1.6.26 Pasco Board of County Commissioners Meeting (Morning Session)

Heat. Hey. Hey. Heat. Heat. I would like to call to order the Paso County Board of Commission 10:00 meeting on January 6, 2026. At this time, please sil silence all electronic devices and mute your phones. Please rise for the invocation pledge of allegiance. Honorable Commission, Chaplain Anthony Shai, Pasco County Fire Rescue, my honor to give the invocation today. Let us pray. Almighty God, creator and sustainer, we thank you for this new year, a chance to conduct our civic business. I ask that you'll bless every member represented here today, their families. We ask for protection for our police and firemen and rescue teams, first responders, school teachers, doctors and nurses, and children of this community. Thank you for your blessing. Amen.

Amen. I aliance to the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for it stands one nation under God indivisible with liberty and justice for all.

Mr. Clerk, please call the role.

District one, Commissioner O.

District two, Commissioner Wake,

present.

District three, Commissioner Starky here.

District four, Commissioner Jerger here.

District five, Chairman Mariano

here. Now is the time for public comment. Citizens are given an opportunity to comment on any current or future agenda item coming before the board and on other business under the board's purview. Today's public comment will be handled as follow. First, we'll take public comment from 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 request when you address the board, comments are not directed personally against a commissioner or team member, but rather directed at the issues. This provides mutual respect between the board members and the public. After stating your name and address for the clerk, a three-minute timer will be activated. A green light will be shown to you on the podium. After 2 minutes, a yellow light will indicate you have 1 minute left. When your time is up, a red light will be displayed. Three beeps will sound and you should close your comments. Webex participants will be disconnected automatically when their time is up. Mr. Clerk, do we have anyone signed up for public comment? We have both uh on present here in the in the room and online. Julia Partunic,

Julia Partunic.

This is for public comment.

Okay. Oh, she's she's got P63.

Okay. Um, Nancy Hazelwood.

Same thing.

It's a new thing.

Thank you.

Nancy Hayeswood 34110. A nice place. And I messed it all up. I'm sorry.

No.

Um, it's good to see y'all. Happy New Year, Jack. Congratulations. And maybe it's a relief for Miss Starky not to be up there anymore. Anyways, um I I went to the meeting uh on the December the 15th at Hugh Emmery Library and have some comments on that. It's on the employment center at Blandon Road. Uh I don't think the meeting knew its or audience. First off, they put it in a room for 30 people. At least 80 showed up. uh staff started with a survey and asked us which house we would want in the employment center and um they should have started with something about maybe asking the community if we want an AC in this way you know and they didn't the questions were just not appropriate for our area and it was at this point that I decided not to take the survey and there were a lot of others that didn't and the question really is do we want a high density development in the middle of northeast Pasco's rural area plan which is where it is and uh the densities over time have obviously grown Guilford's land comes to mind we fought it didn't win they added it to the employment center so um now it looks like basically the county wants to put a small city in the middle of northeast rural Uh there's well over a thousand units, commercial, industrial, light industrial, all approved for the EC area and we didn't have any other community meetings on this and all of a sudden we're here. This is your rural area. Is that what you want to do? I don't know how we're going to survive if you put thousands of houses. That traffic's going to get out and it's that's what's going to destroy us. So let's do this instead. Let's find incentives that regulate and lower the densities in the area so we don't lose the rural protected area. It's a high recharge area. It's Pasco's water supply. We also have the green spot swamp, the Brooksville Ridge. We're your last stand basically. This is just one of the projects in the northeast world that puts open space and water resources in jeopardy. You got some more going putting a well field out there or trying to I don't know how that test has come out yet. And then you've got the air's road coming and are trying to we don't need it. We don't want it. Didn't fit. Spend your money someplace else please. Uh I know you know about the congestion. some of the things that have been happening. I hear you all talking about a lot. Um, of course that also is traffic accidents and um,

let's wrap it up.

Ran up time. But there's a lot that is going on out there and for northeast protected area to survive, this has got to slow down, stop. I recommend that you think about growth across the county and try to modify it. Thank you.

Cindy Bell, you did not remark what you're wishing to speak to.

Cindy,

Cindy Buckle, 5938,

Frontier Drive, Sepher Hills, Florida. Jack, it's good to see you sitting in that chair.

Thank you. Good evening.

Okay. I want to talk about County Road 54 and Gateway, the phase 2 expansion of of Forest Lake Estates, which currently has about 250 homes in it for sale right now, including most of the Canadians that are leaving Florida. We have been blocked from getting in and out of our homes since this started two months ago. Literally blocked. Traffic is backed up from all the way to 98 to the east and all the way through the intersection at Chanse and County Road 54 not allowing us to get in and out. They are stopping us. I have missed appointments and I've had to reschedu appointments because of this. And I have the pictures. That's the before picture. I'd like to see the after picture so that you can see this is what it looks like. Gateway is a dirt road. It was paved. They put a huge metal thing over the hoses because they planted little shrubs instead of the fence that we were told was going to go up. This is so high that when I go over it with my Honda Pilot, it hits my running boards to the point where my husband has to go underneath it, retighten them each time I go. And it it's causing a lot of problems. I mean, traffic backs up around Gateway to Marks to Frontier for us to get out. And what they're doing is they're allowing the construction traffic to come in first before they let us out. So that's the only way we have to get in and out because it backs up against the Upper Hillsboro preserve. We There's no back way out for us. Only one way. And we've been blocked over and over. Even this morning when I tried to come out, I had to sit and wait. And this has been going on since it started. Then they're going to start moving in these huge manufactured homes. What's going to happen then? We have no way out. I watched two different times an ambulance try to get into the existing Forest Lake Estates. They couldn't get in because both sides of the road there's a total drop off that probably would have rolled the f the the ambulance. That's dangerous. There's train tracks, two sets, which are both used. We hear the horns. We hear it all the time and it's just got to stop. The other issue I have is traffic lights. I see traffic lights going up. Pretty pond and 301. You built all of those things, the car wash, the McDonald's, the storage, and there's no way out. And you have three turn lights and you do not have one going east. Okay.

So, I'm talking to William Poe about that and I will push and push and push.

Let me have you meet with David Allen. Uh, so we can talk about that, especially the first issue we're talking about as well.

Yeah. Right.

Thank you.

He's working on that.

Yeah.

All right.

That's all we have signed up in the room. We have one online.

Okay. Let's go to the online first.

We do not have the one online now. Okay.

Okay. Is there anyone else in the audience would like to speak and address the board? Seeing no more closed public comment. Uh next order of business is the resolutions. Mr. Clerk, would you read the first resolution? Would recipient please approach. Resolution number 26 uh 088, a resolution by the board of county commissioners of Pasco County, Florida, declaring the month of January as National Slavery and Human Trafficking Prevention Month and January 11, 2026 as National Human Trafficking Awareness Day in Pasco County. Whereas human trafficking is a crime against a person whereby through exploitation, an individual is compelled to work or engage in a commercial sex act through force, fraud, or coercion, thereby being stripped of their rights and humanity. This crime is perpetuated against men, women, and children of all races, ethnic ethnicities, and socioeconomic backgrounds. Traffickers typically use multiple means to control their victims, including beatings, rape, isolation, forced drug, alcohol dependency, withholding of documentation, and psychological and emotional abuse. And whereas the International Labor Organization conservatively estimates that over 49.6 6 million victims of human trafficking worldwide. And that this crime is second only to the illegal drug uh drug trade in the terms of speed of its growth and the profits it generates as human beings can be sold repeatedly. And whereas human trafficking has been reported in all 50 states, Florida consistently ranks third in the nation in both the number of calls made to the National Human Trafficking Hotline and the number of cases identified. In Florida in 2024, there were 832 identified cases of trafficking involving 1874 victims with 167 being children. And whereas human trafficking is occurring in Pasco County, through the Pasco County Commission on Human Trafficking, our community has united to combat this horrific crime and restore dignity to survivors by bringing together the sectors deemed critical to effectively combat human trafficking such as law enforcement, schools, welfare, nonprofits, businesses, health-based excuse me, organizations, survivors, and more. And whereas despite these dedicated local efforts, more awareness, education, and advocacy are needed to eradicate human trafficking, every resident of Pasco County is called upon to declare the exploitation of people for profit has no place in our world and that we will work together to restore freedom, dignity, and justice to all. And whereas January is annually declared as National Slavery and Human Trafficking Prevention Month and January 11th as National Human Trafficking Awareness Day. Now therefore, be it resolved by the board of county commissioners of Pasco County, Florida, that said board hereby declares January 2026 as National Slavery and Human Trafficking Prevention Month in Pasco County, Florida, and that all citizens

are encouraged to participate in education, awareness, advocacy, and prevention efforts to combat human trafficking. and resolved in regular session with a quorum president voting the 6th day of January 2026.

Approve.

Second.

All in favor say I.

I.

Any opposed?

Commission Waitman.

I hope not.

Oh, good morning everybody. Thank you for joining us on our first meeting of the year. And um as always, it's it's an honor to have to have the the team here to talk about what was accomplished last year. here and it's such a collaborative effort with the human trafficking group and working across all different spectrums of the county and different nonforprofit organizations. We have some events coming up this year which I'll let you talk about uh and I hope everybody will participate in. So uh again thank you for your continuous work. You guys are truly a leader in this space and when folks call our office we say hey call Dean here's her contact information introduce yourself. She's really, in my opinion, the subject matter expert and the leader uh in in in combating these horrific horrific crimes that take place in in our county and and beyond. So, honored to have you here this morning. Happy January. Happy 2026 in the for

Thank you so much, Commissioner Waitman, and thank you all very much for your ongoing support. We're entering our 12th year as a commission on human trafficking and I would be remiss if I did not thank you all for your ongoing support and the leadership that you have shown and commissioner Waitman, thank you for your service this last year. Um I'm joined today by members of the commission and members of county staff. Um I would just like to take a moment to thank specifically Brian Hoben and Tracy um with the county for all of their assistance. Tracy Toner, I'm sorry I just blanked on your last name. She is my right hand. We could not do the work that we do without their um assistance and support. Um I did just want to mention a few of the accomplishments that we have achieved this last year in 2025. Um and with the support of county administrators and county leadership, we were successfully able to train all county employees on human trafficking, which I think has been a goal of ours for quite some time and we were finally able to achieve that and it is now a mandated training for all county new hires. So that's going to be moving forward into perpetuity. So we're very excited about that. We were also able um to present this year at an international conference in Orlando. Shared Hope International, which is a um internationally um known conference, brings people from all over the world selected the commission to present this year. Um several of the members standing before you went and we spoke um very well attended session and one of the results of that is we've had organizations from around the country reach out to us asking us how to set up county commissions. Um, so I just literally had a phone call about a week or two ago with someone out in Texas who was interested in setting up a county commission. So our reach is growing and I'm very excited that we've had those opportunities to assist other counties across the US in setting up commissions. We provided materials for all of our firehouses this year. So they have posters, they have indicator cards, they have safe wayout cards. Um, we put new posters about sexing and sex tortion in all of our middle and high schools. Uh, Megan Harding. I would be remiss if I didn't commend her for her efforts to make that happen. Um, we trained all of the school bus drivers and all of the county uh, school support staff this year. Um, and that was a huge win for us. Um, we've also um, partnered, I'm sure you guys heard about in the news, the missing um, and endangered child operations, the rescue operations that took place over the last six months. Several members of the commission assisted with those. um Laura Henderson with Bridging Freedom, um the Pasco Sheriff's Office and myself with Bayaree assisted with those um operations. Um the most recent one, Home for the Holidays, 57 children from the Tampa Bay area were recovered um and five arrests were made. So, we were very privileged and honored to be a part of that. And we also um assisted several members with

the statewide um human trafficking report, the first of its kind, that was being issued by the USF Trafficking and Persons Lab. Um so, those are some of our big accomplishments. Um, and upcoming in 2026, we're hosting, as uh, Commissioner Weightman mentioned, uh, two events to raise awareness. They're being led by our survivor representative, Laura Henderson, um, to bring awareness to the issue of human trafficking. We are also going to be working with the Pasco School District to mandate training for all 10,000 of their employees. It's a state law now, so the district has reached out to us and we will be the entity that provides that training for all county employ or excuse me, all school district employees this year. Um, we are also supporting the firstofits-kind survivor leadership conference. Um, Kristen Bracie, who is our commission secretary, is the executive director of the Safe Alliance of Tampa Bay, and she is spearheading that effort, and we are honored to both participate in the planning and to financially support that. It is, I believe, the first of its kind national survivor conference that's taking place in Florida, and she's leading those efforts. And lastly, I um am very sad to announce that two of our founding members will be leaving us um this year. Um Ken Killian with the sheriff's office um and Corporal Alan Milkit um have both determined after 11 years of service that they'll be stepping down. And I just wanted to publicly thank them for 11 years of dedicated service. We would not have accomplished the things that we've accomplished without their participation and support. And it's personally a huge loss for for the commission and for myself personally. So, thank you again for everything that you do to support our efforts here and frankly around the state and now around the nation. So, thank you so much and happy new year.

Thank you. Thanks.

Yep. I I tell you, y'all have done wonderful things cuz when I first became a commissioner, I was a part of this group and y'all made great strides. it it just took off like gang busters and seemed like immediately you were nationally known for all the good work that you were doing here in Pasco County and it spread out a lot and it's still continuing because like you're saying you you've got people noticing and asking for information on how to do this. So y'all done it a great way. You've had a great team and I certainly appreciate everything y'all done. Thanks. And I forgot to mention the US Marshalss has we're working closely with them and their model is being replicated nationally. So we're involved in that as well. So I think that's phenomenal. The law enforcement partnerships. I forgot to mention that.

Mr. Starky.

Well, I just can't say enough for all the work that you guys do. Tough tough work. And I'm sad to hear Corporal Wil, but um he's been the face for me for so long for for the work that you do. But um thank you so much and I'm glad that we're honoring and bringing awareness to this today. So again,

okay, Commissioner Jagger.

So serving with you guys, knowing firsthand how amazing you guys are and you're so dedicated to human trafficking and I'm just proud of you guys as a board. you keep just pushing pushing through and you are just breaking through those barriers and getting information out to people and it it's just somebody sees that information you can literally save a life. So I just want to thank you guys. It gives me goosebumps just thank you so much for everything you guys do.

Thank you all for your your great work as well. Your passion shows u keep going great results and uh just a quick question. Have you noticed any drop down between maybe the immigration policies of the current president that have slowed down a flow or do you actually see that at all?

That's not something we've been involved in. So that would be the USF trafficking and persons lab. That would be a question for them. I could definitely reach out and ask that of them. They're tracking data related to that. I don't have an answer for you with that. I'm very sorry. I mean, I'm sure there's a surge in the previous four years with all the people coming in from over the border and then all the issues that were created from that, but I just didn't know if you started noticing the drop down the surge, but again, from your level, I don't know if you would, but just don't ask.

I have a question.

Commissioner Stark,

um, a couple weeks ago, my husband and I participated in a fundraiser with Sarah Mahoney. You guys know Sarah? Um, down at um, Concession. They do an annual golf tournament for uh to raise money that goes to the sheriff's offices. Um do you know how our sheriff do you know what we're doing in Pasco? It's not a lot of money. It's about 10 or $11,000 but per county.

And so what did are you asking if we received any money? If the Pasco Sheriff's Office received any money,

you know what? Maybe I'll I'll

Yeah, I'm not sure the answer to that question.

I should know if it's trickled down to you or if they use it or

Not. We have not received any. No, ma'am.

Okay. wonderful fundraiser and I will continue with it.

One last one last thing before want to thank uh county administrator and in the parks department for jumping on board with getting everybody universally trained starting last year when we discussed it and uh I know it can be a bit cumbersome to get thousands several thousand folks uh to sit down and take the test and you know particularly our parks department and Keith and his Kathy and your team engaged. So those just want to appreciate the efforts there and um and the buy in. So thank you.

Let's go picture. Thank you so much. We're going to move on to consent agenda. Um, I've got two withdrawals and one to pull and discuss. Item C30 is withdrawn. C31 is withdrawn. C27 is pulled. Any other polls for the consent agenda? Have

a motion to approve. So move.

Second.

Okay. And motion approve. All except for item C27 and the withdrawals. All in favor say I. I.

Any opposed?

Okay.

Very good. And C-27, Mr. Wait.

Yes. I just pulled C27 because it was a 42 plus million dollar item and um

yeah so thank you Barbara Hitzman HR director for Pasco County. Uh the item is the award of the wellness center contract and the reason that it is uh the 42 million is because it is a 10-year amount. So the average amount per year is approximately $3.5 million um which represents an increase from the current amount. Um but that is really because of several things. One, uh we have 33% additional members utilizing the clinic from that is actually a 12-month increase. Uh we have over 8,000 members that are eligible to use the clinic at this time. And so that is excellent because uh Jackie Carlton, who's our RN, who's really been um you know, part of that foundation of the the center, has really been um educating our employees about how to use the center more. And so that is being utilized which is fantastic. Um it does save us money in the healthare plan. Remember our average expenses for the health care plan exceed $50 million per year. And the wellness centers help to control those costs because they have direct for instance if you go to the wellness center then we're not billing insurance companies for the doctor visits. They also prescribe um prescription medication generic kinds uh no controlled substances obviously but they do have a lot of generic medications in stock. Um, and so that is uh the the reason for the amount. Um, it was uh the 10-year, it's only a 5-year contract with a renewal. And I want to point out very importantly that there is a 90-day out clause for any reason in this contract. And so if at any time we were not satisfied with this contract, we have the ability to pull and remove ourselves from uh the contract with Marathon. They are our existing provider. They've done a great job. We started this ITN process invitation to negotiate back in uh June essentially May of actually 2024 and we have been out to bid since then and uh and secured finally a contract with Marathon that we have before the board now. Is there is there while we're here and you know it's great to hear the the story be behind the wellness centers. Is there a plug that you want to put to the and any of our team members that might be listening who may be apprehensive of using the centers or or maybe not have heard that we have them if they're listening on line today while you're

Yeah. Um, we send out a lot of information um and have a lot of information on our website, but I would definitely encourage the employees to use it because um and and we do cover it in orientation for all new employees and in fact it's one of the benefits that goes into effect as soon as you become a county employee. So even though you have to wait, you know, the first of the month following 60 days for your health insurance, the wellness centers are available to our employees on day one and that is extremely helpful.

And the locations,

there's three locations and part of this part of the increase is to expand the hours of the Dade City Center. The Dade City Center is currently open Tuesday and Thursday, but we will be increasing that to Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday as part of this contract. And then we have a Land of Lakes location that is in the Hap Clark building on 41 that's open from 7 to 7 Monday through Friday and also has Saturday hours. And it also has new physical therapy services for our employees which have been going very well. Uh and then also the Newport Richie location is uh now on our campus on the westside government uh complex and that's open from 7 to 7 Monday through Friday and our utilization numbers are going way up and part of this uh increase is also an additional uh medical provider. So that's part of the part of the reason you're able to keep we've been able to keep healthare Barbara over.

Oh, I'm sorry. I'm sorry, Commissioner. Go ahead. But I think you've answered my question because I heard there was extended hours and there was going to be a new physician coming. So

yes,

it was going to help with the extra people we have that's needing that care.

There's more hours they can meet that. So I think it's a great system. I think it's worked good for the employees.

Thank you.

Okay. Mr. to Commissioner Weightman. You know, one one of the one of the things that the wellness centers allow us to do since we are a self-funded healthcare plan is that does help us keep premiums lower for employees, which we've managed to do, I know for the past past five years. Yeah.

We've kept those premiums pretty pretty tight in terms of increases and low. So, um utilizing these healthcare centers, these wellness centers will help us continue to be able to do that.

Yes. And we have additional uh services coming online including registered dietitian services this coming year as part of this contract. And we really think that uh with the weight loss medications and things that we've put into the centers that that is really going to help us control costs because obviously if we can get people healthier and you know um it affects things like diabetes and uh cardiovascular issues. So

yeah, no smoking.

Yes, exactly. smoking around.

We have a big smoker discount for non-smoker discount if you're tobaccof free and vaping free and all that.

Mr. Did did you close the one off of Ridge?

So the one Yeah, the one on Lemon Ridge and Lemon it just moved and so now it's right on the campus in the Liberty building uh on the Yeah. Right there on our campus.

Okay.

Yeah.

Convenient.

Yeah, it's a great uh very convenient.

It's it's nice to have it right there. I uh I've used it frequently. I have allergies, so I use it quite a bit and they've uh done a good job.

Uh I think it's very important to get the word out for the employees as as Mike said,

the more we use that clinic,

it helps keep the premiums down and the more we can save, the better off it is. You mentioned one thing too about rehab as well.

Yes.

Does that rehab help us if we have like any workman comp issues?

Yeah, actually specifically that was one of the reasons that we brought it on board to save a couple hundred,000 a year on workers comp and on health insurance. So, we have an physical therapist now um on site uh at Hap Clark in Land of Lakes and she works uh four or 10 hour days and she's been I think she's currently seeing around 20 or 25 patients CL you know our employees and she does a phenomenal job and uh and that is available for our employees for both workers comp uh because obviously we use our centers for occupational health and the sheriff also uses that for occupational health for workers compensation and so we expect to save a couple hundred,000 by bringing that service in house. Great move.

I have one last quick question. If you opt out of the insurance, can you still use the wellness center?

Yes.

Yep. That's because we have a lot of military personnel that are on tryare or campus and so we also allow them any full-time employee can go to the wellness center and any dependent that's on our healthcare plan.

Thank you.

Okay. All right. Thank you.

Move approval.

All in favor say I.

Any opposed? I

thank you very much.

Thank you. I have a 10:30 time certain for R58. Good morning. David Engel, planning and economic development director. It's my pleasure to be here today to present a funding request for AMSKills Incorporated. Uh just wanted to kind of lay out the the context of this um funding request. For for many years starting in early 2000s and then memorialized in the 2010 comprehensive plan in the economic element, this board has um supported and identified workforce and job skills training is a vital tool that we have in the county to improve our economic uh base and our local economy. And um at in 2014, as a result of the comp plan and the policy direction, the board um the board of county commissioners provided some seed funding to Amskills to establish a curriculum, workforce training program and and and secure some instructional equipment and um AMSKills has been funded periodically through the period of time from 2014 to 2025 and uh the board has taken additional looks looks at workforce and job skills training. In fact, we commissioned in 2024 Ernstston Young to look at what we do as a county to support our local economy. And uh their their their recommendation the board is is to almost double down on job skills training. It's it's it's almost more important than providing individual company incentives because we have a shortage uh of skilled labor in the country. Our job force is shrinking. there's less people coming into the job force. We have strict regulatory uh framework for immigration which was providing the uh people to fill the slots and we have a problem and now we're evolving and uh we're going into AI and technological applications. So the job skills training uh platform and and ecosystem is changing too. So we have to upgrade our job skills training periodically. And something that's come to my attention which is very important isn't just about providing uh jobs. So companies come to Pasco because of the job resources we have because of the skilled labor shortage. We are also changing as a as a county um from a social economic context. Since 2010 the poverty in suburban communities like Pasco County have grown by 60%. dwarfing the increase in poverty and homelessness in the cities and rural areas. The reason is is that in the urban centers, valuations and real estate have been propped up. There's been a lot of redevelopment. There's been a major displacement because of lack of financing and affordability in the urban core and and reducing and eliminating housing. So, where does it go? It's been pouring into the suburbs. That's why we've had this huge surge of homelessness and poverty. Also, wages haven't been keeping up with the cost of living. So, we have a lot of households uh in the area that have slipped into poverty, not unintentionally, just a matter of course. And job schools training is really the answer because it allows us to get people that are making below the medium wage in the county and

get them upskilled and trained to support the new businesses and expanding businesses coming in. So, there there's a a nexus of connectivity with all of this. And um right now AMS Skills is exploring the evolution and the ecosystem that I just mentioned to you before and we've identified some areas where um there's strong need and demand and that's technical training. Um most recently uh Commissioner Mariano had a meeting in his uh that he had asked for and we met with uh a substantial automotive group 77 dealerships. The biggest problem that the automotive industry is having is securing and attracting skilled mechanical labor. They call them technicians. Now, um Amskills has also identified need for for helping out our facilities and public entities and private entities. There's Moffett. There's the county and there's the there's a there's the educational institutions that require maintenance staffing. There's a variety of opportunities. And thirdly, um, because of the nature of the evolving ecosystem, Amskills has brought in new leadership. We have a new interim CEO who, uh, took a company almost like a Huelet Packer story out of his house and made it into one of our most exciting, biggest employment industries here in the county. They have a new chairman, Joe McGee. And Joe is a critical person because he's had many years of experience in publicly uh traded uh um organizations like Jill Circuit. So he knows a lot about corporate governance. He knows a lot about business plan development. And at that this juncture um I'd like to just identify that Amskills is requesting $375,000 out of the penny for Pasco. This will allow them to support the administrative and planning process to get to the next level and evolve their programming. Um, there are stipulations here. They can't use the money for increasing in wages or hiring new people until they produce that business plan and the new product line and allow the board to review that and consider any any future funding down the road. So, at this juncture, I'd like to invite Mr. Peter Bazinski, the new CEO of Amskills to present where Amskills is at and where they're going directionally. Thank you.

Thank you, David.

And we have the other gentlemen,

Mr. McGee

and and uh

Oh, wow. Look at this.

So, good morning.

Morning. So, um yeah, um I'd like to introduce um Joe McGee, who Mr. Angel mentioned. Joe uh has uh gosh had 1993 he started with Jable multiple different VP positions there senior VP executive VP um um Vgo Nielsen has been with that huge building along the Sun Coast Expressway Metler Toledo general manager there for what 13 years 17 years so um appreciate the opportunity to be here this morning because this is uh we're all very very passionate about um the program AM skills and not just in general AMP skills but just um providing you know solutions to the workforce uh challenges. I don't know if you guys can hear me. Um so um I have a statement prepared and I'm going to try to wing this as well because I don't want to take up too much time. There's a lot of important points. Um we really appreciate first and foremost the support that the county has given us. you know, it's been going on about 10 years now and there's been um uh challenges, cultural challenges with um companies basically even accepting the whole apprenticeship model that we started with. Um so, uh but we've been pushing through that. The county support has helped us to develop strong programs and a really great facility. uh we've developed boot camps which is basically the high school and home school programs as well as the internships developed for Pasco utilities. They made a great impact on people's lives and also helped show high school kids that there are alternatives to college. The impact of taking an an an at risk person from an unproductive existence and giving them the confidence to seek and obtain employment in manufacturing is not only a benefit to that person but also his or her family, kids, the employer needing help and the country. It's amazing to see how many people we've touched and just given them hope and just um taking them off of uh at risk situations, you know, possible incarceration, etc., and they're productive um and buying homes etc. Um but over the past year, Amskills has experienced a significant transition. Several major grants concluded funding availability declined and employer contributions were delayed beyond state timelines resulting in the reallocation of previously approved equipment. So in response, AMPskills implemented leadership changes. Um, as Mr. Engel mentioned, I came on as interim CEO. Interim may be six months, maybe three years. We'll see what that is.

That's the first time I heard you say that.

Is this is this being recorded? Is this on record?

This is this is live and taped.

bureaucracy. in in essence though that we can actually question okay why is there for example no why is there no curriculum alignment you know with CTE across the different school systems and if we could do that we're actually pushing to do that now and um we have a curriculum that uh if this if a high school is using this currently it actually applies towards 50% of their industrial maintenance technician timing. So it basically cuts their time down by 50%. So once they're out of high school, it's essentially a dual enrollment enrollment program. So one, you get that person into a higher paying wage um in half the time and an employer gets to hire them and get them functional also within a shorter time period. So um one of the words that keeps coming up is alignment, you know, and we're we're really focused on aligning public policy. I'm I'm sorry, policy alignment. Um, this investment directly implements policy 1.1.1 of the economic element of the Pasco County comprehensive plan, which calls for the county to coordinate with and support economic and workforce development partners to achieve workforce alignment. Ampskill is exactly the type of partner envisioned in that policy strategic consistency. As Mr. Angel mentioned, the Earnest and Young economic growth program strategy emphasizes workforce alignment as a prerequisite for quality growth. AMS skills provides the execution arm of that strategy connecting employers, training and residents in a coordinating resultsdriven way. I would say that's probably our biggest difference differentiator. And somebody asked who is AMP skills? What do we do different than a uh than a uh vocational school? Well, our difference is our industry connection and with teaching the practical skills not just at AMSkills but also engaging the employer as part of the educational solution. that is really our our focus. So, um so it's also understandable if some of the commissioners are asking if this is good money after bad. Uh we're here to tell you that that is not. Um the funds spent until today should be considered the investment that we should now start to see the return on and we are seeing the return on. The journey has been with more twists and turns than expected, but we have learned a lot and also helped a lot of people and companies along the way. So the bottom line, the financial investment in Amskills directly implements the county's adopted economic development strategy and comprehensive plan by strengthening workforce training capacity in high demand technical and skill trades. The funding is non-recurring, tightly restricted, fully auditable, and structured to deliver measurable workforce alignment outcomes while protecting public funds and limiting county risk. So, um, appreciate your patience in hearing all that, but um, so opening up to questions.

Questions from I want to thank you guys for coming today. I don't know if Joe say anything, but I I can tell you these guys uh have given up a lot of their um time over the last six weeks. Um I know I've heard especially from Joe about these eight hours uh meetings um realigning and and kind of refocusing AM skills and um I'm very excited for what the outcomes are going to be from all this work. Um what we're asking for today, I originally wanted to um ask for it from our our um what do we call that money? Kind of a our overage money that we've had returned from our constitutionals and some other money. Um we have I think now we even with the sheriff we're up to a million dollars of unbudgeted ex kind of extra money if you recall. Um um Senator Fisano used to come in before you. I don't think he's come in since you've been here. And he'd be give us some money back and say I want you to direct a couple hundred thousand here or there. So that was the original thought that I had um with this one time um help to get all this work done um while we are um working on another plan. And uh but talking with David and and Mike, they felt that we really where we really do belong is in economic development.

That is what MS skills is all about is economic development and um helping one our local companies find the workforce they need to expand. I can tell you pharma works would not have been able to expand and grow the way they did without the uh help that ampskills has given them. And I don't six or seven of our I don't know how many are there now but

yeah and and honestly when we moved into the county in 2004 uh again um manufacturing wasn't even a subject at the point it was construction and so we really appreciate uh Miss Starky's interest in manufacturing and that and taking us by the hand getting us involved with different programs and um yeah we we um so I I've seen the European model on apprenticeships and we actually were working on a program internally before even Amskll started and we got involved in the beginning but we have an amazing rock stars that come through the program and that's something that we're we understand it as a company uh other companies don't necessarily their role in that but but these individuals are um just amazing success success stories very well-rounded as a company we can move them into different positions it's just not your typical educational model but They um one of the great stories is one of the kids was um but he he we shipped him off to Ireland to do some work and he was so young he couldn't even rent a car yet he was teaching other seasoned individuals on

this is one of our high school graduates at who at what 21 years old had been to I don't know how many countries working on farmer works equipment repairing them overseas amazing opportunities

that's amazing it is amazing so

the other the other um thing I want you all to remember is that we use Amskills as a tool to bring companies here. You heard it from Beduko, you heard it from Gary Plastics, you've heard it from other industries that um when they're looking for a place to land, they want to know where their workforce is coming from. So, it's such a powerful story for us to be able to tell that we have a we have an opportunity here where we can customize training or or or do whatever it is that they need in order to um help the workforce grow. And that's how we got Metler Toledo here. I went down and visited them with uh um our um county administrator Michelle Michelle. We went down and to their old offices down by the airport and they were looking at moving I think to Charlotte or somewhere but we were able to say hey we have this this kind of program we can help you and um so I hope you will look favor favorably on this this ask. It's not it's not the uh it's not unprecedented for us to give money for workforce training. I'm looking at the um cooperative funding agreement with the Pasco Hernando Workforce Board and we're giving them $2 million for workforce training. Um and um that's on top of millions of dollars we've given them in the last few years for workforce training. So um we also give money to PEEDC for workforce training. Um, and I would stand up every penny that we spend at AMS Skills to um to train someone versus, you know, the return on investment versus the the other folks that we give some money to. So, it's a very important part of what we do here in the county. And I just

And may I add also as well, we're actually excited about this shift because this we've we've done a deep dive and I can tell you the passion from the board members that are here and others. Um because we're a smaller organization, we could pivot quickly and just and we sit on different multiple boards. So different 501c3s. One of the questions was, okay, what about some of the other 501c3 CP3s, like the individuals that were just here speaking on I came in late, but on on human trafficking. I love the fact that we're bringing individuals like that, organizations like that into our pipeline, giving them opportunities. At Amskills, for example, we've got the county incubator incubator right there. And we're bringing these individuals in, learning skills. they can they can start a new career right through the program and bring them in whether they're special needs individuals. Joe is extremely passionate about bringing that in as as I am as well giving them opportunities for growth um orphans all the and that's basically um so that's it's very interesting and exciting time I believe if you're from what maybe the way that skills has been operating to how we're looking forward to to making it move forward as well. So I don't know Peter if I could have any words to say or

if I if I Peter if I could.

Yes.

I want I want to talk and I want I definitely want to hear from the other Joe and and VGO as well. Great. Great.

So I I'll say I met you back in 2004. Um and at the time I was on the Tampa Bay partnership and we they had a shortage of 32,000 jobs just in the area. Uh the other day when I had seen on Fox News they had the CEO of Ford talking about how there's hundreds of thousands of jobs that they can't fill in their own industry period and they wanted to come forward. So Larry Morgan from the Morgan Auto Group brought in this guy who works closely with all the schools in the whole area wants to work even closer with us here and they were in the meeting with us to talk talk it through about what we can do for potential as well as that end with auto dealers and those technicians which I think is a critical thing for us to take a look at and opportunities to get them to help fund and participate in which they do now anyway. Uh you got air conditioning, plumbing, electrical, all things that we can go in. And I'll say the building you have down there, you've actually got space off to the side. Uh as we looked at it, and they were very excited about this. You know, if you got someone in from human trafficking, you may have someone who's coming in from overseas or or down up north that are trying to move down here, they need a place to live while they're going to get trained. And I think if we look at closely at that community development block grant disaster recovery money, we could say let's go put a building there, maybe some one-bedroom units, maybe some two bedrooms, three bedrooms for those with a family that are trying to make a move and try to create a career for themselves to come forward.

Uh I'm looking forward to that to be funded separately so it doesn't affect what we're talking about here today.

But again, it'll make it better for us. And I think if we do that, that makes a statement nationwide about here's what Pasco is doing. If we're going to try to recruit, it's another big thing. When we first looked at the penny for Pasco years ago, there was nothing in it for economic development. Not to mention, it was about transportation, some other infrastructure, um helping the the courts. I mean, the the the sheriff with his vehicles, and it helped with the school board. That's what the focus was. In the second round is when economic devel came in. I was very happy to see it. I don't know where the push was coming from, but I I was asking for it and it happened. So whatever it was, this force was going on. It was great to see

amended it.

State to allow

for the first from the first penny to the second penny state statute added economic development as one of the things you could do with

Yeah. So So that's what the trigger. Okay. So anyway, so you're trying to make it happen. It there it goes magically coming coming together. So with all that said, there's so much future going on and I will say with the penny for Pasco, this is exactly what we talked about trying to do for people to try to create jobs. So as far as like applicability for money, I wouldn't take it out of the general fund. I want to take right out of Penny for Pesco where it should come from and go and I'm and I'm looking I want to hear more from you guys from the things I just talked about to even what more things you can do. Not only just like today, I want to look at the long-term future. What we're going to do to bring more jobs, train more people, improve our workforce, and like Dave Dave Engel said, take people living here right now and let's get them out of poverty by giving them good quality training so they can get good jobs. If you would elaborate on that, I appreciate it.

Oh, it's it's it's all about exposure. You don't know what you don't know. And we're we're we've got career advisors sitting in schools that are advising our students where to go and they never set foot in the industry. So, we host them at Ampskills. We we give them tours of local companies, advising them, exposing individuals through our boot camps. Uh for those that may not know what a boot camp is, essentially it's a two-week job fair where they're learning different skills and they're being assessed and an employer is invited to be involved and they get um basically uh they get interviewed at that same time, but it's exposing them to skills that they may not even know that they had. So, I don't know who else is doing things like that. And it's just um you know Jack you're you're thinking much bigger than we are even right now you know for what what uh what the opportunities are out there but the fundamental foundations that we're teaching through industrial maintenance technician it applies across the board. Troubleshooting who knows how to do that these days you know everything is you know we're throwing things away nobody's fixing things and nobody's teaching that. And so that's where we're tying in industry to be that educational partner besides us. And that's really the difference is really providing those found fund fundamental foundational skills. So

um one of the things I want let me just say this real quick um to remind everyone is that we are we have expanded this year into three high schools across the county. Um we are in um Angelene

Kirkland

and Kirkland Ranch and um

Ank High School

and working with Zephr Hills and and folks over on the east side about how to bring manufacturing training for all those companies that are starting to set up on the east side.

Yeah.

So

Commissioner Wy.

So this is going to sting a little bit.

Okay. But before I start, you have no more passionate person, and I wholeheartedly mean this, Commissioner Starky. Commissioner Starky brought this thing to Speaker Weatherford back when Ralph and I worked for him a long time ago as a passion project, right? and the the amount of work and passion and time that you have in building and helping to build and capture funding and everything that that's made AMS Skills a reality is commendable and honorable and fantastic and I know it's a it's a passion project for you and I'm sensitive to the remarks I'm about to make and it does not negate the work in the leader that Amskills has had of Commissioner Starky. And so I'll start with this. The road to hell is paved with good intentions. Meaning good intentions alone aren't enough. Actions matter. Good intentions without follow through can lead to negative outcomes. highlighting the importance of doing rather than just meaning to do good, which Amskills has done. Seemingly, Amskills has been a bad deal to the taxpayer at all levels of government. This county alone has given over 2.2 million to the organization. Still owes our county 150,000, owes our taxpayers $150,000. I do not know how much money that this organization has received from the federal level of government. I do not know if the 2.2 million includes CDBG funds that has been given to this government. I don't know how much the state, aside from what the initial appropriation was 10 years ago, has given to this organization. The intentions are good. It's an upside down investment for our our county taxpayer. And this is a bailout.

Let's just say what it is. It's a bailout. And gentlemen, I commend you for the work that you're trying to do. But there comes to a point we have to look ourselves in the mirror and say this juice is not worth the squeeze. I don't know what the answer is. It's tough, right? And this is a tough conversation to have because every in my three years on this board, every pot of money that a not for-profit can organization apply for, I've seen Amskill's name and somehow Amskills has gotten there. And sometimes they don't even fit within the qualifications, but I see Amskills's name, which leads me to believe and question that it's appetite for funds is greater than the output. We've never been told how much it's we've paid all the public dollars, the public dollars alone, how much it's cost per head just for the training. How much the public has paid for the folks that have just received a job. It's been probably a very significant dollar amount. As much as probably what a four-year degree probably costs based on my estimates. Incredibly high. And so I'm incredibly concerned with giving the organization any more public funds. Three years MSKILL was supposed to be off the government dole when it was founded. We're 10 years down the road and its only reason to survive is off the public. And that tells me that's not a not successful not for profofit. You're a not for-p profofit but you're a business and you're relying solely upon the taxpayer to keep you afloat. While your intentions are good, we're all business people here. That investment concerns me and it should concern our taxpayer and the return that we are not seemingly getting on that investment. And it's not due I don't understand. This organization has received a pile of money, millions of dollars to stand it up. And why it's in this position, I do not know. I'm just concerned and very apprehensive to give it one more dollar of public funding,

especially when you're already owed 150k that can't seem to pay back. I think my points are fair.

It's tough.

You have a big ask here, Commissioner Starky. I love you. You have done tremendous, tremendous work to make this organization to get to where it is. And um but with that, that's the reality of the situation we're in. I knew this was going to sting a little bit. But I'm leaving leaving it up to you guys to to make the sale, you know.

Well, if I may, and I appreciate and all we all do. We all appreciate I know VGO's itching to to to say Go ahead. I've got

comments. I I totally understand and respect your your views because it certainly has been a winding road. Uh it's a startup, but it's been a startup for too long. There's there's no doubt about it. And that's why I think you're seeing the changes uh we're making, right? Uh the the uh a lot of what what AMSKills is about is maybe not visible enough. We certainly has not been visible enough to the manufacturers. We've had a tough time getting them to engage with us in in really developing the the uh apprenticeship program. We're now finally getting uh up on the road with 10 apprentices coming in from three different turbant companies. It's taking a long time uh and and it's taking too long. I think uh sometimes investments you know you you you think the money is is wasted but it really isn't. It has gone into building an experience, building a knowhow about what we can do and what we should do and what we probably shouldn't be doing. I I'll mention again the the uh the uh boot camp uh program because I think it's such an amazing uh thing that really to your point Peter it should be expanded across Florida. It should be expanded across the US. taking taking uh

not offering but to your point.

Yeah.

What should it cost per student?

Excuse me.

What's a reasonable cost per student

to go through UK if the government if the taxpayer is going to subsidize your work?

Right.

What should it cost the taxpayer per student per outcome for whether they get a job or if they're just training?

I think it's a

what should that number be? 20,000 ahead. I think a better way to look at it is is there a return on investment?

So far, no.

Right. No, that's we have hundreds of people working in companies around the

VO has the floor. Let me go.

Let me go through that a little bit. So,

I I really invite you and a lot of you have been to the uh to the boot camp and especially the boot camp graduations. It is a almost touching uh event where you hear people that didn't have a clue that they could become productive members of society that never really had a chance to use their hands in a productive way. Maybe they had a a job at at a McDonald's years ago and now they kind of given up. Somehow they got into the boot camp and over two weeks they the light bulb goes on and say, "Hey, I I can actually do things. I can put stuff together. I can make a light bulb go on when I make the the connections." We have a a a fantastic program where over those two weeks, not only do they get training, but they get evaluated a a much much deeper evaluation than any recruiting company will ever do. And they are then presented to the employees in their neighborhood. Say, "Hey, come and interview these 25 guys." is typically 25 20 to 25 guys that go through the boot camp and they get interviewed and they get hired and some of the stories are really amazing. I mean homeless people that end up being supervisors buying homes uh having their kids join the program. Obviously it's something we have to expand the payback. I mean we have we have made return on investment calculations. it is of course a lot more than 20,000. If we take a person that was otherwise going to be under the door for the rest of his life or her life uh and getting them into a productive environment especially when there's a need for people to to uh to in in the hands-on on jobs I think that program alone but we have to become a significant asset to the county. When we made the decision to move from Tampa, there was a lot of pressure from from Hillsboro County for us to stay down there. The mayor came to uh to us and spent several hours trying to convince us to stay there.

This is a reason that we went here was the floor.

The the reason we went here was the environment we saw in Pasco. the the reach out and the the willingness to work with us as a company. At that time, we we didn't use Amsklls very much because there was, you know, this several years ago and Ampskills were barely getting uh on the board. But we had the problem. We had to hire 200 people in a matter of six months. And you can imagine how many times we made an error, how often because we we take them in, interview him for an hour and say, "Yeah, you're good enough." Ampskills and the boot camp can prevent present you with a document say here's what this guy is good at. I mean, it is a very unique very unique program that I hope we can expand and also take outside the the limits of of of the community here.

Um, Sure.

Yeah. Uh I'm very new to ARM skills and uh I come from a different world. So you know I probably ran about 24 billion uh in 95 countries. We've just started on analysis of a contribution margin analysis of every course. There are eight courses six of which pay for themselves to the problem you've got with that course. I'll then go into my world which is economic warfare. We move companies all over the world. We move them where we find people. You don't have people in Pasco. You don't get companies. So when you look at a contribution margin analysis, it might cost us 30,000 to train someone. What happens if they have a job for 10 years and pass? What's the benefit of it? We don't calculate that. But you should be that should be your economic development plan. So we don't have I think an analysis that says this is the benefit of this training to you and this community for this period of time.

We owe that to you. We should have those metrics. We don't

actually Joe if I could

I've got some data from when we're down there at the seminars the graduations and matter of fact the banquet

and just to help you with that because this was was on the sheet.

Okay. The manufacturing jobs program, 5-year economic impact. Jobs created 192 people. Retention rate 80% retained. That's huge.

That's huge.

Workers retained 154 people. Annual wage 36,000 per week. Per worker. Total wages 16.34 million. Industry multiplier 49 million. That's the economic impact of what we put into it. There's a pathway program. They've got a a a credentials issued and you guys might be able to help me because I'm just reading from what I see of a picture. It says I think it's NC3 1,152 um NIMS 115 Ready to Work Florida 92 MSSC 57 uh Select Automation Certification Alliance 51. Now, you only know this if you go and see. And I'm going to tell you, I'm glad you're giving Commissioner Starky all the props.

But as I said, I met Peter back in 2004. We were down at Coastal Queson. I was the representative from the board of county commissioners. She was a schoolboard representative. We were both fired up on it. And one thing I've learned in life,

when you get someone who's pushing hard at something and especially on this board, you just fuel that person, give them encourage, let them go. So when she took the reign to go push this for economic development going to see you guys, I let it go because I knew she'd be able to drive it. And what she has done is not only good for the board, but think about the individual families. One of the people that was there for the utilities workshop that we had. There was a father that was there. His son has just graduated. The father had just taken the course because his son encouraged him. His job was on the line. Maybe keep the job, maybe not. His father came in and got the training, too. And now he's got a better future than what he would have had. what we're doing here is creating jobs. And and I'll tell you something, think about what I told you what I start when I started off Tampa Bay Partnership. They don't want a part of anything, right? They just want to help jobs get created. And we had that shortage 32,000 jobs years ago. It's even higher. We've got Ford that wants to come in the mix. We got all the other people that want to commit. These three right here, these are three superstars. If they say we want to see it, just with what they've got for a resume, you should be jumping on board 100% saying let's go. We're going to get these leaders. We're going to go and I'm going to tell you, I'm not even stop stopping here. I'm looking to do help them expand the Hudson area that needs the jobs that uh Gary Pl's worried about filling. We filled them all up. I want to go take that industrial park up in Hudson, Hicks Road. I want to go put AMP skills right in there, which is right near two high schools, 5A and Hudson, where they can actually go train, work with the school system to come in. What we've got here is a gem. What we have is three tremendous leaders. We need to get behind these guys. And your people voted for economic development. And you can just by that data I just showed you, that alone says you're getting return on investment. And the people said they wanted jobs. They still want jobs.

Chair Commission, Commissioner Waitman. me after I app I appreciate the passion in the debate. I agree with everything that everybody is saying. I agree with the nicities and the feel-good stories. Put out on a spreadsheet. That's what I'm down to. I'm boilerplating this investment. And how long are you guys going to stick around to manage this next chapter of where we're at in this program? You're solely This is a government. This is a government Pasco County pretty much like ETC. We're 80% of their budget.

You're essentially working for the board of county commissioners. You have a little bit more flexibility, right? But we're funding the operation. Our taxpayer is funding the operation. The metrics I speak for me, want to start seeing outcomes. What it cost per head? What's it going to, you know, why isn't the p, if this is so great, why is the public sector outf funding the private sector? Where's the skin in the game from the private? Just like in North Carolina, the consortium that was privately done and that was the foundation of AMSKills here that gone in North Carolina 10 years ago. The consortium in North Carolina were those were private companies

privately funded, not publicly funded,

laser focused on their needs. You guys, the not for-profit business, not you guys, the organization is relying on the public dole for 10 years after a three-year commitment to get off. Sell me, sell me, you only need three votes, so it doesn't matter. But sell me the fact that that why isn't the public sector jumping in or the private sector jumping like the public sector is and why you continue to need funding. I know the nices, but the metrics have to be there. I'm not saying no to your funding request.

I'm just laying it out there because it's been 10 years and you've seen things over over the course of time that make people raise an eyebrow and I want to have confidence and the new leadership team is going to be around is going to take and I'm a stickler. I'm no this is no secret the way I am in not for-p profofit funding and the taxpayer money. I'm I'm a stickler. I'm not exciting. I pro I know I upset people. So this is not new. You're not alone. But there needs to be some safeguards and some parameters here

and quarterly updates. Something needs to happen and a true commitment from you and your board members because

it's gone on for far

before Peter before you spond I want to I want to just touch on something real quick.

I want you to think back to when we and I go back 20 years when I ran first time all about economic development constituent service. That was it. I focused on that. I want to see industrial impreserved, want to create jobs. I put myself on or I asked to get on I got on EDC right off the bat and we said all those employment centers all around to create jobs all the corners of I75, Sun Coast Parkway, US19 where we could try to create jobs to come into this county and stay. Those are the quarters we're going to focus on. When we're on there, the EDC was funded privately. The county put money into it. When we got the economic development money, the EDC wanted to make sure that they kept the funding the same and they brought in more private money and they did. But over years, we've still increase the money that you've been part of all the way through.

So EDC's been on the dole for at least 20 years and it's probably like 30 years by now. So they're on the public do and they're getting a lot more money and controlling a lot more money and are you want to step away from that? No,

I don't. I

I'm No, no, no. Stop. I'm I'm talking right now.

You just talked about how they run the public dole, etc., etc. Well, EDC is done. PEDC said the same thing and they have no sign to go off and they're not going to go off and we keep approving the budget to go through because they're creating jobs. That's what the people voted for when they voted for the penny for Pasco second time, third time. They want to see it. The people said, "I want jobs." And if we get a vehicle that EDC is working, doing a great job, beautiful. And they are these guys here not only have done a a very good job and as I say what I just saw was on a billboard that's in there when you walk into the M skills building it's right there every single time. I didn't

just go pull this thing up. It's right there to show you what they're doing. So I would go down there take a look. Go down and look at the even the place where I said we can go build some housing for these people so when they're getting trained if they're coming from here there or if they're human traffked they can have a place to live while they're getting trained and get those jobs together. Remember that one lady that was unemployed, human traffic, she went through AMS, she's now making 46 grand a year. Those stories are out there many, many times and you can see them even our own utility people down there. It's a big deal. Commission, you haven't spoken yet. Yeah, I was just um thinking about, you know, what Amskill has done over the years and I'm I'm a bit disappointed that they haven't done more because I'm for creating business that creates jobs for people in our county and and nearby counties. But the results have not shown up to be great in this and that's why we're here today like we are. But I was sitting here listening to each of you. I really feel that we've got the right team together. And you know yourselves, if the work you start and manage from this point forward doesn't work, then it's going to go away. And I don't I don't think any three of you would like to lose at anything. I personally don't like to lose.

Yes. But I mean, you you're going to put your best effort forward. So I'm willing to take a chance.

Thank you. for it to go forward and make something out of something that's really good, but make it bigger than what we've seen in the past and and get better results.

Absolutely. And there's a term that we're throwing around right now is Amskills 2.0. So, it's it's internal, but um it's out there now and Commissioner Weightman, we totally understand. There's been a history which there's a reason also that we're here now and we're heavily engaged. We have nothing to gain individually for this, but we there's a reason that we're standing here because we see that the direction not only for the county, but the country, the way things are going, um it's just it's not working. Um I will tell you this, there's an organization called PMMI, packaging machinery manufacturers institute and they basically it's one of the largest um organizations out there that deals with uh basically they say anything around the room has been either packaged or processed tremendous amount of members. Their number one issue and it has been for years now is talent talent development. And they went around the country at one point they looked at all the different programs and they made a decision at one point to replicate MS skills. That's how much that's how impressed they were by it. They ran into some regional issues with that. But and and when you mentioned North Carolina, the region the reason that that demographic happened to work, they had a few large companies there, European companies also that understood the program. We're dealing with a demographic here which is over 90% of our manufacturers have less than 50 people. So that's those are the small companies that we're having to deal with as well. So, it's a different it's a different model that we have here that we continue to push the string because we believe in it. But I can tell you this, the reason again that we're standing here right now is that we're dedicated to make this work. We've done I Mr. angle was promised a business plan four weeks ago and I'm losing sleep every night because we've been working so hard on this because we're doing such a deep dive and I'm not going to present anything unless it's transparent and I welcome you at one point to look at we're very close to numbering all the numbers all the return on investment that that has been done um it's a lot of data crunching etc that we're doing internally and uh so we have a business plan that's close this funding is going to help us to promote that go further with that. But we're we're wanting to be held accountable at this point. Like I said, there's nothing to hide. There's there's transparency with the numbers and we welcome that. So,

um

yeah, go ahead, John. And then I will

Thank you.

Yeah. Commissioner Wman, I would tell you the first thing I would look at is metrics

and coming on it's tough to get the metrics. So, there's the first issue you've got and tying those metrics to what is the benefit of that investment. Um, I could argue with you that we could be here in a quarter's time asking for more money because the economic development benefit of what we're doing is so significant you would want to fund it. But we have to prove that to you with metrics and right now we are struggling to find those metrics. So that's what we've been doing for the last four weeks. We're almost there. We've gone through every course, looked at contribution margin analysis, figured out which ones are profitable, which ones are not, the ones are not, why are they not, where's the funding coming from, we've looked at donations, we've got people offering us substantial donations, but it's not sustainable as a business plan, right? You got sponsorship. So, there's elements, there's pockets of different funding that come. One would argue the largest beneficiary of this investment is Pasco. And if it is, you should pay. It's as simple as that. But we have to prove it. We have to prove it and we have to convince it to you because you guys have money to spread around to create economic development. Which one's giving you the best bang for the buck?

Chairman, please.

No, I was real quick. No, I was

Hold on. Hold on. Commissioner G hasn't spoken yet. So, I'm going to let her go.

I asked to go after him.

That's fine. Hey, so how long will it take you to get the rest of this data together?

We're we're literally I'd say we've been working throughout the whole Christmas holiday, you and I. So we're we're very very close. Okay. So I mean I could say days away practically, but u

a couple weeks I think we have a meeting.

Take your time. Do it right. I guess that's why

Mr. hasn't received it yet. So,

so should we table this to vote on it after they get their data?

We we really need this to help keep some of our

I mean, if we're only days away and our next meeting is in two weeks. I mean, what could it hurt anything?

Won't hurt anything. However, at this point in time, I'm going to say with the these three superstars, I want to do everything to encourage them because I'm looking for expansion as well. I mean, as I told you, Larry Morgan, his group, the Ford CEO, they want to see stuff happen. I've got air conditioning, electric companies, all want to come in. You've got opportunities to get some housing in there to make it even better for your training. I I I'm a full believer and I'm ready to go with it right now and and look for you to even come back with something to say. I want you to come back in like three or four more months and say, "Here's what else we can go do. What else do you want to do?"

Let let me talk a bit about the a little bit about the future. Um, first of all, Commissioner Weightman, um, almost all technical schools, they're all publicly funded. We we we are one of the few who's going after private funding, but every technical school is publicly funded. PEC, Marchman, um, I don't know, you know, the community colleges, those are publicly funded. They are, they are not money makers. Um, we have coming um and and I know I know it's some of this talk was very technical but industrial maintenance technician is did I say it right? Um, this is where we are going to shine and I can't tell you how big the need is. Pasco County is going to be taking advantage of it. Tampa Bay Water is taking advantage of it. They cannot find their employees. um US water. As a matter of fact, Tampa Bay Water has brought in their state association people because the whole state needs this training. They're all having troubles. All the a bunch of little cities, they need this training. Um talking to the uh Moffett and I was with Jamie Wilson yesterday, um Spiros and and uh Advent Health and all of them, they need training. this industrial maintenance technician to run their hospitals. They are coming in to meet with us for training programs to take to service all the hospitals that are here in the county and maybe beyond. So, I think we're on the verge again of of really turning a big corner, but we needed we needed this kind of business mentality input for the metrics. and I am so confident in this team and and what the future holds for us. Um, and as far as funding goes, I want to remind you that we have the CDBGDR money. Part of that money goes to economic development and and we we have been working with Kathy and Chuck and we will compete along with anyone else for that economic develop a little part of that economic development money and I believe that is going to be the big bridge that doesn't affect you know that helps us move on and get these programs set for the east side west side for for our school children. Um, so I I'm really excited about this next year.

All right, Commissioner Wman.

So, Commissioner Mariano is right for the record. When people voted for the penny, people voted for economic development. They did not vote to have their money wasted, mismanaged, and misspent.

That is what they did not vote for.

No.

Nope. Just I'm speculating.

It's not fair to say I cannot let it sit. Say it was

mismanaged. Generally, generally you have a chance to come back. That is an opinion.

Generally, generally speaking,

it has not been mismanaged or wasted.

The taxpayer,

the taxpayer expects us as their fidiciary to ensure accountability on every dollar, every cent this government takes in and how it is spent. So, Commissioner Mariano threw a little punch at me, which is fun from time to time. I love our sparring days. people did vote in this county for the penny for economic development and jobs. They were crystal clear. However, they are crystal clear about is they don't want their their money mismanaged and misspent and it's incumbent upon us. We have to own it because we dole it out. We make votes and we spend their money. And so, we're accountable to them just as the organizations we give money to need to be accountable to us because we're their fidiciary. We're the representative. So, I just wanted to make that point clear on the on the record. And you know, you guys have come a long way. Crew AM Skills has been here a long time. It's established. Its name is known. People have really put their blood, sweat, and tears into the organization. And um, you know, I like Commissioner Joerger's point to wait a couple more weeks if that doesn't hurt you guys to see what your findings are before the investment. But, you know, the taxpayers do say they want investment in in economic development and jobs in this in this county. And so, and you're you're one of those one of those options and the accountability for for them need need to be there.

Yep. Command hang sorry.

All right. I have some of the same feelings that Mr. Wayman have about the issues in the past and all and AMSkill and the word of Amskuel and it just excites me. But I' I've looked for results and I've never seen I've seen a few results but not a lot of results. But the fact of it is I think you got the right team together here and I think it's better for us to move forward with a motion and I'll make that motion that we approve this with the stipulation that he bring to us a plan ahead that David Engel and administration agree that fits what we want to happen in this and that it move forward. When that plan gets ready, you present the plan and if it falls in line with everything we're asking for and the safeguards in there to protect the money and and actually protect yourselves and what you're doing and being able to do the right thing, I think we should just continue then just go on go forward.

Do we have a motion?

I second that motion.

All right. Any further discussion?

Mr. Mr. Chairman, just to get clarification, that includes uh the authorization for the chairman to execute the two original agreements that are in your package that would create MET fund.

Correct.

Yes.

Thank you.

Motion and second. Any further discussion?

I just want to say under discussion, I I don't mind approving the money if we wait just two weeks and see what the numbers are. That's all I'm asking for is for two weeks. I don't think that's a make or break. I don't think I don't think that's much to ask for two weeks.

And I'm going to say the reason I'm going to call for the vote and just go go with the vote is I have so much faith in these guys. The MKL's mission I think is going to just elevate and go stronger and stronger. All in favor say I.

I. Any opposed?

Nay.

Reluctantly, cautiously, I'm going to vote yay.

Well, hello.

But we need to have You didn't let me finish. There's a lot of public money invested in this organization. Millions of dollars of the public funds invested in you. In my opinion, you're their last hope. One shot. And I'm voting yes. And I hope y'all don't make this look silly. And I wish y'all the best of luck in taking on this challenge.

All right. Motion passes 4 to one. Gentlemen, thank you very much. Good luck. Look forward to the

luck. Guys, I left off two things. one and thanks guys. One of the reasons I have been so passionate about this is because I believe manufacturing jobs need to come back to America. That is really one of the reasons I personally I get no benefit from this. Matter of fact, I put my name out there all around the country on the line for a skills but these jobs need to come back to America. And I like to tease Joe because Joe was responsible for a lot of those jobs going overseas. um working for Jable, one of the world's largest manufacturers. Okay. He put plants in how many countries?

95.

Yeah. 95 countries. And so this is Joe's penance now that he's an American citizen is to help us strengthen our manufacturing base because we're not a strong country if we can't make our stuff our own stuff. We really And if co didn't show you that, oh my god. Second, we just in invested in Tampa Bay Waves grant for with the EDA to be a defense manufacturing hub here in Tampa Bay. I was at their big uh event last week um and I met different um defense contractors there and in Jack in your district. I just went to the St. times property and met with a bunch of our staff and a a manufacturer who's um looking to one is here and the other one's coming here. Metler to I asked you how many CNC machines are at Metler to

six to eight.

It's about eight and 10.

Yeah. this company 30 CNC machines 30 they're they have to bring in there to work for the our United States military establishment and so and they have more opportunity to bring more defense companies here so they got to get their workforce so we are going to be just rocking and rolling in the next few years I'm very excited

okay

gentlemen thank I wanted to thank them for

okay gentlemen thank thank you Thank you very much.

Thank you for hanging tough.

I would just finish with I sit on the private equity board in Germany. They have to locate to the US and they're asking me where I've got another one which is in the bottling industry with special chemicals. Where do we locate and their biggest issue is where can we find the workforce? Jable could not move the manufacturing back because the people don't exist. That's the issue. We had Apple ask us to move back manufacturing. We needed 10,000 employees on site. Where you going to find them? So you're in economic war as people who look to access the GDP of the US. The question is is where do they go? And they're going to go where they find people. So those are the metrics I think we owe you and be able to show them what and then the other thing I read your economic plan. I read it and I'm going okay well nobody's going to go from you poor richie to here to work. They're not. So, you've got to develop this across your county and then you've got to look at what jobs it is you want and who you targeting and all those metrics should be aligned with what I'm scholar doing and you should be able to connect those dots. If you can, you don't have a proper plan.

Well, it's not a penance that you're here. We're glad you're here.

We are so lucky to have him helping us. Oh, yeah. And I tell you,

St. Leo, he's been on their board for I don't know, eight or nine years and he just rotated off and they're begging him to come back and write their business and instead we have him and um and I can't tell you there have been a few cuss words thrown my way. There might have been some scotch in there but about the amount of time this man has has been giving and all of these guys. So I mean they have other lives, other careers and they are so dedicated to this. None of them are paid. None of us are paid. It's it's just we believe in it. So

gentlemen, I got great faith in you. Thank you very much and look forward to the report and to meet with you as well. Thank you.

Uh next item R59 federal lobbyist discussion.

Good morning. Carrie Roberts, purchasing director of the county. We have a short presentation today on the federal lobbyist contract and your options with it. So, the contract originally had a start date of January 1st with an initial three-year term, uh, which would leave it as a expiration date of December 31st of 2027. There are two optional renewals with that as well. For your termination options, we have two types of terminations, a convenience and termination for cause. Um, in easy terms, a termination for convenience is like a divorce where you just decide you're not happy with each other anymore and you want to just walk away. A termination for for cause is when there's something that has happened that is causing that rift. According to our contract, those things are adequate progress has not been made of the direct results of the of the consultant's failure to perform, if they have a quality of essential work is not at acceptable standards, if the consultant is non-compliant in any of the provisions of their contract, or if the consultant or their agent has been charged in a crime arising from their performance of the service or is involved in a bankruptcy. Under either termination scenario, termination for convenience or cause, the county would be responsible for paying any outstanding fees that we owe the consultant. At this point, our options moving forward are to continue with the contract as is until the termination date of December 31st of 2027, or we can terminate it under one of those two options for cause or convenience. And then at that point, we have three options to either not seek a new federal lobbyist and just kind of let it lie. We could pursue a new federal lobbyist under a piggyback or a cooperative contract or we could go out to another RFP and solicit again. And those are our options. Any questions?

Questions, comments?

Sorry, I was doing something. Um well I um had mentioned before and maybe it's not fair to just base it on one year but I didn't see a lot of help from them when we were in Washington. Um I have not reached out myself much but I do feel that when Harry was with us I had a lot more interaction. Um, so also I know there was a bit of a fallout with the our current lobbyist in the White House and affected their

Yeah.

ability. Um, so um I think my choice would be to go back to Harry. Um, I guess it's not Harry. What's the first

point? My feelings were

I didn't see much out of the new fertile lobbyist the work that was done. It just seemed to not near be what we expected and um found out some things I didn't know before about our lobbyist that we had prior that of the work they had been doing for us. I don't know that it ever highlighted very much up there, but it he was doing much more than what we got this year, I think. So, I would like to go back to this federal office we had before.

Mr. Jagger.

Oh, I know he's sorry.

Yeah. Um, I will say I mean I I like Terry's great guy. Uh, he actually helped us with safer grants, but I will say with the new lobbyist, one of the reasons I I wanted to pick him was his close relationship with the White House. I've heard that it's not, and I still haven't got the information you were going to get me some people to go talk to. I haven't got any information from you about going and talking to those people about what they have in the White House government affairs.

Oh, well, so um that friend. So, at one point, Mr. Carbal was talking about hiring an internal federal person like similar to Ralph, but it would be an internal federal uh employee, a person that worked on federal stuff. my my friend who runs one of the biggest in the world said he would do that help us not to hire anyone internal not saying that we shouldn't have an external but um yeah so I I'm not sure if I explained that because he was looking at hiring an internal federal

what what I was waiting for was the contact information to go talk to the person that you had up there in DC I haven't I haven't got any information

well he also lives there but that that's for a different position.

Yeah. What Commissioner Starky is referring to briefly entertained the idea of bringing in another intergovernmental affairs officer.

You know, whether or not that's the right a right move or not, that that remains to be seen. That was just, you know, kind of batting that idea around. So, Commissioner Stark, you brought these individuals up as as potential folks that could assist us on an internal basis, but still require we would still require a a external federal lobbying firm to still do do the work for the lobbyists whether or not we needed the additional assistance that they could provide additional assistance to Ralph perhaps during session. Um, you know, there's federal things going on provide just a surge in manpower if we needed it. That was really what the conversation was about. Uh so sir as far as surge of manpower house is in session for 60 days plus 60 days of committee reports etc

all year if you listen to what's going on right now.

Well who knows but I if we're going to have I mean frankly I've been waiting for things to develop with public works etc to try to go forward and if there's nothing to ask for then we didn't need one. And frankly, the past year between what was going on up in DC, still going on up in there, it's been hard to get them activated. Um, I've reached out to him before about trying to help us with a 41 permiting with the Amy Corps, willing to help. We're going to bring another firm in that's an expert to to help us, but hasn't happened yet. It might have happened now, but it's it's been a year on that. So, it's that's on our end.

Yeah.

So, we haven't asked for help. How do you get help?

So, I think it's on us. Well, and so so it's not the lobbyist's fault. It's just we haven't done it in between what's gone on DC. I don't think anyone could have done too much up there has done too much up there. Well, with all the cut that's going on, all the doge cuts, etc., it hasn't been the prime year to go. I I don't want to terminate and go rehire. If we're going to terminate, let's terminate, but I think we need to go work internally first to what we want to go do. Let's go get Ralph Lair up there. let him go work on this stuff for us and not have to increase our budget at all and just go that way. But to go bring on another lobbyist when I just the lobbyist when as we just said nobody asked for anything. Well, you can't get a lobbyist to help you unless you ask. We're much more engaged with the state than we are up there. And who who goes up there? You and I. Commissioner Starky.

Well, and and I do want to talk about that. Um we do need to go up again like we did for FEMA I mean uh Army Corps before. Uh, but I think what we need to be going, where we need to be going is FDA or whatever they call it up there. Um, you know, we have a couple of big grant asks that are are are coming for help with some of our roads. And listen, we're not going to be able to build ourselves. We're not going to be able to fix it ourselves. We have got to go up to Washington and start those relationship building. And Commissioner Long, they did that. It took them a couple years, but they went up. They made relationships. and they made relationships and they got their money. It didn't happen in one year, but they and they did it with Harry, but but I I agree with you. If we don't start being proactive ourselves, then we're throwing money out the window. We cannot hire somebody and then not use them. We have to have a plan. We have to go execute it and we have we have to walk the halls and we have to sit at those tables.

So, let me ask this question. Can we pause the contract for a few months until we put a plan together and decide what we want to do either end or not? Okay. All right. So, as far as transportation goes, I'm going to bring this because I think it's something we need to look at.

Our NO that we have set up right now, we we're pushing for city people to kind of run it. I think we need to change that, especially if we're going to be looking to a merger coming in. So, I'm going to ask uh the two commissioners that actually three commissioners actually border right along 41 where we've got our biggest house coming up. We got a most closest connection to Tampa. Are either the three of you, Commissioner Joerger, Starky Wayman, are you interested in serving as far as the NPO chair coming up?

Probably left that up to the cities.

Yeah,

we have. We have, but I'm going to tell you, we're going to be going in and there's no cities at 41. if you get someone who's a district commissioner for the area and the three of you qualify in the sense of right along 41.

But I would take the NPO chair up with us to Washington if that if you think that makes a difference.

I mean they they travel it too.

They are going you know what they are showing up. I'm going to tell you those guys went to Orlando. I I cut my wedding trip short. Flew in from Atlanta to Orlando to go to see Metro Plan Orlando. I was the only commissioner there. I don't know what was going on with everyone else but

schedules

our our three MO people were there the cities

okay I I just wanted I'm just throwing out this anyway so transportation is something that we can go ask for

as far as for economic development

I think like a skills we should be asking for the new building for the the help of the industrial park up in Hudson etc

figure out what we can go get there

president just rolled out a whole bunch of money for workforce training and manufacturing

for the safer grant we got money the previous year. We we're lined up for that as well. That's another one we can go after.

And what about this program to try and stop flooding on over here on the east side with the the swift mud, the four what do you call four rivers?

Four rivers project.

The four rivers. We got a lot to go up there and talk about.

I mean, Cor and again, I was trying to get Dawson Associates. I was trying to get Dawson Associates on board with us

and that's been a a heated

I don't know whatever you want to call it, Mike. But

I mean, last October we tried to get this going on. I think we got it

because they have done it set. So I I guess we're close to being set, etc. But Dawson and Associates, I I talked with them and with our current federal lobbyist. They've worked together before. They love to work together. They think they get something going. And I think with when we got Ridge done the trip, Commissioner Stark, you, myself, and Commissioner Wells went up to the Army Corps directly met and guess what? between what Trump had done with Congressman Bill Arachus signing off, Governor Scott signing off and Trump setting up a new people to look over the Army Corps, we expedite all of it's done. And I think with the issues we got between four rivers, between uh canal restoration up and down, we need them. And with all the other things that Brford struggles with, Jason struggled with trying to get projects approved like C pines, that project's 20 something years sitting. We've got all the land in place. We got everything set and the Army Corp is holding us up now. So, we've got plenty to work on.

There's a there's a couple others. There's the using the CDBGR money for an emergency operations center. Um there is um uh okay, when I, you know, I'm chair of the federal committee at FAC. I went around LA, this was two years ago. When we went around, I uh, you know, all the counties jumped in with me. Charlotte and Lee and some other counties were in with me and I can tell you they're all thanking Senator Scott and Senator Rubio for the money they got for septic to sewer. Have we ever gotten a federal penny for septic to sewer? We haven't done one yet in this county, by the way.

So,

um and they're getting federal money to uh to to stop polluting their waters. So, I think we I would like to suggest, Mr. Chair, that we have a little um our workshop on a federal agenda and then we work on a plan to execute it.

I'm good with that. Um I don't want to change right now until we've had that workshop and gone through it because I said this this dialogue is great. We're actually talking about stuff that we're going to get done now. And now that I hear that we've got Dawson Associates on board with us through an indirect, great. We've got we're talking about things right now to get done. Let's go put the plan together. Let's sit down. And I will tell you, as much as I like Terry, he helped us with the safer grant, but I didn't see a lot of other things funded. You you can tell me something. Tell me. But um I think we should keep who we have for right now until we come up with this plan and then look at the decision, talk with the lobbyist, and then see what they think they can do. We can see what they can do. If we don't get results right away, then we can move on and start again. But I hate to see us lose when we did have that strong connection to the White House. I don't know how bad it is. Um, and I I don't think we should be talking unless we know for sure to what's going on, but maybe talking to your friend, etc.

Anyway, so all right, so we need we need a federal agenda. What do you want to do with the lobbyist? That's the next decision if we want to make one.

I'm I'm indifferent.

Yeah,

I'm indifferent, too. I'm I'm happy to stay the course for right now until we put a plan together and we'll take a look at it.

Um do we have to make decision today?

No. No ma'am.

Okay. Um you know what I will do is I'm going to ask my contact

but I think you should talk to all of us.

I mean I definitely want to talk to him but I think

I he's a very

share the information.

I don't I don't I don't want to burn a bridge and uh I you know He's doing us a favor and I don't know if he'll talk to every single

All right.

Okay. Um but I'm just going to try and get some insight.

Okay. All right. So, we'll table this.

Yeah. Till next meeting

our 60 I'm sorry. Do you want to table it to next meeting or we just bring it back after we set a federal agenda?

Set the federal agenda. Okay.

Okay. What's our six? Oh, we're we're approving. Wait,

who's this?

Good morning, commissioners.

Good morning,

Brford, assistant county administrator, public infrastructure branch. It's my pleasure to present for your confirmation, Josh Wood as our next PIFFA director. Um, when we are hiring, apart from the technical qualifications, we look for two key things. first a demonstrable focus on our core values and also a fitness into our cultural practices. Also, lately we've pivoted towards hiring directors that are strategic in thinking, seeing the big picture, being able to connect things together. And those directors must have strong people skills, interpersonal skills. They must also have good customer service. And lastly, must be laser focused on delivering performance for our citizens. Also, as you know, we have a very rigorous um interview process. So, it's not only me making the decision. We have one group of directors from the branch, another group uh key team members from that department and then me and the choice was overwhelming uh for Josh and commissioners. I'm proud to say we have our man here. I think it's going to do wonderful things for us. And with that, Josh, we'll have to say some few words, right?

And then you can pet him with any questions.

Great. Thank you, Brford. Uh, honorable commissioners, uh, county administrator Kala, uh, it's great to see you again. Um, I just want to say, uh, thank you for the consideration. I have worked, lived, and played in Pasco County since 2006, uh, when I started my family here. My son is currently at the recreation center right now getting his last, uh, bits of basketball in before he goes back to class. Um, and, uh, I go to church here. Uh, this is this is my home. Um, so it's a considerable honor to serve in Pasco County. Um, I've been here before. Um I was uh served in roles in in this same department and uh been responsible for some key initiatives around acquisitions for our u water uh utilities and some of our big projects and doing financial analysis along that along that same line. So um it's a great great honor. I'm excited about the leadership. I'm excited about the team. Um and it's it it just feels like uh feels like home. So, just want to thank you for the opportunity and I'll take any questions with that.

Josh, I uh I appreciate you wanting to come back. Um I know you did great work talking to the staff about how when we had those acquisitions going on. So, get to get your expertise in here is greatly appreciated. Uh I didn't know as far as your long-term standing in the community, but that just cements it even more. So, for you to have a long career to stay right here and continue to raise your great family, that'd be awesome.

Thank you.

I don't have a question. I just want to say welcome and you're working under um a great leadership there and um just congratulations and great success and I look forward to working with you.

Thank you. Thank you. I look forward to have a motion.

All in favor? No, I'm sorry.

All right. Second.

I have a motion to second. All in favor say I.

I. Unanimous.

Welcome back.

Congratulations. Welcome back.

Congratulations. Thank you.

All right.

Okay. We have 5 minutes to go before uh break. Uh want try to committee reports. I know mine's going to take longer, so I'm going to wait on mine, but

mine's short.

Take your short.

Uh got three here. I had um of course we opened up the uh Wilton Simpson Senior Center um part of this past month and uh it went very well. Um I think we would had we were a full house at the time but we could have had more people there. Some people didn't get the word but everything went very well. And

I think uh Kathy, can you tell me that it's going great over there? I hope

Kathy Pearson.

There she comes.

I haven't heard, but I'm assuming that it's going great over in the senior center.

I didn't hear that question.

How well is it going in the senior center?

Oh my goodness. Uh Kathy Pearson, assistant county administrator of public services. We were just there a couple of weeks ago. We brought some parks and recreation. We did Christmas caroling for them. Commissioner Oakley, they're asking for you again. So, I think you were hit and you need to come back. Uh, they loved you. So,

they want you to come over and dance and all that.

They want you to hang out for a while. Uh, so they

You got it.

Thank you for all the support. It's a um absolutely beautiful facility and the seniors, they have more seniors there than they did in their last location. So, that is really awesome. Thank you.

Okay. Thank you.

Great job. the uh then I went and spoke at the U community meeting on what calls it Jasmine but it's actually 41 and I75 that interchange for the employment issues and I guess uh we had we only had room for 30ome people with 72 people showed up for that meeting

what for what intersection what area

41 and 75

where do our first nor our northern exit into the county. So,

yeah, but they were there to give information. The problem we had with some was a lot of people came that were not part of the community and were saying no to everything our folks were saying. But uh the fact of it is we did gather some good information that what people really wanted and and very much so we want to keep it in a rural nature to you know in that and around that interchange cuz uh there's no water sewer out there right now four or five years ago when I got word of how much it would cost it was uh $22 million to put water and sewer there. Uh I guarantee it's way up more than that now. So, but that's the opportunities we have in in store for us uh coming for that interchange. And that's really the the last interchange to really start moving on on some development around that interchange. Uh the next I was honored to um uh be at the presentation of the first check for those that are in the needy that went through the floods and got that money out to them. It doesn't seem like a lot of money, but it really helped them through a big issue and and this family really worked together to to make it come to a to a pleasant ending for them, and they're still working on things uh in their home, but uh that was just the start of one. I would assume that some more checks have gone out since then. But um very good program. Uh oh. Uh last thing I have is a pleasure to recommend Jennifer Tresing on the commission on the stat status of women. I'm presenting her as a new person.

Motion second. All in favor say I.

I.

Unanimous. Okay, that's all we have. All right, we're at 12 o'clock, so let's take a break. Come back at 1:30.