3.10.26 Pasco Board of County Commissioners Meeting (Morning Session)

Good morning. I would like to call to order the Pasco County Board County Commissioners meeting 10:00 for March 10th, 2026. At this time, please silence all electronic devices and mute your phones. Please rise for the invocation and pledge of allegiance.

Good morning, honorable commission. Anthony Ship, chaplain, Pasco County Fire Rescue. It's my honor to give the invocation. Let us pray. Almighty God, we thank you for this opportunity and privilege to conduct our civic business today. We ask that you will watch over our armed forces in this time of war. Also watch over our firemen, policemen, and those uh leaders of our community and bless our educational institution and their and their students. We just thank you for this privilege today. Amen.

Amen. I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for which it stands. One nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.

Mr. Clerk, please call the role.

District one, Commissioner Oakley,

here.

District two, Commissioner Wakeman,

present.

District three, Commissioner Starky, nonpresent at this time. District four, Commissioner Joerger,

here. District 5 Chairman Mariano

here. Now is a time for public comment. Citizens are given an opportunity to comment on any current or future agenda item coming before the board or on business under the board's purview. Today public's comment will be handled as follows. First, we will take public comment from those who are here in person. Then we'll take public comment for those who are pre-registered online link and currently on Q. We request that when you address the board, comments are not directed personally against the commissioner or team member, but acts rather directed at the issue. The this provides mutual respect between the board members and the public. After stating your name and address for the clerk, a threeminut timer will be activated. A green light will be shown at the podium. After two minutes, a yellow light will indicate you have one minute left. When your time is up, a red light will be displayed. Three beeps will sound and you will close your comments. Online participants will be connected automatically when their time is up. Mr. Clerk, do we have anyone signed up for public comment?

We have one signed up in advance, Nancy Hazelwood.

Nancy Hayeswood, 34110. A nice place. Thank you for giving me this opportunity, ladies and gentlemen. Uh, the first thing I have up here is an image of the RV resort. They're watering. I'm not sure why they should be watering. They're not watering grass. They are watering sand. This was taken last Tuesday at about 8:00 a.m. And I'm hoping that they should have more restrictions. Also, maybe we could do something like say during the dry season this doesn't happen because you're certainly making us watch our water. Uh, I've got a whole litany of things, so please bear with me. The next is Johnson Road close to this. Uh, one of the neighbors heard something crying out there and went to see and it was a fawn that had been hit by a car that could not stand. She had to go get somebody to shoot it. And this is not the first deer that has been killed out there. Also, the same thing is going on in Zephr Hills right now. Maybe the development should be slowed down until you get enough police out there. I was on Johnson Road last night and somebody passed me going pretty fast and it's the 30 mph speed limit there. So, um, the tree ordinance that's been moving along. It's a little bit good, but I was wondering why this wasn't put out to the public more. This is a very important issue. People are talking about the clear cutting of trees all over the county. How about it would have been nice if you had planned a meeting in each district so your constituents would have had the ability to have something to say in this. I think it is a very baby step in the right direction after reading it through and we'll hear more on that when it comes up before y'all. The other thing is I keep hearing about affordable housing. We need to build more. We need need to build more. It's become very obvious that we're about to hit another recession. If anybody remembers the last one, there were huge amount of of houses on the market and they all went down in price. So before you think about approving more affordable homes, take a look at what's out there and how the price is going to go down on them. And I thank you all very much for listening to my trial and I do respect y'all. Thanks.

Thank you. Anyone here to want to want to address the board?

Anyone online?

None.

All right. We'll close close public comment. Next time is for resolutions. Um and just with the overwhelming number of debate team members we have, I know we're still signing autographs over here. Um, let's we're going to move to the agenda a little differently than uh scheduled and we're going to go to a different resolution. So, let's go to RS2, Commissioner Waitman's Fix a Leak in Florida.

Resolution number 26, 152, a resolution by the board of county commissioners of Pasco County, Florida, declaring the week of March 16th to the 22nd, 2026 as fixite week in Pasco County. Whereas yearly household water leaks across the United States account for nearly 1 trillion gallons of water wasted. And the average American household leaks can account for nearly 10,000 gallons of water wasted every year. And whereas fixing easily corrected household water leaks can save ho homeowners about 10% on their water bills. And whereas 10% of American homes have water leaks that waste 90 gallons of water or more per day. And the average family can waste 180 gallons of water per week. And whereas common leaks found in the home include worn toilet flappers, dripping faucets, broken irrigation heads, and other leaking valves that are often easy to fix. And whereas the Environmental Protection Agency Water Sense Program was created in 2006 to urge Americans to become more aware of their impact on water conservation. And whereas the Environmental Protection Agency water sense program celebrates Fix a Leak Week as a time to remind citizens to check household fixtures and irrigation systems for leaks. And whereas Fix a Leak Week teaches Pasco County residents about how to fix common leaks in their homes and yards and seeks to change the public's perception of water usage and highlight the dangers of leaving leaks unattended. And whereas supporting the third week of March as fix a leak week reinforces the ongoing call to Pasco County citizens to conserve water resources by using them responsibly and efficiently. And whereas the Pasco County Board of County Commissioner supports and encourages water conservation measures throughout Pasco County. Now there it be resolved by the board of county commissioners of Pasco County, Florida, that said board hereby declares the week of March 16th through the 22nd, 2026 as fix a leak week in Pasco County and calls upon each citizen of Pasco County to find and fix leaks as part of their community's mission to protect water resources. Done and resolved in session with quorum present voting this 10th day of March, 2026. Move approval.

Second.

All in favor say I.

I.

I. Any opposed? Okay. Commissioner Waven.

Yes. Thank you all for for being here today. Not just about conserving water, fixing the leak, but protecting your property and your pocketbook, too. Um, water damage is a big deal in any state, but particularly here in Florida. So, uh, glad to recognize awareness for fix leak week and appreciate all your work. I know Bala [clears throat] mentioned we had a relatively large leak here recently and got right on top of it and fixed it. But um thank you all for being here today and floor is yours.

Good morning chair, vice chairs and commissioners. For the record, my name is Connor Cheney, a new water conservation specialist at Pasco County Utilities working with Phoenix McKini to strengthen water conservation with P within Pasco County. Fix a Leak Week encourages Pasco County residents and businesses to find and fix common household and irrigation leaks. Simple steps that save money, lower bills, and protect our shared water supply. This is especially critical now with our region under a phase 2 modified water shortage. We appreciate the board's support in promoting conservation across Pasco County.

Thank you, Mr. Oakley.

Yep. I thank you for everything you're doing to um stop those leaks out there and offering I guess programs for like new toilets and all that use less water than they have been using before. And uh I know myself on older home or house I have up in Home of Sassa. The fact of it is I was getting noticed there was a water leak and I went up to fix it only to find out it was the devices the plunger and all that's inside the toilet that was actually worn out and need to be replaced to stop that leak. So it it's pretty amazing when you get to searching for where you're having leaks in your home where you find it and what you can do to fix that so you don't lose the water. I appreciate everything yall are doing and these efforts to uh make uh you know u toilets and all that use less water uh in the new homes and all and can be retrofit for the older homes that uh will save water in the future for all of our citizens. Thank you.

Yeah, Mr. Stucky,

I've been too been a victim of water leaks. one, my house was on a stem wall and it was going under my sink into the ground below. We had no we we had so many people come and try and find the leak. Um and now I actually have to replace the cabinet underneath my sink. Um and also twice I my uh sprinkler systems been hit by lightning and that caused some big leaks. So, uh, I'm glad that, um, you know, it was the Pasco County who who who let me know that my water bill was going crazy. So, uh, I'm glad that we're calling attention to this, especially in this time of record drought. So, this is important for everyone, uh, to, uh, to make sure that your your lines are secure. So, thank you,

Maker.

So, you guys just called me last month and caught a leak that I didn't know about. So, my water softener was leaking and um then shortly after I got my bill for $615. So, it was really leaking, but um if I didn't get that call, I would not have known that I had a leak. So, thank you. Thank you so much for doing that because I I don't know how long it would have been leaking and I and I would had no clue. So, thank you.

Yeah. I thank you for all your work with bringing this to our attention, bringing it forward because obviously conservation is everything. So appreciate it. Uh should we go out for a picture? Then we're going to take it back out.

All right. Ready?

[applause] [applause]

Okay, we're going to go back to RS1. Um, a resolution by the POT County Commissioners recognize the Pasco High Speech and Debate Team for all their accomplishments.

Resolution number 26151. Whereas the Pasco High School speech and debate team was established in September of 2024 under the leadership of head coach Mark Joseph Valdez, a cultural exchange teacher from the Philippines. And whereas originally formed as a non-competitive student interest group, the PHS speech and debate team quickly evolved driven by courage, determination, and a desire to provide meaningful comp competitive experience. The PHS speech and debate team began participating in regional tournaments within its very first year. And whereas under the guidance of Mr. Valdez and Ms. uh Deanna Backhelder. Uh training for the PHS speech and debate team includes legislative debate, Lincoln Douglas debate, extemporaneous debate, public forum debate, impromptu speaking, original oratory, inform informative speaking, uh declamation and extemporaneous speaking. And whereas in its very first competition, the team uh team made an immediate impact by earning multiple championships and top awards at the regional level. These early successes fueled the team's ambition and commitment, setting the tone for continued improvement and competitive excellence. And whereas the PHS speech and debate team continues to grow and thrive, consistently earning accolades at the regional, state, and national levels. The program has become a source of pride for the school and a testament to the students hard work, discipline, and passion for speech and debate. And whereas the PHS speech and debate team achieved a historic milestone at the National Civics and Debate Championship where senior Haley Grapel captured the title of national champion in extemporaneous debate, outperforming hundreds of competitors from across the United States. And whereas this most recent win was an extraordinary accomplishment that underscores the rapid rise and lasting impact of the PHS speech and debate team. And hold on folks, if I get these right, I'll be lucky. All right. [laughter] And whereas the PHS speech and debate team consists of Katie Anko, Esther Aya Perez, Abby Morramley, Kendall Edge, Isaiah Fehur, Haley Grapel, David Lee, Madison Loiano, Madison Love, Rachel Marie Williams, Paula Anne Williams, Addison Howard, Aiden Miller, Margaret Canard, Maria Alvarez, Samantha Baza, Casey Hughes, Josanna Jarrett, Dana Mayana Paw, Ryan Kabage, Alexa Burns, Mark Joseph Valdez as head coach, and Dana Bachelder as assistant coach. Now therefore, be it resolved by the board of county commissioners of Pasco County, Florida, that said board hereby recognizes the Pasco High School speech and debate team for all of their accomplishments. Den and resolved in regular session with a quorum president in voting this 10th day of March, 2026.

Move approval.

Second.

All in favor say I.

I.

I. And would the team and the coaches please come on up to the podium? I should have invited you up there before. Sorry about that. So something that started out just to be a trial and a thing turned into something just phenomenal. So coach, please.

I am Mr. Valdez. I am the head coach of Pasco High School speech and debate team. And on behalf of Pasco High School, we extend our sincere thanks to Pasco County for this recognition and for highlighting the achievements of these students who work tirelessly to bring honor to the Pirate Nation and to our community. We we began what began with only a handful of students has grown into an awardwinning team and our school and district can truly be proud of. Since establishing the team in 2024, these students have consistently shown that Pasco is not only a place to excel in athletics, but also a place where academic and extracurricular excellence thrive. I would like to express my heartfelt gratitude to everyone here, to our county commissioners, um to our community leaders, to our principal, Mr. Feldman, to my assistant coach, Miss Bachelor, to all the parents and uh volunteers for helping us in our Saturday tournaments, and to everyone who in one way or another helped us in our journey. To God be all to God be all the glory.

All right. Uh would your assistants like to speak as well?

How many debates you made? I got a few got a few talkers [clears throat] here.

Again, I just wanted to thank everyone so much. It has truly been an honor to work with the amazing adults and students because they have worked so hard and they have brought us so much honor and feeling of greatness within their intelligence and capability. And I'm hoping that they take this opportunity to improve themselves academically as well as socially and to be able to be here is such an honor. Thanks again.

Right. Now, any of the students would like to say a few words, some of what it was like to win the national awards and all.

Hello. Um, thank you so much for having us here. I'm truly grateful to be here. Um, I did win the national award back in January and it truly was a life-changing experience for me. I think it opened a lot of doors that I would not have had otherwise and I'm truly grateful to be recognized by you. Truly, all of us are. Um, just this experience alone is very memorable and is truly a very big impact on our lives and we're very excited to be here today. I hope one day that I could be working alongside all of you. Thank you.

Congratulations.

Wow.

All right. Anyone else? Let's practice.

Hello everyone. My name is David Lee. I am the team captain of the Pasco High School speech and debate team. And on behalf of my fellows, my fellow team members, I would like to um thank the board of commissioners for recognizing us and our achievements. And like Mr. Valdez said, when we first started this um club like last year in September of 2024, we didn't think we'd get this far. We didn't think we would have all the achievements, the wins, and all of that we've had over the past two school years, but under his leadership and his dedication, we have really, our club has grown. We've seen ourselves grown, and if anything, we we owe all of our success to him and and Miss Bachelor as well. and to all of our parents who are who have supported us going to our competitions driving us there and alongside the um and alongside our administration for being really supportive of of us as well and um yeah thank you very much.

All right and literally we we actually there's a kind of a lighter schedule for us today so if anyone wants to say anything else about their experience come forward. Hello, my name is Astra Yala Perez and in speech and debate I compete in the impromptu speaking category. I used to be a person with such a limited voice with such fear in my heart and the way that joining this team not only because my family recommended it but because so many students and Mr. Valdez himself recommended it to me. They all saw my potential. They all saw the person that I could become. And through speech and debate, through speaking, using my voice, I've become a an entirely different person who has so much more power, who has so many more opportunities. To say that I've been a part of this team has been one of the biggest blessings in my life. It's given me friends, camaraderie, and just a way to be myself and use the power that I know I have. I'm entirely so grateful to be here with all of you, to be recognized. I never thought that I could be up here speaking to all of you. The opportunity is so great. The blessing is so immense. And I am so grateful to all of my teammates, to my coach, to my assistant coach, Miss Bachelor, Mr. Valdez, all of you. I'm grateful to the board of commissioners. I wouldn't be here without the belief that you had in me. And truly, I am so grateful. Thank you. Well, and before you go, uh, I want you to all know while the names are being called, he clapped quietly for all of you.

Yeah.

Uh, and and I'm so glad you took this the step to get out of an uncomfortable situation to get in there and and go do it. It's it's a big thing. Public speak is a most difficult thing to do, the scariest thing to do. So, to take this big step forward, I congratulate you and all of you for for making that move and that that step.

Thank you so much. I really appreciate it.

Mr. chairman.

Hi, Commissioner Oakley.

Hey, I'm uh, of course, a graduate of Pasco High School, so I'm definitely very proud of each and every one of you for what you've done. It's strange that I graduated in 1963, and as of this year, that's been 63 years since I graduated as a senior at Pasco High School. I'm very proud of what y'all done because the fact of it is when I was a senior and junior and senior in high school, you wouldn't have found me on this debate team or speaking out in front of people cuz I was very bashful. You can't believe that now cuz these guys know I'm not bashful now. So, but it's pretty amazing what you develop and what y'all started in your future by being on this debate team. I'm very proud of you. I gave each one of them and their coaches one of my challenge coins for them to be challenged to continue the good works they've started

and to continue that throughout their lives to be better citizens in Pasco County and be our future leaders here in Pasco County. Don't say it never of what you possibilities are for you to do because I'm telling you it's amazing what you can do if you set your mind right to do the right thing and I'm very very proud of each and every one of you. So thank you.

Okay. And do you want to say a few words to him? Come on up.

Hi, I'm Rachel Marie from this school. Um but I'm the secretary and I'm a kind of talkative person, right? So, normally I would talk in my classes and stuff, but this speech and debate team gave me a way to talk and like direct my speaking and get prizes and stuff. And I gained like a cool family from it, and I appreciate you guys for like recognizing us and what we're doing. So, thank you.

You're welcome.

Okay. I also want to add that just recently we achieved another milestone and three of our students will be representing Pasco County in the state of Florida in the national speech and debate tournament in Richmond, Virginia this summer. Thank you.

Fantastic. Very good. Go

anybody else want to speak?

Commissioner Waitman, Commissioner Oakley, proud class of 2004 mayor 22 years ago. I think our saying was uh you've seen the rest now you've seen the best. That was 22 22 years ago. But no, yeah, you're right said it. Public speaking is what the number one fear, one of the top fears of anybody in the whole world to do and to accomplish the art of speaking and not just speaking but debate in front of your peers and supporting each other and and and and going to compete is is quite impressive. And you know to to to show up from how you carry yourselves, how we see you standing here today, how you're dressed today, it shows your care. You're on the right track to have very successful lives and careers, you know. So keep your head up, keep focused, keep working hard. Know that there's people here to always support you if you hit a little speed bump. And I wish you all the best. That when when I was there, the debate team, we didn't we didn't have a debate team. So, it's fantastic to see the evolution of sport, if you will, come into Pasco High School and um very part very proud to be part of the red and black family. So, I know there's a couple of orange and blacks out there in the crowd today. You can keep sitting down. Go Pirates. [laughter]

Commissioner Starky,

who's orange and black?

Zephr Hills.

Oh, [laughter] um

first of all, y'all look very professional. Um, and congratulations to all of you. And just like my well, I didn't know Commissioner Weightman said he was a nervous speaker, but I can tell you in college when I had to publicly speak in front of my class to present my interior design boards, I literally was physically sick. I mean, I would miss class, it was very hard for me. When I had to first speak publicly as a school board member, my heart was just pounding out of my chest. So, um I don't think I would have even had the courage to join a debate club in high school. Uh although I was never silent around the dinner table, but out in public, forget it. So, uh you don't I don't think you can really appreciate how far this skill is going to take you in life. So, um I'm just so proud of you all. I wish you all continued success and um you know come back and I' I'd love to know how this helps you in your later life. So if someone could keep us informed of of what what this class um accomplishes, I'd love to know it. So congratulations,

Commissioner Jagger.

Okay, first of all, your stories gave me goosebumps. I I love what this club has done for you guys. Second, do we have any future attorneys after being in the debate club? [laughter] There we go. See that's me.

Yeah. And I also want to extend the invitation to to you students that if you have any interest in local government and you would like to shadow one of us for the day, we would love to have you. Absolutely.

So congratulations on your achievement and I'm just really excited for you guys in such a short time span that you guys grew the club and to win like that is just absolutely amazing. So congratulations. And I think we signed 24 24 forms, but there's not 24 here. So, not everyone's here today.

Yeah. So, it's even bigger than what you're seeing here today, everybody.

So,

so I just wanted to say we had three Cambridge students who were concerned about missing a test.

And they were they asked us to please let you know that they wanted to be here, but that um their parents said their academics came first. [laughter] Great job.

And I want to I want to say coach does a great job with this. Um you know, anything you can do to improve your education is great. This is such a dynamic improvement. And there's actually three commissioners here that were very quiet and shy in high school that uh wouldn't have if did not doing it would have been afraid to do it. So to have the courage to step up and do this, I salute you all for doing it. I think it is going to lead as Commissioner Starky says great careers for all of you and we wish you all the best

because there's so many.

I'm going to go down and take a picture. So with so many Commissioner Oakley will get on with you. He draw all the resolutions. We're going to stay back up here just so we be a better part of the picture. But congratulations.

Commissioner should go [applause] too.

Huh? [cheering] [applause]

78. We're gonna let the alumni come in. Joe,

can you guys center? [laughter]

You guys scoot over or can

this way? Yeah,

you're all on one side.

There you go.

Jordy in the middle.

Where's the orange and brown? [applause] I don't see the stuff. Oh, he knows someone that went there.

Okay. He played football in high school.

Orange.

Oh, he went there. [laughter] I guess you knew. That's my update. I'm going to get to my issue in time.

Okay. Resolution RS3.

Resolution number 26153. A resolution by the board of county commissioners of Pasco County, Florida, declaring March 2nd through the 6th, 2026 as newspaper in education week in Pasco County and commending the Tampa Bay Times for its participation in this program.

Talk for a second. Is anyone here from the Tennessee Times? Please come forward. There you go. Thank you. Whereas newspapers and education week, an initiative of the American Press Institute, is an international program that encourages the use of the daily newspaper as an instructional classroom tool and is celebrated annually during the first full school week in March. And whereas for more than half a century, the Tampa Bay Times newspaper in education program has served Tampa Bay educators, students, and families by providing print and digital newspapers, award-winning original educational publications, teacher guides, lesson plans, educator workshops, and many more resources at no cost to schools, teachers, and families. And whereas during the 2425 school year, newspaper and education provided more than 10 million e newspaper licenses and almost 200,000 print copies of the Tampa Bay Times, two classrooms across the Tampa Bay, and served 772 educators at 453 schools in Citrus, Hernando, Hillsboro, Manatee, Panelis, Pulk, and Pasco counties. And whereas in 2425 newspaper and education provided 34,776 print copies and 203,520 digital licenses to 69 teachers in 28 Pasco County schools. And whereas research shows that students using the newspaper as an educational resource score more highly on standardized tests develop the habit of lifelong reading and are more likely to become engaged citizens and regular voters. And whereas incorporating the times into classroom instruction on a regular basis helps students develop daily reading habits that will carry with them throughout their lives. And whereas studying today's critical issues, events, and people helps students understand the past and see a role for themselves in the future. Now, therefore, be it resolved by the board of county commissioners of Pasco County, Florida, that said board hereby declares March 2nd through the 6th, 2026 as newspaper in education week in Pasco County, and commends the Tampa Bay Times for its participation in this program. Dinner resolved in regular session with a quorum present voting this 10th day of March 2026.

Move approval.

Second.

All in favor say I.

I.

Mr. Rrookley.

Well, thank you for being here today with us and um I guess we get we on we use computers to read papers anymore. I'm so used to way back picking up paper and seeing the pictures and all the things that we have in papers that say the news. I I kind of miss that really. So, but uh great work and great things that y'all are doing and keeping the news going for Impasco and make sure it's it's a shame that we have to print all the bad stories at times because things do happen, accidents and things carry on. But there's a lot of good things happening in Pasco County and we're very appreciative of your reporting about all the things happening. Thank you.

Thank you,

Commissioner Waven.

Thank you for being here today,

Mr. Starky.

And I read the paper every day. Some sometimes it's not I don't make it on the date. I have to go back a few issues, but I I I listen to news and I read the news. And so, um, I'm grateful that we still have that ability to to get news out from various sources. I don't know if people realize it, but my husband's family started the St. Pete Times when it was the Deneden Evening Weekly or something and then they brought it to St. Pete and called it [laughter] the St. Pete time. So, if you look inside, you'll see William Stro and uh that was my husband's great-grandfather. So,

that's congratulations. Diego.

Yeah.

So, um I when I taught in uh Riveridge High School, I would use the newspaper and have the kids pick out current events and it really educated them on things going around in the world locally and opened their mind and the dialogue we had after they read the articles was really fascinating. So, I'm I'm super glad that you guys um do that and it really is helpful um to the students. So, thank you.

I'd like to thank you for being part of our education. It's very important for our kids. So, thank you for always doing that. Would like to say a few words.

Thank [snorts] you so much. Um, Mr. Chairman, commissioners. Um, so on behalf of the teachers and students and families that we serve, um, thank you for your support and, uh, the goal of newspaper and education is to build lifelong readers, critical thinkers, and informed and engaged citizens. Um, we are proud to provide educational materials in print two days a week and then online the rest of the week to Pasco County students and teachers. And in addition, we're honored to work with the utilities and solid waste departments to produce educational publications about water conservation and recycling for all of our Pasco County citizens. So, thank you again for supporting our mission and for recognizing NI Week 2026.

Okay. Thank you. Just going to take a picture. Okay. getting like a half set. Three, two, one.

[applause] [laughter]

So, now it's time for the consent agenda. Um on the pull sheet I've got item C44. Are there any other items to be pulled for the consent?

If seeing none, uh move approval of all other items on the consent agenda.

I'll second with a comment.

Okay. Go ahead.

I I I'm just glad to see that um BMP uh 10 in the duck slooh. Jack was around when we had all that going on. We're we're still working to see if we can improve that that area in Thousand Oaks and Trinity Oak. got a $55,000 grant going to uh look at um BMP10 in Thousand Oaks. So

that's a big big item for us too. So

very good. All right. All in favor say I.

I. Any opposed?

Okay. C44. Commissioner Waitman.

Hey chair. Yeah. similar to was just mentioned. Um excited to see Outlaw Ridge adding uh nice piece property 68 acres uh to the Elamp list to expand the wildlife corridor and ecological corridor within the Wellfield area. So very grateful that they're willing to to sell uh the remainder of of their development uh to help this cause. And with that, I move approval.

Second. Second. All

in favor say I. I. I. Very

good. Now we'll go to the regular agenda. R47 here. I feel like we need to lead this item with some music.

They're going to music the battle of the bands without music. Music to kick this island.

I can only do so much. He's he's on to that with cannons. Uh good morning, commissioners. Uh Sean McGarvey, libraries director. I am joined today by some of the representatives from the county who have worked on this. If you will recall a few sessions ago, uh you had asked to see the slate of events that we would be doing for the 250th Celebration of America. Uh we're proud to stand before you and uh show you this. So, I'll go over some of this in the slide deck. I would also like to thank some of the members of this team that are here today. One behind me, Elaine Smith. Uh, second, Christina Cordone with Parks. Behind them, our city manager for Dade City as one of the members and the Daughters of the American Revolution, uh, who have been instrumental in helping put this on. So, they told me you're not supposed to put a lot of words in PowerPoints, but they didn't say you can't put pictures with a lot of words in there. So, uh, what we plan to highlight in these events are fireworks. We plan to have a speaker series as well as live music, food vendors, and games and prizes across all of them. These are all free to attend. Parking may be charged at certain locations depending on the location, but all events are free to the public to attend. So, what we plan to do to advertise and get the word out, social media, local radio, our website will be featuring these events starting actually as soon as this presentation is finished, and podcasts as well as physical media at all of the events leading up to the next events. We're going to kick off the events by starting with our libraryies Great American Farmers Market at Starky Ranch. I'm very excited about this one. It's the first year we've ever participated. We plan to have many vendors as well as an entire agricultural theme, presentations from cooperative extension as well as uh multiple vendors and more giveaways and prizes than I could shake a stick at. Secondly, we plan to do FA uh Starky Ranch Family Day, which is our major Touch a Truck event with a special uh piece that has just come into this, which is we have just been notified that we will be one of the recipients of the Freedom Truck, which is a Institute of Museum and Library Science mobile Museum celebrating America's birth. Uh yes, that is going to be stationed at our family day. We are one of two or three locations in the state of Florida that is uh hosting this. We're very excited about it. And then our Orlando Lakes Library will be having our America's Birthday Bash which on July 1st which will be vendors, games, food trucks, prizes, story times uh in that wreck complex and library. So parks and recreation is putting on two major events. We are having the Great American Backyard Bash at Wesley Chapel Library. Uh with bands, food, District Park. Sorry, it just opened. Uh with bands and food, and other uh and other amenities, as well as Scallop Fest at Sunwest's Fourth of Fourth of July

celebration. Uh that's going to have fireworks, bands, and uh different booths across the board. We have been planning that with Commissioner Mariano and Sir Toma. Uh we're very excited about that one as well. Uh the city of Zephr Hills is holding two events and working with us. Uh they're having their KidsFest 250th celebration and their Summerfest on June 27th. Uh this is going to take place in Main Street and then Zephr Park. Uh they plan to have fireworks at these locations or at one of these locations for the Summerfest. Uh we are very excited to be working with them on this. Uh the city of Newport Richie is holding their annual June 27th red, white, and blue hometown extravaganza. Uh that is in Sims Park. It is a big thing they do every year. We are planning to advertise and work with them. They're working with us on this one. We're very excited about that. Dade City is doing an East Pasco celebrates America's 250th birthday. And this one's going to be fun. So, the Daughters of the American Revolution is planning to put on uh readings of the Declaration of Independence from the local school children as well as having bands and contests as well as a fifth and drum core in period costume. God help those people wearing wool in June or July. Um we're also going to have fireworks with them. Uh this has been worked out today uh that we'll be having fireworks nearby in Burks Park and that will allow us to have two uh simultaneous events for Jade City. Uh we thank the city manager and the team for working with us on that. We're also having a speaker series at our theater in Starky Ranch. We are going to feature three uh major speakers who have spoken with us before but have always been really amazing and kind of sum up uh uh a lot of the greatness of America. We are having Nicole Sto who is a local astronaut. She lives in St. Pete. She's also an artist. She's the first one who ever painted in space which is really amazing. Uh Max Stone who is a wildlife photographer and National Geographic explorer and author as well as Connor Knighton who is a CBS Sunday Morning correspondent. Connor has visited every national park in America. He wrote a really amazing book about it. You'll see a theme that they're all authors at the library. Um, and we are really excited to have all of these over the month of June. Uh, following up is just basically this list of events. As you can see, we've pretty much stacked the deck starting in May running all the way up to July 4th where there will be two events, one on the east side and west side of the county to make sure that we have fireworks across the board for all of us. Uh I cannot thank and this we the department cannot thank enough the civ city of Zephr Hills Dade City Newport Richie Wesley Chapel the D um the friends of the library who are helping sponsor a lot of this Certoma the sheriff's office who has been helping us with uh lots of vehicles for touch trucks and also security as well as the county's chief of staff over there who has been instrumental in helping us uh

put together the pieces for all of this. So, with that presentation complete, are there any questions we can answer about current upcoming events?

Mr. Stark,

I'm I'm really glad that we got this going. And um couple of questions. You know, we're an unincorporated county pretty much. We don't have the big cities. I love it in the cities when they put out the banners, you know, on Main Street, whatever, little flags. Is it possible we could consider putting some flags on major intersections on some of the poles that commemorate?

I can speak to Road and Bridge about that, ma'am. I do not know the legality or rules on that, but I can get back to you.

But you can't do it from there. Um, but I I I would love that ability to to uh

as long as it's in our rightway, I wouldn't see a problem with it.

You know, maybe I know we can't line all the streets, but maybe some of our major intersections, we can celebrate them. It's a big deal. 250 years. I think we should put some flags out. Love that. And we should go ahead and put them out so everyone knows it's coming.

I'm Karen Gaskin. I am the chair of the Akabuk Sassa chapter D um America 250 committee and I live in Dade City 37749 Palm Avenue. Anything else I'm supposed to do? You want my name, rank, and serial number right? [laughter] The Echobex Assasset chapter has sponsored 20 flags to be hung on the lamp posts on down Meridian Avenue in Dade City

to feature

but the county doesn't

to to feature our patriots as well as around the courthouse. We are working with the city and hopefully with the county to get flags and lampost decorations for that as well. We have submitted a um permit request to use the courthouse steps for our celebration on the 4th of July. So, we intend to decorate all of that stuff.

And I I'm sure I would think Newport Richie is. I would think Zephr Hills is, but we need to do something.

we had this is the third year of the Scolletfest, so we had booked for the first time to do it right before in the start of the season. Um, and in doing so, they said we want to do the 250th celebration. So, I will say that we're still going to be funding everything that we do out there other than the fireworks. They're taking care of that and the team. So, with that said, it's very inexpensive to add this into that mix and we're very very delighted. I believe it's going to be just phenomenal. We got beach volleyball, sander. Um, it's going to be a phenomenal fun event out there.

I have I have an America 250 pin I'd like to give each of you if that's to receive.

[laughter]

Yeah, then it goes in the record.

Great. Thank you so much.

Thank you.

As for the b uh the banners on roadways, we will check with the county chief of staff and our road and bridge director and see what we can do.

Certainly at every library.

Yes, ma'am.

Very good.

Pretty cool.

All right. Any thoughts, questions?

Well, fantastic. Thank you very much. And um you know, thank you for closely what you do with the county, but work with Sertoma. They made the scholar fest happen. So their participation is great. And matter of fact, in my committee reports, I'm going to talk about the steps for recovery. They're so close to opening that building up. It looks phenomenal there.

So I got some pictures I'll show on that, too. But

thank you all very much. Appreciate it.

Good day.

Okay. And now R48.

Morning, commissioners. Carrie Roberts, purchasing director for the county. Today I'm here to ask for approval of the introduction of the ordinance amending the Pasco County Code of Ordinances Chapter 2 Article 4 Division 2 purchasing ordinance of Pasco County, Florida purchasing ordinance and approve the advertisement of the ordinance for public hearing on March 24th, 2026 at the West Pasco government center boardroom 8731 Citizens Drive, Newport Richie, Florida 34654 at 1:30 p.m. or sooner thereafter as may be heard. Today we're just asking for approval of the posting. We have the presentation if you all would like to see it. I'm happy to go over those changes. If not, we just ask for approval of the posting.

Would the board like the presentation?

No. I know we all been briefed on it. So,

no. Yeah. Good to go.

All right. Motion to approve.

Second.

All in favor say I.

I. Any opposed?

Thank you.

Easiest one you ever did.

Yes, sir.

Okay. Now we go committee reports. Commissioner Oakley. Yeah. Um, I guess we can put a picture up. First thing I the graduation of u uh students coming into the new our fire department and uh I want to think there was 23 but there could have been one or two more there. So, but we've been u hiring a lot of uh students and coming aboard and being a part of our fire department. is very very well uh run and uh they really come in and they enter a brotherhood, sisterhood that they've never been a part of before. This one's uh been so great and and the people that we have in the fire departments uh the men and women that that work there and all uh do great jobs. I always tell the story about the fact that uh back one time they uh had an emergency call for a gentleman that had a stroke or a heart attack and he was out more in the yard. Uh they went and made got him stable and got him to the hospital and all and everything got him settled. Later on that day that that group of men and women went back out and finished mowing the yard for him. It says just tons of uh kudos for for all all that brother and sisters of the fire department. Uh what kind of people we have there and how they look after taking care of our citizens. So very very important and uh uh I'm very proud of that department. Uh they're doing they're making great strides. Uh they they're increasing uh numbers quite a bit. Uh [snorts] I think there was three three stations reopened new stations reopened last year. We got I think two on coming this year two or three this year. So it's been a growing concern and uh our citizens deserve the care we give them when they have an emergency and we're able to take care of them. So, uh, the next thing was, uh, the topping off, uh, of the, uh, Advent Health and Zephr Hills of a new medical office building just to the south side of the hospital itself there. Uh, we were there signing the beam that would be put up in the building and, uh, really a great event, well attended by by many, and u, just good things happening around Pasco County. Uh there was another thing that um I was trying to think um that that also Oh, I I attended a u I don't know if people realize it, but there was about four or five or maybe six different businesses here in town that had antique shops and things in the city, but they moved out to what was big lots at one time out at the shopping center out to the south of Dade City and now they have a new um antique mall there that has many many vendors in there and it's just amazing. You you go to North Carolina, Georgia, other places, you see these big warehouses and they've got all these different antiques and all in there. This is like that and I I thought it was very fascinating, very well done. Um if you get a chance, they're open seven days a week. uh you get a chance, you need to go by there, spend a little time to look. Uh you'll be very surprised at what the antique mall has in it in in the states and the area. Just something new that we've never had here before and

I think it's uh

yeah,

uh very well done by some of our local merchants here in town. So, um see I believe believe that's all I have. Yes, sir. Thank you. Okay, Commissioner W.

Fantastic. Um the I'd like to uh have a motion to wave fees uh $400 permit fee, temporary permit fee for one community now for their operation standown. That's going to take place April 24th, 25th, largest event of the year. And the money, it's going to be at the Rotary Pavilion there, all 52. and um you know PSA out there for the veterans. They can come and get their medical services, dental care, vision screenings, court assistant, housing resources, showers, haircuts, meals, and all the resources you need. And um they reached out and if we can help them by waving the $400 fee and it can go towards the human cause there, I'd be grateful.

I second for waving the fees.

All in favor say I.

I. Any opposed?

Good. Thank you. And then next we had a wonderful red sand event here at the historic courthouse a couple weeks ago. Uh I want to thank the commission on human trafficking and Lori Bowman in our office and Kelly Sin and all the vendors uh who came out for the event. Very very well attended. Um and it was a very nice very nice morning. Great weather and it was a very the tone was very positive. Sometimes uh these conversations can be kind of uh down and out but uh this one wasn't. It was uplifting and and inspiring and just wanted to thank thank everybody. It was the first time we had one over here. So, um we're hopeful that it'll become a regular event and then the remainder of my time I

I guess are we going to have a legislative conversation?

I hope so.

Today I've got

All right, then that's the rest of my stuff. So, we can wait. Thank you, Chair.

Thank you, Commissioner Starky. Thank you, sir.

Um I got a number of things. Um the first thing uh I wanted to bring up not that was not that um I uh I don't not sure how many commissioners knew him but staff certainly knew him. We had um a gentleman named Matt Call who uh along with Dan Green, I'm sorry, Reed him can't remember Reed's last name right now. Um were the actually boots on the ground developers of Starky Ranch and um they did something very unique in the country. David Goldstein was very involved in it. They did a P4 and and actually those guys agreed to maintain the district park for a number of years because we didn't have the money to do it and Matt Call was instrumental in getting this all done. First one of the maybe only P4 in the country. We're we we think we were the first, right, David? And

definitely the first in the state.

Okay. Definitely the first in the state. Well, um, sadly Matt Call passed away this year from, um, pancreatic cancer and, um, we, uh, would very much like to, uh, dedicate the park to him. Um, not we're not going to change the name of Starky Ranch District Park, but, we want to add a sign um, of the Matt Call Memorial Park to be placed at the park. I've talked to uh parks and they're 100% in support of this and staff. So, um but they said it needed to be passed in approval up here that we do this for the call family. We'll have a ceremony when the sign is ready.

I move to approve that.

I can second that. Right.

Yes, you can.

Second.

All in favor say I. Hi.

Thank you both. Um

I wasn't able to attend the meeting but I meant to on the decubulus uh widening and um I understand there's some controversy about a light that we put there and it it's going away but that road needs to have a high level of functionality and I support staff's plan 100%. Um, but I do want to say that um there was talks about the wall there. There's a sound wall that uh may be going up on one of the sides and it and I someone called me and said that that it may go up to 14 feet. I don't remember that in my meeting with staff, but I would not be in favor of a 14 foot high wall. 10 foot high maybe, but 14 it's not that's not going to be attractive experience. And also um I personally think the wall needs to go not on right on the we need to have enough room so that there is landscaping on the county side of the wall so that you're not driving in this very harsh environment down to Cubulus. So um I'm I know it's your district.

Yep. I was at the meeting.

Yeah. Oh, you did go. Oh yeah.

Yeah. So, um I I'm hopeful that we can work that out with the neighbors that that the wall is placed in the right place. And h how was there much discussion on the wall cuz I hadn't heard anything.

The comments I got on the wall were if the the residents were concerned if they didn't live in an HOA that they would not have the wall. And then there was one woman in particular who owned her property and then she also owned the preschool. So therefore the wall would start after that because then there would be an HOA and she really wanted the wall for for safety. But she was told that they would not get a wall. So if you're

Why would we only put the wall where the HOA is?

That's what I was told at the meeting. probably if if I mean I [snorts] have not been involved in the discussions but it would sound like it would be a maintenance issue.

Sounds like a fairly hot topic. I was actually out on site with some friends might live out there call me about the light and the wall etc. And I don't think there is a need for the 14T wall uh or 18t whatever height would be. There's an existing wall that's out there in some areas. I think there's one area that should be extended out further for safety for people that are going to be there. And I think there's probably enough rightway that you can actually have it where you can have the wall and if not room for the trail that's going to go up beside it either on one side but it have room for the other side. So there's a way to make it all work. And I think to keep the expense down, we should be using that tree mitigation fund to go pay for all the landscaping out there to keep the cost down. That could actually help fund the wall. We definitely need to put that light and I think that light is not only good for safety but for

the light

people going around just so many people be able to turn make it easier. It's it's a it's a traffic calming device as well which is not a bad thing either. So I think it's something though those things there I'm glad you guys are on top because I

honestly the light is super quick the way the county has it timed

um for those residents very quick. So, um, and we've had nothing but positive feedback and people are happy that, um, you know, the light is, uh, saving lives. So,

Okay.

But is the light I thought, why was the reason that they were going to take the light out?

Because I think they were putting a You had to go up.

I think it's because there's a roundabout. You have to make a right out of the neighborhood. You couldn't go left. You make a roundabout and turn around.

No, I don't think there was a roundabout at the light. There's one down the road.

Down the road. That's correct.

But you would not be able to make a left at

a right out. roundabout to go left.

Yeah,

this way. This will allow people to turn left in, left, left out. It just it frees up the traffic better.

And maybe it helps the kids who live in that neighborhood get out because the trail is going to be on the south side of the road.

And if they're cut, if they're riding their bikes to school, then they can cross over the road there to get on the trail. So, I don't, you know, Oh, someone's putting it up. There's the light down there where that green dot is, right? I just got stopped by that this morning. Um,

now all those homes now can go either way, which is what you want. If you want to go out to Bridge Road, the extension, or you're going to come back into Little Road, either way, it it frees up everybody to go there instead of going up and around. And I assume you go up and around all these U-turns you got to make. You're going to back up traffic anyway.

Well, just got to make it a real quick light.

It is super quick right now.

Okay. Um, so those are my thoughts on that. Um, I did a uh bike ride with some staff and some engineers in Starky Ranch um to show them how neighborhoods should be connected. And um and I I got to tell you, the engineers had their eyes opened because we haven't had a neighborhood that's been designed like that. And I learned I I learned because one of the engineers who worked on on Starky Ranch was on the bike tour and he said they started with the bike trails and then planned the rest of the community, but they did a hub and spoke of trails that connect all of them to the school and the park and the main trail and then plan the community. So, it was very good. I'm going to keep doing those. This is I had the metro guys out. I'm going to keep keep educ educating our people. Um, okay. So, now you can sew the Germany one. Um, so this is this was a huge shock. You don't have to show the pictures, but uh I was asked to go down to an event in Tampa. I wondered why my husband was going you with me because usually I have to twist his arm to go somewhere with me. And um turns out I got this award from the ambassador Germany to the US. This is they give out like three a year in the whole world. And and and and though it came to me for a lot of my work in Amskills, it really is for our our our county because of our good relationship with Germany and all the work that we do with them and trying to bring their businesses over here. So that was pretty amazing. Um, I didn't wear my German pin that they gave me a very special pin and a very special challenge coin. So, um, it says, "The Federal Republic of Germany German American Friendship Award is presented to Katherine Starky in recognition of your efforts on behalf of GermanAmerican relations and in recognition of your endeavors in fostering and sustaining friendship between the Federal Republic of Germany and the United States of America." So, that was cool for us.

Congratulations.

Thank you. Um, and we do need to go and meet the new mayor or whatever his title is, her title is in Gmershine to keep up that relationship up and get our our young co-workers switching again. We don't want that to die. All right. I went to uh, no in Washington DC with Jack and um, Mr. Kabala was there. You're going to talk about some of the updates or because you just had a call yesterday. I can leave that for you when you

Yeah, I can have that. I can have the discussion.

But we visited um uh our delegation. I didn't make it to Ashley's. I had a flight that morning. But um all in all, I thought our um legis our lobbyists did a better job this year than last year. Um we got I do believe we got some traction on some of our key issues. And um when Ralph well I'm going to talk about this for a second. When I went into one of the meetings so Manatee is also represented by Ballard and we went into a meeting with Senator Scott's office with this packet that I given you guys and I want to learn from their little packet here because and Ralph I have one here for you and anyone else who wants one but

one to the clerk. Okay. I thought this was very smart how they were doing this and I think I think when you leave this behind it really sends a good message. I especially want to point you to the North South Gateway Greenway Trail there. It's coming from their public works department. The total project cost is $6 million and their funding request is $6 million. 3 million. I thought this was very smart. 3 million and 27 and 3 million and 28. So, this is actually um an earmark they're going for, but they're looking for their senators to to support their earmarks that are coming through the house. And then they have another trail one uh uh over here, the Suntil shared use non-motorized trail. And again, another $2 million grant they're asking for from their their legislators. Congressman is the one that's retiring that has the car dealership. I can't Buch. Um, one of the interesting ones in here, look at the first one. Veterans Resource Hub and Memorial Park. $40 million. So, it looked like a nice project actually. And um then they've got some FEMA efforts and there's talk about supporting some of the bills that are working its way through. So then they put some of the NO policies that are important to them. So I I kind of want to look at this for us for next year. I have the official one here. U but I was impressed with um their presentation. each one of their commissioners took a subject and and talked about it and they had four or five of their commissioners there. Um so I encourage my fellow commissioners to go to Washington to see and join us. Um I had a um tool meeting. Um this is the Trinity Odessa Leadership Council meeting. It was so wellreceived. Uh we had a little tag team. It worked out great. Um Chase went first and talked about the motorized bikes that are terrorizing um the neighborhoods. And as I and the neighborhood was complaining about ATVs with those little nose, those little tubes that when you go in the water, um I don't know what you call those. Snuba or

snorkels. Snorkels. Apparently, parents have bought the kids in the area those those kind of vehicles and they're going in the retention ponds off of Starky Boulevard. And wouldn't you know, as I'm driving to the meeting and I I'm hearing this, I went to the wrong location, so I started without me and I'm listening. I see one being pulled out of the water off of Starky Boulevard. And um and yesterday driving home I saw two of them in the ponds and [clears throat] they're longleaf ponds and they said they're tearing up their ponds but they're young kids. You shouldn't don't even have driver's license driving ATVs in the storm water ponds off of Stucky Boulevard. Um we had um Tania and um David Engel speaking and we talked about the MO and the merging the merger and and so that went very well. Thank you to the staff that came. Um, Commissioner Mariano was able to attend my son-in-law's timing ceremony. That was pretty cool.

Very impressive.

Yeah. So, um, turns out the general who was supposed to put those that bird, I guess it's called a bird, I don't know, the metal bird on him, uh, that that day had to cancel to say I something's going on and I can't make it. Turns out he's kind of in charge of the Iran war and um the logistics of it. And then number two also was very involved in what was going on in Iran. And number three, Colonel Hopkins, he also is he's the one who runs McDill, but he came up and stood in um for the general. And I don't even remember who number two was, but um so thank you. Thank you to Thank you for coming and it

was an honor. Yeah, it was

a really really great celebration. What a what a great young man.

Yeah, he is. He's he's

I didn't know all those number ones.

That is crazy. Yeah.

And then I got the story on the number two. The guy the colonel ahead of him. He had been stationed there for two years, so they felt they kind of need to give him that number one. Um and Tino is the one who organized our tour of the Pentagon in Washington DC. We weren't allowed to take pictures of that. Um, and then I also had the Harbor South Leadership Council meeting and I want to thank um staff for joining us there. That is the um the one that we do with the um the folks over on the coastal side. So, um I had Kelly Sin there. I never had her present before. None of us on the panel had ever really heard what she does and what um her organization does. And she just did a great job. We're going to have her at our Starky Ranch one, our Trinity Odessa. So, uh I think I think that's it for me. Yeah.

So, we had our um pop-up pantry at Moon Lake. We were so thankful the weather cleared up. It was pouring, raining, dark lightning, and everyone was uh messaging us, is it still happening? And we're like, we're going to wait it out. And um very thankful for that. the Pasco County Sheriff's Office. Uh they are always come out and support us and uh this time we put them to work. So, and um you know, everybody really feels a lot safer, the people coming to the pantry with them out there um especially after what happened in Moon Lake uh yesterday. So, and um we're just praying for that officer that he heals quickly and um he gets

Yeah,

we were able to serve 236 people

and those two little little muffins I had uh I'm on the board of the Early Learning Coalition, so I had books in my trunk, so we got to have little story time. All right, so next slide. Um we had um thank you to Dominic for his help. Our seniors were in need of some some supplies for our senior store. And just a shout out, we donations are always welcome.

Is that is this at Alfers?

Uh this is at Alers. Yep. And this is our storage uh unit. We donate clothes, socks, blood pressure cuffs, vitamins, puzzles, you know, whatever we get in. Um they're very thankful for that. All right, next slide. So just a shout out to Fire Station 15. We had a constituent that was uh his uh their child is special needs and he really wanted to uh go to a fire station. So they arranged it last minute and he had the best time. So thank you to fire station 15. They just gave him the VIP tour. He was so excited.

All right, next slide. So I could not go to your um

Yeah,

because I had it didn't rain well because it was raining for us. We had Friday night. Friday night it was storming and that was um the the event and then this was the next day. So this is the Sprouts Horizon Sports Park. I'm going to take uh Keith there on a field trip.

Um very cool.

So it is a premier youth sports campus. It has six baseball and softball fields and they're all modeled after uh Florida Major League Baseball SP spring training venues. It has a turf soccer field. It has a playground. The Lightning donated a hockey rink. It has a concession stand. And it it was it's really neat. Like you can get jerk chicken um sal with salad. There's all the menu is amazing. Um they have state-of-the-art technology. So behind home plate, they don't need an umpire. So it's all it will call balls and strikes. So when the parents get heated during games, they can't yell at the umpire. So, um, yeah, it was just absolutely beautiful. So, I look forward to taking some of the

Did they get an appropriation for someone?

Yeah, they did. Yep. And then the city of, uh, Penllis Park also, uh, put money towards the park. So, it was $26 million for that facility.

Yep. But it's really pretty. And, um, that's all I have for my committee reports.

Okay. Uh, I see Ralph Lair out there. So rough. Maybe step forward. We'll stop talking. Legislative. Good morning. Ralph Lair, intergovernmental affairs officer. So I'm going to give you an update on what's going on at the state and federal. Uh let's start with the state first. So we're in our final week of session. Uh they'll sign die on Friday. Um, as of today, 60 bills have passed both chambers. This is the um smallest amount of bills passed by a legislative session. Um, as far as the budget, the budget is at a standstill. The plan is to sign a die on Friday and come back after April and start again on the budget. So, going into the conference, which never happened, um the House and Senate passed out their their budgets. We had one project in the House, four projects placeholders in the Senate. Um, you might as well say it's going to start from scratch after uh we come back from uh Easter, they'll probably work on it uh and make those discussions batted back uh back and forth u before they come back for conferencing. Good thing is is I guess when they do pass a budget u the uh governor won't have that much time to act on it. So he'll have to move quickly um on putting out any vetos. What we do have to watch out for is there's some bad legislation uh that will impact the local governments that is moving through. We have a sovereign immunity is being addressed today. Uh that's one that they've held off for years on, but it looks like they may bring that in for a landing uh and raising the uh the amounts that um people can sue uh their local governments uh and how much will be paid out, but we'll see how that plays out. Um some um land development bills, uh some building permit bills moving through. So, there's still some stuff uh um that that could impact us at the end of the day. Um, but by Friday, we'll have a a better understanding. I'll give you an update on what bills actually did pass and we'll go to the governor. Uh, state level or federal level. Uh, federal level. Uh, we had some great meeting. Uh, we had a great meeting on Friday uh with staff. Did you want to talk about that one? Um, so our lobbyist was able to set up a meeting with HUD and then we had uh Kathy Pearson and some of her team members there. We had Chuck Lane from community uh from uh office of disaster recovery and resources and community development uh Mary Thur Young uh as well on the on the call. We were able to talk about CDBG DR and the income requirements. I know that was a concern with you. Um and we also talked about um the universal notice and using the um DR funds for uh EOC. very positive from the staff person uh on those two issues. Uh possible waiverss that we're going to look at uh which was good to hear. Um and then we talked about the um residency requirements on uh the um the the HUD and the uh what

section 8 housing. Yeah, section 8 housing. Uh we're going to probably follow up uh probably get another staff person at HUD to talk with us on that issue. Um and then we're go ahead.

If I can say something about that. you know, when we talked to our our cong congressional delegation and I'll never forget when we when we came out of my meeting and you were there and we were talking to the deputy director of HUD and the um commissioner from LA County who's has Al Alavina um she's she's a big deal. Katherine Barker is standing there because she wanted to talk to him too and I'm explaining what's going on with these section 8 vouchers. She had no idea. I'm telling you, these commissioners across the country have no idea this is going on because we don't that's not something we control.

And so if we're not asking the questions like we did,

they they have no idea. I've never found anyone who knew what was going on with with this with this um local preference and who who's actually getting your vouchers

and the whole thing. So the the deputy director did not know. Did the people on your call, the person you talked to know? Unless they've been briefed because we we've been raising the gong up there.

I don't think that they actually conveyed a knowledge of it because the way we explained it to them was talking about the prioritization before we randomly select those who would be on vouchers and so it was something he was going to look into and talk. So it's to your point.

Yeah.

It's it's little known.

Yeah. And we also did the uh the um Davis bacon to to everybody [clears throat] that we could. Okay, go ahead, Rob.

Okay. Um, uh, Ballard Partners is going to be setting up a meeting, uh, and probably next week with staff, uh, for us to, uh, talk with, uh, Army Corps of Engineers. So, we have a couple of issues that we want to discuss with them about. Uh, we're going to, uh, bring up the, uh, Four Rivers, um, reauthorization project that we've been working on. Uh, trying to bring that in for landing, see where they are on that. Uh we want to talk about uh Maggie Valley, some issues that we have over there with some permitting and also on our um sediment removal. Uh so we'll we'll have a a good conversation with them and and hopefully we'll we'll get some positive feedback from them. As you know, Army Corps of Engineers is a agency that uh moves very slowly. Um, on the Army Corps, um, Jack Jack, because I know you deal a lot with them, we need to add the new boat ramps at Anklo River Park because that's holding up our park remodel.

We're trying to, um, make that safer and expand it a little bit and it's slowing up everything.

Thank you.

So, one one thing with that, um, far as Army Corps of Engineers, Jason, I you can nod from there. We have signed up with Dawson Associates So Dawson Associates the one that helps get Ridge Road done and Sunwest also have just put a request in for us to go work to jointly go get that uh channel permanent again. You may recall we had it approved through the uh Florida D cabinet approval and then it got stuck in the Army Corps and they were crazy what they were doing the bureaucrats. So we're going to work with them now and try to get those done so we can we can work on that as well. So then the uh final thing I wanted to bring up is last week um we had to submit projects uh for consideration uh to our congressional members for um community funding requests. Um Congress works a little a little different. They just completed the 26 budget and we got some items in there. Uh and um we got notification that they needed the request back while we were in Washington. Uh so worked with staff on that since we did not have any until after the fact this meeting today uh where we couldn't v uh all the projects we view but we um I I discussed them with some of you all um about what projects we move forward. These are projects that are already on the list uh in our department. So, uh, staff worked, uh, diligently and got back, uh, projects that we could submit, uh, that are align with issues that you want to address. So, this year, uh, for the or for the 27, uh, we submitted for consideration to, uh, Congresswoman Lee, uh, Curly Road sidewalk for $1.5 million. Uh, Zephr Creek phase two, uh, two, $7 million. um a fire station 31 $7.5 million and another sidewalk in her district, Brinsson Road sidewalk for 800,000. Hopefully, we'll find out this week what projects she will choose. Uh same way with Congressman Bill Rackus. We submit them and and then they they vet them. Uh good thing is is our congressional members now get 20 ask instead of 15. So

that 20 per county or 20 total? 20 total for them total. So that means

Gus has three counties,

Fernando.

Correct. Correct. And and what we have to realize with with also with the federal, they no longer do direct um allocations to nonprofits. They have to go through counties, the county they're in for pass through. So, with Congressman Bill Arachus's office, uh we submitted uh the Parkway Boulevard sidewalk uh for $4 million. Sepine septic to sewer, that was a project we had in the state level, but was not picked up for their budget consideration this year. Uh so, we put that in for $6.5 million. An emergency vehicle driving simulator for the fire rescue for 350,000. And we were asked by Congressman Billis' office to put in three additional projects for um nonprofits. Vincent House, uh Pasco member housing, $1.5 million. Uh the Spiro's campus storm water treatment and uh reuse infrastructure for $3 million. And then a project for AMSKills uh for their work force uh capacity build building initiative for $451,718. Again, we will probably hear back from the uh congressman and congresswoman this week on what projects they do move forward on. So that's what we will

which was which was the first one? The Parkway Boulevard.

Parkway Boulevard.

What's parkway?

Hold on. Pine View Middle and Elementary

and again it's near the elementary school over in that area.

It's called Parkway the name of the road

to get there. There's it's the most dangerous route of all the number one on the school district's list. We we captured some state funding from steel in 22. We have a vendor now and there's another segment. So it's the most

it's near the Pine View Middle School over in Land Lakes.

It'll help two school.

I didn't know what park

yeah. So, you know, we have a lot of those uh um sidewalks that we work with the schools and they pick the um the um ones that are the most dangerous on the list. Uh and we start working down the list. We've been very successful at the state and the federal level when it comes to uh uh safe streets to schools projects. So, we have two of those, one in Lee, one in uh Bill Arachus, and then we have an additional sidewalk, not really a a safe route to school, but it was submitted as well. in Lee's district.

And that's where we are at.

And if I could, I want to talk just a bit about uh the great work that uh this the team did while I was while I was up there. As I said in the transportation committee,

uh a gentleman who used to work on the Trump organization was back with him again. Another lady who hadn't worked with him was there as well. And uh so Department of Transportation did a presentation. They talked about the safety of overpasses, etc. Now, I know we've all been briefed on Ridge Road, the extra expenses going on, the negotiation with CSX finally over, but it was like his hot topic was that. And he kept on talking through that thing, how we make everything safer. So, as we got a little bit through, they talk about a build grant, there's a Chrissy grant, and the build grants were ending Tuesday, 5:00, excuse me, on Saturday now, Saturday morning. Build grants were ending Tuesday. It was like the CSX bridge was like the perfect thing to go apply for, especially with this guy pushing that thing to get forward. The other thing was as far as like safety and road projects was uh Conny Line Road. So, happened to be the Hernando government affairs person was there, talked with her and um I didn't have time to coordinate between the two of us, but got with the team. So, Brford Panos did a phenomenal job. They worked from that moment on Saturday through Tuesday to get it done

to to get to get it done. And Mike, you were very helpful in trying to like letting them know how important this was. It was just a commissioner talking, but you were fully fully versed by being there. So, thank you for that. And those guys got that project done and submitted, both of them, by 5:00. This could be a $25 million grant a piece that we get. And they both really align very well, especially one with two counties, one with the overpass. So, I want to say you guys did a phenomenal job. I really appreciate it and uh great work on that. One of the things um we did talk about with you talk about Davis Bacon. We did talk with Department of Labor the last day I was there and uh we talked with them about it and they didn't understand a lot of Davis Bacon how it affects everything as well. They're going to actually take a look at that. They were supportive to actually take a look at it. If we get their support, that's going to be I think go a long way to getting that through. So, all that said, I think um you know, our lobbyists did a good job setting up for us. I think we do better. I do think we've got to go look at this man of tea thing. This is a great great tool for bringing this forward.

Oh, thank you.

This is just a nice thing you can look at later because you know what? This is it.

The picture, the verbiage, all tying together as opposed to just on a sheet. I think it's it's going to be the way to go.

Worth passing out. Yeah.

But, uh thank you for helping out with everything Ralph coordinating with them. And I know it's a little hectic when you're up there trying to get it, but we do want to go up there again, which I do plan to go. And we'll have more time to just do that. It'll be easier to meet with people instead of when the rush everyone else is there, too. Especially with the senators. So, thank you.

You're welcome.

All right.

Anything else?

Anything else? Did you have a question about state or?

Yeah. Okay.

So, this next reiteration of live local 4.0 out with this So, live local on the House side, they're taking away our opt out provision that we worked so hard on through the years. I uh applaud David Goldstein for all the work he's done on the years on this issue, but now they want to pull that out. Um the Senate has a less restrictive measure, but they want to change the housing report that we use to uh um for the data to opt out um move from three years to to one year. That won't impact us as much as some other counties. But there is a provision um in the uh David, I'm going to turn to you on that one. in the Senate bill. That's that's going to be an issue, a problem that we have to deal with. But at the end of the day, how they if they eliminate opt out completely or if they uh just do a softer approach on the Senate, don't know how it's going to end up. But I think they would ask,

but it doesn't sound like

this bill this bill is evolving by the session.

It is. And we're getting smoke, a lot of smoke

and mirrors coming out of out of out of that crew up there.

So, are you asking about the tax part of it or are you asking

the whole thing? I mean, you're in the fourth reer reiterate reiteration of it and it's getting worse and in fact it's expanding the preeemption clauses.

So, it is getting worse. It's hard to follow which version is getting through. Um, I would say that in general, every version I've seen, the House version is worse in every version I've seen than the Senate version. Um, I can't predict for you which version is going to pass because there the two versions are so different between the House and the Senate. Um, both on the tax side and on the land use side. the the on the tax side, the House as as Ralph said, the T on the tax side, the House version completely removes the opt out, Senate version doesn't remove the opt out, but it it creates some exceptions that make makes the opt out more difficult for us, but it doesn't remove it. land use side. Um the Senate, it does create an additional um preeemption for property owned by counties, cities. [snorts] Um

yeah, it can be developed instead of what we purchased it for.

It says that we have to be the applicant for it. So that seems like that would be unlikely to be used. Um the House version is a little worse. It doesn't necessarily require that. So I can't tell you which. The problem is I don't know which version might get adopted because when they have competing versions then it comes becomes a negotiation at the end of the process and I don't know which version will end up getting through. So I can't tell you where where it's going to land.

Well bottom bottom line is

but they're both bad if that's your question.

I don't believe that the legislature is truly going to back off of this legislation. it's seemingly going to keep evolving and and become worse under the under the the the premise of affordable housing, which to me is just a buzzword. Um I I appreciate what Hillsboro County is doing. I'm I'm ready to challenge the constitutionality of this bill because um there's seemingly not an appetite to really retool it and I think it'll cause generational travesties across the state. I think it's a job killer. uh every every all the work that comp plans and land development code updates that cities and counties do across the state to try to create atmospheres for employment and jobs and expand their tax base to be eroded away by discounted apartments littered across our state that benefits private sector investment funds, corporations, you name instate, out of state, out of country is egregious to me. And um you know, my feelings towards this bill have just steadily uh gotten worse over the last number of years. And um like I said, I'd be willing to if we could get this this piece of legislation fixed, I'd be willing to forego any appropriation for the next 10 years because I that's how strongly I feel that that this this piece of legislation is that bad. So [clears throat] my thoughts on it and thank you chair

and I I tell you, Seth, I appreciate your passion with this every step of the way. Uh it's helped quite a bit and David, uh what you've done up there has been great to educate people, you know, across the board. In fact, they all appreciate the efforts. It affects everybody differently, but it it just as you just touch on, it just is so amazing to me. Look at what happened like Sol County, they brought all these apartments in.

Yeah.

Turned Democratic. Lee Constantine talks about all the time. Why I have a Republican group up there that wants to put these things forward, I don't know. Uh anybody with a family that wants to have anything with parks and libraries and quality of life, I don't know. when you got to deal with all the traffic we got and to bring more in and encourage them and then takes away your tax base on top of that. I don't get it. It doesn't make any sense. I hope I hope they just keep fighting up there and and just nothing gets done.

You know, um

can I make a couple comments? One is that I'm cautiously optimistic that next year will be better because I believe that the sponsor of Live Local will no longer be

right

in the legislature anymore. So maybe we'll get some changes next session. I'm hopeful.

Too late. It's too far baked. Three sessions in a row and it's evolving. I don't believe it. We have to start protecting our own.

I guess we'll see next session. My only comment about the lawsuit from Hillsboro and I've been in direct communication with them is that um I think they may be revisiting their strategy a little bit because of the lawsuits under Senate Bill 180. Some of them got dismissed when they sued the state and so they may be revisiting their strategy. I they may still be suing. I'm just not sure they're going to be suing the state. So

which which Senate Bill 180? The live local Senate bill or the one that took away our

Senate Bill 180 is the hurricane one that took away our authority. So those lawsuits were filed by a number of cities and counties and some of them were dismissed based on standing grounds and and other reasons. And so Hillsboro is re-evaluating their strategy based on the outcome of that case. So I don't want to get into the nuances of it, but I'm just saying that I've never been convinced that suing the state is the best way to handle those lawsuits. I agree with the strategy of suing. I've always thought the best way of handling lawsuits is individual lawsuits against a live local developer, somebody who actually comes into our county and tries to to use live local in our county as opposed to suing the state suing the state of Florida. And I'm still convinced, especially after seeing the results of the Senate Bill 180 litigation, that that's the best way of handling it. So, I still think that's my recommendation to you is that we handle it the way we're currently handling it on a case-by case basis as opposed to suing the state. And even if we lose our opt out, and I'm hopefully we don't, we later on today, we still have that's on our agenda to continue to opt out. Um, my still my recommendation would be that we sue on a project by project basis, not sue the state. Can I can I say that uh that I had a conversation with one of our legislators who I won't name and you know they're getting information in Tallahassee about housing shortages and and um affordability and um and so that was the reason why they were thinking it that live local may be a good thing. So I said, "Well, it might be in some counties, but you need to look at the numbers in our county." And I sent sent this [clears throat] person um the Shimberg the two reports that you sent me. I forwarded them on. Um, but you know, maybe we need to be sure we're telling our story about the numbers in our county versus developers who are trying to get a project done in Broward County or Miami Dade telling our guys, you know, their story because what may be happening down there is not what's happening here. And, you know, when it's redevelopment, that's a different issue. But we got green fields that they're trying to take away. And that's that's just goes flat against what this state's trying to do, bring in high quality jobs. Um, on the Senate Bill 180, the new one, is this still keeping us from adopting our our comp plan? Because we should have been through it now, all our all our changes.

So, we're looking into that issue. Um the city of Akoi um actually sued sued the department of commerce. They lost but it appears that the city of Akoi determined that their comp plan even though they lost the they they lost the battle but they may have won the war in the sense that it appears they determined that their comp plan was effective because the department of commerce didn't have jurisdiction to find their comp plan was not valid. So we may we're investigating that. We may in fact be able to adopt our comp plan on the basis that the Department of Commerce does not have jurisdiction to make that determination, but we're still investigating that.

I would like to go ahead and adopt our comp plan and if someone doesn't like what we're putting in, bring it on. You know,

that's effectively what the city of AOE's position has been. But but we're

we're still having hearings before the planning commission on the comp plan. It's

Yeah, we're not anywhere we're not anywhere close to adopting our comp plan to be clear. I thought we were done.

No, we're not. We're

Holy Gh.

The LPA hasn't even considered, I'd say, half of the comp plan so far.

How did they stop working on it?

It's not that they stopped working on it. Staff has not presented half of the comp plan to the LPA like the whole the entire future land use element has not been presented to the LPA yet.

And what and why?

I understand.

I thought we were adopting this in the fall.

That's a question. That that's the question.

All right, here comes Mr. Angel who was not the one speaking to my group. It was Mr. Cronin and my staff said I said David Angel. So I apologize. He's he's coming up at a future meeting.

Hey, how are you? David Angel, planning and economic development director. So we had a voluminous uh interaction with the LPA on the the initial elements or chapters

and it took up so much of their time they asked us to ease off a little bit. So we took a pause. Uh we are finalizing the most important component of the comp plan draft which is your land use element which we called Pasco grows and we will be releasing and presenting uh our draft to the LPA within weeks and our schedule is to once we get through that we're going to bring it to the board and sit down have one ons and a workshop. We have a May workshop set up to review Pasco 2050 with the board. So, we'll have some some major findings for you and we'll have an open discussion and we're targeting adoption uh summer into Labor Day.

Okay.

Just checking my schedule. No, that's March. Okay.

I mean, we do have a comp plan that's in place, too. So, even that alone is is should be enough protection for us. The new changes may be an issue depending what it's get adopted, whatever happens. But, we do have something in place that we can fall back on. That's right, sir. We we still, you know, govern the roose by Pasco 2025 and but we have made some recent amendments to the comp plan and uh SP 180 kind of puts them out there and um you know, we'll see how it goes.

Michelle, wait.

Thank you, Sher. So, I guess question for three of you. So, I was reading about Missoula's bill.

I'm sorry. Which bill?

Ralph Mulo's bill 91 just passed. He he did a social media post on it. Uh that bill along with and that dealt with staff time and expediting processes and everything that's going to impact Davis department and JP and his team and probably county attorney. So between that bill and then the other which other preeemption bills land use preeemption bills have legs in Tallahassee right now? They're all under affordable housing.

Yeah, they're all under affordable housing. You're correct there.

Aside from live local. I mean, this

I think it's like a total of two that still have some legs, but again, don't know. More than likely, they're going to bat back and if they end up going back and forth because of having differences, they'll they'll die in the end. Uh, so I really don't want to, you know, say let's let's

so the bill that I'm curious about.

Of course, my computer shuts down.

Maybe nine something I think the number is. And I just my concern was we set budgets and then if it conflates staff time and cost let me try to find it.

Hold on. Give me just a second and I'll pull up for you. [cough] Uh,

regulation of No, listen. It's um

48 and 490.

Wait,

public. That's public records. No, he he I don't see one um where he actually has that's impacting us. Dave's got one that he had one early in the session called qualified contractors that was shot clocks and um it was aspirational. I don't know how we could any city or county could comply.

And then I have a question on blue ribbon. Did that die?

927 927

927.

Yes. Friday. We thought that was nice.

Requiring certain counties or municipalities to establish development pre-app consultation service program establishing a framework for qualified contractors to assist with preapp consultation and technical review of certain development approvals. Requires local governments to maintain registry of qualified contractors or firms uh to supplement staff review resource and allows applicants to select their own qualified contractor. But there's more into it. It's land. That's local land planning and development. I mean, that could really put a hole in so many processes and trying to figure out how to become compliant. County attorney time your team. There we go. Oh, the qualified contractors is the bill that he has. Yeah. 1138 is Msulo.

That's the number.

Um and in the House it's uh

House Bill 927.

Yeah. 927 by SAP. Um so where we are on that one now is it's enrolled. It's passed. That one did pass.

I'm saying.

Yeah. So, it's it's going to the governor. Yeah, we need

that's one of the 60 bills that passed

because there's a lot buried in there that's going to impact how

staff's going to operate, how county attorney's team operates. Um, and I'm sure there's an unanticipated cost associated with it. There always are. I hope not. But anyway, that's one.

It's usually in third party consultants. That's they've tried this in the past and um and staff has been monitoring um JP's group has been monitoring that. So,

good stuff.

No, I want to ask about the blue ribbon because on f on Friday on the uh fact legislative executive committee call

they thought maybe it was going away. Um,

it's one of those where that one's one where it's getting back uh back and forth, bouncing back and forth um because of changes. So, it's not officially nothing's officially dead until Friday. Uh so, but it has not passed at both chambers as of yet. So, uh, y'all need to I don't know where it came up in some social media feed that I got of a of a public meeting in Bureau Beach of something called an epic city. Are you familiar with any of this? I just Googled it. They're having problems with this in Texas. Um, it has to do with uh, yeah, I'm probably going to be quoted in the paper on this one. Okay. But it has to do with um a Muslim community coming in and setting up a community within your community and they you know they're doing the call to prayer and they do all these things and they are kind of assing local jurisdictions and I don't that that blue ribbon bill really you know when you start taking away local control of anything God knows what you're going to and and then you don't have any ability. I I just think it's opening of Pandora's box and I would have you go do a little research on that. I I just started just a second ago just looking at it, but um you know the blue ribbon bill is the one if you have 10,000 acres contiguous.

I think it dropped to 5,000. Didn't it drop the acreage?

Okay. Even worse. Yeah.

Because then more counties can do it.

So just so you know where the status of it is. So it was on the third reading today in the Senate. Uh it was tpd.

Don't know that means dead.

It means it's dead right now on the floor until they can uh uh address the concerns that they have.

Not tpd or temporarily postponed.

Temporarily postponed. TP the same thing.

No, temporarily postponed.

Passed off the

Yeah. Doc. So fingers crossed because what I heard on our call Friday was it still was like this. you can put the um the you know you have to save 50 or 60% of of of it in conservation which includes the storm water ponds and god knows what else by the way um in one county and the development in another and you have no say on on what goes in there or the densities and then are there schools are there fire stations are do they have utilities do they have roads I Supposedly some hedge fund guy in New York has bought up a bunch of property in the panhandle and is pushing this through. That's what the story we're getting. So brief summary per uh permits up to 40% of the property for development allowing compact mixuse walkable communities with a maximum of 12 residential units per gross acre and 85% impervious surface ratio for non-residential uses. Requires at least 20% of residential units to be affordable housing. Missing middle housing or housing for Florida homeowners Heroes program. Establishes a long-term vested development rights of 50 years extendable by 25 years if half the development area is built within the initial time period. Mandates a blue ribbon plan detailing land use allocations. Phasing and environmental conservation which once approved by a local government presumes con uh consistency with comprehensive plans. allows recorded plans to operate in lie of existing plan and zoning requirements with limited review for any amendments and offers an appeals process for both denial and approval decisions.

Tough. It's another multif family bill.

Ralph walkable. I like that part of it.

Ralph, next question. How long did they take the Sidowski funds and not put money into affordable housing? How many years was that?

Three years. I think they did that. Oh, no. A lot of that. So, at least 10.

Yeah. At

Oh, sorry.

Sweeping it every year.

Yeah, they they did. And And have they put it back in? No. It's Every year it's always

Well, the first year they passed it, they put some money into it.

Oh, yeah. That was Yeah.

But I haven't seen any any constant constant

a lot of bills like that. We're dealing with a bill like that currently.

I put a tax in place and then they just use it for their own funds to do

Yeah.

whatever they want to do.

Sweet. Um, I don't want to get into this discussion, but I think you should all talk to Mike and maybe possibly Amy about roll back rates and what might happen if this uh property tax thing passes and what could happen to businesses. Um,

I don't want to discuss it openly, but I did not worthy of discussion to talk to Mike and Amy about it. We've we've talked about about it already, but I think one-on- ones would be best.

So, so that's another one. That one has gone cold. Um they did not uh address they won't address that during the the the session this week. Um but that is one that could come back as a special session just to address that bill

and how they do it.

What about the HOA bill?

Uh that's crushed.

Boy, we couldn't afford that.

Golly.

All right. Anything else? All right. So it's noon, so we'll come back at 1:30. We'll finish up from there. Thank you'all.

Yeah. You got to look up Epic City Beach.