THE -- WELL, CAN YOU ELABORATE ON THIS ISSUE OF 
PLAN OF ENGAGEMENT?
HOW WOULD THAT WORK?
HOW MIGHT THAT WORK FOR US?
>> SURE.
THEY HAVE -- I GUESS THEIR EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR IS VERY 
ACTIVE IN TERMS OF BUILDING COALITION, AND THAT HE FEELS IS 
HIS MAIN PURPOSE.
NOW, IN THEIR MPO -- THEY HAVE A SMALLER REGION.
I THINK THEY HAVE A POPULATION OF MAYBE 100,000 IN THEIR 
MPO, SO IT'S VERY SMALL, AND STAFFING FOR HIM IS ALSO A BIT 
OF AN ISSUE, DOESN'T HAVE AS LARGE A GROUP.
WHAT HE HAS DONE IS TO ENGAGE BOTH THE BUSINESS COMMUNITY 
AS WELL AS THOSE THAT HAVE AN INTEREST IN TRANSPORTATION 
AND BRING THEM TOGETHER AND MEET WITH THEM ON A VERY 
REGULAR BASIS AND BRING THEM ALL TO THE TABLE I GUESS IS 
THE WAY HE PHRASED IT.
>>MARK SHARPE:  SO PERHAPS -- AND I'M LOOKING AT YOUR 
APPENDIX HERE, BUT YOU TALK ABOUT THE CHARLOTTESVILLE MPO, 
AGGRESSIVE ENTREPRENEURIAL LEADER WITH A GREAT MIDDLEMAN, 
CONSENSUS BUILDER, KNOWS BOSS, NOT AFRAID TO INFORM OR LEAD 
WITH INNOVATIVE IDEAS, COMPREHENSIVE KNOWLEDGE OF 
TRANSPORTATION POLICIES, PROGRAMS, AND TECHNICAL 
LEADERSHIP.
IF WE HAVE AN MPO WHICH DOESN'T HAVE THE AUTHORITY TO RUN A 
TRANSIT SYSTEM BUT AS WE -- YOU KNOW, WHAT I UNDERSTAND IS 
OUR MPO'S BEEN VERY EFFECTIVE AT PLANNING, BUT I'D LIKE TO 
SEE US BEGIN TO SHIFT NOT TOWARDS THE ACTUAL IMPLEMENTATION 
BUT TOWARDS BEGINNING TO DEFINE WHAT THAT SYSTEM WOULD BE 
AND ENGAGING -- ACTIVELY ENGAGING WITH SOME OF THE 
POTENTIAL STAKEHOLDERS, AND AS AN EXAMPLE, LET ME ASK YOU 
IF THIS WOULD FIT PERHAPS WHAT AN MPO DIRECTOR MIGHT DO.
JUST IN THE LAST WEEK I MET WITH REPRESENTATIVES IN THE 
WESTSHORE AREA AND ALSO MET WITH REPRESENTATIVES OF THE USF 
MEDICAL FACILITY, IN THAT AREA, MOFFITT AND OTHERS, AND 
THEY WERE REALLY EXCITED AND EXPRESSED A SENSE OF WE WANT 
TO BE ENGAGED IN THIS CONVERSATION.
WE'D LIKE TO BE -- WE WOULD LIKE TO PARTICIPATE, ACTIVELY 
PARTICIPATE.
WOULD THAT BE SOMETHING THAT OUR EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR MIGHT 
DO?
>> ABSOLUTELY, AND IN DISCUSSION WITH MULTIPLE MPOs AND 
SOME OF THE EXPERTS IN THE FIELD, WE FOUND THAT THERE IS 
ENOUGH VARIETY AMONGST MPOs OR LIBERTY WITHIN THE LAWS, NOT 
JUST DOING THE MANDATES, BUT TO BE ABLE TO GO OUT AND DO 
SOME INNOVATIVE THINGS LIKE HAVING COALITIONS OF LUNCHEONS, 
EITHER WITH BUSINESSES OR BUSINESS JOURNALS OR BRINGING 
PEOPLE TOGETHER, I THINK BUILDING A FORUM.
I THINK JACKSONVILLE'S MISSION STATEMENT KIND OF CAPSULATES 
IT'S TO BUILD THAT REGIONAL FORUM TO BRING THOSE INNOVATIVE 
IDEAS AND PEOPLE TO THE TABLE, SO I THINK AN MPO DIRECTOR 
CAN FACILITATE THAT.
>>MARK SHARPE:  THERE SEEMS TO BE SOME CONFUSION WHEN WE 
TALK IN THE COMMUNITY ABOUT THE DIFFERENT ROLES AND 
RESPONSIBILITIES, WHAT WILL TBARTA ACTUALLY DO, WHAT IS 
HART'S MISSION GOING TO BE, HOW ARE WE ALL GOING TO WORK 
TOGETHER, AND MY CONCERN HAS BEEN AND REMAINS THAT WE 
HAVE -- AND I ASKED ERIC IN MY OFFICE -- WE HAVE 913 DAYS 
UNTIL THE NOVEMBER 2010 ELECTION IF WE WERE TO HAVE 
SOMETHING ON THE BALLOT, WHICH DOESN'T, TO ME, SEEM TO BE A 
LOT OF TIME, AND WE HAVE TO FIGURE OUT IF WE'RE GOING TO 
HAVE ONE REFERENDUM OR TWO OR THREE, BUT I WOULD ASSUME 
THAT ONE WOULD BE THE DIRECTION WE'D WANT TO GO, WHAT 
EVERYBODY'S GOING TO DO, AND I'M A LITTLE CONCERNED THAT AM 
TBARTA MIGHT -- THEY'RE TRYING TO FLESH OUT THEIR VISION, 
AND WE'VE HAD AN EXCELLENT REPORT FROM FDOT YESTERDAY AT 
OUR TRANSPORTATION TASK FORCE MEETING TO TALK ABOUT WHAT 
TBARTA'S VISION'S GOING TO BE.
HART HAS CERTAIN AUTHORITIES THAT HAVE ALREADY BEEN GRANTED 
TO THEM.
COULD OUR MPO ACT AS A FACILITATOR IN WORKING WITH THE 
DIFFERENT AGENCIES SO THAT WE ALL HAVE ONE UNIFIED PLAN 
WHEN WE GO TO THE VOTERS AND IT DOESN'T LOOK LIKE WE'RE ALL 
CONFUSED, WHICH, IN MY ESTIMATION, WOULD CREATE CONFUSION 
IN THE PUBLIC?
I MEAN, COULD THE MPO SERVE AS THE FACILITATOR?
>> WELL, THE ANSWER WOULD BE YES.
BASED ON MY REVIEW OF OTHER MPOs, THAT'S WHAT OTHER MPOs 
ARE DOING, SO I WOULD CERTAINLY THINK IT'S FEASIBLE FOR US 
TO DO THAT AS WELL.
>>MARK SHARPE:  SO OUR MPO COULD HELP DEVICE THE ROAD MAP, 
SO TO SPEAK, THAT YOU'VE TALKED ABOUT IN YOUR REPORT?
>> I BELIEVE SO, YES.
>>JOE AFFRONTI:  MR. MILLER.
>>LOUIS MILLER:  AS A FOLLOW-UP ON THAT, THOUGH, I THINK 
OUR MPO WOULD HAVE TO DEFINE THE ROAD MAP WITHIN 
HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY.
TBARTA HAS TO TAKE THE GREATER AREA.
WE JUST NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT OUR HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY PLAN 
IS INTEGRATED WITH WHAT TBARTA IS DOING.
I DON'T THINK WE'D BE SPEAKING FOR OBVIOUSLY PINELLAS 
COUNTY OR ANY OTHER COUNTY OUT THERE.
>>JOE AFFRONTI:  YES, MR. WAGGONER.
>>JOSEPH WAGGONER:  [INAUDIBLE]
SOMETHING I WOULD LIKE TO DISCUSS WITH THE MEMBERS --
>>JOE AFFRONTI:  SURE.
>>JOSEPH WAGGONER:  -- IF NOW IS AN APPROPRIATE TIME.
I HAVE SOME INFORMATION THAT I'D LIKE TO HAND OUT.
I HAVE SOME COPIES OF SOME MATERIAL HERE.
THERE'S ENOUGH FOR BOARD MEMBERS.
I DON'T KNOW IF SOMEONE COULD GIVE ME A HAND HERE.
TAKE THEM THAT WAY.
WE HAVE MORE OVER HERE.
>>LINDA SAUL-SENA:  GREAT STUDY.
GREAT STUDY.
>> THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
>>BRIAN BLAIR:  KEN, I HAVE A QUESTION.
>>JOE AFFRONTI:  THANK YOU VERY MUCH, KEN.
>>BRIAN BLAIR:  BEFORE YOU LEAVE, I REALLY APPRECIATE YOUR 
HARD WORK.
I KNOW YOU GUYS WERE HERE LATE, AND MARK ASKED YOU FOR AN 
ARDUOUS TASK IN WHICH -- AND THE BOARD IN WHICH YOU 
COMPLETED AND COMPLETED WELL.
I HAD A QUESTION, AND IT RELATES BACK TO WHAT SARAH WAS 
TALKING ABOUT AND WHAT THE WHOLE -- WHAT OUR WHOLE 
CONVERSATION REALLY PERTAINS TO, IS IN HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY 
HOW -- HOW ARE WE FUNDED?
WHO PAYS AND WHO BENEFITS?
KIND OF -- I MEAN, HOW IS THE MPO FUNDED EXACTLY?
>> IT'S A GOOD QUESTION, AND IT WAS SOMEWHAT OUTSIDE THE 
SCOPE OF WHAT WE WERE TRYING TO ACCOMPLISH IN TERMS OF 
COMPARISONS, BUT WE DID LOOK AT THE BUDGET, WE DID LOOK AT 
THE FINANCIAL INFORMATION, AS YOU WOULD DO ON ANY REVIEW OR 
STUDY.
IT'S FUNDED THROUGH THE PLANNING COMMISSION.
I'M SURE MR. HUNTER WOULD BE ABLE TO SHED SOME MORE LIGHT 
ON IT, BUT IT'S FUNDED THROUGH THE PLANNING COMMISSION AS 
PART OF THEIR BUDGET, AND THEY HAVE A SEPARATE DEPARTMENT 
DECISION UNIT OR GROUPING, IF YOU WILL, OF ABOUT ANYWHERE 
BETWEEN 10.5 TO 13 STAFF, EITHER BUDGETED OR FILLED IN 
TERMS OF VACANCIES.
>>BRIAN BLAIR:  FOR THE MPO?
THAT'S THE STAFF?
>> FOR THE MPO PROCESS, CORRECT.
THOSE RESOURCES ARE SHARED.
ALTHOUGH THEY ARE IN THE BUDGET, THEY DO WEAR MULTIPLE 
HATS, SO FINE-TUNING THE INDIVIDUAL, THERE IS NO PROCESS TO 
SAY THIS -- HOW MUCH A PLANNER SPENDS IN ANY PARTICULAR 
AMOUNT OF TIME, BUT THEY DO ACCOMPLISH THE ROLES THAT ARE 
SET BEFORE THEM, BUT IN TERMS OF THE BUDGET PROCESS OF WHAT 
WE SAW, THERE ARE BUDGETED I THINK 13 INDIVIDUALS OF WHICH 
I THINK JOE GAVE US SOME INFORMATION THEY'RE STAFFING FOR 
MPO-RELATED WORK ABOUT SOMEWHERE AROUND 11 OR 10.6.
>>BRIAN BLAIR:  ARE ALL OF OUR -- IS MUNICIPALITIES AND 
HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY PARTICIPATING EQUALLY?
>> THAT I'M NOT SURE.
I THINK THE FUNDING'S COMING FROM THE GENERAL --
>>BRIAN BLAIR:  GENERAL REVENUE?
>> YES, GENERAL REVENUE FROM THE COUNTY IS MY 
UNDERSTANDING.
>>JOE AFFRONTI:  MS. FERLITA.
>>ROSE FERLITA:  MR. CHAIRMAN, I JUST THOUGHT PERHAPS MAYBE 
MR. HUNTER COULD SHED SOME LIGHT ON THAT TOO.
KEN, I APPRECIATE YOUR ANSWER, BUT I THINK WHEN -- YEAH, GO 
AHEAD.
WHEN YOU'RE FINISHED WITH YOUR RESPONSE TO HIM, I'D LIKE 
HIM TO ADD HIS COMMENTS, OKAY.
>> ABSOLUTELY.
>>JOE AFFRONTI:  KEN, I DO HAVE ONE QUESTION, AND I FAILED 
TO ASK THIS YESTERDAY, BUT ON THOSE MPOs OTHER THAN LIKE 
JACKSON AND ORLANDO WHO ARE INDEPENDENTLY FUNDED, WHAT WAS 
THE REPORTING FUNCTION OF THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR?
WHAT -- IN THOSE OTHER AREAS THAT WERE PART OF THE OVERALL 
PLAN, PART OF AN OVERALL BUDGET PLAN?
>> I'M THINKING THAT AUSTIN AND LAS VEGAS AND 
CHARLOTTESVILLE ALL REPORTED TO THE BOARD IS MY 
UNDERSTANDING, NOT THROUGH A HOST AGENCY.
I COULD DOUBLE-CHECK THAT REPORTING, BUT I'M PRETTY SURE IT 
WAS DIRECTLY TO A BOARD AND NOT --
>>JOE AFFRONTI:  BECAUSE THIS IS SOMETHING WE'RE GOING TO 
DISCUSS WHEN MR. HUNTER GETS UP.
>> YES.
>>JOE AFFRONTI:  OKAY.
THANK YOU.
>> ANYBODY ELSE?
THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
>>JOE AFFRONTI:  THANK YOU.
GREAT JOB, KEN.
NEXT WE HAVE MR. HUNTER.
>>LINDA SAUL-SENA:  WAIT, ARE WE GOING TO DISCUSS MR. 
WAGGONER'S --
>>JOE AFFRONTI:  PARDON?
>>LINDA SAUL-SENA:  ARE WE GOING TO DISCUSS THIS?
>>JOE AFFRONTI:  I'M SORRY.
MR. WAGGONER, I JUMPED THE GUN HERE.
OKAY.
GO AHEAD.
>>JOSEPH WAGGONER:  THIS SHOULD ONLY TAKE ABOUT FIVE 
MINUTES JUST TO WALK THROUGH.
>>JOE AFFRONTI:  GO AHEAD.
I'M SORRY.
>>JOSEPH WAGGONER:  I ATTENDED A MEETING YESTERDAY IN NEW 
TAMPA THAT WAS SET BY MAYOR IORIO.
WE WERE FOCUSED ON CURRENT ROADWAY PROJECTS IN THE NEW 
TAMPA AREA.
SEVERAL MEMBERS OF THIS BOARD ATTENDED THAT MEETING AS 
WELL, AND SECRETARY SKELTON WAS THERE.
THERE WERE GREAT PROJECTS.
THEY COST HUNDREDS OF MILLIONS OF DOLLARS, AND THEY 
ADDRESSED IMMEDIATE NEEDS.
LISTENING TO THE ELECTED OFFICIALS AND THE CITIZENS 
PRESENT, THOUGH, I HEARD SOME COMMENTS TO THE EFFECT THAT 
WHEN THE PROJECTS WERE MAXED OUT, THEY APPEARED TO LACK 
COHESIVENESS.
IT WASN'T APPARENT HOW THEY FIT TOGETHER IN A COMPREHENSIVE 
WAY TO ADDRESS OUR NEEDS IN THE COMING YEARS OR HOW THE 
PROJECTS WOULD SUPPORT AN EXPANDED ROLE FOR TRANSIT IN THE 
FUTURE.
ABOUT A YEAR AND A HALF AGO THERE WAS AN EFFORT BEGUN BY 
THEA TO DEVELOP A MASTER PLAN FOR LONG-TERM HIGHWAY 
PROJECTS.
THAT EFFORT, IN MY OPINION, WAS AN INAPPROPRIATE ROLE FOR 
THEA AND IT WAS STOPPED.
THE PROBLEMS WERE THAT IT DID NOT CONSIDER MULTIMODAL 
SOLUTIONS, AND MOST IMPORTANTLY, IT WAS NOT SANCTIONED AT 
THE REGIONAL LEVEL.
THAT IS A ROLE FOR THE MPO, AND MANY COMMENTS I'M HEARING 
FROM MEMBERS TODAY SPEAK TO THAT AS A FACILITATOR.
WHILE IT WAS INAPPROPRIATE FOR THEA, IT WAS DRIVEN BY AN 
HONEST CONCERN THAT TRANSPORTATION NEEDS TODAY WOULD GROW 
DRAMATICALLY IN THE FUTURE AND THAT THERE WAS NO APPARENT 
PLAN TO DEAL WITH THAT GROWTH FROM A COMPREHENSIVE METHOD 
FOR HIGHWAYS AT LEAST.
I HAVE HANDED OUT THREE PIECES OF PAPER I'D LIKE TO WALK 
THROUGH.
THE FIRST IS AN ARTICLE FROM LAST WEEK'S TRIBUNE THAT NOTES 
CHALLENGES AND HOW SOON THOSE CHALLENGES WOULD BE HERE.
I HIGHLIGHTED.
I'M THE ONE THAT PUT THE UNDERLINES AND HIGHLIGHTS ON 
THERE.
IT'S TWO PAGES FRONT AND BACK.
THE KEY THING I TOOK AWAY FROM THAT ARTICLE WAS THEY NOTE 
THAT THE TAMPA REGION IS GOING TO -- SHOULD EXPECT A 56% 
INCREASE IN TRIPS IN THE NEXT 30 YEARS, AND TAMPA IS ONE OF 
THE MOST RAPIDLY AND WILL CONTINUE TO BE ONE OF THE MOST 
RAPIDLY GROWING AREAS IN THE COUNTRY.
IF WE COULD GROW OUR TRANSIT -- IT ALSO CITES THAT WE 
REALLY NEED TO GROW OUR TRANSIT SYSTEM.
RIGHT NOW IT HANDLES 1% OF OUR TRIPS, AND IN THAT 
PROJECTION THAT'S WHAT IT ASSUMED TO HANDLE.
IF WE COULD GROW OUR TRANSIT TO HANDLE 15% OF OUR TRIPS 
THAT WOULD BE A VERY GREAT ACCOMPLISHMENT BY THIS AGENCY, 
BUT ONE THING IT ALSO LEAVES ON THE TABLE OF THAT 56% 
INCREASE IN GROWTH, IF YOU WERE HANDLING 15% WITH TRANSIT, 
THAT STILL LEAVES OVER 40% OF THE GROWTH ALONE IN NEW 
HIGHWAY DEMAND THAT NEEDS TO BE ADDRESSED.
THE NEXT ITEM IS A CHART I KEEP HANDY AS AN ILLUSTRATION OF 
HOW MODEST GROWTH RATES CAN LEAD TO DRAMATIC TRENDS.
IT'S NOT MUCH MORE THAN THAT, BUT IT'S A GOOD WAY TO CITE 
BACK TO THE ARTICLE AGAIN.
THE NEWS ARTICLE QUOTED THAT 56% INCREASE IN THE NEXT 30 
YEARS.
IF YOU LOOK AT THE GREEN LINE AT ABOUT 30 YEARS OUT ON THAT 
CHART, YOU'LL SEE THAT IT'S THE ONE THAT CORRESPONDS TO THE 
56% INCREASE.
THAT MEANS IT HAD A RELATIVELY MODEST GROWTH RATE OF 1.5%.
IF YOUR GROWTH RATE IS CLOSER TO 2.5% OR DOES REACH 
SOMETHING LIKE THAT, YOU'D HAVE 100% INCREASE IN DEMAND 
OVER THAT SAME PERIOD OF TIME.
SO THAT'S JUST INFORMATION TO HAVE.
THE LAST PIECE OF PAPER IS SOMETHING I REALLY -- IS WHAT I 
REALLY WANTED TO FOCUS ON THIS MORNING.
I'M NEW HERE, AND I'VE BECOME AWARE OF SEVERAL 
TRANSPORTATION PLANNING EFFORTS UNDERTAKEN BY THE 
JURISDICTIONS AND AGENCIES IN THE REGIONS.
FROM WHAT I'VE SEEN, A MAJOR CONCERN IS THAT THE EFFORTS 
HAVE BEEN DONE FROM A VARIETY OF PERSPECTIVES, USING 
ASSUMPTIONS AND TECHNIQUES THAT DON'T ALWAYS ALLOW 
TRANSPORTATION PROFESSIONALS TO CROSSWALK THEIR FINDINGS 
FROM ONE GROUP TO ANOTHER.
THIS CREATES AN INSURMOUNTABLE PROBLEM TO THE POLICYMAKERS 
IN MY OPINION.
WHEN THE TRANSPORTATION PROFESSIONALS CAN'T SPEAK THE SAME 
LANGUAGE AND CONVEY THE IDEAS AND THE NEEDS TO THE 
POLICYMAKERS, I DON'T KNOW HOW WE CAN EXPECT THE 
POLICYMAKERS TO MAKE THE RIGHT DECISIONS OR MAKE GOOD 
DECISIONS.
THIS PROPOSAL IS INTENDED TO PROVIDE A COMMON FOUNDATION 
THAT WOULD ENABLE MORE INFORMED DECISIONS AND CREATE A 
COMMON WAY TO EXPRESS TRANSPORTATION NEEDS AND SOLUTIONS.
THE PROCESS IS NOT PRO HIGHWAY OR PRO TRANSIT, IT'S A 
TRANSPORTATION PLANNING PROCESS THAT -- WHAT I'M SUGGESTING 
IS SOMETHING THAT THE MPO WOULD BE THE FACILITATOR OF.
SOME OF THE APPROACHES INVESTIGATED WOULD ALSO REINFORCE 
HOW WE DO NOT WANT TO GROW.
THAT'S ALSO PART OF THE PLANNING PROCESS WHEN YOU ROLL OUT 
VARIOUS IDEAS AND THEY SHOW YOU WHAT THE RESULTS WOULD BE.
THE MPO IS A POINT WHERE JURISDICTIONS AND AGENCIES IN THE 
REGIONS COME TOGETHER.
THERE ARE POLICYMAKERS HERE THAT CAN ENSURE THE INFORMATION 
AND COOPERATION NECESSARY FOR SUCH AN EFFORT WOULD BE 
FORTHCOMING.
IF WE GO TO THE FIVE STEPS THAT ARE LAID OUT THERE, I'LL 
JUST BRIEFLY HIGHLIGHT THEM.
THE FIRST WOULD BE -- THIS IS WHAT WOULD BE APPROPRIATE TO 
DEVELOP A LONG-RANGE COST-FEASIBLE MULTIMODAL 
TRANSPORTATION PLAN.
WE WOULD FORM A TECHNICAL TEAM OF TRANSPORTATION 
PROFESSIONALS FROM EACH OF THE AGENCIES AND JURISDICTIONS 
THAT WOULD BE APPROPRIATE.
ONE OF THEIR FIRST TASKS WOULD BE DEVELOP A MODEL.
THEY'D CALIBRATE IT AND VALIDATE IT.
THE INPUT OF ASSUMPTIONS, DEMOGRAPHICS IS THE BASICS, AND 
IF YOU DON'T HAVE A COMMON AGREEMENT ON HOW THAT 
INFORMATION IS FED IN AND HOW IT'S GOING TO PLAY OUT OVER 
TIME, THAT'S WHERE YOUR FIRST LEVEL OF BREAKDOWN OCCURS.
THAT'S ONE OF THE FIRST THINGS YOU HAVE TO GET SOME KIND OF 
CONSENSUS ON.
THEN YOU DEVELOP HIGHWAY AND TRANSIT SOLUTIONS.
I THINK YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE TO EXPECT THE PROFESSIONALS IN 
EACH OF THOSE TWO MODES OF TRANSPORTATION TO GO OUT AND DO 
THEIR OWN WORK, BUT THE NEXT STEP THEN IS FOR THEM TO COME 
TOGETHER AND CREATE SUPPORTING OR ALTERNATES THAT ARE 
MULTIMODAL STRATEGIES THAT BLEND THE MATCHING OF HIGHWAYS 
AND TRANSIT'S FUTURE IMPROVEMENTS SO THAT THEY SUPPORT THE 
KIND OF GROWTH THIS REGION WANTS TO HAVE.
AND THEN THAT FINALLY WOULD RESULT IN A PRESENTATION TO THE 
POLICYMAKERS.
THIS ISN'T SOMETHING THAT WE TURN A BUNCH OF PEOPLE LOOSE 
AND THEY COME BACK AND TELL US THIS IS HOW YOU'RE GOING TO 
DO IT.
THE WAY I WOULD EXPECT THAT WE WORK IN EACH OF THESE STAGES 
IS THAT THIS TEAM LED BY THE MPO AS THE FACILITATOR OF THE 
PROCESS WOULD BE COMING BACK TO THIS BOARD AND GIVING 
REPORTS, AND WHERE THERE WERE NEED FOR DECISIONS OR 
DIRECTION FROM THE BOARD ON ISSUES THEY MAY ARRIVE AT 
IMPASSES ON, THAT'S OUR OPPORTUNITY TO SET IT FROM THE 
BASIC LEVEL MOVING UP TO THE END RESULT.
I BELIEVE THIS EFFORT WOULD PROMOTE A BETTER UNDERSTANDING 
OF THE TRANSPORTATION NEEDS AND THE MEMBERS AND PROVIDE THE 
MOST EFFICIENT APPLICATION OF OUR RESOURCES.
ANOTHER THING THAT CAME OUT IN THAT ARTICLE WAS THE FACT 
THAT YOU'RE LOOKING AT HUNDREDS AND HUNDREDS OF BILLIONS OF 
DOLLARS OF NEEDS ON AN ANNUAL BASIS.
IF WE HAVE AN ASSEMBLED PLAN THAT WORKS FROM THE BOTTOM UP 
AND IS WHAT THIS REGION NEEDS, WE'LL BE MORE PREPARED TO 
PURSUE THOSE LIMITED DOLLARS.
THAT'S THE CONCEPT.
IT'S ON THE TABLE FOR FURTHER CONSIDERATION BY THE MEMBERS.
>>JOE AFFRONTI:  THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
GREAT --
>>LINDA SAUL-SENA:  MAYOR.
>>JOE AFFRONTI:  GREAT IDEA.
YES, MS. SAUL-SENA.
>>LINDA SAUL-SENA:  THANK YOU FOR THE THREE COMPELLING -- 
COMPELLING SHEETS OF PAPER YOU'VE PUT BEFORE US, 
PARTICULARLY THE GROWTH MODEL IS VERY HUMBLING.
WHAT YOU'RE PROPOSING IS EXCELLENT.
I WOULD SUGGEST ON NUMBER ONE ADDING THE SCHOOL BOARD TO 
THE MIX BECAUSE FRANKLY THEY CONTRIBUTE SIGNIFICANTLY TO 
THE TRANSPORTATION PRESSURES IN OUR COMMUNITY, AND I THINK 
THEY SHOULD BE AT THE TABLE ALSO.
>>JOSEPH WAGGONER:  MA'AM, I THINK AN IMPORTANT FOCUS -- 
AND I'M A TECHNICIAN.
I WILL ADMIT TO THAT.
I COME FROM THE TRANSPORTATION PLANNING WORLD.
OUR FOCUS RIGHT HERE IS -- IT IS VERY, VERY SPECIFIC -- IS 
THIS SHOULD BE, IN MY OPINION, A TRANSPORTATION EXERCISE.
THERE ARE MANY -- THERE ARE MANY CONTRIBUTORS TO THE 
TRANSPORTATION DEMAND, AND THOSE SHOULD BE -- THEY SHOULD 
ALL BE ROLLED IN, AND SO IF WE -- IF WE BREAK FROM THAT, WE 
THEN BECOME MORE OF A POLICY -- YOU'RE MAKING IT MORE OF A 
POLICY GROUP THAN YOU ARE OF A -- THIS IS A DEMAND FOR 
TRIPS AND HOW THEY WILL GROW.
>>LINDA SAUL-SENA:  THE SCHOOL BOARD HAS MORE BUSES THAN 
HARTLINE.
THE SCHOOL BOARD HAS SUCH A TREMENDOUS IMPACT, PARTICULARLY 
ON THE MORNING COMMUTE, THAT -- I'M NOT TALKING POLICY, I'M 
TALKING ABOUT NUMBERS OF VEHICLES ON THE ROADS AND THE 
IMPACT, BUT BEYOND THAT, I THINK THAT MOST OF THE THINGS 
THAT YOU'VE SUGGESTED THE MPO HAS BEEN DOING, AND THE 
COUNTY HAS ADOPTED THEIR COMPREHENSIVE PLAN, THE CITY'S IN 
THE PROCESS OF ADOPTING OURS SO WE CAN REALLY CALIBRATE 
WHERE WE EXPECT DENSITIES AND WORK AND RESIDENTIAL DEMANDS 
IN THE FUTURE, AND I THINK THAT WHAT YOU'RE PRESENTING 
ISN'T DIFFERENT THAN WHAT THE MPO IS DOING.
I THINK THE -- THE BREAKDOWN HAS BEEN FROM OUR MEMBERSHIP 
AS AN MPO BOARD WITH DISPARATE VISIONS OF WHAT THE FUTURE 
SHOULD BE.
I DON'T THINK THAT IT'S THE STAFF AND TECHNICAL ADVISORY 
PEOPLE HAVEN'T BEEN DOING THIS STUFF ALREADY WITH THE SAME 
TECHNICAL TEAM IN PLACE.
>>JOSEPH WAGGONER:  I THINK YOU'RE RIGHT IN THAT THE MPO 
HAS TRIED TO ASSEMBLE THE VARIOUS COMPONENTS INTO A 
COMPREHENSIVE PLAN, BUT AN ASSEMBLY IS NOT THE SAME THING 
AS A PLAN.
DRIBBLED ASSEMBLY OF PARTS IS NOT THE SAME THING AS A PLAN, 
AND THAT'S KIND OF THE EXPERIENCE OUT IN NEW TAMPA.
WE SAW AN ASSEMBLED LIST OF PROJECTS WE COULD AFFORD.
YOU HAD YOUR LIST OF PROJECTS THAT WERE FEASIBLE BY WAY OF 
A LONG-RANGE PLAN.
THAT'S NOT THE SAME THING AS A CONCEPT PLAN.
WE'VE GOT -- THE EFFORT THE MPO DID ON TRANSIT, THAT WAS A 
GOOD CONCEPT PLAN.
IT WAS A CONCEPT PLAN ONLY, THOUGH.
IT DIDN'T ANSWER A LOT OF THE DETAILS IN TERMS OF COSTS.
A BIG PART OF THE QUESTION IS NOT JUST THE COSTS ON THE 
CAPITAL SIDE BUT THE COSTS ON THE OPERATING SIDE FOR ALL 
THESE NEEDS, AND SO THAT KIND OF LEVEL, THAT KIND OF EFFORT 
I THINK TO DO IT AS A COMPOSITE FOR TRANSIT AND HIGHWAYS IS 
WHAT WE'RE MISSING, AND THE ONE THING ON THE BUSES, YOU'RE 
ABSOLUTELY RIGHT.
ANYTHING THAT FEEDS DEMAND INTO THE SYSTEM NEEDS TO BE 
ADDRESSED, AND IF A MAJOR PLAYER IS THE SCHOOL BOARD, THEY 
SHOULD BE ONE OF THE RESOURCES CONTACTED FOR WHAT IS YOUR 
GROWTH GOING TO BE, WHAT DOES YOUR DEMAND BE, AND THAT 
WOULD BE FED IN.
I'M SORRY IF YOU -- IF I --
>>LINDA SAUL-SENA:  NO.
>>JOSEPH WAGGONER:  DIDN'T MEAN TO SAY THAT WAS EXCLUDED.
>>JOE AFFRONTI:  MR. MILLER, YOU HAD A COMMENT?
>>LOUIS MILLER:  YEAH.
THE COMMENT I HAD RELATES TO THE MPO CURRENTLY HAS THREE 
COMMITTEES, WE HAVE A CITIZENS ADVISORY COMMITTEE, A POLICY 
COMMITTEE, AND A TECHNICAL ADVISORY COMMITTEE, AND YOUR 
FORMATION OF THIS TRANSPORTATION TEAM, IF YOU TAKE TBARTA 
OUT, THAT'S OUR TECHNICAL ADVISORY COMMITTEE.
IT'S THE SAME GROUP OF PEOPLE WE ALREADY HAVE.
SO WHAT WE NEED TO DO IS GET THAT GROUP OF PEOPLE, 
REPRESENTATIVES FROM ALL OF THE AGENCIES, AND WE HAVE THEM 
FROM THE COUNTY AND THE CITY AND TEMPLE TERRACE AND PLANT 
CITY AND THE AVIATION AUTHORITY WORKING TOGETHER AND MAYBE 
TAKE THE PLANNING PROCESS A FEW STEPS FURTHER, THAT'S ALL, 
BUT I THINK WE'VE GOT THE MODEL IN PLACE TO DO THIS.
>>JOSEPH WAGGONER:  I THINK IT LOOKS THE SAME.
I'M NOT SURE IF IT IS THE SAME.
I DON'T KNOW IF THE PARTICIPANTS ON THE TECHNICAL COMMITTEE 
ARE THE ONES WHO COULD DO THE TRANSPORTATION MODELING.
THEY COULD BE, BUT YOU'RE RIGHT, I THINK THEY'RE VERY 
SIMILAR IN TERMS OF STRUCTURE.
MAYBE IT'S THIS CHARGE THAT I'M TALKING ABOUT BECAUSE WHEN 
WE TALKED ABOUT THIS WORKSHOP, I CAME AT IT WITH A -- 
INITIALLY, WE WERE COMING AT IT MORE WHAT WERE SOME 
PERFORMANCE IDEAS WE COULD COME UP TO GIVE THE EXECUTIVE 
DIRECTOR SOME DIRECTION AND COME BACK WITH SOME OUTCOME 
RESULTS, AND SO THAT'S WHERE I STARTED THINKING FROM, AND 
THAT'S WHAT THIS IS DERIVED FROM.
>>JOE AFFRONTI:  OKAY.
COMMISSION SHARPE.
>>MARK SHARPE:  I THINK YOU'VE DONE AN EXCELLENT AMOUNT OF 
WORK AS WELL.
I LIKE THE REPORT.
I READ THE -- I WAS GOING TO BRING THAT UP AS WELL -- THE 
NEWSPAPER STORY IN THE TRIBUNE.
YOU KNOW, IT HELPED TO DEFINE THE PROBLEM AND TALK ABOUT 
OUR POPULATION, YOU KNOW, IS GOING TO INCREASE BY 53% OVER 
THE NEXT 25 TO 30 YEARS, AND WE COULD EXPECT A DELAY OF I 
GUESS 2.5 TIMES THE INCREASE OF DELAYS NOW EXPERIENCED.
FORBES MAGAZINE -- I'M LOOKING FOR IT IN MY STACK, BUT I 
READ WHERE FORBES MAGAZINE RANKED THE TAMPA BAY AREA ONE OF 
THE SIXTH WORST IN IDLING -- I DON'T KNOW WHERE THEY GOT 
THEIR INFORMATION FROM -- IDLING TIME, BUT -- AND I SPOKE 
TO THE EXCHANGE CLUB YESTERDAY, AND SOMEONE SAID, WELL, WE 
CERTAINLY CAN'T BE ONE OF THE SIXTH WORST, AND THEN HE 
STARTED MENTIONING ALL OF THE OTHER AREAS, BUT AT LEAST WE 
WEREN'T MENTIONED IN ONE OF THE BEST, AND MY RESPONSE BACK 
WAS, WELL, I DON'T KNOW IF WE WERE SIXTH OR 10th, BUT 
FORBES SUGGESTED WE WERE THE SIXTH.
I AGREE WE'VE GOT A CHALLENGE, AND WE NEED TO ADDRESS IT, 
AND I ALSO AGREE WITH YOU WITH REGARD TO, YOU KNOW -- YOU 
WENT TO THE NEW TAMPA WITH SOME FRUSTRATION, AND MY SENSE 
IS, IS THAT THAT'S WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO NOW DO WITH OUR 
NEW -- OUR INTERIM EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR AND THIS BOARD IS TO 
MOVE QUICKLY.
I'M A LITTLE HESITANT TO CREATE A NEW GROUP, YET ANOTHER 
COMMITTEE, WHEN WE HAVE SUCH A LIMITED AMOUNT OF TIME IN 
TRYING TO BE PREPARED TO GO TO THE COMMUNITY WITH A TRUE 
MULTIMODAL PLAN.
I THINK THAT'S THE KEY.
WHEN WE TALK ABOUT -- THIS ISN'T JUST GOING TO BE TRANSIT, 
BUSES AND RAIL, I THINK THAT WE ALL RECOGNIZE OR I BELIEVE 
WE RECOGNIZE AS AN MPO THIS IS A PROBLEM THAT'S GOING TO 
REQUIRE US TO LOOK AT ALL OPTIONS, WHICH WOULD INCLUDE 
OBVIOUSLY THE ONE THAT IS MOST USED BY TRAVELERS TODAY, 
ROADS, SO WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO LOOK AT ROADS, WE'RE GOING 
TO HAVE TO LOOK AT BUSES, WE'RE GOING TO ALSO HAVE TO LOOK 
AT RAIL AND SEE WHERE IT MAKES HE SENSE.
MY CONCERN IS WE'VE GOT TO HAVE -- AND THIS IS ABSOLUTELY 
NO -- WE NEED GOING INTO THE FUTURE AN EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR 
WHO'S COMPLETELY -- WHO IS TOTALLY CONVERSANT IN ALL THE 
DIFFERENT OPTIONS, KNOWS ALL -- HAS DATA AT HIS OR HER 
FINGERTIPS AND IS CAPABLE OF COMING BACK TO OUR BOARD AND 
INFORMING US ON WHAT THE BEST MIX IS SO THAT WHEN WE GO OUT 
TO THE COMMUNITY IT MAKES SENSE TO ALL THE AREAS BECAUSE I 
SENSE THAT IF WE WENT TO WESTCHASE TODAY OR OUT TO SOUTH 
COUNTY AND SPOKE TO THEM ABOUT SOME OF OUR VISIONING, 
THEY'D HAVE SOME OF THE SAME QUESTIONS, WELL, HOW MUCH IS 
THIS GOING TO COST?
WAIT A MINUTE, YOU HAVE A RAIL LINE GOING DOWN HERE, 
WHERE'S THE BUS SERVICE GOING TO BE?
WELL, WE NEED AN EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR WHO'S COORDINATING ALL 
OF THESE DIFFERENT AGENCIES AND GETTING AS MUCH INFORMATION 
AS POSSIBLE SO WHEN WE GO OUT THERE, WE CAN ANSWER AS MANY 
QUESTIONS AS POSSIBLE.
I WOULD ASK THAT WE TAKE THIS AND GIVE THIS TO OUR INTERIM 
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR AND ASK THAT HE USE THIS AS A GUIDE AS 
HE WORKS TOWARDS KIND OF -- TO BRING THIS PLAN TOWARD -- TO 
THE -- BACK TO THE BOARD.
I DON'T THINK, THOUGH, THAT WE SHOULD CREATE YET A NEW 
COMMITTEE.
I'M CONCERNED ABOUT THAT.
>>JOE AFFRONTI:  OKAY.
MR. SKELTON.
>>DON SKELTON:  YES.
THANK YOU, MAYOR.
JUST WANT TO THANK JOE FOR BRINGING THIS TO THIS BOARD'S 
ATTENTION AND DISCUSSING IT THIS MORNING.
I THINK THE APPROACH IS RIGHT ON TARGET.
I THINK THE PLANS NEED TO BE STRATEGIC, THEY NEED TO BE 
COMPREHENSIVE, THEY NEED -- IT NEEDS TO BE A PLAN, NOT 
DISJOINTED.
I THINK THIS PRESENTS A PRETTY GOOD FRAMEWORK WITHOUT 
DESCRIBING HOW TO GET THERE.
I DON'T KNOW THAT YOU NECESSARILY NEED A NEW TEAM.
MAYBE YOU DO.
MAYBE YOU NEED TO CHANGE THE EXISTING TEAM TO BETTER FIT 
THIS.
I THINK WE NEED TO LOOK AT THE OUTPUT PRODUCT, WHICH IS A 
UNIFIED PLAN, AND THAT -- THAT'S WHAT THIS NEEDS TO DO, AND 
THEN TO GO ALONG WITH SOME OF THE THINGS COMMISSIONER 
SHARPE TALKED ABOUT, I THINK ONE OF THE MOST COMPELLING 
SLIDES THAT WAS GONE OVER WAS THIS STAKEHOLDER BUBBLE CHART 
AND THE INFORMATION THAT SAID WE NOW NEED TO ARRANGE THESE 
IN A WAY THAT MAPS OUT THIS PROCESS.
WHO NEEDS TOO BE DOING WHAT WITH WHOM?
BECAUSE OTHERWISE YOU GOT 20 DIFFERENT AGENCIES DOING THE 
SAME THING, DIFFERENT THINGS, SO YOU MAP THIS OUT, YOU FIX 
THIS, AND YOU END UP WITH A UNIFIED PLAN.
>>JOSEPH WAGGONER:  THAT -- I'D BE HAPPY TO WORK WITH 
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR CHIARAMONTE TO DO THIS.
I MEAN, THAT WAS THE ONE SLIDE THAT I KEPT OUT AS WELL, AND 
IT'S LIKE COMMON TRANSPORTATION MODEL, LOADING ASSUMPTIONS, 
AND DEMOGRAPHIC FACTORS WOULD ENABLE A STAKEHOLDER TO 
ASSEMBLE PLANS FROM A LOCAL AGENCY LEVEL AND BUILD TO THE 
REGIONAL LEVEL, AND THAT'S WHAT ALL THOSE CIRCLES TALK 
ABOUT.
>>JOE AFFRONTI:  WELL, DURING THIS MONTH, BETWEEN NOW AND 
WHEN WE COME BACK TO THE BOARD, WE COULD TAKE ALL THESE 
ITEMS INTO CONSIDERATION, AND WHEN WE COME BACK TO YOU 
WITH -- HOPEFULLY WE'LL HAVE A PLAN, WE'LL HAVE EVERYTHING 
THAT YOU NEED IN ORDER TO DISSECT IT AND DETERMINE WHETHER 
OR NOT THIS IS THE DIRECTION WE SHOULD GO, AND I THINK 
WE'VE GOT A LOT OF INPUT, AND IT'S ALL VERY GOOD.
SO MR. HUNTER.
>>BOB HUNTER:  BOARD MEMBERS, BOB HUNTER, EXECUTIVE 
DIRECTOR OF THE PLANNING COMMISSION.
WITH RAY NOT YET APPOINTED AS THE ACTING OR THE INTERIM 
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF THE MPO, I VOLUNTEERED TO HELP THE 
MAYOR OUT ON THIS TASK, AND I WANTED TO PUT ALL OF THIS IN 
CONTEXT FROM THE STANDPOINT OF WHEN YOU LAST MET, WHICH IS 
THAT YOUR POSITION OF EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR WAS VACANT, AND I, 
AFTER CONSULTATION WITH YOUR CHAIRMAN, APPOINTED RAY AS THE 
INTERIM EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR.
THEN I'VE HAD A NUMBER OF CONVERSATIONS WITH YOUR CHAIRMAN 
CONCERNING WHAT TO DO IN THE MEANTIME, AND THEN I BELIEVE 
IT WAS COMMISSIONER SHARPE THAT HAD ASKED THE -- GONE TO 
THE BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS AND ASKED THE INTERNAL 
AUDITOR, MR. GENTILE, TO PROVIDE A REPORT, WHICH YOU JUST 
RECEIVED.
I THOUGHT THAT WAS A VERY GOOD REPORT DONE IN A VERY SHORT 
AMOUNT OF TIME.
FROM THE -- THE REPORT I THINK COVERED A LOT OF MPOs THAT 
WERE VERY DIFFERENT FROM THIS MPO IN THAT THEY'RE 
CONSTITUTED DIFFERENTLY.
SOME OF THEM HAVE DIFFERENT FUNDING SOURCES AND DIFFERENT 
AUTHORITIES THAN THIS MPO, AND I WAS -- WHEN WE MET 
YESTERDAY FOR A VERY BRIEF TIME, I INDICATED I THOUGHT IT 
WAS A GOOD REPORT, FIRST HAVING SEEN IT AND APPRECIATED HIS 
COMMENTING THAT THIS MPO IS DOING ESSENTIALLY WHAT IT'S 
TASKED TO DO AND WHAT YOU HAVE IDENTIFIED AS ITS PRESENT 
ROLE, WHICH IS TO PLAN FOR TRANSPORTATION.
MR. WAGGONER, I APPRECIATE WHAT YOU SUGGESTED, AND PLEASE 
DON'T LEAVE OUT THE TERM "LAND USE" WHEN YOU-ALL START 
LOOKING AT THIS.
IT DOES HAVE SOMEWHAT OF A ROLE, AND WE DO HAVE FOUR 
COMPREHENSIVE PLANS FOR EACH OF THE FOUR GOVERNMENTS THAT I 
HOPE DRIVES TRANSPORTATION.
I WOULD LIKE TO SAY THEY WORK IN TANDEM, ESPECIALLY IN -- 
WITHIN THE 1,000 SQUARE MILES.
I WOULD LIKE TO PUT SOME OF THE ISSUES IN CONTEXT THAT HAVE 
BEEN DISCUSSED TODAY.
I THOUGHT SARAH DID A VERY, VERY GOOD JOB.
I KNOW SOME OF YOUR EYES GLAZE OVER WHEN YOU START LOOKING 
AT WHAT THE LONG-RANGE AND STRATEGIC RESPONSIBILITIES ARE 
OF THE MPO, BUT THEY HAVE BEEN ONGOING, AND YOU ARE DOING 
THEM, AND I THINK YOU'RE MEETING THE FEDERAL AND STATE 
REQUIREMENTS OF THIS MPO, BUT I WANT TO COMPLIMENT SARAH.
I THOUGHT SHE DID AN OUTSTANDING JOB.
WE SEARCHED FOR SOMEONE THAT HAD SOME MPO EXPERIENCE THAT 
COULD PROVIDE THAT PRESENTATION TO YOU.
AFTER THE -- AND I'M GOING TO COVER THE TWO AGENDA ITEMS 
TOGETHER BECAUSE YOU HAVE A COMPRESSED AMOUNT OF TIME 
BEFORE YOUR 10:00 MEETING.
AFTER THE POLICY MEETING OF THE MPO MET TWO WEEKS AGO, YOUR 
CHAIRMAN CAME TO ME, AND HE SAID, BOB, THE ISSUE OF THE 
INTERLOCAL AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE PLANNING COMMISSION AND 
THE MPO IS GOING TO COME UP AGAIN BECAUSE THE ISSUE WAS 
RAISED ABOUT THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF THE MPO REPORTING 
TO, HIRED AND FIRED BY THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, AND IT 
PRESENTLY READS THAT THE MPO AFFIRMS THE HIRING BY THE 
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF THE PLANNING COMMISSION.
I SAID, YES, I REALIZE THAT.
I AM WILLING TO WORK WITH THE MPO IN ANY WAY WE CAN, BUT I 
NEED TO TAKE THAT BACK TO THE PLANNING COMMISSION.
I THINK THE PLANNING COMMISSION IS WILLING TO WORK WITH THE 
MPO IN ANY WAY WE CAN.
MY INTEREST FROM REPRESENTING THE PLANNING COMMISSION -- 
AND I WANT TO EXPLAIN THIS BEFORE I GET INTO THE ATTRIBUTES 
AND HEAD HUNTERS AND ALL OF THIS -- IS THEY'RE -- THE 
PLANNING COMMISSION IS JOINED AT THE HIP WITH THE MPO STAFF 
FROM THE STANDPOINT THAT WE USE THE MPO STAFF ABOUT 30% OF 
THE TIME BECAUSE THEY ARE OUR TRANSPORTATION STAFF AS IT 
RELATES TO -- OR WE ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR THE PREPARATION OF 
THE TRANSPORTATION ELEMENTS OF EACH OF THE FOUR 
COMPREHENSIVE PLANS.
THAT IS OUR STATE MANDATE, UNRELATED TO THE MPO.
WE USE THE MPO STAFF ABOUT 30%.
70% OF THEIR TIME IS SPENT ON MPO ACTIVITIES.
SO I'D LIKE TO WORK TOWARD MODIFYING THE AGREEMENT WITH THE 
CONCURRENCE OF THE PLANNING COMMISSION.
I HAVE TO SAY THAT BECAUSE THIS AGREEMENT HAS TO BE 
MODIFIED AND TAKEN BACK TO THE PLANNING COMMISSION THAT IT 
WILL PROBABLY BE A 70/30 SPLIT OF STAFF TIME SERVING THE 
MPO AND THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR'S TIME SERVING THE MPO.
SO I'D LIKE TO WORK WITH THAT UNDERSTANDING THAT THE MPO 
WOULD ESSENTIALLY DO THE INTERVIEWING AND HIRING OF THE MPO 
AND THE EVALUATION OF THE MPO EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR WITH 
PROBABLY 30% COMING FROM MY SIDE OF IT DEALING WITH THE 
SUPPORT FROM THE MPO STAFF TO THE PREPARATION AND REVIEW OF 
DRIs, REZONINGS FOR CONSISTENCY WITH THE COMPREHENSIVE 
PLANS, AND THE FOUR TRANSPORTATION ELEMENTS.
THAT'S HOW WE'RE JOINED AT THE HIP.
WE'RE ALSO JOINED AT THE HIP FINANCIALLY AS IT DEALS WITH 
THE COUNTY THE WAY THE COUNTY DOES ITS BUDGETING FROM THE 
DECISION UNITS ISSUE.
THAT'S NOT A REAL PROBLEM RIGHT NOW, BUT WE PROVIDE THE 
LOCAL MATCH TO THE FEDERAL GRANTS THAT COME IN.
I DON'T SEE THAT AS A REAL PROBLEM.
WE CAN SEPARATE THIS ADMINISTRATIVELY SO THAT THE EXECUTIVE 
DIRECTOR OF THE MPO IN MY MIND REPORTS TO YOU AND THAT YOU 
DO THE HIRING, YOU DO THE INTERVIEWING, AND YOU DO THE 
FIRING.
I'VE ALREADY DISCUSSED THIS WITH THE CHAIRMAN.
WITH THAT AS AN UNDERSTANDING, I'D LIKE TO PROCEED, UNLESS 
YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS CONCERNING THAT.
>>JOE AFFRONTI:  YES, MR. MILLER.
>>LOUIS MILLER:  ONE QUICK QUESTION, BOB.
>>BOB HUNTER:  YES, SIR.
>>LOUIS MILLER:  WHEN YOU'RE SAYING THE 70/30 SPLIT, YOU'RE 
SAYING OF THE STAFF, 70% PLANNING COMMISSION TIME, 30% MPO 
TIME?
>>BOB HUNTER:  NO, SIR, REVERSED.
>>LOUIS MILLER:  REVERSED.
BUT THE MPO EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, I HOPE, WOULD BE 100% MPO 
TIME.
IS THAT CORRECT?
>>BOB HUNTER:  WELL, I WOULD HOPE THAT I WOULD HAVE SOME -- 
SOME INFLUENCE THERE BECAUSE I WOULD WANT THAT PERSON'S 
STAFF PROVIDING SUPPORT TO THE PLANNING COMMISSION, SO I 
WOULD WANT MAYBE 10% OR 15% OF THE ABILITY TO PROVIDE 
EVALUATION TO YOU CONCERNING THAT BECAUSE THEY COULD HOLD 
OUT THEIR STAFF IN SUPPORTING THE PLANNING COMMISSION.
I WOULD HOPE IT WOULDN'T COME TO THAT, BUT IT COULD BE A 
PROBLEM.
>>LOUIS MILLER:  RIGHT.
AND I WOULDN'T -- I WOULD HOPE IT WOULDN'T EITHER, BUT I 
WOULD HOPE THAT WHEN WE HIRE A NEW EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF 
THE MPO THAT HE OR SHE SPENDS VIRTUALLY ALL OF THEIR TIME -
- VAST MAJORITY OF THEIR TIME DOING MPO FUNCTIONS --
>>BOB HUNTER:  WELL, I WOULD SEE THAT AS 100% --
>>LOUIS MILLER:  -- PUTTING OUR PLANS TOGETHER, WHATEVER 
WE'RE TALKING ABOUT, WORKING WITH THE TECHNICAL ADVISORY 
COMMITTEE, THE POLICY COMMITTEE, THE CITIZENS ADVISORY 
COMMITTEE, MAKING SURE ALL OF THAT HAPPENS WOULD BE -- I 
HOPE IS THE DIRECTION WE'RE GOING.
>>BOB HUNTER:  NO, THAT'S 100%.
I DON'T SEE THAT AS A PROBLEM AT ALL.
>>JOE AFFRONTI:  I THINK YOU'RE MORE CONCERNED ABOUT THE 
STAFF --
>>BOB HUNTER:  YES, I AM.
>>JOE AFFRONTI:  -- THAN WE ARE EXACTLY THE EXECUTIVE 
DIRECTOR.
>>BOB HUNTER:  YES, I AM.
THANK YOU FOR BRINGING THAT UP.
>>JOE AFFRONTI:  YES, MR. SHARPE.
>>MARK SHARPE:  AND I SHARE THE CONCERNS BUT ALSO I THINK -
- OF MR. MILLER AND I GUESS THE CONCLUSION WITH REGARD TO 
HAVING THE MPO EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR.
I THINK IT'S VERY IMPORTANT THAT THE MPO EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR 
BE INDEPENDENT AND THAT HE WORK OR SHE WORK FOR THIS BOARD, 
ANSWER TO THIS BOARD, BUT I ALSO THINK THAT IN A TIME OF 
LEAN BUDGETS AS WELL AND OPTIMIZING USE OF STAFF, IT MAKES 
SENSE TO ME THAT WE WOULD HAVE TRANSPORTATION EXPERTS WHO 
WOULD PROVIDE ASSISTANCE OR WORK WITH THE PLANNING 
COMMISSION ON THOSE ROLES WHICH WE'RE RESPONSIBLE FOR.
IT MIGHT ALSO, WOULD IT NOT, PROVIDE SOME CONSISTENCY 
BETWEEN THE PLANS THAT WE'RE CREATING AND WHAT YOU'RE 
RESPONSIBLE FOR?
>>BOB HUNTER:  EXACTLY, YES.
>>MARK SHARPE:  SO IT COULD BE A GOOD SERVICE TO US.
>>BOB HUNTER:  IT'S A MATCH.
I APPRECIATE YOUR COMMENT, YES, AND I HOPEFULLY WILL SPEND 
MORE TIME WITH YOUR CHAIRMAN ON THIS AND BRINGING BACK THE 
AGREEMENT AT THE JUNE 3rd MEETING.
IT'S JUST BEEN IN THE PAST COUPLE OF WEEKS THIS HAS 
SURFACED, AND I HAVEN'T HAD A CHANCE TO RESEARCH IT.
>>JOE AFFRONTI:  MR. SKELTON.
>>DON SKELTON:  YEAH, BOB.
I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE EVERYBODY UNDERSTANDS THAT THE 
ACTIVITIES THAT ARE DONE BY THE MPO STAFF ARE FUNDED WITH 
FEDERAL PL FUNDS, TO WHICH THE PLANNING COMMISSION PROVIDES 
THAT PERCENTAGE OF MATCH.
>>BOB HUNTER:  CORRECT.
>>DON SKELTON:  AND THEN THE 30% THEY'RE DOING FOR PLANNING 
COMMISSION IS FUNDED THROUGH THE COUNTY.
>>BOB HUNTER:  YES, COMES THROUGH THE COUNTY'S FUNDING OF 
THE PLANNING COMMISSION THROUGH THE COUNTY'S GENERAL FUND.
>>JOE AFFRONTI:  OKAY.
ANY OTHER -- MS. FERLITA.
>>ROSE FERLITA:  I JUST -- I UNDERSTAND THAT THE MAJORITY 
OF THE TIME THAT THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR IS GOING TO SPEND 
IS IN RESPONSE TO ISSUES HERE AND DOING MPO BUSINESS, BUT 
WE TALK ABOUT COLLABORATION, AND OF COURSE, MR. SKELTON 
JUST TALKED ABOUT THE FUNDING BREAKDOWN, SO, I MEAN, 
WITHOUT HOLDING YOU TO 7.5% OF HIS OR HER TIME OR 9 3/4%, I 
THINK WE HAVE TO BE REASONABLE IN TERMS OF LOOKING AT THIS 
COLLABORATION.
YES, THEY RESPOND TO US, WE HIRE, WE FIRE, WE DICTATE 
POLICY, BUT IN ORDER FOR THIS TO WORK WITH SOME CONTINUITY, 
I THINK THIS BOARD IS CERTAINLY MATURE ENOUGH TO UNDERSTAND 
THAT YOU MUST INTERACT AND THAT DIRECTOR MUST INTERACT WITH 
YOU BACK SO THAT WE HAVE A PRODUCT THAT REPRESENTS 
CONTINUITY IF WE'RE GOING IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION IN TERMS 
OF TRANSPORTATION ISSUES.
>>BOB HUNTER:  IT'S MY INTENT TO DEVELOP THE WORDING SO 
THAT THAT WILL HAPPEN IN THE INTERLOCAL AGREEMENT, YES.
>>ROSE FERLITA:  I THINK THAT'S WHAT YOU'RE ASKING --
>>BOB HUNTER:  YES.
>>ROSE FERLITA:  -- BOB, AND I THINK THAT'S A REASONABLE 
REQUEST.
>>BOB HUNTER:  THANK YOU.
THE ISSUE -- AND MOVING ON CONCERNING THE PROCESS BECAUSE I 
KNOW YOUR MEETING STARTS AT 10:00 -- IS THAT WE HAVE 
ALREADY STARTED LOOKING AT A PROCESS THAT THE MAYOR COULD 
POSSIBLY BRING BACK TO YOU FROM THE STANDPOINT OF -- I'M 
LOOKING AT THE POSSIBILITY JUNE 3rd, ANOTHER WORKSHOP AT 
8:00 A.M., WHICH WOULD ENTAIL POSSIBLY TWO FACILITATORS, 
ONE THAT WOULD BE FAMILIAR WITH MPOs SO THAT THEY MIGHT 
HAVE AN OPEN DISCOURSE WITH YOU ON WHAT YOU'RE LOOKING FOR 
AS IT DEALS WITH THE ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES OF AN 
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, BUT I WANT TO SEPARATE THAT FROM AN MPO 
PERSON THAT'S FAMILIAR WITH MPOs AND A FACILITATOR THAT 
WOULD DRAW OUT OF YOU THE TRAITS AND CHARACTERISTICS OF A 
LEADER.
THAT IS DIFFERENT FROM MY EXPERIENCE OF SOME -- OF A 
FACILITATOR THAN SOMEONE THAT'S RUN AN MPO AND HAS MPO 
EXPERIENCE.
I'VE WORKED WITH FACILITATORS THAT CAN DRAW OUT OF YOU 
THOSE CHARACTERISTICS, AND I DEFINITELY WANT TO 
DIFFERENTIATE THAT FROM WHAT WAS SAID BY MR. GENTILE.
THOSE -- I'VE USED FACILITATORS BEFORE, AND DIFFERENT FROM 
MPO EXECUTIVE DIRECTORS AND PEOPLE WHO HAVE EXPERIENCE WITH 
MPOs, THEY'RE FAMILIAR WITH THE ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES 
AND THE LEADERSHIP ISSUES AND THE STRATEGIC PLANS AND THE 
LONG-TERM PLANS OF MPOs.
THAT'S ONE ISSUE.
BUT I THINK WHAT I HEAR -- HAVE HEARD YOU DISCUSSING IS A 
FACILITATOR THAT NEEDS TO DRAW OUT OF YOU IN SHORT TIME 
BECAUSE YOU DON'T HAVE THAT MUCH TIME AS TO WHAT YOU'RE 
LOOKING FOR FOR LEADERSHIP CHARACTERISTICS OF YOUR NEW 
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, AND I THINK WE CAN DO THAT IN LESS THAN 
AN HOUR, AND SO I'M LOOKING FOR A POSSIBILITY, AND I'LL BE 
WORKING THIS OUT WITH THE MAYOR, TWO FACILITATORS THAT YOU 
COULD USE AT YOUR NEXT MEETING TO GET TO THOSE TWO 
CHARACTERISTICS OF YOUR EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR.
THE SECOND PART -- SORRY.
THE THIRD PART THAT WE'LL BE DISCUSSING WITH THE MAYOR IS 
THE USE OF A HEAD-HUNTING FIRM, AND WE'LL CERTAINLY BE 
LOOKING AT WHAT THE CITY OF AUSTIN DID.
I'VE ALSO BEEN IN TOUCH WITH TWO OTHER HEAD-HUNTING FIRMS 
AS TO THEIR COSTS, WHICH CAN BE ANYWHERE FROM ABOUT 15,000 
TO 40,000.
IT'S EXPENSIVE, BUT ALSO THE TIME INVOLVED IN THERE IS 
ABOUT THREE TO FIVE MONTHS, SO I'VE LOOKED AT -- WE NOW 
INVOLVE THREE FIRMS.
AUSTIN MIGHT BE ABLE TO PROVIDE US A SHORT CIRCUIT, BUT 
AGAIN, BEFORE YOUR JUNE 3rd MEETING WE'LL HAVE ALL OF THAT 
INFORMATION.
WE'RE TRYING TO MOVE AS QUICKLY AS WE CAN BECAUSE I KNOW AS 
COMMISSIONER SHARPE MENTIONED WE HAVE A SHORT TIME FUSE.
YOU'RE LOOKING FOR LEADERSHIP THAT YOU'RE AFTER VERY 
QUICKLY.
YES, SIR.
>>BRIAN BLAIR:  WHY WOULD OUR COUNTY NOT BE INVOLVED AS FAR 
AS YOUR SPEAKING WITH THE MAYOR?
WOULD OUR ADMINISTRATOR NOT BE INVOLVED AS WELL FROM THE 
COUNTY SINCE WE'RE THE MAJOR FUNDER?
>>BOB HUNTER:  WELL --
>>ROSE FERLITA:  MR. BLAIR, HE'S TALKING ABOUT THIS MAYOR.
>>BRIAN BLAIR:  OH, PARDON ME.
NO.
OKAY.
I THOUGHT YOU WERE TALKING ABOUT ANOTHER MAYOR.
>>BOB HUNTER:  NO, SIR.
WRONG MAYOR.
>>BRIAN BLAIR:  SAY MR. CHAIR THEN SO WE'LL GET IT RIGHT.
>>BOB HUNTER:  I'M SORRY.
>>BRIAN BLAIR:  OKAY.
THANK YOU.
>>BOB HUNTER:  I KEEP REFERRING TO THE MAYOR.
>>JOE AFFRONTI:  THAT'S ALL RIGHT.
>>BRIAN BLAIR:  WE HAVE LOTS -- WE HAVE THREE MAYORS.
>>BOB HUNTER:  I'M SORRY.
>> MR. CHAIR.
>>JOE AFFRONTI:  OKAY.
ANY OTHER -- GO AHEAD, BOB.
>>BOB HUNTER:  THE INTENT IS TO COME BACK AT YOUR NEXT 
MEETING WITH ESSENTIALLY THE OPPORTUNITY FOR DECISIONS BY 
THE END OF YOUR WORKSHOP SO THAT YOU'LL HAVE A ROAD MAP OF 
WHAT YOU'RE AFTER AS IT DEALS WITH AN EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, A 
TIME FRAME, AND WHERE YOU WANT TO GO.
HAVING DISCUSSED THAT WITH THE MAYOR IN THE PAST TWO WEEKS, 
THAT'S WHAT WE'RE HOPING TO BE ABLE TO ACCOMPLISH.
>>JOE AFFRONTI:  WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE HAVE --
>>BRIAN BLAIR:  THE CHAIR.
>>JOE AFFRONTI: --
ENOUGH FOR YOU AT THE NEXT MEETING SO WE'LL BE ABLE TO MAKE 
A DECISION AND THEN MOVE FORWARD.
>>BOB HUNTER:  IT WILL INVOLVE ALSO WHETHER WE'RE LOOKING 
AT COMMITTEES OF STAFF FROM THE FOUR GOVERNMENTS THAT WOULD 
BE INVOLVED IN THE SELECTION PROCESS OR WHETHER THE CHAIR 
WOULD BE APPOINTING COMMITTEES OF THE MPO, THE FILTERING OR 
THE EDITING DOWN OF THE RESUMES OR APPLICATIONS.
THERE ARE DIFFERENT PROCESSES THAT WE WANT TO GO THROUGH 
AND LAY OUT AS ALTERNATIVES FOR YOU IN A PACKAGE THAT WILL 
BE COMING TO YOU SO THAT YOU CAN MAKE QUICK DECISIONS ON 
JUNE 3rd.
IT'S -- THERE ARE A LOT OF OPTIONS, AND I WANT YOU TO 
QUICKLY JUMP AT ONE UNTIL YOU HAVE A CHANCE TO HEAR THEM 
AND MAKE DECISIONS AT THE JUNE 3rd MEETING.
>>JOE AFFRONTI:  COMMISSIONER SHARPE.
>>MARK SHARPE:  AND ONLY BECAUSE WE'RE ALREADY HERE AND 
THERE'S A SHORT AMOUNT OF TIME, BUT JUST SO I CAN KIND OF 
LAY IN WHERE I WOULD WANT US TO GO --
>>BOB HUNTER:  YES, SIR.
>>MARK SHARPE:  -- I LIKED WHAT MR. GENTILE PUT TOGETHER 
WITH REGARD TO ALL OF THE DIFFERENT CHARACTERISTICS 
TRAITS -- OR THE CHARACTER TRAITS OF MPO EXECUTIVE 
DIRECTORS, AND I THOUGHT, AGAIN, LOOKING AT THE 
CHARLOTTESVILLE TRAITS, IF YOU WERE JUST ABLE TO BOTTLE 
ENTREPRENEURIAL LEADER, GREAT CONSENSUS BUILDER WHO KNOWS 
THE BOSSES, WELL INFORMED, NOT AFRAID TO INFORM OR LEAD 
WITH INNOVATIVE IDEAS, THAT WOULD BE WHERE I WOULD HOPE TO 
GO, AND I -- QUITE FRANKLY, I THINK THAT WHAT WE'VE HAD IN 
JUST THE LAST COUPLE OF WEEKS WITH OUR INTERIM EXECUTIVE 
DIRECTOR, I'VE HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO TALK TO, YOU KNOW, A 
NUMBER OF PEOPLE WHO ARE INVOLVED IN THIS, AND THEY SEEM TO 
SAY THAT HE'S BEEN AHEAD OF ME OR, YOU KNOW, RIGHT THERE 
TALKING WITH THEM, AND SO THAT'S -- THAT'S WHAT I WOULD BE 
LOOKING FOR.
>>JOE AFFRONTI:  THANK YOU.
>>BOB HUNTER:  THE --
>>JOE AFFRONTI:  YES, BOB.
>>BOB HUNTER:  THIS BOARD HAS WARMED UP BETWEEN 8:00 AND 
10:00.
[LAUGHTER]
I'M SERIOUS.
SO MORE THAN LIKELY, THAT EXERCISE WILL OCCUR ABOUT 9:00 OR 
9:30.
WE'VE DONE THIS -- I'VE DONE THIS BEFORE, OKAY, SO THERE 
WILL BE ONE STAGE AT 8:00, ANOTHER AT 9:00, AND THEN 
ANOTHER AT 9:30 TO GET YOU WHERE YOU WANT TO BE BY 10:00.
I MEAN, THIS -- IN A PUBLIC FORUM, OKAY?
>>JOE AFFRONTI:  OKAY.
>>BOB HUNTER:  YES, SIR.
>>JOE AFFRONTI:  YES, COMMISSIONER BLAIR.
>>BRIAN BLAIR:  BOB, WILL YOU PROVIDE US A COPY BEFORE THAT 
MEETING OF WHAT YOU'RE GOING TO PRESENT?
>>BOB HUNTER:  YES, SIR, AND WE'LL -- THERE WILL BE OPTIONS 
SO CAN YOU THINK ABOUT IT SO YOU'LL BE PREPARED, HOPEFULLY, 
IF YOU LOOK AT THE PACKAGE SO THAT YOU CAN MAKE SOME 
DECISIONS AS A BOARD.
>>BRIAN BLAIR:  ABSOLUTELY.
I APPRECIATE THAT.
>>JOE AFFRONTI:  YOU WILL GET THAT.
>>BRIAN BLAIR:  THANKS, BOB.
>>JOE AFFRONTI:  YES, MS. SAUL-SENA.
>>LINDA SAUL-SENA:  I'M REALLY EXCITED.
I'M EXCITED TO BE BACK ON THE MPO, AND I'M EXCITED AT THE 
ENERGY THAT WE'RE ALL BRINGING TO THIS.
WE RECOGNIZE, AS COMMISSIONER SHARPE SAID, WE DON'T HAVE 
VERY LONG BEFORE 2010, AND WE HAVE TO HAVE A DYNAMIC PLAN 
THAT'S CREATED BY EVERYONE SO WE CAN MOVE FORWARD, SO THIS 
IS GOOD.
>>JOE AFFRONTI:  THANK YOU.
YES, MS. FERLITA.
>>ROSE FERLITA:  BOB, ARE YOU -- ARE YOU THROUGH?
>>BOB HUNTER:  YES, MA'AM.
>>ROSE FERLITA:  OKAY.
I JUST HAVE ANOTHER QUESTION TOO IN TERMS OF WHAT MS. SAUL-
SENA'S SAYING IN WANTING TO MOVE FORWARD, AND I THINK WE'VE 
MADE GREAT STRIDES HERE TO TRY TO DETERMINE WHERE WE WANT 
TO GO, AND JOE, YOU'RE RIGHT, WHERE WE DON'T WANT TO GO.
I JUST WANT ONE THING CLARIFIED, AND I WAITED UNTIL THE 
LAST PART OF THIS MEETING BECAUSE I DIDN'T WANT IT TO 
BECOME THE THEME OF THE DAY AGAIN, BUT JUST SO WE MOVE 
FORWARD AND THERE'S NO MISUNDERSTANDINGS AND THERE IS SOME 
CLARIFICATION.
I KNOW AT THE LAST MEETING WE TALKED AT LENGTH ABOUT THESE 
MAPS.
I KNOW THAT YOU HAD A MEMO THAT YOU SENT TO MARK, I KNOW 
MARK WAS PARTICULARLY UPSET ABOUT THE FACT THAT THE MAPS 
WERE INCORRECT IN SOME AREAS, AND I KNOW THAT YOU WANTED TO 
HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO CORRECT THEM IF THERE WAS SOME 
CORRECTION OR CLARIFICATION.
I WANT TO GET THAT FINISHED, VENTED, DONE.
HAVE YOU AND MR. SHARPE COMMUNICATED ABOUT THAT IN TERMS OF 
THE BASE MAPS, WHERE THE ORIGIN CAME FROM, WHAT HAPPENED 
WITH THE FACT THAT THERE APPEARED TO BE SOME ERRORS, AND I 
WANT TO GIVE YOU AN OPPORTUNITY TO EXPLAIN THAT, AND I WANT 
TO GIVE ME AN OPPORTUNITY TO UNDERSTAND WHAT HAPPENED SO WE 
MOVE THAT OFF THE TABLE AND GO FORWARD AGAIN.
>>BOB HUNTER:  WE'RE STILL TRYING TO RUN DOWN THE SOURCE OF 
THE PROBLEM.
>>ROSE FERLITA:  OKAY.
>>BOB HUNTER:  I'M CONCERNED BECAUSE WE'RE THE SOURCE OF -- 
WE'RE THE LOCAL PLANNING AGENCY, AND THE MPO IS ALSO THE 
RECIPROCAL AS THE MPO, SO I ASSUME, COMMISSIONER SHARPE, 
YOU'RE STILL TRYING TO FIND THE SOURCE OF THOSE MAPS.
>>MARK SHARPE:  YES, AND THAT'S BEEN FOR ME ONE OF THE 
CHALLENGES, BUT ALSO I THINK -- I TRY TO LOOK AT IT AS AN 
OPPORTUNITY.
WHAT I'M LOOKING -- WHAT I FOUND IS THAT I WOULD LIKE TO BE 
ABLE TO TURN TO OUR MPO EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR AND ASK AND BE 
ABLE TO RECEIVE WITHIN SECONDS THE ANSWERS TO THE SOURCE, 
HOW THEY WERE PUT TOGETHER.
IF I GO TO MY STAFF, OUR -- AT THE COUNTY AND ASK THEM 
ABOUT MAPS, I WANT THEM TO BE ABLE TO SAY WE HAVE BEEN 
DIALOGUING WITH THE MPO EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, THIS IS WHAT WE 
GAVE THEM, THIS IS WHAT HE ASKED FOR, AND THEN I WOULD LIKE 
TO ALSO BE ABLE TO SPEAK WITH TBARTA AND KNOW THAT THEY'VE 
BEEN IN CONSTANT COMMUNICATION WITH OUR EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR 
SO THAT THERE'S ABSOLUTELY NO CONFUSION, AND I'LL TELL 
YOU -- BECAUSE THERE IS -- WE'RE NOT ALONE IN SUFFERING 
THIS.
THIS IS -- I'VE SEEN THIS IN MY PRIOR CAREER WHERE THERE'S 
A LOT OF CONFUSION, AND THE CONFUSION CONTINUES, AND WHEN 
THERE'S CONFUSION, AS FAR AS I'M CONCERNED THERE'S POOR 
LEADERSHIP, SO I THINK IT'S ESSENTIAL THAT WE CLARIFY, AND 
I APPRECIATE THE WORK OF THE EXECUTIVE -- THE EXECUTIVE 
DIRECTOR OF THE PLANNING COMMISSION, WHO'S BEEN REALLY 
WORKING VERY HARD AT TRYING TO UNTANGLE THIS, AND PART OF 
THIS HAD TO DO WITH THE FACT THAT THERE WERE A LOT OF 
PEOPLE INVOLVED, INCLUDING, YOU KNOW, THE ONE BAY GROUP 
THAT WERE INVOLVED IN PUTTING TOGETHER MAPS AND SUCH, SO WE 
JUST HAVE TO HAVE GREAT DIALOGUE AND COORDINATION, AND 
WE'RE STILL TRYING TO GET --
>>ROSE FERLITA:  ALL RIGHT.
BECAUSE I JUST WANT THAT AIRED AND RESOLVED, AND I KNOW THE 
LAST TIME WE WERE TALKING ABOUT WHETHER OR NOT THAT WAS THE 
FAULT OF THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR.
WHERE THE ERROR WAS I DON'T KNOW, BUT WE NEED TO DETERMINE 
WHAT HAPPENED THERE SO WE DON'T HAVE THAT SAME PROBLEM 
AGAIN AND ALSO THAT WE GIVE EVERYBODY THE OPPORTUNITY TO 
EITHER BE ACCUSED CORRECTLY OR NOT ACCUSED, AND I THINK ONE 
OF YOU GUYS, IF YOU WOULD, ONCE YOU GET TOGETHER AND TALK 
ABOUT THE SOURCE, THE ORIGIN, AND WHAT HAPPENED SO THAT WE 
HAVE SOME GOOD OUT OF SOME BAD, IT DOESN'T HAPPEN AGAIN, 
AND LET'S JUST CLEAR THE AIR ABOUT WHO DID AND WHO DIDN'T 
AND GO ON.
>>BOB HUNTER:  STILL WORKING ON IT.
>>ROSE FERLITA:  OKAY.
THAT'S FINE.
THAT'S THE ONLY [INDISCERNIBLE CROSS TALK]
>>BOB HUNTER:  WE'VE GOT TO RUN THEM DOWN BECAUSE WE DON'T 
WANT THEM USED AGAIN.
>>JOE AFFRONTI:  MR. SKELTON.
>>DON SKELTON:  AND JUST ADD A LITTLE BIT OF CLARITY TO IT.
LET ME MAKE THIS CLEAR.
THE STAFFS WERE PREPARED BY THE STAFF WORKING ON THE TBARTA 
MASTER PLAN, OKAY.
THAT WAS COLLECTED BY DATA FROM ALL OF THE COUNTIES, AND I 
CAN SAY IN GOING OUT TO THE COMMUNITY WORKSHOPS IN EVERY 
COUNTY, SOME OF THE DATA HAS BEEN CHALLENGED IN EVERY 
COUNTY, SO I THINK WE STILL NEED TO DRILL DOWN AND FIND 
OUT, OKAY, WHERE IS THE TRUE SOURCE TO ALL THIS, BUT IT'S 
THE TBARTA GROUP AND THE DEPARTMENT GETTING INFORMATION 
FROM ALL OF THE PLANNING, BUT THE MAPS WERE PREPARED BY 
DEPARTMENT STAFF AND THE CONSULTANT ON BEHALF OF TBARTA.
>>ROSE FERLITA:  THANK YOU, MR. SKELTON.
>>JOE AFFRONTI:  THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
WE MOVE FORWARD.
YES, BOB.
>>BOB HUNTER:  ONE FINAL POINT.
I WOULD LIKE FOR THE MPO TO KNOW THAT THE PLANNING 
COMMISSION AND I ARE HERE TO PROVIDE AS MUCH SUPPORT AS WE 
POSSIBLY CAN, WHETHER YOU CHANGE YOUR MISSION OR NOT, AND 
IF YOU DO CHANGE YOUR MISSION, WE, AS YOUR STAFF SUPPORT 
AND WHATEVER DIRECTION YOU GO, WE'RE HERE TO HELP YOU.
WE HAVE TO WORK TOGETHER IF WE'RE GOING TO MAKE THIS 
COMMUNITY GROW THE RIGHT WAY, AND JUST PLEASE DON'T MISREAD 
ME FROM THE STANDPOINT OF HOW FOCUSED I AM ON THE ISSUE -- 
AS RAY WELL KNOWS FROM A NATIONAL PLANNING CONFERENCE WE 
WENT TO -- HOW FOCUSED I AM ON THE ISSUE OF URBAN PLANNING 
AND MAKING IT WORK RIGHT, AND THE ISSUE OF LAND USE AND 
TRANSPORTATION HAVE TO OCCUR TOGETHER, AND WE'RE HERE TO 
HELP YOU, SO THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO HELP IT 
MAKE -- HELP IT OCCUR IN THE RIGHT WAY.
>>JOE AFFRONTI:  THANK YOU, BOB.
THANK YOU.
>>BOB HUNTER:  THANK YOU.
>>JOE AFFRONTI:  I ATTENDED THE LAST TBARTA MEETING AS AN 
ALTERNATE FOR MAYOR HIBBARD FROM CLEARWATER, AND AS I 
UNDERSTAND, THE NEXT TBARTA MEETING THEY'RE GOING TO BE 
DISCUSSING WHAT ROLE THE COUNTIES WILL PLAY IN HELPING 
TBARTA WITH AN OVERALL PLAN, SO AT THAT POINT, MAYBE 
THAT'LL BE A TIME WHEN WE MIGHT -- IF TBARTA WANTS, WE 
COULD GO AHEAD AND PRESENT OUR 2050 VISION PLAN AS PART OF 
THE OVERALL REGIONAL PLAN.
SO WHATEVER -- WHATEVER YOUR DESIRES ARE, WE'RE THERE TO 
TRY TO HELP.
>>DON SKELTON:  THAT'S SOMETHING WE CAN COORDINATE AS 
PUTTING FORWARD THE AGENDA.
>>JOE AFFRONTI:  OKAY.
THANK YOU.
YES.
>> [INAUDIBLE]
>>JOE AFFRONTI:  WELL, WE'LL DO THAT AT OUR REGULAR 
MEETING.
WE CAN'T VOTE IN A WORKSHOP ANYWAY.
OKAY.
ANY OTHER COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS?
IF NOT, WE ADJOURN -- LET'S ADJOURN FOR ABOUT TEN MINUTES 
AND GIVE THE TV PEOPLE A TIME TO DO WHAT THEY HAVE TO DO, 
AND WE'LL RECONVENE.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
MEETING ADJOURNED.



1