1.20.26 Pasco Board of County Commissioners Meeting (Morning Session)

County Board County Commission 10:00 meeting of January 20th, 2026. At this time, silence all electronic devices and mute your phones. Please rise for the invocation pledge of allegiance. Good morning. Let's pray. Well, Father, we have come together today and looks like we have a long and busy agenda and a lot of people here who want to be heard. And so I would ask that you give us ears to truly hear and that you'll give us wisdom, understanding, and discernment. So any decisions that are be that are going to be made will be made in accordance with your will and in accordance with what truly is best for the people in our county. So I thank you for your presence today and ask that you guide and lead us in all the things that we do today. And I lift this in your name. Amen.

Amen. I aliance to the flag of the stands nation indivisible and justice for all

eating my house right now.

Mr. Clerk, please call the role.

District one, Commissioner Oakley here.

District two, Commissioner Wakeakeman present.

District three, Commissioner Starky here.

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 and any other business on the board's purview. Today's public comment will be handled as follows. First, we will take public comment for those who are here in person. Then we'll take public comment for those who are pre-registered for a WebEx link and currently on Q. We ask we ask when you address the board comments are not directed at personally against the commissioner team member but rather directed at the issue. 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 and a green light will be shown in 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 beep beeps will sound and you should close your comments. WebEx participants will be disconnected automatically when their time is up. Uh I'm just going to take a little step out of our normal procedure. Um I know we got a lot of people from Heritage Pines here and I'm going to bring up uh Chase Daniels to be the first speaker of it as we go forward. And I just want to let everyone know for the first time in my 21 years we actually have an agenda consent agenda where not a single item is pulled. one of if if anyone here from sheep pines is worried about environmental land that property will be moving forward. So congratulations Mike for bringing that and thank you Chase for coming forward. Chase Daniel.

Hey sir commissioner uh Chase Daniels Pasco Sheriff's Office uh under sheriff community outreach. Uh so commissioner thank you very much for uh for bringing forward. I I know um you know certainly there's a lot of uh concern that you'll hear today in Heritage Pines especially regarding uh trespassing, ATV use, gunfiring, uh loud music in an area known as East Pits. Uh I can let you know that the sheriff's office has been very very well aware of uh of this concern. Uh and last year we started uh special details on Friday and Saturday nights every Friday and Saturday night in April, May and June. Uh unfortunately we did not see a a lot of improvement. So we restarted those in September, October and November. Uh again unfortunately we did we did not see a a lot of improvement with that. Um I will say that the property owner has been um very very good to work with. We have a trespassing agreement in place. the property owner also had had an extra duty detail and has provided us side by sides uh to allow us to get out into the woods. Um so I do want to give uh credit to the to the property owner of this area. Um throughout those operations, you know, like I said in in April, May, June, September, October, November, we largely focused on traffic stops and trespassing violations. Um we issued numerous of those and those were just out of the special details. Uh not to include the calls for service we also responded to there. Um, however, unfortunately over the holidays, we did see an increase in this. Again, um, I know Commissioner Mariano and I both received numerous emails. Um, members of our command staff and I met with uh, Mr. Hurley, who is uh, the general manager of Heritage Pines, and I believe you you also hear from him today. Um, and kind of walked him through our our plan as we move forward as well. Um, with that, we now have uh, ramped up our efforts even more out there. Uh, so for this month, we have had daily operations out there. Uh, we have also started using our unmanned aerial systems. We have used electronic sign boards to advise people whenever they are coming in and out of the property on the major thorough affairs that they are trespassing and subject to uh arrest or or other violation. Um and we also continue like I said with those now nightly patrols out in that out in that area as calls for service allow. Um so we are certainly aware of the problem doing all we can out there. Uh I will say uh I have received emails the last two weekends that things have drastically improved. People reported being able to sleep through the through the night and through the weekend. Um, so seems like the efforts are are making a positive impact out there, but they're certainly something we're going to continue over the next uh several months as we work to uh to reign in this this issue.

Well, Chase, as the enforcement as the enforcement u office, we greatly appreciate you stepping up and listening to the residents and taking the actions you've taken. So, thank you.

Yes, sir. Thank you.

Our first person signed, Andrew Bloom.

I have a petition here. May I file. Second.

All in favor say I.

I.

Your name and address for the record, please.

Andrew Bloom, 17109 Heritage Pines on uh Wheatfield Loop. Wheatfield Loop. Heritage Pines. Ready to go.

Go ahead, sir.

Hello to all commissioners, especially Commissioner Mariano, our district's commissioner, participants, and observers. My name is Andrew Bloom and I I'm a board member of Tall Pines Village, a village within the Heritage Pines community in Hudson. I am here at the request of our board president and other officers and residents of numerous villages in Heritage Pines. Also, the general manager of Heritage Pines and HOA president are well aware of our presence here and have encouraged our participation. I have amended by originally planned comments in light of recent developments. The last two weeks have shown a noticeable improvement to bringing an element of peace to our neighborhoods. For months, we've been subjected to intolerable noise and gunfire disturbances in close proximity to our homes. Thanks to the efforts of the sheriff's office and county commissioner Mariano, we have had a relatively peaceful couple of weeks. I say relatively. That being said, gunfire and off-road off-road vehicle distractions were still heard, especially near the Spin Drift Loop vicinity in our community. However, I understand that they were of a shorter than usual duration. We hope that this reduction in illegal disturbances continues until they are non-existent. We hope as well that this is just not a brief respit from monster truck-like noise. the random nearby firing of automatic weapons, illegal party gatherings, and the setting of bonfires and drought conditions. We are here to ask that a lasting permanent solution be found to these problems. As recently as approximately three weeks ago on New Year's Eve, there was a huge gathering close to our homes, replete with automatic weapons firings, loud music, and the roar of enhanced sound vehicles. This was our New Year's Eve three weeks ago. All I've just mentioned about New Year's Eve is substantially similar to what we have endured over the last number of months. These frequent disturbances have been lasting until as late as 4:00 a.m. in the morning for months. Last but not least is a loss of value to our homes. Many of us are of an age that we have to consider moving to an assisted living facility. These facilities are not cheap. Others plan to bequeath their homes value to their children or grandchildren. Unless these disturbances are eliminated, the fair price sale of a wide swath of Heritage Pines homes will be jeopardized. This would have a rippling, depressive effect on home values in the entire Heritage Pines community. I speak as a retired real estate broker and appraiser. We do appreciate the recent Are we done?

Yeah, we're done. Okay, wrap it up. Thanks. We appreciate the recent efforts of relevant agencies and individuals over the past two weeks, but again, we ask that a permanent solution be found. There is little doubt that these illegal activities will resume if a longlasting solution isn't implemented. Thank you.

Thank you. Please don't please don't clap. Please don't clap. And and if you've again, if you heard Chase Daniels and this gentleman, I think you were very eloquent and very accurate. Uh we are on it. We're going to stay on it and and get you peace in that neighborhood. But anyone else want to speak? They still can.

Tom Cecil,

I will defer.

Thank you, sir. Uh I'm going to go ahead and pick up others that had signed up under Heritage Fines. Her hurley. Good morning. Herb Hurley. Um 1463 East Monopoly Loop in Inest, Florida. I am the general manager of Heritage Pines. Um good morning, commissioners. I want to thank you for the opportunity to speak today. Um as I said, I am the general manager of Heritage Pines. And before addressing our concerns, which we all know what those concerns are. I want to thank Sheriff Noco, Chase Daniels, Sergeant Paul Downey, yourselves, the commissioner, also Barbara Riyles, the property owner, for all their work they have done in responding to our concerns. Their continued presence, professionalism, responsiveness, and addressing trespassing and noise violations have not gone unnoticed. We are grateful for their efforts and their commitment to public safety. While we appreciate those actions that have been taken, I'm here on behalf of the residents because the nuisance conditions continue on. Despite the enforcement efforts, sorry, residents are still experienced ongoing disturbances, including excessive noise, repeated trespassing, and these issues are not isolated. They're happening just about every weekend. Heritage Pines is a well-established residential community and our residents take pride in maintaining a safe and quiet and respectful neighborhood. Unfortunately, the continued activity coming from the property to our south undermines those efforts and has become a persistent problem to our homeowners. We are not here to place blame, but rather ask for continued attention, coordination, and support from the county to help bring about a long-term and sustainable solution. Our residents simply want the ordinances and regulations already in place consistently enforced so that everyone can so coexist peacefully. On behalf of the Heritage Pines residents, I respectfully ask that the commissioners remain engaged on this issue and to assist in identifying additional measures that can help prevent these ongoing nuisances from occurring. Thank you again for your time and consideration and for your continued support of our community. Uh, next person signed up was Alan Rose.

Your name and address for the record, please, sir.

Good morning, Alan Rose, one221 Hilltop Drive, Newport Richie 34654. And what? Anything else?

That's all right. Okay, go ahead.

Good morning. It's I'm here to just to address the our riparian flow throughout West Pasco County. It's really becoming an issue along with the rest of the waterways. So, West Pasco County uh central flood basin has been created by impairing our riparian flow through the h hardening of our perimeters on the north state road 52 on the south side uh ridge road east moon lake road and west uh little road. Water can flow in but it can't flow out. The south portion of the basin as the riparian flow is moving through Rocky Sink spillway, Tanglewood spillway, Hidden Lake spillway, all bringing our our riparian flow to the Coti River then out to the Gulf of America. The north section of the of the basin all flowed to Barrett Creek and then out to the Gulf of America. local government. Most recently, last year or so, they adjusted the flu future land use without consideration of our water flow producing a central flood basin within West Pasco. Local agents will tell you they have engineers handling storm water uh for this reasonzoning and development. The engineers do a great job, beautiful designs with uh retention ponds and everything. They handle the pollution issues so well yet they do not address the riparian flow of water causing upstream flooding and many other issues. They do comply with the EP needs for this and that's why we do have the impaired basins is because of the water not flowing and we have pollutions. So now all of those basins hold the pollutants from going into our waterways. Still we have the impaired basins. So, uh, Crangers, Bass Lake, Golden Acres, Hidden Lake, Oyola Heights, Griffin Park, Timber Oaks, Beacon Woods, Cemetery, Shady Hills, West Moon Lake, Waters Edge, River's Edge, all communities directly affected and are now having flooding they haven't had before. We've always had some flooding. We have a lot of wetlands, but because of the lack of flow, our our riparian flow is not functioning at all. and uh it's just causing a lot it's going to cause a lot more issues. And if we continue to neglect this, what's going to happen is you're going to you're going to have a a flood basin going from 52 all the way down to Trinity. And you know what Trinity is because of the lack of addressing these issues that the spillways, the the streams, we're not having any maintenance done and it's it's really causing flooding. So the more you develop and we're good with development, but if you can keep the riparian flow, it can handle all that development. If we're not maintaining the the riparian flow, all this hardening and all this development that we want and we we can use up here, it it's going to flood out. The next one upcoming is going to be Tanglewood. Tangle Woods because of the future development coming up. The water's going to be pressed over there and Tangle Wood spillway is is impaired right now and not functioning properly. So you're going to now have everything Golden Acres, Tangle Wood flooding out and then going south.

We need to wrap it up. If you would before you leave, talk to Brford and talk to him about the cross connection we can make from um your area over to Timber Oaks where we can make that flowway connection. It could could help a lot for that area. It could.

We have work on Magnolia Valley, too. But if you would talk with Brford.

Thank you.

Thanks, Mike Garren. Good morning. Michael Durant, 4927 Ky Court, Port Richie, Florida. I'm also here today to talk about the impaired waterways of the Cody and Anlo River Delta. Uh this tri tributary uh to the southwest of our county has experienced rapid development uh in the past 10 years. that drainage experts uh couldn't even imagine. Uh I've experienced it firsthand. To give you a little background, I'm a retired Coast Guard helicopter rescue swimmer for 21 years. I've dealt with numerous hurricanes uh to include uh Ivan, uh Katrina, Rita, uh and many more. So, uh, after, uh, last year after Hurricane, uh, Milton came through our area, I was called, uh, by a friend of mine, uh, who was in a panic who was, uh, over at the Seven Springs and 54 area who had 3 ft of water, uh, on his roadway and it was coming up uh, behind his house of the Enclo River Delta. Uh, he asked me if there was anything I could do. He heard that uh during that week I was pumping out uh all the pools in my neighborhood along the Cody River from Hurricane Helm. So I said, "Sure, I'll give it a try." So I drove over in my truck over to Highway 54 in Seven Springs where I had to stop because there was water reaching the road. Uh from there, I took a kayak and my deatering pump that pumps 120 gallons a minute and I paddled into the neighborhood in about waist deep water. Um, after about 6 hours, I was able to pump the water from the back of the house to the front where the street and the the proper drainage was so that uh he got very minimal water in his home. But I mean, we had sandbags. Um, it it was pretty amazing to see that much water uh and the lack of drainage. Um, so, uh, with that being said, uh, uh, none of these residents have flood insurance, uh, that went through that, uh, and they're not in a flood zone, but I mean, they had a good solid 3 ft of water. Um, I'm asking that, you know, we look at these areas. Uh, these residents don't have flood insurance. So, you know, when that happens and they lose stuff, we know FEMA kicks in and then flood insurance goes up for everyone. Um, we need to invest uh our money into our impaired waterways. Uh, the storm water uh carries pollutants that go to the Gulf of America. Uh, we must invest, you know, some money now because if we kick the can down the road, you know, labor and materials are going to be way more expensive. Uh this will provide cleaner waterways to marine life, keep residents safe, uh keep our flood insurance costs down, and for prevent people that uh don't or aren't in a flood zone to become in a flood zone. Uh and uh All right. Thank you. And if you could thank you for your service, but if you would talk to Brford, I would like to get that information from you. We're going to be going to DC coming up. We've been working on an for a long time. I want to use what you just said. Yes, sir. And I have video and pictures that

I'll provide you

if you would talk to Brandford. I'm going to use you to go further with it. Thank you.

Thank you,

Mr. Starky.

What neighbor, Sir, what neighborhood were you referring to?

Um, it was along uh 54 and Seven Springs. I couldn't tell you a sign. I could get the address.

Hideway.

I I believe it. It was hard to tell that, you know, there was waste deep water, so I wasn't really looking around.

Um, so

I'll be around. If you stay here for through commissioner's items, which we should get to this morning, right?

We have a grant.

We did that the la last time. There was a big flood. So stay stay tuned and because we don't really engage during commission,

but I'll ask questions.

Thank you, Rick Ragger. Mr. Your name and address for the record, please.

Good morning, commissioners. Uh, Richard Ragger. Most people call me Rick. Uh, 11422 Heritage Point Drive in Hudson. I live in the, uh, Heritage Pines community. I want to thank all the HP people that are here. I certainly support everything that they have said today, but I just want to talk a little bit about Road. uh for about 20 years. I've been an I've been a resident of Heritage Pines for about 20 years now and I've been an ad advocate for expansion of County Line Road. In fact, uh I I call it the forgotten road. Um several years ago, I started a petition in Heritage Pines and several hundred people signed that petition and that petition was given to the proper commissioners both in Hernando and Pasco County. Uh since then, not much has been done. Uh some improvements, but basically County Line Road is a dangerous road. It's it's a it's an outofdate two-lane road. It's heavily trafficked. Um, god forbid you get somebody uh in front of you that's making a left turn because you could be backed up for a block very easily. Um, I've since I've been here for 20 years, I've seen a lot of expansion on roads 54, 52, even 50 in in Hernando County. Again, that's why I call our road the forgotten road. Um, I would ask all the commissioners that consider this a countywide project and get together and work with the Hernando County Commissioners to move it up on their priority list because I understand no construction is planned for about seven years. I think that's shameful. This is an important road for not only HP residents, but all all the folks that travel up and down um countyline road to try to get to the toll road. So, nothing would make me happier than to expand that road all the way to the toll road. And and I can stop calling it the forgotten road. I'd rather call it the Jack Mariana roadway.

No, no, no. The county commissioner's road.

Thank [laughter] you. Thank you.

No clapping,

please. Bill,

the dirt dog.

Dirt dog. [laughter]

Good morning. Yeah, I'm the dirt dog. I'm Bill Ashinba, founder of Ashinba Land Company in 403 South Willow Avenue in Tampa, Florida. And uh I'm here today to speak for two land owners at Sea Pines in US9. And I just really want to thank the commission first of all for having us up here today. Looks like we're on the consent agenda. I want to thank your staff at Elamp. They worked really hard. Walked through uh water out there one day with them up to our knees just to checking the property out. They've done a very thorough job. So, we're happy to be at this stage and we hope that we continue the process. I want to be off here while my green light's still on. So, I want to yield a couple minutes back to everyone. But, uh, hope you support the couple hundred acres out there that go perhaps into parks and help control flooding in that whole area of Sea Pines and US 19. So, pleasure to be here. I just wanted to show up and I'm so happy to be on the consent agenda this morning. Thank you. Have a good day. with no polls. [laughter]

U Robert Castro, Robert Castro, uh Barbara Riy. Hello, I'm Barbara Riy. I live at 4601 West San Miguel Street, Tampa, Florida 33629. I am the owner and manager of DCH Timber Property, the 520 acres which is in question. Uh the land has been owned by my family for over 80 years. And I'd like to first start by thanking Commissioner Mariano. he has been a great partner and a great advocate for trying to solve this problem um with the trespassers. Uh I'd also like to thank the Pasco County Sheriff's Office who has worked so closely with me and uh there are many officers that have been involved in patrolling this this parcel and they have been absolutely great to work with. I have paid over $34,000 over four years to for offduty police officers in trying to increase the patrol of the property. And then the Pasco County Sheriff's Office said, "You know what? It's really not working and you're wasting your money because one officer can't do what we need done. We need uh larger groups of officers to come out there." Um I offered a and wrote a check for an ATV. um uh for Pasco County Sheriff's Office in attempting to provide uh additional equipment that they might be able to use to patrol my property and other property owners. I feel for any property owner who has these trespassing issues that that just can't seem to be solved. I paid thousands of dollars for trash which has been cleaned up on the property that have been left by the trespassers. I purchased uh Pasco County signage uh from the sheriff's department in order to have official trespassing signs. Of course, what's the first thing a trespasser does? They take the sign down so that I have to go back and replace and replace and replace. I um I I would uh unfortunately the property at 520 acres is just too large to um to fence and these people seem to be so aggressive that are going on my property that I have no doubt that they would immediately just take down the fence. I just want the commission and I'd like the residents of Heritage Pines to know that I stand with you in trying to solve this problem and I will do anything that you ask me to do in order to make it better. Thank you, Barb.

Barbara, thank you. Before you go though, this is s such a big issue. Just take a quick moment. Um, and I know it's been a difficult and I've been pushed with the idea about should we look at fencing it and I I agree with you. We've had our own areas. We've even faced our own county property. They cut it, they go through and they tear it up anyway. So, even you put a fence up that we link, they go through and it's gone anyway. But I'd like you to consider if you would Keith's in the back of the room there. Um, we're buying some environmental lands over in Sea Pines. We just mentioned this is a property that we actually looked at. we thought would be great to preserve it as well. Uh if you would talk to Keith, if it gets nominated, we'd be happy to take that process and then we can do something even more so to to protect the property and protect the residents and then take care of you as well.

Great. Thank you so much.

Thank you,

Cheryl Orchard. Yeah. And folks, please don't clap. Thank you. I would like to turn these in

to receive file.

Second.

All in favor say I.

I.

Thank you. My name is Cheryl Orchard. I live at 6719 Manor Beach Road in Green Key. I'm here today because we have terrible issues in four streets where we live from US 19 down to Se forest. We have wooded areas. They're occupied by the homeless people. They're out. We have gunfire going on out on the island at the end of Manor Beach. We have trespassing. Now we have houses. By the way, I want to say this. It's good that the permit thing was issued. I think it's a good thing. When that flood come through, we have 51 in. I'm elevated. It was still a mess. It was still a lot of work. Me and my husband did it ourselves, but we also helped the neighborhood. I thank you for getting in there and get some of the trash out of there from what everybody lost. But it goes deeper than that. The trauma that it has caused on some of the elderly people and not even the elderly people trying to restore that neighborhood. They put their heart and soul in that. I had an 89year-old neighbor that lived in her house with a light with batteries with no walls. I'm telling you, the people are trying, but we got houses in there. And I got to say this, and I know some of you are investors, but I'm going to tell you something. Our LLC's that are in there, they buy these places cheap. They turn around and there's been some that has hired people to come in, let them have it rent free for a year and they didn't have to pay rent and they were the worst neighbors to have to live by the condition of the the the property and it's a nice house. I don't know if that house ever got inspected, but we got one at the end of the street. I called code turned around told me they weren't in the lawn service business. Yes, I'm going to say you gave me an email and yes, I did call code. My response from code was, we're not in the lawn service business. I said, "Well, it's ratinfested." Well, we're not in the exterminating business. Okay. So we ourselves looked up the owner of that property and we drove to Spring Hill and we took that went to my husband went to the door and a teenager come to the door and he said yes that's my mother's property. So then I sent a certified letter she never picked it up. Okay. So after Christmas I mailed her a Christmas card with not a return address. I'm sure she opened the Christmas card and I had all the information inside. We've done what we can do in there. The waterways are going to need to be fixed from Anklo all the way down to Crystal River. We need barrier islands to stop some of that water from coming in. But we thank you for listening and I put you a booklet together. You can see the rest of it. Thank you.

If you would, if you would, Cheryl, before you go, talk to David Allen and Brford. Uh there's actually a property we looked at on Green Q we're trying to get and I think with David maybe you can help you talk with the uh the residents out there that were damaged by those storms. We've got uh community development block grant disaster recovery money which might be able to help those people that don't think there's help. We might be able to help them. So if you talk to those two gentlemen,

we need road help.

We're going to work on that too.

Thank you. And

Gary Costa,

why is there cool air down here? Feel like there's an air conditioner under this table.

Good morning. My name is Gary Costa, 10729 Myro Vista Drive in Port Richie, and I'm here representing Worship Life Church. and in consideration of uh trading four lots that we have purchased farther down um on [clears throat] Hedges Road in the Moon Lake community area and our church address is 10936 Moon Lake Road. Um the lots that we would like to trade are four lots that are right south of our property line in the purpose of uh gaining more u parking area for our congregation as it is continually to uh enlarge and grow which is a good thing for us. So, um I'm just we're just here asking the commission commissioners if they would um consider the trade. Um, I have the lots here that we purchased and the lots that are south of us from the county and um I um we have uh spoken with Commissioner uh Joerger as she is our commissioner in our area and um it would be very beneficial to us and very much appreciative if the board would consider doing this for us. I thank you.

Gary, if you would. Andrew Bax is right there ready to talk with you so he can take the information and take it from there.

Okay. Thank you.

That's the last that we had signed up in advance.

Okay.

And we have none online.

Okay. Did anyone else want to address the board for any other topics before we close it out?

Okay. Come forward. And if anyone else would like to speak to this ladies, please please get behind her. Oh yeah.

Your name and address for the record, please. Ma'am.

Hi, my name is Grace Robvelino. I live at 7901 Rainree in Newport Richie in Magnolia Valley. I am the current president of Magnolia Valley. Just wanted to um thank you, Lisa, for attending our annual meeting um last week. I just wanted to let everybody know who I am and know that I'm representing them going forward. Um, we have a lot of concerns and we are ready to address them and I'll be contacting um Paula later so I can address um address some concerns regarding the sidewalks in Magnolia Valley.

But other than that, just a greeting. Thank you.

Thank you.

Wonderful.

See how she's wearing a coat? It's freezing in here. [laughter] I'm about to put a coat on her legs.

It's too hot. your name and address for the record, please.

Jim Ael, 11818 Spin Drift Loop, Hudson, Florida, resident of Heritage Pines. I just want to kind of put an exclamation mark on what everybody's been saying. I'm in my 23rd year now in Heritage Pines, and where I live on Spin Drift Loop is right up against the fence line where all of the activity takes place. I moved in the day before Thanksgiving in 2002. And about 2:30, 3:00 that morning, my bedroom, which is on the back end of the house by the fence, lit up like Yankee Stadium in a night ball game. And the vehicles and the partying and the music that started was unbelievable. And I had to say, "What the hell have I done with myself?" you know, if this is a regular occurrence. Well, it is and has been a regular occurrence. It was alluded to before that sometimes it's Friday and Saturday night that this takes place. I beg to differ. This takes place during the daytime. whenever there's a a weekend usually, but during the week if it's nice weather, these vehicles are out, the people are out, the parties start, and they'll go on till 3:30, 4:00 in the morning. Uh my granddaughter is a investigator for the state attorneys up in Tallahassee and her husband is a SWAT officer for Tallahassee Police Department. Been there a number of years. They were here back in June and they called me up in the morning. They was staying at the house. I was staying someplace else and they said, "What the hell is going on?" 4:00 in the morning, this noise, this racket, my god, you know, it was terrible. We couldn't sleep. And, you know, even the little kids, you know, my great grandchildren were were awakened by it. So, this is something that uh that goes on. It's not a two-day a week event. It is a seven day a week event depending upon the weather. I don't know if these people have jobs. I don't know what they're doing out there at the wee hours of the morning racing around in their vehicles, but they're there and it is something that just need to be contended with. In a letter that I sent to Sheriff Nakco back in December, I said to him, "If your mom and dad, you know, had moved into this property, unbeknownst to what was going on, that this problem would come to a screeching halt. You know, you wouldn't tolerate it if your folks were living there." And I say that to you folks as well. That's it. Thank you very much. Appreciate

you and for all the

serious issue. It's a very serious issue and something we've been looking at. I will say I've been in the past couple of months getting emails from 8:30 at night, 9:30 at night, Saturday nights, whatever. One morning I woke up at 2:30 a.m. and I decided I'm going to start sharing everything right now with and I want to say from the reaction and and what you've been going through getting worse or whatever, I want to thank the sheriff's office for actually putting the extra effort. It's a short-term quelling of the situation. We're going to look for a long-term solution, though. Well, I had a meeting uh a week ago Tuesday with the sheriff from the uh star team for the sheriff's office and I was very encouraged by what he said and I just hope that uh everybody follows through on it.

We're going to we're going to keep working on it. We're going to work with Barbara and see what we can do with Keith and and try to make some things happen that will give us a little more control over everything and then we can get stronger with what's going on out there.

Excellent. Thank you very much.

Thank you all very much.

[applause]

Good morning. My name is Larry Boscarina. I live at 11536 Baronwood Court. I agree with everything everybody's saying with the ATVs and the gunshots. We have a new problem that just started about a month and a half ago. Had people move in and with farm animals. [snorts]

So now we're dealing with roosters at 3:00 in the morning.

Oh.

And geese and chickens and who knows what else is going on back there. But in and on top of everything else what everybody else has been talking about that's been going on.

All right before you go Denise Sanderson is here. Denise see Denise before you go and she can address that.

Okay.

Correct. Thank you. Appreciate your time.

All right. Anyone else here for public comment? All right. Thank you very much. We're going to close public comment. No one's online.

We have no one online.

Okay. We're going to close public comment. We're going to go on to a resolution for early learning day. for a minute.

Ladies and gentlemen, we would ask that you leave the room quietly so we can move on. Okay.

Resolution number 26103, a resolution of the board of county commissioners of Pasco County, Florida.

Let's let's bring the person up for the resolution here.

Lisa, who's here for

Steve Noble.

Come on out. [laughter]

All the way in the swing around.

Come around the end. to get out of it. Get any place else.

That would have been swimming upstream, huh? [laughter] Once again, a resolution by the board of county commissioners of Pasco County, Florida, declaring January 26th, 2026 as allin for early learning day in Pasco County. Whereas a child's first five years of life are critical to healthy brain development, future learning, and lifelong success. And whereas highquality early learning programs help children enter school ready to learn, build strong social and emotional skills, and support families in fostering their child's growth and development. And whereas Florida's early learning educators play a vital role in preparing children for school and life, serving as dedicated professionals who nurture curiosity, creativity, and confidence. And whereas access to affordable, highquality early learning strengthens communities, supports working families, and contributes to Florida's economic prosperity. And whereas the statewide awareness program campaign allin for early learning unites families, educators, businesses, and community leaders in champion championing early learning as the foundation for success. And whereas recognizing and celebrating early learning raises awareness of its importance and reaffirms our commitment to ensuring every child in Florida and Pasco County as the opportunity to thrive. Now therefore, be it resolved by the board of county commissioners of Pasco County, Florida, that said board hereby declares January 26th, 2026 as Allin for Early Learning Day in Pasco County and encourages citizens, businesses, organizations, and institutions to join in celebrating our youngest learners, their families, and the educators who inspire them. done and resolved in regular session with a quorum present voting this 20th day of January 2026.

Move approve.

Second.

All in favor say I.

I.

Commissioner Jger.

All right. Well, first of all, you know how much I love your organization. Um what you guys do is amazing. You equip the preschools with the tools they need. You make sure the kids are getting all the services they need. the parents you come and wrap around them, give them the resources they need. If they want help finding a great preschool, you can tell them, "Hey, this this one, you know, got written up for this or this one's great." Um, you help them out financially when it comes to [clears throat] um based on your income. The teachers, you guys, um, educate the teachers and you're always doing supports for them. And even in COVID, you guys were paying the teachers to take classes. You were amazing. The learning never stopped. Whether it was virtual, I I just can't say enough about what you what you guys do. And as parents of young kids, if you guys don't know about the Early Learning Coalition, check it out online because there's a there's a wealth of knowledge on there. So, thank you very much for everything you guys do. And, you know, I love coming out to the preschools and reading to the kids. And

thank you, Commissioner Joerger, and all the commissioners. I I know all of you for a long time and I know you're all um deeply invested in early childhood. Um so I'm not going to stand up here and rattle off a bunch of facts that hopefully most of most if not everybody in this room knows and understands how important our youngest citizens are to Pasco County and and society. So thank you all for recognizing this day. And uh we're that's this is only the third commission so far in in the state out of 30 early learning coalitions to recognize this day. So thank you for doing that. It means a lot to not only our staff but all of our uh board members. We have 25 board members and Commissioner Hager is one of those. So thank you all.

Very good. Commissioner Oakley.

Yep. Thank you for everything you do. Our our youth are our future. So, we realize that and very much support all all the learning we can give those young people that's coming up to be the the future of the county, Pasco County. Thank you.

Thank you,

Mr. Whitman.

Thank you, Steve. You and your team, thank you [clears throat] for giving parents and kids a chance. You know, most of the time you're dealing with with those folks who are trying to figure out how to get their kids to school, have a decent and safe place to stay and and go to work. So organizations like yours help those families and help those kids and those parents be confident and become confident human beings. So glad you're here today.

Thank you,

Mr. Turkey.

Well, I missed the whole thing. Um but um if that's was it the early learning coalition? Yeah, I used to serve on that. So um great seeing you again by the way. I haven't seen you in a while. So yes, thanks for all you do. You know, getting the kids off on a good start is everything. Is everything. So, I'm really grateful that we have an organization like that. You been there a long time. I didn't see

I'm getting a little gray. That's [laughter] nine years now at um

Great.

It's great though. Enjoying it.

Congratulations.

Thank you.

Yeah. And I just thank you. The organization is critical. Uh someone who's got a grandson now and another one on the way is like and I and I know the great benefit I got with my wife being able to work with them, going through everything to to get them a running start, help with their education tremendously. So, uh, seeing it from firsthand, uh, fully fully supportive of what you guys are doing and it's important.

Thank you.

I think we all going down for a picture.

Yep. Now I've got two. So after I do this one, just hold tight for me. Hold on one sec. Okay, the next item up is the consent agenda. And I want to say Mike Carmela and your team, congratulations. And then like I said, 21 years, the first time we've ever had a consent agenda with absolutely no pull. So that's worth a round of applause, right? [applause]

Are you sure you don't want to celebrate C29? [laughter]

Mr. chairman. Um, for clarification only, uh, items C1 through C4, uh, I'm sorry, C1 through C12. Just for clarification, those minutes are for approval where the others are, uh, C1417 for distribution. And we're going to be I'd like to come under old business kind of to discuss the process so we can maybe cut out some things on the consent agenda going forward.

Okay. All right. We have a motion for the consent agenda.

So move.

Second.

All in favor say I.

I.

Okay.

Chuck's here.

So I've got a time certain for 11 o'clock Tampa Bay Water. I know Chuck is here. Chuck, we can start early if you like.

I'll be happy.

All right. [laughter] No presentation.

Like that.

Tampa Bay Water. Well, uh, good morning to you, board, and I, uh, appreciate your having me here. Uh, my name is Chuck Harden. I am the general manager of Tampa Bay Water, and I've been there for quite a few years. I've been there since 1993. Uh, I have served the last five years as the general manager. Uh, I did want to thank Commissioner Oakley and Weightman. They actually are serving on our board currently, but also I know uh, Chairman Mariano and uh, Katherine Starky, they've also served many, many terms in many years, and we thank you for your service.

And I met Chuck in leadership Tampa Bay

2002.

Oh, and Chuck, I just want to say I was appointed to the board. Yes.

I would love to serve on the board. Um, it is a direct conflict with the area of aging. You meet at the same date and the same time.

So, sadly, I can't do that.

Well, we'll get you on there soon.

I am looking forward to it on there.

Well, Tampa Bay Water, I'm going to tell you a little bit about Tampa Bay Water. So, for some of you unfamiliar, uh we were formed in 1998 uh by the member governments that we serve. Uh there's three counties, Hillsboro, Pasco, Penllis, and the three cities, Newport, Richie, City of Tampa, and St. Petersburg. Our mission is to reliably provide clean, safe drinking water to the Tampa Bay area for not only now, but for future generations. Uh we currently are supplying our members with an average of about 209 million gallons a day of drinking water. um county here, Pasco is purchasing currently 39 million gallons a day is our budget for them. Uh as a little side note, I started uh in in the county my career uh back in 1987 through 93 and I believe the county was taking about 15 million gallons a day at that time. So uh quite a difference uh a few years make. Uh our distribution system is shown in this graphic. Uh it includes 13 well fields, a surface water treatment plant that has two water intakes on two different river sources. We also have a a seawater diesel facility and a 15.5 billion gallon reservoir. Uh all said there's 21 points of connection. That's our meters that we connect to the six member governments. Uh we also u amazing fact is all of that we maintain uh at a wholesale water rate to each of the members $2.64 64 cents per thousand which is uh a little bit over a quarter of a penny per gallon. Uh our system is very complex. Uh every day we deliver a blend of treated water uh that is uh river water, del water and groundwater. And to my knowledge it's the only system in uh this country that has those three blends together. Um that is how we keep the the cost down uh to the 264 per thousand uh because each one of the sources have a different cost. The diesel being the most expensive, groundwater being the cheapest. And we have to keep that into in mind when we're putting together our budgets and our blends. Um the pie chart there you can see uh is what we expect to average with the three sources in in this fiscal year. And as you note um 56% is groundwater and the remaining 44% is the other two sources. Back in 1998, one of the main reasons we started uh uh we we formed Tampa Bay Water that pie chart used to be one solid color of blue and it was 100% groundwater. And as you know uh about the water wars that was not sustainable for the environment uh or for the area. Over the years, uh, we have gone through cycles of growth and cycles of maintenance. Um, and currently we're in a growth phase. Uh, this chart tells you the story. If we compare the 2025 actual demands by members to our, uh, demands that we're projecting 20 years from now, uh, you can see quite a difference. Uh, we have enough water right now. Um, but over the next few years, we are hard at looking for new uh ways to expand our regional system to meet the demands for the years 2028, 2033 and beyond. The fastest areas of growth are South Hills County and uh you know this very well, central and eastern Pasco County.

Right now, a majority of our capital improvement program budget uh will be spent on expanding our surface water treatment plant. We're also starting a South Hillsboro wellfield project and we're also expanding our distribution system with the South Hillsboro pipeline. The surface water treatment plant's design capacity uh will be expanded to 145 million gallons a day. Currently, it's 120 million gallons a day. That uh expansion will allow an additional 12 and a half million gallons a day to be delivered to our members. The plant is considered our workhorse of the system and it is uh not far from the fairgrounds in Brandon. Uh we have uh completed our design and permitting and construction is starting uh later this month which there's not too much uh longer in the month but we are about to to get started on the work there at the plant. uh hopeful the expected end date of that plant expansion is 2028. And just recently uh the board approved another new supply and it's called the South Hillsboro. Uh the facility could bring between another 6 and 12 million gallons a day of new water to the region. Uh about half of that water from this well field is from permits that Tampa Bay Water has acquired from third-party uh permites that did not no longer wanted to to maintain their permits and so we acquired those. Uh the other six would come from credits that we would purchase with Hillsburg County. Currently they are providing uh treated reclaimed water into uh deep well injections on their coast near Apollo Beach and uh that is forcing uh pressures inland upwards and it's keeping salt water from intruding but that is allowing the additional six that could be permitted by the the district. We are building the wellfield in phases and uh we are planning to start early next year. Uh and right now we're currently acquiring property. We've also started construction on the new South Hillsboro pipeline. The pipeline uh shown here on the graph is 26 mi long and it's uh between 3 and 5 ft in diameter. Uh it will also connect uh our facilities to two Hillsbor County water treatment plants. and the pipeline is being funded by uh not only Tampa Bay Water but Hillsburg County and the Southwest Florida Water Management District. The plans are to have the pipeline in service by the end of 2028. Uh we also continue to look at projects for implementation beyond our 2033 uh timeline. We are currently conducting feasibility studies uh for the project shown here on this graph. And uh the plans are to finish the studies and then make a recommendation to our board uh in the year 2027. So probably next year we'll be coming to our board for the next water supply projects. And as you can see um of the six projects we are exploring projects all over the region. And regardless of the source of uh your drinking water, all the water provided by Tampa Bay Water meets or surpasses all local, state, and federal standards.

The last time I presented to you last year, uh, I let you in on the, uh, POS, the forever chemicals. We were studying them, sampling, uh, along with our member governments. Um, and the Environmental Protection Agency issued, uh, new POS regulations over the last uh, two years. And so, uh, we have been looking at those. And we have, uh, a study that we have, it's called the regional water quality study. It not only looks at POS treatment in areas but also the removal of total organic carbon and we'll be making recommendations to our board uh later on this spring. And as you can see in the graph there's uh three stars in orange. Those are the areas that we have uh consistently found just above that four parts per trillion uh in the Brandon area. There's two wells in Brandon and then there's a our surface water treatment. It's the bigger star. So, we're looking at some different treatment for that and we'll be presenting it to our board very soon.

Ch a question on that?

Yes, sir.

Um, being that the the wells in that area are bad, would it be better off to even just close down those wells and just drill somewhere else and get credits for the drilling just to leave that component alone?

Yeah, we're looking at that. Um, they are very important wells to us. It's a system of five wells out there. Two of them are are the ones that are just above that. Um, also to note, once we pump and blend that with other waters, it's below the four parts per trillion. So, we're looking at that on a cost standby. Uh, is it cost-effective to to do something besides the treatment as well? So, we're looking at that. Um, that happened to be my last slide and I just wanted to thank you for your time. Uh, I try to get around uh at least once a year to all the members to show them my face and and here to answer any questions you may have. Okay. I I want to say Chuck's serving with you was great. Um I had a few other responsibilities I was taking on as a as a chairman this year, but um you're well represented and I do appreciate your service for over the years. Thank you, Commissioner Starky.

Um has anything happened with the Howard Curran and the uh you know how they have to stop dumping all that water into the bay? What's happening with that?

Uh haven't heard too much. I I asked here and there. Um but to Senate Bill 64 is what what you're you're asking me where um reclaimed waters cannot be discharged in surface water bodies of the state of Florida after the year 2032 I believe. Um and so there are some communities that have to do something. City of Tampa has quite the the the quantity. It's 50 million gallons a day. And so I know they're looking at some uh things um around their plant to deep well injection and also um we're talking to them about what could we use it for. You know, I described the the county Hills County using the reclaim water to prevent saltwater intrusion, but it also turned into a drinking water uh project. One, it was a great idea. So, we're looking at all kinds of innovative ways. Um but I couldn't give you a a direct answer of what they're doing particularly uh with the deadline coming. You know, I was on the um Swift Mud board. Oh gosh, before I was ever on the school board. So 2002, 2000 to 2006 maybe I was on there. 2008. We were talking about the Howard Curran water way back then. We were talking about piping it up to Pasco County to rehydrate. It's It's amazing that all this time has gone by and they still haven't done something good with it.

Man was talking about pumping it south to

Oh, yeah. The whole county wanted it too. So, Commissioner Oakley had his hands up.

Commissioner Oakley.

Yeah, Jack, I appreciate the uh report you gave. Do you know the actual how much we have in the reservoir at this time?

It is just around under 10 billion gallons out of the 15 and a half. So, 2/3 full,

right?

Um but we are entering the really driest parts uh of our year. We're in a drought. Uh the rainfall didn't occur again uh two years ago. We were in a similar situation. Rainfall was very sparse in September all the way through today. And I know the our meetings next week and then the following day, Swift's going to be meeting and they're look probably going to be going to a phase two water restriction. Uh I know Pasco County is already there at one day a week. So that should help, but we've got to get through to the rainy season which typically starts in mid June for us. Yeah, I know when we start one day a week other than the uh two days when you go that extra amount that's like a 30 million gallon savings a per day. It's it's amazing how much water saved just you know cutting that one day out from watering. So, but um I appreciate everything we've done. But Tampa Water has actually been a great thing for Pasco County and all of its members. uh it continues to help and we continue to come up with new projects. One of my favorite projects would be another reservoir like the reservoir we have now uh would really um gain a lot of water for the area and for the future of our area. So, uh, I keep hearing a lot of people, uh, I call them Gmail people, but they they're always saying that every project that comes in drills well and pumps from our aer when it's furthest from the truth. The fact of it is this water's coming through the system of Tampa Bay water and our county to uh, make things better. We've uh, improved with environmental from before. We used to pump so much out of the ground that we had a lot of environmental issues in our swamps and areas that needed water. And we were able because the reservoir and the del and other issues, we've been able to cut the ground pumping of water down to to where that environmental issue has kind of gone away. [snorts] So, it's really been good for for Pasco County. Thank you,

Commissioner Wman.

Thank you, Chair. Yeah, Chuck, good to see you again. I'm excited to get back on the horse. I've I've been following along, you know, regularly, uh, ever since my first time. It's it's fun to watch, uh, when we improve when I was on the water management district governing board, the funding, uh, for the South County transmission line project. It's really been just neat to be a part of it through its cycles of of development and and progression. uh when it comes to to POS man I don't know I don't know what the solution is there I mean unless we capture the rain and filter it too because it's being evap those chemicals are being evaporated up and you know spreading all around the world so that's probably one of everybody who touches water probably everybody's greatest challenge in how to how to control and manage the the POS uh forever chemicals but um you know good work I'm glad we're I think we're getting ahead of it at least trying and uh all the confidence in the world of you and your team to see see where the uh science of that subject matter takes us. So glad you're here today and thank you for your time.

Thank you sir. Mer

so I am really looking forward to I think I'm what I decided was I'm going to start listening to your board meetings. Okay.

So then when I'm on the board I'll be like I already know that that is that is what I'm going to do. So, I really look forward to serving and learning all about what you guys do. And could you email me? I tried to take a picture of some of the slides, but I missed them. Can you email me?

Absolutely. I can do better. I can give you a a large book of of things for background information if you'd like as well. I got an orientation.

I want to learn as much as I can.

Very good.

Thank you.

And I want to thank a few things we've just talked about as well. That four reser four rivers project um you're helping get that conversation going. may lead to a reservoir of of some sort to to help us with surface water, which I think would be much better. Um the you know, the Howard current plan, I'm glad you brought that up, Commissioner Stark. It's something like when I first got elected was like looking at that stuff and why are we dumping all that water into the bay, they did clean it up a lot, but I will tell you it scares me when I hear uh conversations about taking this reclaimed water and turning it into drinking water. I don't know about you guys, but I don't want to ever get to that point. One of the things I think this could be a great benefit and maybe it's a stronger negotiation because I really I'm not crazy about deep well to well injection. I know they say it goes below the aquifer. It's below that, but eventually that water's got to go somewhere and and do something bad if it's over a long enough time. So I I I do have a problem with that. But with Hillsboro growing as much as it is, as much as we're going on there, uh sprinklers use so much water and we have done such a phenomenal job with reclaimed water. I wish Hillsboro would pick that up, work with the city, work with Tampa Water and and and help get the funding in place to get those reclaimed pipes through those developments that are coming up as we're growing in the area. So be it. And and long ago, we actually talked about, you know, running it all the way up to, you know, the cross bar wellfield to go rehydrate what's up there, too. But, um,

they didn't want to do it. And if it's too far with what we've got going down down in Hillsboro as they're growing as as much as they are too, then I think that's something we should be pushing real hard on rather than deep ejection wells and turning into drinking water. They they'd have to spend so much money cleaning that water to get it drinkable. And again, I don't know about anyone else, but whenever I know there's that type of water, I just don't want any part of it. um going to um Dade City. What's the progress with the um the exploration up there, the investigation as far as drilling up in Dade City area? Uh that's the Eastern Pasco well field. It's one of those six projects that I had on the slide. Uh right now they're just doing the well uh to do a pump test to to basically just see what what the environment will do if if water was pumped.

Uh that project, like I said, is in feasibility. It's going to there's a study that's going to come out and it's going to say if it's feasible to do or not about 9 million gallons a day. Uh it was uh fresh groundwater and also a brackish water. The brackish water has been put on hold. So they're just they're not going as deep, but they're looking at what does does that area support underneath environmentally with the pumps the a pump test.

So um that would be next year. I said to you in 2027 the board would be looking at different supplies. Um and so the study is not done but it will be soon and then it'll go in there for the board to consider into the future.

Okay. And one last thought as we got in the hard plant pumps a lot of treated water very well treated water but still um if you look at the seagrass as I sit in the estuary actually chairing of the estuary uh for Tampa Bay the seagrass has really been a negative uh turn for the past few years. You've got other cities that are pumping water in the two. I won't name them, but uh they're known. Um all that water by 2031 or 32 has to stop. But I think we should be starting to look at programs and maybe we can make it part of our federal platform as we talk about that next to try to go up there and try to get some federal money to help these plants that are pumping that water in and go find another source for it to go such as, you know, uh could be golf courses, could be other projects, new development coming in to to get it to a better place. So appreciate working with you. Thank you very much. Thank you. I appreciate the comments.

Any other thoughts, questions? Okay.

Thank you very much. Appreciate it.

Thank you.

Okay.

So, it's 11:10. I've got a time certain for 11:15. So, I'm going to bill up bring up Mr. Bill Cronin.

Good morning, everyone. Happy Tuesday. And u always great to hear from from Chuck and and Tampa Bay Water. Uh water is really important to what we do as well too. So, makes sense that we're together right now. Um, today I'm have the pleasure to report to you our first quarter um metrics to the county. Uh, this is a little different format than usual. Uh, this is the very first uh full reporting period that we've been our public funds have been 100% from the penny. So, historically, we used to have two presentations. today. You're lucky. We just have one presentation that covers all of the different things that we're doing. And I'm going to format it in a a certain way for you to follow fairly easily. But I also want to let you know in your packet, you've got the full list of metrics that you'll get every single meeting uh that I present. Uh and that's 88 different items that we perform on behalf of the county uh per our contract with the penny for Pasco. We're not going to go through all 88 of those and instead I'm going to present in u some of the highlights of each department and uh also the impacts that those those metrics lend towards. So uh just before we get started just uh for fun

did did we get that? I don't have it. I don't have it. I don't think anyone else has it. It's not attached in the agenda. We don't typically print out the presentations for you, but

but shouldn't it be at least online?

Yeah, it's it's in

it says attachments none.

We'll we'll have that presented. There's usually a timing issue when we go to publication on these types of things, but Gina can print those for you and have them available to you if you want to follow along.

Do you want to make a copy of Okay.

Okay. And I'll I'll make sure when we uh when we turn those in also to remind everyone to to add those because they're they're good reading. There's a lot of stuff. Um you'll see some pictures from when we had Vantage Point AI uh for an announcement for their expansion uh during the first quarter. And I'm going to present this in three major groups. Uh uh and that is start, move and grow. The same as as our moniker. So start being our startups. uh things that we work on through the incubators, our entrepreneurship programs. Move will be business recruitment where we're trying to get people to move here and grow will be exactly what it says, growing our existing business here and then showing what the impacts of each of those are. So, starting with the uh start, you'll see that um the three highlights of the of the quarter, we had uh one microloan closed out of our goal for six for the year, $25,000 that went to uh FEMA's Kitchen and Zephr Hills. And we're starting to see a a real um how do I say food hub started to uh take place in East Pasco right now. Uh and as far as uh participants in in workshops, we had 286 participants already in the first quarter. Our overall goal of 650. We had six representatives uh attend six different events in the community um with our our goal of 10 for the year. So we're already ahead on each of those. We also hosted 22 Israeli tech firms

uh at Smart Start. So, uh, Israel sees Florida as a pretty big market. We're, uh, uh, well over twice the size of of the country of Israel, and most of them want to do partnerships with us. So, the impact of those activities are we're seeing uh, new members at each of the incubator centers. So, two new incubators uh, uh, members at West Pasco, eight at the [clears throat] Grove, and six at the kitchen or East Pasco. Uh but here's the the part that's most interesting. 16 companies launched in that first quarter and those are things that that these activities will build up to. We can't make a company do these things but this is the impact that those activities have by doing them. So highlights from uh business recruitment uh we had nine business uh development events that we attended in the first quarter. Um and in that you see there's urban land institute um commercial real estate conferences again getting the word out to people outside the county outside the state to move here. Our ready sites um continue to be what most people are looking at. We have a new candidate site for ready site that we're working on already for uh this next year. It takes us about a year to a year and a half to complete that. And then um we had members that were speaking at events. So I spoke at the bio conference, uh Tom Ryan at the NAOP conference and then we also uh represent had representation at economix which was all site consultants and then impacts for that eight new leads already in the first quarter, 18 new projects and 14 RFPs that we responded to that we submitted Pasco County buildings or sites. uh eight submissions that included our ready sites and 14 face-to-face meetings with decision makers on projects. That's really where the rubber hits the road is is when we're actually meeting with people moving into grow and again working with our existing business. Uh we hosted a workforce uh group event which is our Pasco 50. We do that twice a year. We already had our first one uh Pasco 50 and then also I'm trying to read that with a 60 one-on-one counseling sessions. Um quarter two we assisted two companies that had uh need for foreign trade zone. So keep in mind anything we do with exports or helping people find export markets that's part of our existing business assistance. And then we had 16 visits to local companies that had uh issues or challenges. And that's when we work really closely together uh with county staff with uh office of economic growth permitting planning all of the above to help our companies um navigate through those situations. So impact for our existing business, 16 visits, 27 different issues that were addressed. And you'll see there's a graph that actually lists the different types of issues so that we can start to see if there's trends. If there's trends in certain items, we'll come back and say maybe we need to do something programmatically to address something if we're if we have several companies going through the same issue.

um eight new uh um jobs out of those expansions, two local expansions, local companies here. And that's always probably our best ad for business is when we see our local companies continue to expand. Uh here's an overall glimpse of our our whole pipeline. And in the gray is the existing pipeline and the orange are the items that came through this first this first quarter. So, I'm always going to present to you um what we have, what's new. You need to see that pipeline continuing to grow, what we're still working. Um and unfortunately, sometimes what we've what we've lost or what has been abandoned, we'll actually include in there as well, too, so that you know uh if if the faucets start to turn off at all. uh the top target industries, still no surprise there, advanced manufacturing, life sciences, aviation, aerospace, and defense. Although I I will say, and I mentioned earlier, we're starting to see a lot more uh activity around food, especially around East Pasco. And that's why again, water being so important with what we do. I see Nicole Dubes here today also um with access to to fresh uh and those are going to be something that we continue to see especially around Zepper Hills I think too. Um we had three winds uh black diamond coatings uh Greco architectural metal products and the fulfillment lab and we're waiting on jobs commitments for those but uh we've already got the commitment that they're going to do it here. You may have already seen the sign for fulfillment labs on the building um the spec building at um uh Sun Lake. So this was a company that we all helped jump through some hoops right around the holiday time and they sent out millions and millions of packages just from that location in that short time. Uh thanks to working together with staff here. Uh marketing $776,000 of earned media value already. Our goal is a million. Um, as far as our social media followings, we have a 5% year-over-year increase uh goal. And that goal puts us at 722 new followers for the year. We already have 160. So, that's that's trending really well. And two ad campaigns already this year uh focused on the port shipping uh propeller club. And that goes out to of course to the foreign direct investment candidates. Uh top landing pages still um well doing business in Pasco, Boduko Foods, Smart Start, Microloans, a lot of those are same uh press releases that we had and it's not surprising that they're going to the web page to read more about that. Florida, Virginia, Oregon, California, and Iowa are the top hits this quarter. Um, historically we've seen a lot from Illinois, New Jersey, New York. Uh, starting to see some stuff further west this time. And then as far as our private sector activity, uh, we're up to 94 investors, uh, 48 members of the board or policy council and already have 240,000 um, in our private sector investment goals or towards our goal. three new investors, Orlando Health, um Tampa

Metropolitan Area YMCA, and Bank of the Ozarks. And then coming up, uh thanks for for you guys who had attended the economic forecast lunchon this last week. Soldout event, uh again, many years in a row. Everybody likes that one. Uh next thing coming up is our food vendor fair, which will be at the East Pasco Incubator. And I always joke, you wear your stretchy pants. They'll have samples there, but it's a good time to meet our food vendors and um you know, if you're looking to buy something for your staff or uh our catering arrangements, uh we've had a lot of experience that um uh has come out of that by meeting with our our members there. March 12th, annual Netfest, and that'll be the chili cookoff again, and that will be at the concourse out on 52. fairly centrally located, should be easy to get to and should be chilly enough to enjoy the chili. And then uh also our annual Grow Pasco March 19th also in March. And that'll be a dayong event for entrepreneurs over at the um uh Sierra Hyatt play or I'm sorry, at St. Leo all day. And that's our our team. And uh I'll stop there and see if you guys have any questions.

Any questions?

Mr. Wman. Yeah, thanks chair. Yeah, Bill, I like I very much like this style of your update. It's uh more detailed and and metric driven, which I appreciate. So, I know probably may took your team a little bit more time to put it together, but grateful for Bill's team and your time in in this new format. So, good update for Q1.

Thanks.

Thank you.

Um,

Commissioner Stark,

um, how so how far along is Baduko? Are they going vertical? They're very vertical. Yeah. [laughter] Yeah.

Yeah. They're very vertical. Excited.

And um and right now we're we're seeing them already talk about um doing a hiring fair uh to start hiring some some employees. Equipment should be coming fairly soon as well in there. But yeah, if you drop by and we'll include some photos uh

uh for you guys. Good reason to get out there.

And um uh yes, but but very vertical and it looks great. State-of-the-art. Well, um, would you mind sending me some photos?

Happy to do it. I'll send it to all of y'all. Yeah.

Yeah. Someone. Okay. I'd love to see what it looks like.

So, Bill, with, um, and got a great report. I I do love the structure, too. Thank you for coming up.

Um, with New York, New Jersey, I think Seattle, those mayors are up there that are really disrupting things.

Yeah.

Uh, the way they're going to start taxing the rich, etc. I got to think we got some great opportunities. Are we looking to penetrate those markets a little bit more?

Selectively. I'll say selectively. There's some some of the the voices there we don't want here. Uh I'll be I'll be very candid about that.

Yeah.

But uh thank you again. And this this also helps um uh the county with their staff with their strategic plan. A lot of these items now align perfectly with the strategic plans item 3.3 and 3.2. So at the end of the year, you'll see very clearly where Pasco EDC is working together with staff in uh what our part of is and then what the return on investment is.

Okay. One more thing too as far as like office development etc. You still find there's a strong need out there for office to bring jobs up here as opposed to people still commuting south.

Yeah. I think uh as people as people start to settle into the housing that has been built over the last few years, the employers are going to start to see um there's no need for all of those people to commute on a daily basis downtown. And if they can save an hour out of people's lives at the beginning and the end of the day, um that's makes for a better workforce and happier workforce. And now we have CEO level housing here too. So they can move here as well uh too. the the difference is that um it needs to be there and ready. So speculative developments really difficult to roll the dice and say am I going to go ahead and build this and hope they come. Uh luckily we do have some product out there. It's been filling. I think the attitude is there. Um just a matter of making sure that we continue to tell the story.

Okay, Mr. Jagger, do you want anything?

Okay. Well, thank you very much, sir. Appreciate it.

Thank you all. Happy New Year.

[laughter]

Okay, next item we're going to get to our federal platform.

Good morning, commissioners. Ralph Lair, intergovernmental affairs officer. So, today our objective uh is to gather your input and direction to establish our legislative platform, federal legislative platform, set goals, priorities that will be the basis of our advocacy efforts with Congress and federal agencies going forward. We have with us today Tracy Pew. Um she's with our lobby team uh federal lobby team Ballard Partners joining us today. We're gonna she'll chime in and we'll do like a tag team going forward u during the presentation. So, what we're going to go over, uh, federal grant funding that we have received for FY 23 through 25, community project funding, which are earmarked, uh, for years 23-2, active funding requests for this year 26, um, future funding objectives, regulation language currently being addressed, and future concerns that we could address, and then next steps uh, on how we can uh, better advocate in Washington and work with our federal lobbyist Ballard partners. So before I we jump to the slide, let me just tell you federal funding opportunities. How do we get those? Uh we get those through major competitive grants and programs. Several key federal departments offer competitive grant opportunities like DOT's raise grant, formerly the build grant, DOT's bridge investment program, EPA water infrastructural finance innovation act, and we also get those through community projects uh funding and earmarks, which are requests submitted by individual members in the House of Representatives for specific projects and purposes. Funding also goes through major legislation such as the surface transportation reauthorization bill which Congress is currently working on reauthorizing in 2026. Uh the le the legislation authors authorizes billions of federal aids for highways, public transit, highway safety and rail. And finally we get the this type of funding from our feds through disaster recovery. So looking at the first slide, Pasco has received 694 million of federal grant awards over the last three fiscal years. This includes 585 million of CDBGDR funding. 91 million is state path pass through programs. So majority of the m uh money that comes out of the feds, it's sent down to the state uh to um push out to the local governments uh through grant programs. uh $18 million comes directly from the federal programs. Of that uh funding that we've received over those years, 37 million uh is recurring grants. 72 million are non-recurring grants. Federal appropriations, how have we done over the uh past 20 uh three uh uh for for years 23 25? Um these are again our earmarks. Uh these are submitted by our congressional members in the house. Pasco has received 15 uh 55 million of federal appropriations over the last three fiscal years through community project funding. Notable appropriations include Wilton Way connector road on Spiro's campus, which was actually money passed through to another entity, but it

had to come through our county. 3 million for design of a consolidated public safety facility. two million for an affordable supportive housing for seniors and 3.3 million for Livingston Road sidewalk.

Are are are these are earmarks from uh Congressman Bill Arachus and

manly and possibly Lee?

Um so last year FY2025 uh Congress did not accept uh community project funding. So the projects which a lot of times we just move forward from previous years to continue to get the funding until we reach the final goal. Uh those were moved forward to this year. We resubmitted those if you remember. I I went back to you and told you. Um so Congressman Bill Arachus resubmitted our projects from 25 and Congresswoman Lee did the same thing. So our uh current community project funding requests for FY26 are those list there. Um uh and I have some good news. So as you remember the federal government shut down toward the end of last year. So going into this year they moved quickly. They have a deadline of January 30th that they had to get the um budget completed to make sure to avoid another shutdown. So they have been addressing and funding these in in small rollout bills. Um and so last Thursday uh they passed three spending bills hitting the halfway mark in its push to fund government for fiscal 2026 ahead of the shutdown. Uh those bills were sent to the president. The package included measures to fund the commerce, justice, energy, and uh interior departments through the end of September. Uh these included uh the energy and water appropriations bills. So let's see if I can do this.

Wait. So

Mr. Starky,

thank you. So these these did not have not passed.

So I'm about to tell you that we're about to get there. So we did get um partial funding for the inline chlorine booster. Um let me see if I could the very first one there. We had asked for 6.8 million. We got 750,000 and for the Congresswoman and Lee's Crystal Springs. Let's see if I can do it. I got to go back. There we go. So, the uh bottom one there, the two million asked for Crystal Springs Chlorine Booster Station, we re uh received $1 million. And this morning, Summer called me to tell me that uh from Congresswoman or Congressman Bill Ara's office informed me that the THUD bill, which contain the majority of uh our our projects that are on that list, uh that rolled out today. And so we got for that uh $3 million additional uh road expansion for uh Spiros campus for Moffett. Um, we received $500,000 and for under Congresswoman Lee the $3.3 million for the Kier Parkway. I'm not good at this. Um, we received $1 million.

Yes.

In addition, good news, Kathy, you'll like this. Uh, 4 million. Uh, it's

Go ahead. I'll wait till you're done with all your numbers.

Okay. Uh, in addition, uh, we received, I'll say we, Pasco County, uh, $4 million for the Area Agency on Aging, affordable housing for seniors.

Yay.

Yay. [laughter] Um, and also, uh, the bill contained uh, language reverting funds uh, for uh, CARES that were uh, previously funded in 23. Those monies have now been reverted and will come back to Pasco County. So, you've been waiting for that one too, Kathy. So, great news. Unfortunately, um, and we're going to get to that slide shortly. We did submit committee language that was submitted uh for a CDBGDR ex uh exception to the transportation housing um committee. uh what we were trying to do there, if you'll remember, this language was allow uh would have allowed us to uh use CDBGDR funds to be used for a construction of an emergency operation center. Unfortunately, they did not put that in there, but speaking with Tracy earlier, this is something we can go back in now and and go talk to the committees to say, let's go over our projects. So, you partially funded it. What can we do better? Uh let's look at that language because I think we still can go back and address it this uh going forward. Um and say it it's a need. Uh the EOC um helps our community a great deal and there should be an exception for those funds and and and and go toward partial funding. In fact, when we were in Washington, if you remember, uh last year, um there were other counties from other states and in the state of Florida that really weren't aware of that. And so, they too were beginning to advocate for uh for such a request going forward.

Okay. Now, I can have my question.

Yes, you can.

Mr.

Thank you. Uh, are they still at the $10 million annual level for funding

for capping? It's what we normally say is usually $5 million for a uh community uh budget uh funding request. Oh, go ahead. 10 million for

Congressman in the past had a they could get earmarks up to $10 million. That's what they had annually.

Well, now they're $5 million. Go ahead. Come on up.

Good morning, commissioners. Good to see you again. Those of you that were in Washington last year, two things I want to point out. One, on T HUD, congratulations. Those projects are in the house.

By the way, just so everyone can have the record just your name, company.

Oh, good morning again. I'm Tracy Pew with Ballard Partners. I want to say with T HUD, congratulations. Those projects are in the House bill. The House is uh scheduled to vote on those this week. The Senate is not in session. They will be back on the 26th. And so we are halfway through the process on T HUD. But on energy and water, those projects were passed through the House and the Senate. So those numbers that Ralph reported back to you, um those are going to the president in the final bill to be signed. So I want to point that out. The um each member can establish a cap. the committee will decide at the end of the day how much they're willing to um provide for the particular um the community project. So for instance um when you said 10 million that may be a figure that was set by Congressman Bill Arachus or Congresswoman Lee's office but there are offices that request more than that. Um, I recommend that, um, counties stay around the 5 to 10 million range because that usually, um, is a number that tends to get funded. Um, there are some that come in, you know, 100 150 million. Those types of projects are not likely to get fully fully funded.

Okay.

Question.

Uh, Commissioner Wman.

Thank you, Chair. Um Ralph, we had partial funding on uh uh the coin booster station for Aaron Cutoff and partial funding for Crystal Springs. Can we just take there and cut off money and and move it to the Crystal Springs coin boost station, have it paid in full and get it built?

It's a buck. So

I I I'm going to say probably not because in the when we go into contract uh which will probably be in the within the year. Um that would the way was written it specifically has to go that uh go directly to that project. You can't move it around. It's possibility based that they do both the same um

they do the same thing

objective that we may be able to but that's going to have to come up during um uh when we go uh go into signing the agreement with the feds for that money and that's something the department would have to work out if that is so the direction of the board to do that

that that is correct and I would also add commissioner that what you can do as you think about fiscal year 27 is going back to your members of Congress and maybe requesting additional funding to make up the difference of the port portion that you didn't receive.

Well, I I say that because then Aaron cut off coin booster station 6.8 billion and the Crystal Springs project is 2 million. So, we've got the 2 million bucks and we can get one of the two built, right? Instead of just having partial funding for each. So that's kind of was my thought process if that could be then we knock one out.

So again I think hearing you this is what we need is is the feedback. I think we can then um um after the meeting uh in the coming days get with the department kind of discuss that possibility as an objective going forward so when it does come time to go into contract with the feds uh we can have that discussion. is going to suggest commissioner that yeah we talk to utilities and see what the status of those projects are how shovel ready they are where they sit and design's here actually so if you want he can talk to it real quick

I don't want to bel labored I just the funding's there for at least one of the two and you know how I am we got funding let's get it done right so very simple thought process

so we heard you loud and clear and I think we'll have that discussion with Adalfa

commission

quick question I was making notes did we get 1 million for Kier Parkway.

That is correct.

Okay. And did we get any money for that last year?

Um no, previously we did not.

We did. Okay.

Uh I'm going to ask a couple of questions. I'm going to start with Kyline Road. Okay.

Um where we're trying to get money from the state. Um

again, if it's six years from being built, that's going to be a long long time. Sure. And Hernando wants it done. They've got some money and different things at a small county to get funding. Is there any way to put something together to look at getting funding for that? Have we done that?

And so, no, we have not. But

I I I believe they were pursuing a build grant for that if I'm not mistaken.

Is Nick. [laughter]

Good morning. Uh Nick Uren, county engineer. Um we we actually have a funding strategy for segments of County Line Road North that shares responsibility between us and Hernando County and allocates some state grants um county incentive grant program funds which are state dollars and potentially trip funds also state dollars toward the construction of wider county line road. So if we got more federal money to go along what we're trying to partner with the state might it be something that might put us over the top to get it done because I know it's DOT looks at where the money's coming from to what they can get done and usually it's going to take from something else. Additional funding could potentially accelerate it. We still need to finalize our design and then buy the land to build on. So there's going to be some hurdles that we have to overcome to get to construction regardless of whose money we use to pay for construction.

Okay. I'm just looking for an extra source. Yeah, sure. And and again, we hear you on the prioritization of that. We're working hard to get it done.

And I've got a meeting coming up uh this coming week on Ridge Road with Brford and the team. Uh so I'm not sure where we are. So Brford, you may jump into this, but I'm going to throw something out there. Looking at social media last week, um I watched a county, I think it was Palm Beach County, actually named a road after Trump, right? Um, so I think especially with what we did with Ridge Road, we should look at changing the name and call it Trump Road all the way to 41. [laughter] I'm throwing it out there. I'm going to throw one more thing out there with you as well. While we're on the subject, um, Sunlake Road, we're trying to get funding for that as well, and I'm glad to see it's on the list here, but I'm thinking maybe we should take a look at possibly naming that Charlie Kirk Road. We're trying to get Trump out here for our final cut with Ridge Road as we get this thing built. And again, I'll wait for the extension one coming up, but I think it'd be awesome. If he knew was going to be named, I think he'd be sure to be here. I think it would also be help us with the funding quite a bit with Sunlake Road if we took a look at doing the rename on that as well. I know it's a shock for you all, but that's what I'm thinking. Thoughts?

I think I don't know. I just It's kind of funny. Um, but you know, Trump Road doesn't sound very majestic. Maybe we'd have to name it like Trump Parkway or something.

We can do that. I'm flexible. [laughter] I'm flexible.

I don't know. I don't know.

Something to gel on.

Yeah. Um, last thing, I don't see anything with AM skills here and I know we're going to be going up to in February. So, I know we're going to try to look at that um and try to work with getting some help with that for more create more jobs and we'll hear more about that in shortly.

Yeah.

So, well, what are we in discussion on right now?

So, now I'm talking about uh and we're still on active funding. Uh so in addition to the member projects that we were submitted um this year we were also able to submit projects to surface transportation reauthorization bill that they'll be doing later on this year uh for 2026. So, uh, got with the departments, ran these by you of projects, and they're heavy ask. We don't know how this will play out. Uh, but we submitted projects. Um, do not know, uh, until they get to the bill if they'll be included. Um, but we included 15 million for the intersection improvements for US41. Um, $10 million for Bellamy Road uh, uh, expansion and work. uh 15 million for Sun Lake Boulevard uh north of Buck Beexley to Langelene and 2.8 million for a uh busy up transit on US19. Again, they'll be working on that bill later this year and hopefully we can get some of this included into that bill.

Mr. Starky,

so are these um are these build grants? No, this is separate funding that goes into So, you remember I told said earlier that uh feds put in money into um bills. This is one of those. They put billions of billions of dollars in and they're allowing the members to pick projects in their communities uh that would be funded from that pot of money that uh so they'll when they work on the bill, they'll include the amount. It's not a set amount. They'll include the amount uh on that and then they'll start listing out projects that uh will be divvied out amongst them. Am I correct there?

So I um So are two of these in Bill? Does it matter?

They were all in Billis' area. We did not have any in in uh Congresswoman uh Lee's office that staff felt was warranted enough to to move forward.

Sun Lake is not in Le.

No.

No. Um, the Homie Brothers is not in Le.

No.

Okay.

She really only has Zephr Hills up to uh 75.

Okay. Well, um, is it customary to list so many projects?

Again, this was a first time ask that they included. So, he uh, Commissioner uh, or Congresswoman uh, Bill Arachus did not have a set amount or number of projects. It was just like, what's your wish list? Well, what does our lobbyist say about doing four different ones?

You have to relate. Sorry.

Th This is normal. There are communities that list way more than four. So,

um what about a build grant? I don't see where we went went for that. And didn't I

So, that's a grant. So, um that might be a possibility that

we're only we're only talking about appropriations, right?

Correct. And I'm just about to go into future uh grants. So at this time, what we're aware of out of uh out of grants is that our fire rescue will be submitting uh for a FEMA staffing adequate fire emergency response a safer grant. We've been successful with those in the past and at this time uh the departments have not um found a project. It's something we could talk about when those bill grants do come out. uh and they they put out a uh a NOFO uh a notice of funding opportunity that we might be able to apply. But this is again good feedback. Uh again, we'll get with staff to see if there are other opportunities. We we we just got notification from Tracy about some library grants that I know libraries are looking at as a possibility. Again, these are grant opportunities going forward that'll come out this year. And as they come out, uh we will make sure we watch those and see if there's anything we can apply for.

Aren't there um grants for uh trails in that surface transportation bill?

Not that I'm aware of. Sometimes there uh it it may be uh that there uh that there will be, but again, until they start working on that reauthorization bill, don't know what they'll include in that. It's always as it as it's formulated.

Michgo,

so Ralph, just a quick question. Do you know if Hillsboro is also trying to put money in for the intersection of US uh 41?

No, I'm not aware of that. No.

Could we find that out?

I can. Yes,

that would be great. Like if we got the funding together and just made

It's always good when we can piggy back with our neighbors. Yes.

Well, then the TMA should be get able to get letters support because they voted on. Matter of fact, two Penllis County Commission made the motion in second to get that done as a project for the region.

So speaking as a region, that's like one of those things we talk about.

Yep. No, you're right in the money. But bringing all that together, maybe

I think

maybe the right steps to go.

Exactly. Exactly.

I'm pretty sure city of Tampa has gotten a lot of federal funding to build that trail that goes along the river. and and and I will make sure and our uh definitely our our parks uh and our uh transportation engineering will keep an eye out for future uh trail funding availabilities.

It says and I just did a quick Google. It says key federal programs, the RTP recreational trails program, the LWCF, Land and Water Conservation Fund, the um IIGJA, and the um and DOT has grants uh for well, safe streets, safe streets. Um but uh I don't know if we've ever applied for a federal grant for trails.

So So again, I got to go back to uh one of our earlier slides. I uh I think we should be applauding our our our staff. They really are aggressively going out. I think we've heard the uh uh the message loud and clear. We can do better. Um we should go for every opportunity uh when these grants uh go forward uh and they are pushed out. Uh and I think that's what we will be doing uh and have been doing uh going forward. So future funding uh opportunities. So, so basically on on this one, getting feedback from our county departments, we've established some projects that we we could uh possibly look at seeking funding for. Um I have had discussions about some of these projects with our with Tracy uh and our federal team. Um uh but but just know that, you know, um we've got to look for for funding for the East and West courthouse improvements. We're looking at about $222 million. And I'll stop there. I know. I just I just want to make just a note just on on a sad note. Um yesterday a judge and his wife were shot. Yeah. So I mean people are crazy. We we really need to make these courouses the priority. So

and hopefully we'll be successful. I think that's a message I'll be going up to Tallahassee and uh uh tomorrow and the next day. Um I'll make sure that our sponsors are very much aware for the project that we have submitted at the state level uh to Gord for the Sumner uh courthouse.

Okay, good.

Um almost um so other ideas design and construction of a new EOC. Uh septic to sewer conversions are a possibility that's about a $1 billion price tag and other public infrastructure projects. So now we're into regulations

on on that. Ralph, just I'll stop.

If you could just um uh see that you work with our team on the canal restoration. We're putting a lot of money in, so it should be great to get matching funds to go what we've already allocated.

Okay. So as I mentioned what we had currently had uh been addressing with regulation and language uh which unfortunately was not included in the THUD bill was uh that CDBGDR language. Um so that's something we can continue on moving forward. Um because as you know the CDBGR is going to take several years to implement. So if that language were to be changed, let's say for the 27y year or the remainder of 26 um and we were successful in getting that language that we may be able uh then to use those funds uh uh if again that language is adopted. So, my recommendation that we we carry that on and continue those efforts. We'll go back in um meet with committee staff. Uh again, this is something I discussed with Tracy earlier and find out what was it that that uh that you all decided not to include that language. What can we do to write language that would be more receptive moving forward? Um uh we also um you all put out with your NO working with Congressman Bill Arachus uh which he is reviewing the letter that was sent to him to do a study of the Davis Bacon wage compliance cost again to do a study not to address the issues of what we're attempting to do uh with language. Um so we have that going forward uh that's still being worked on. Um we are also dealing with uh US Army Corps of Engineers. Uh as you know Dr. Bellowos and staff were successful uh in our efforts uh to get um the Congress to reauthorize a four rivers basin project. So where we are at this point today and and Congress is aware of this but this is an issue that we could discuss when we go to Washington for Niko. Um,

yes,

the uh Atlanta office is still waiting for a re an actual response. Although we verbally have gotten a response that Army Corps will will reauthorize it, a formal letter uh was not uh uh sent to uh Congressman Bill and the other two commissioners that signed on to that letter. Part of that, I think, was you're we were going over the holidays and dealing with a government shutdown. So I I I just think it's just a matter of of putting the fire back under them so we can move forward with that. Um and I know that Army Corps of Engineers is really an area that that is definitely a federal department that that we work with closely. So, some other issues that we've talked with staff about uh that we could uh possibly sit down and meet with them and discuss um a Maggie Valley storage wetland enhancement project. Um support for fair and responsible sediment uh removal from the hurricane impacts. I know that's important to you chairman and others too.

Let me just add one word to that. Sure. Yes. And put hurricane impacts. Put slash storm water because over the years storm water keeps on going to those into the canals. that affects water quality and make that part of it so it's just not storm related. We got to tie back to that.

And I and I think going forward, you know, we'll we'll work on that uh that language uh before we go uh and if we do set up a meeting with Army Corps and again that's something I've been discussing with Tracy so we'll be better prepared when we go up and and have have that discussion with them.

Definitely want to meet with them on on when we go up there February

indeed. Um and then permit approvals. Um, so there are are are some uh things that we have uh had a hold up right now of Army Corps that we can look into see if we can uh um get that moving along while we're up there and have that discussion. Um so going forward and and knowing this another thing like the uh reauthorization bill with the transportation last week we were notified that THUD uh would be gathering information and input for members of Congress to develop a pass uh and pass a water resource development act a word uh later this Congress. So the word provides members of Congress the opportunity to authorize Army Corps of Engineers uh to work on projects to improve the nation's ports, harbors, inland waterways, navigation network, flood and storm protection uh and other water uh resource infrastructure. So we're currently in the process of gathering feedback. I did receive some feedback uh from our departments. Uh we've got to review those uh and see what projects we can submit. Uh at this point in time, Congressman Bill Aragas has not given us a deadline, but it's coming up fast. Like I said, the committee chair just rolled it out last week uh and gave us this uh this opportunity. So again, these would be projects that Congress would direct Army Corps of Engineers to do the actual work and fund uh going forward. So hopefully we'll have some good projects to submit on that. So these I consider this like a new opportunity kind of like the reauthorization. We've never had this opportunity. So we'll try to see what we can get done and uh there's no cap or limits at this point in time.

Okay. All right. And uh Tracy, are you Is that it, Ralph?

No. Uh one more slide.

One more slide. Okay. One more.

We're getting there. We're getting there. Okay. Uh then we uh we got feedback on some possible regulation and language uh that we could consider working on with our congressional members. again getting feedback from from departments and staff. So various departments uh Commissioner uh Starky uh addressed um the Davis Bacon uh act. So we have a request in right now to do a study. We could actually look at possibly doing language that Niko, which is also in their platform, currently has and they will continue to advocate going forward to put a raising the cap of the current $2,000 per project to $50,000 and then put a consumer price index attached that to it.

You're talking about the Davis Bacon.

That That's correct. I am talking about Davis. Go ahead. Uh so so that's something that we could possibly pursue as our own policy because we know what an impact it has just on our county. I know Nico and everybody else in the United States is working on it. But maybe we could try that as a as a possibility to just put in some see if you can submit committee language.

I'm so confused by that statement because I don't Were you in my committee when this failed last year in meeting?

Was your Davis Bacon?

Yeah.

No, I was with transportation. We we tried to get it through them and they said, "Well, we're going to defer to your committee

because because the resolution failed in the CWD policy,

but a lot of that was carried over from the previous platform which included the the raising of the cap. So, in reality, he he did respond back to Katie. It uh the the policy already remains and will continue to remain. What they were discussing during that committee unfortunately did fail. So I think you'll see it be resubmitted again when we uh uh discuss those uh at NA.

Okay. I

So additional requirements in in addition to what previously existed, they will add on additional requirements.

We have to work to get more um politically diverse people on that committee. If you could help me

with Nico, good luck. [laughter]

Good luck on that. Yeah.

Um so, so some other uh issues that that Steph recommended as a possibility, uh look at the uh change to affordable uh care act. Um this would help uh with it's an issue that we've been dealing with uh with social security and with the Affordable Care Act. So, there could be some of our um visitors at our correction facility that qualify for those funds and rather than the burden we put in put on uh just the residents of Pasco County, uh we'd like to see some of those funds continue on uh with our visitors um that they were already previously receiving. Uh and then we uh looking at possibly doing an update to section 8 housing requirements surrounding the residency requirements. As you know, that was a big issue. That's something we can work on directly. We know how it impacted us. We could work with Sen uh Congresswoman Lee and Congressman Bill Aragas to see if they could get language put in to address that. Uh and as always, we'll continue to monitor proposed language that would impact the county. And finally, next steps again getting the feedback. um talking with Tracy today uh and Ballard how we can uh improve our advocacy uh future funding opportunities, future language and regulation opportunities and then scheduling and advocacy meetings especially for the upcoming trip in Niko. I think Tracy and I have been talking and I'm going to bring her back up here um how we effectively utilize that time. So we're we're competing with every county from around the United States. They're doing the same thing we're doing, going up to the hill to advocate and try to meet with people. And so if you remember, we piggybacked with several counties last year. So how could we be more effective and and and look at not just Niko, but going up on separate times to address just our issues when it's not as busy. So I'm going to bring her back up.

Thanks, Ralph. Um, one thing I would suggest as we think about Niko, as Ralph mentioned, there are all the counties across the United States represented. So, um, and of course the 67 counties in Florida, many of them are represented as well. Um, it is important to always meet with our delegation, Senator Scott, Senator Moody, um, Congressman Billis, Congresswoman Lee. However, I would prioritize the agency meetings. I think they are the most important. We should certainly um focus on uh Army Corps. We have a Fidian who worked for uh then Senator Rubio and worked for Senator um Moody. I believe you all may have met with him last year. He's now at Army Corps and certainly is familiar with uh Connor Tomlinson. Um certainly familiar with Florida, familiar with a lot of the requests that you all have made over the years. Um, HUD seems to be an agency that we definitely need to have a face tof face with while you all are there as well as possibly DOT. So again, while the meetings with the uh delegation are important, I would prioritize the meetings with the agencies.

Okay. And Tracy, I'd like to just Are you going to be around for later on today? Um, my flight's at 5, so you guys have to tell me what time I need to get back on the road.

Might be tough, but let I just want to bring something. We've talked about um the work that you do, and I've always uh thought highly of Ballard thought you're very well connected as well. And I know there was a negative article that come out through a uh left-wing organization that took a shot at you guys and kind of put some doubts out there with uh others. and if you want to address that or just tell us your relations are good with the president and reaffirm that.

Thank you. Thank you for the opportunity. I would just say I'm coming up on my one-year anniversary at Ballard Partners as um you and Commissioner Starky know. I was just joining Ballard when you all came up last year um after having a 20 plus career in the House of Representatives. very proud to be working for this firm and the leadership of Brian Ballard is stellar and um proud to be working for the number one lobbying firm in Washington. Mr. Balor has enjoyed a um illustrious career and um here in Florida and continues to do that in Washington as well and has a strong and deep relationship with um the administration and throughout the federal government.

Thank you. Okay. Um,

Commissioner Sharky.

So, uh, with our previous, uh, federal lobbyists, we, um, received no foes all the time

and especially, you know, some of us have different interests and one of the areas where I was getting a lot of information was in workforce development and that's why I workforce development and economic development are kind of where I like to be at at the national level. And um and so I just want to put a stake in the ground that I'd love to hear whatever nofos uh [snorts] are coming in those areas.

Well, that's excellent. One one thing that Ralph and I talked about was be we're uh beginning to um provide a monitoring service of grants that are coming out. That's how you got the information about the library grant. But particularly with Department of Labor, and that may be one of the agencies that we want to do a one-off maybe with just you to do that meeting when you come up. Um they have um an initiative for an apprenticeship. They're trying to uh develop about

skills. A million a million apprenticeships by the end of this year to go visit them.

Yes. So we can

I think we're stronger when we go in with multiple commissioners. So if we can

and I joined you one time.

Yeah. So if we can and and staff so if we can

so so I agree with that. So so since the uh no is just coming up at this point in time currently you commissioner Mariano uh Mike and myself will be up there but as I said as we formulate this maybe the following month we can go back up there uh to meet with not only our federal delegation but particular issues directly with the department. And this is again the purpose of today is how we can we can improve our our uh uh relationship uh with Washington and be more effective going forward.

I'm going to guess there's not a lot of people going into that office. So I'd like to see if while we're up there on this trip.

Yep.

Um that we can go in there because that's, you know, pretty specific little office.

Absolutely. We'll prioritize.

Did they did people are there people? Last time we went they didn't have anyone.

Yes, they are in place now. There are Okay,

Mike.

Yep. Thank you, Mr. Chair. So, I think everything that we've heard today, we've gone over kind of uh what we've done in the past with with the federal with the federal government. Uh we've got legislative and some administrative uh agency type things, projects. We've heard discussions on different types of projects, NOFOs, etc. The the goal here is is to take all this co coalles this information and develop exactly that. It's not just no. We're going to be working with Ballard to say, "Here's probably what we should be doing in June. Here's what we should be doing in August, September, October, throughout the year as as part of a targeted approach, as well as prioritize some of these things. There there there could be some of these that are a little more longer term and are going to require more effort." So, the feedback that we've gotten today, I think, is good. I've made a lot of notes on things that I think are important to the board or at least discussions. We'll bring that back uh you know at a later date and have you guys sign off on that much like we do the state state platform and and priorities and then we're going to go to work on it. So I just thank you all for joining us here on this and if there's anything else that you want to add to it, we'll certainly take that either now or or after the meeting.

All right. So let me say this. I don't I know we were supposed to talk about the food policy advisory council. If that can be later today, so be it. But while Tracy's here, David Engel had a presentation on ROI for that. I think before we start the 1:30 hearings this afternoon, let me have David put a quick presentation on for it uh at the right before they do the 1:30 meetings and then we'll Tracy can hear it before she actually has to go back to DC.

It's a five minute presentation.

Okay. All right. So, let's we'll adjourn for 1:30. Thank you. Okay.