On 09.20.11, In Blog, By Murman

Date: Tuesday, September 20, 2011, 1:32pm EDT

Staff Writer – Tampa Bay Business Journal

The Tampa Port Authority Tampa Port Authority Latest from The Business Journals CSX, Kinder Morgan team up for ethanol hub at Port of Tampa CSX, Kinder Morgan team up for ethanol hub at Port of Tampa Tampa Port Authority to discuss director’s contract Follow this company board has extended the tenure of port director Richard Wainio until March 2014, despite criticism from some port tenants and concerns the agency lacks an adequate executive evaluation process.

Hillsborough County Commissioner Sandra Murman and new board member Patrick H. Allman, general manager of Odyssey Manufacturing Co., voted against the extension. They favored a one-year deal.

Wainio was hired in 2005 and is paid $251,000 annually. Compensation for the extension remains to be negotiated.

Allman pointed to the change of leadership at Tampa International Airport Tampa International Airport Latest from The Business Journals VSPC begins ‘Dolphin Tale’ marketing blitz Zink to head communications at Tampa International Airport Airfares slated to rise this fall Follow this company as an example of what he would like to see at the port. He called Wainio “an able leader and a good steward” of the port, but said there should more vision and better communication with port tenants.

Murman called for a more detailed and substantial evaluation form to measure the director’s performance, which the board agreed it would update by the end of the year.

Still unclear is whether the board will hire an outside firm to create the new form, or use human resource officials at the county and city of Tampa to do the work at no expense to the port.

Wainio’s contract was set to expire in March and would have renewed automatically for one year without board action.

Tampa Mayor Bob Buckhorn and commissioners Lawrence Shipp, Stephen W. Swindal and William A. Brown supported the two-year extension. Commissioner Carl Lindell, who gave Wainio a strong written evaluation, was absent from the meeting.

YMCA, Youth in Government on 9/11

On 09.14.11, In Blog, By Murman

Commissioner Murman with the Campo/Camp Cristina YMCA Youth in Government team at 9-11 ceremony at County Center, downtown Tampa.

Tagged with: 2011 • Camp Cristina • ceremony • Commissioner Murman • downtown • government team • Murman • Sandy • Tampa • YMCA • ymca youth

HART board OKs small millage increase to preserve services

On 08.01.11, In Blog, By Murman

By TED JACKOVICS | The Tampa Tribune

Published: August 01, 2011
Updated: August 01, 2011 – 5:17 PM

TAMPA —

The HART board today voted to increase the maximum possible millage rate to balance its 2012 and 2013 budgets by an amount that would add 41 cents to the average homeowner’s transit-related property tax to $45.21 a year

Without an increase in the millage rate from 0.4682 per $1,000 of household value to 0.5 mills, the Hillsborough Area Regional Transit Authority would lose $1.84 million in revenue next year because property values have declined, HART staff members said.

That would create further bus service reductions in addition to those enacted this summer and planned for November, HART staff members said.

The HART board adopts a millage rate Sept. 26. Hillsborough County Commissioners do not vote on HART millage.

HART commissioners Sandra Murman, also a county commissioner, and John Byczek opposed the increase in millage. Murman said she could not support any tax increase at this point in time.

HART commissioner and county commissioner Mark Sharpe said he changed his mind at the meeting to support the millage rate increase because he was concerned – as were other HART board members – that service cuts would be counterproductive to residents’ efforts to reach work or get jobs.

In other business, the HART board approved a contract to purchase 41 new shelters in 2012 from Tolar Manufacturing Co. Inc., for a price not to exceed $846,220.

HART has one shelter for every seven bus stops, up from one in every 15 three years ago. There are currently more than 3,500 bus stops throughout Hillsborough County.”This is good news for our customers who want more coverage from extreme weather elements this area experiences,” HART spokeswoman Marcia Mejia said.

Tagged with: 2011 • Authority • bus service • business • Commissioners • HART • hillsborough county • hillsborough county commissioners • homeowner • John Byczek • Manufacturing • Marcia Mejia • Mark Sharpe • millage rate • November • Regional • regional transit authority • revenue • Sandra • Sandra Murman • spokeswoman • staff members • summer • Tampa • Transit • Tribune

Tribune: First SouthShore Chamber mixer draws hundreds

On 07.29.11, In Blog, By Murman

By LOIS KINDLE | The Tampa Tribune

Commissioner Murman with Commissioner Ken Hagan and Hillsborough County Hispanic Liaison Tony Morejon.

Published: July 27, 2011

» 0 Comments | Post a Comment

RUSKIN —

The parking lot of the VFW post was filled to capacity and vehicles spilled onto the shoulder of U.S 41 at the newly formed SouthShore Chamber of Commerce’s first Business After Hours July 20.

Executive Director Melanie Morrison said she was ecstatic about the size of the crowd.

“What a fabulous turnout,” she said, surveying the room. Everyone is networking, meeting lots of new people. The enthusiasm in the room is contagious.”

Melanie Morrison, executive director of the SouthShore Chamber of Commerce, left, greets Connie Lesko of Freedom Plaza.

Part of the agenda included the announcement of the 2011-12 honorary mayor of Apollo Beach: Molly Maxwell-Edmunds of Universal Power Solutions. She and opponent Georgia Thomas of Victoria’s 5th Avenue Salon raised $22,000, $10,000 more than last year’s total.

Members of Southshore Chamber of Commerce

“We had two superb candidates who poured their hearts and souls into their campaigns,” said Ron Seagren, who served as vice president for the Apollo Beach chamber before it merged recently with the Ruskin-SouthShore chamber to become the new SouthShore chamber. “They did an excellent job and received lots of support from the community. Their campaigns were spirited and very successful.

Both women will donate half their proceeds to their charities of choice, and the remainder went to the Apollo Beach chamber.

Tagged with: 2011 • apollo beach • capacity • chamber mixer • choice • Commerce • Everyone • Executive Director Melanie Morrison • georgia thomas • honorary mayor • LOIS KINDLE • Molly Maxwell-Edmunds • parking • parking lot • Ron Seagren • room • ruskin • Salon • SouthShore • Tampa • tbo • Tribune • U.S • Universal • Victoria • year

Our Budget Priorities

On 06.09.11, In Blog, By Murman

Commissioner Murman was quoted in this Times article on budget priorities:

Hillsborough commissioners discuss budget priorities

By Tia Mitchell, Times Staff Writer
Posted: Jun 09, 2011 07:11 PM

TAMPA — Hillsborough County’s transportation and infrastructure continues to lag far behind its resources, forcing leaders Thursday to discuss ways to prioritize projects and spending in the coming fiscal year.

The community investment tax, used to fund a large chunk of the county’s capital projects, is generating much less money than was projected. Income during the 2011 fiscal year was initially expected to be around $135 million. It came in at just $90 million.

“The CIT has pretty much been our sole source of funding,” said county administrator Mike Merrill. “We kind of put all our eggs in one basket.”

Proceeds from the CIT are split among the school system, the county and its cities. The county expects to receive about $1 billion through fiscal year 2027, but more than $600 million is owed on existing debt.

That leaves about $355 million for everything else, with the county on the hook for projects totalling $482 million.

County commissioners discussed other funding sources, including additional tolls, community development areas and tax increment districts, at Thursday’s budget hearing. Commissioners also said they wanted to re-create a task force that would unite various government and planning agencies, such as HART, the Planning Commission, Expressway Authority and Metropolitan Planning Organization.

Commissioner Sandra Murman said it was “ridiculous” that only 3 percent of the county’s budget goes toward transportation. She advocated for a “transportation czar” that would lead the discussion.

“Something so important is getting so little attention,” she said.

During discussion on parks spending, Murman lobbied for the redirection of $1.5 million budgeted for skateboard parks in Apollo Beach, Brandon and a yet-to-be-determined northwest location. They didn’t seem like a good use of money during such tough times, she said.

Apollo Beach residents have even asked for a trade, Murman said, saying they would rather cut the skateboard park instead of after-school programs.

Merrill told her the parks were funded by impact fees, and that money can only be used for certain projects. But he said county officials will come back to the commission with alternative options for the money.

Tia Mitchell can be reached at tmitchell@sptimes.com or (813) 226-3405.

Tagged with: 2011 • apollo beach • Budget • Florida • Hillsborough • parks • skate

Sandy Murman