On 08.16.11, In Blog, By Murman

HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY NEWS

Aug. 9, 2011

For more information, contact: Luann Finley, Director of Board Services,  at: 813-272-5826 (Phone)

Commissioners Seek Applications For Citizen Boards

 

Hillsborough County Commissioners are seeking residents to serve on County citizen advisory boards. Residents interested in seeking appointment must be registered voters in Hillsborough County. These are voluntary positions, and members serve without compensation.  The deadline for applying is Thursday, Sept. 1.  Appointments will be scheduled for a meeting of the Board of County Commissioners in September or October.

An application is available in the Commissioners’ reception area on the second floor of County Center, 601 E. Kennedy Blvd. in downtown Tampa, by calling the Boards and Councils Coordinator at (813) 272-5826, or on the County’s website at: www.hillsboroughcounty.org. Click on the “County Commission” link on the left-hand side of the page, then the “Advisory Boards and Committees” sublink.  The form can be filled out on-line and printed, but cannot be submitted electronically.  Directions for submission are listed on the form.

The Boards that have openings are:

 

AFFORDABLE HOUSING ADVISORY BOARD–advises and makes recommendations to the Board of County Commissioners and Affordable Housing Officer on issues affecting affordable housing development, and to assist the County in developing new programs and policies in order to foster the development and preservation of attainable housing for those County residents who desire to live in safe, decent and affordable housing.

One position is vacant due to resignation.  Position is for remainder of term which expires Aug. 1, 2012.  Position is specified as a mortgage lending industry representative.  After two full consecutive terms, a member shall not be eligible for reappointment until three calendar years have elapsed from date of termination of the second term. Meeting schedule: Monthly, first Monday, 9 a.m.

 

CHILD CARE FACILITIES ADVISORY BOARD–advises the Board of County Commissioners on recommended amendments to the Child Care Facilities Ordinance; proposes additional rules and regulations to the Board of County Commissioners which fulfill the intent and purpose of the Ordinance; and recommends and assists the Hillsborough County Office of Child Care Licensing in the development and implementation of training materials for child care personnel.  It also advises the Hillsborough County Office of Child Care Licensing on all matters relating to child care facilities.

One position is vacant due to resignation.  Term is for three years.  Position is specified as an operator of a religiously exempt child care facility.  Appointment to this Board is contingent upon passing a criminal background check. Meeting schedule: Monthly, first Thursday, 1 p.m.

 

CHILD CARE LICENSING HEARING OFFICERS-conducts hearings when requested by an applicant for a license or a current licensee, whenever an application for a license is denied, or whenever a license has been placed on probation, suspended, revoked or an administrative fine has been imposed by the Office of Child Care Licensing, and makes findings and recommendations with respect to the matters considered at the hearing, pursuant to the Hillsborough County Child Care Home Licensing Ordinance 05-9 and the Hillsborough County Child Care Facilities Ordinance 03-25, as amended by Hillsborough County Ordinance 04-25.

Two terms are expiring. Terms are for three years. Hearing Officers must be members in good standing of the Florida Bar and may not be employees of the County Attorney’s Office.  Appointment as a Hearing Officer is contingent upon passing a criminal background check. Meeting schedule: When requested.

 

CODE ENFORCEMENT BOARD–hears violations of all codes and ordinances of Hillsborough County with most cases arising out of violations of the County’s housing, building, zoning and sign codes and ordinances to maintain minimum health and safety standards.

One position is vacant due to resignation.  Position is for remainder of term which expires Dec. 31, 2012.  Consideration for membership shall be given to representatives from the following fields: a businessperson, an engineer, an architect, a general contractor, a subcontractor, or a realtor.  Citizens appointed to this Board will be required to file an annual financial disclosure, and must reside in the unincorporated area of Hillsborough County. Meeting schedule: Monthly, generally 2nd or third Friday, 9 a.m.

 

FAMILY CHILD CARE HOME ADVISORY BOARD–annually reviews and advises the Board of County Commissioners on recommended amendments to the Family Child Care Homes Licensing Ordinance or the Rules and Regulations Handbook including recommending and assisting the local licensing agency in the development and implementation of training materials for child care personnel; advising the local licensing agency on matters of licensing policy, procedure, and priorities; and proposes additional rules and regulations regarding the intent and purpose of the ordinance.

Two positions are vacant.  Terms are for three years.  Positions are specified as a parent who has a child enrolled in licensed family day care home.  Appointment to this Board is contingent upon passing a criminal background check.  Meeting schedule:  Quarterly, third Thursday, 7 p.m.

 

HEALTH CARE ADVISORY BOARD–improves accessibility and efficiency of care for medically poor residents of Hillsborough County through recommendations to the Board of County Commissioners for fund allocation, coordination, planning and monitoring of health care delivery systems.

One position is vacant.  Term is for four years.  Position is specified as a mental health care provider. Meeting schedule: Monthly, third Thursday, 3 p.m.

 

HEALTH COUNCIL OF WEST CENTRAL FL, INC.–works in collaboration with community-based organizations to identify, address, and resolve health care issues of local concern.  The Council collects and analyzes health care data, prepares special reports and publications, and educates the community about special health issues.  Two terms are expiring.  Terms are for two years.  Positions are specified as 1) a health care provider, and 2) a health care consumer under the age of 60. Meeting schedule:  Alternating Wednesdays, 8 a.m. in St. Petersburg.

 

HILLSBOROUGH AREA REGIONAL TRANSIT AUTHORITY–provide excellent customer service while building solutions to support Hillsborough County’s mass transit needs….now and into the future.  Two positions will be expiring in October and one position is newly created.  Terms are for three years.  Citizens appointed to this Authority must reside in the unincorporated area of Hillsborough County, and will be required to file an annual financial disclosure. Meeting schedule: Monthly, first Monday, 9 a.m.

 

HISTORIC RESOURCES REVIEW BOARD–serves as an architectural review board for the protection of historic resources in unincorporated Hillsborough County.  It recommends archaeological and historical sites to the Board of County Commissioners for landmark designation and reviews alterations and new construction on landmark sites or districts.

Two positions are vacant.  Terms are for three years.  Positions are specified as two architects, licensed to practice in the state of Florida, or one licensed architect and one architectural historian, both licensed to practice in the state of Florida.  Citizens appointed to this Board must reside in the unincorporated area of Hillsborough County. Meeting schedule: Monthly, third Tuesday, 3 p.m.

 

MECHANICAL BOARD OF ADJUSTMENT, APPEALS AND EXAMINERS–confirms the competency and integrity of applicants applying for mechanical certification in the County, and takes disciplinary action against those contractors that fail to comply with the Mechanical Code.

Three positions are vacant.  Member terms are for four years.  Alternate terms are for two years.  Positions are specified as 1) a mechanical trades representative, and 2 & 3) alternates.  Citizens appointed to this Board will be required to file an annual financial disclosure. Meeting schedule:  Quarterly, third Thursday, 10 a.m.

 

PLANNING COMMISSION–an independent consolidated planning agency, led by appointed citizens, which serves all the citizens of Hillsborough County by providing a vision for improving the quality of life.  The Planning Commission and its staff serve as agents within the community to promote and coordinate the involvement of all people in comprehensive long-range planning, growth management, transportation, and environmental protection.  The Planning Commission makes recommendations to the Board of County Commissioners, Tampa City Council, Plant City Commission, and Temple Terrace City Council regarding land use, community planning, capital improvements, urban design, and other comprehensive issues.

Two terms are expiring.  Terms are for four years.  Citizens appointed to this board by the County Commission must reside in the unincorporated area of Hillsborough County.  Citizens also will be required to file an annual financial disclosure.  Members appointed to this Board will be required to take an Oath of Office and sign a Standards of Conduct. Meeting schedule:  Monthly, second Monday, 2 p.m

For more information, contact Luann Finley, Director of Board Services, at (813) 272-5826.

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Tampa Bay Water agrees to $156 million contract to fix reservoir

On 08.15.11, In Blog, By Murman

By Craig Pittman, Times Staff Writer
Posted: Aug 15, 2011 10:27 AM

CLEARWATER — Despite their misgivings about the impact on their rates, Tampa Bay Water’s board voted unanimously Monday to sign a $156 million contract to fix its cracked reservoir and expand it from 15.5 billion gallons to 18.5 billion gallons.

The construction work by a Nebraska-based firm, Kiewit Infrastructure Group, is now scheduled to begin late next summer, with completion in 2014. The work will require draining the reservoir and instead relying on the utility’s other water sources, such as the frequently troubled desalination plant, which produces the most expensive water in the regional system.

One board member, Hillsborough County Commissioner Sandy Murman, said she supported fixing the reservoir but worried about the impact on the rates. Tampa Bay Water provides wholesale water to utilities in Pinellas, Pasco and Hillsborough counties, which pass along any rate increase to their customers.

“We’ve had a series of bad results from big projects,” Murman said. “I want to cross all the T’s and dot all the i’s so we have a smooth landing on this. But I think we’re taking the cart before the horse.”

Murman said she worried about proceeding with the repairs of the reservoir before a trial next month of the utility’s lawsuit against HDR Engineering over the cause of the cracks. Tampa Bay Water contends HDR’s design of the reservoir was flawed, while HDR points the finger at the company that handled construction.

The utility’s finance director, Koni Cassini, told Murman that the worst-case scenario would require a 10 to 15 cents per 1,000 gallon rate hike — but if that happened, she said, she would spread the increase over several years to lessen the sting.

The board voted in June to raise its rates 3 cents a month per 1,000 gallons of water used, or just under a quarter for the typical user of 8,000 gallons a month. The increase is to cover the cost of running the desalination plant harder than usual during the two years when the reservoir is being repaired. That will require spending more on power and chemicals for the desal plant.

In addition to the $156 million for the repair and expansion, Tampa Bay Water is putting aside about $6 million to cover any unforeseen expenses during work, which is expected to be completed in 2014.

In addition to hoping to recoup some of the costs of the work from its lawsuit against HDR, Tampa Bay Water’s board is asking the Southwest Florida Water Management District to cover half the cost. But that state agency is facing a 36 percent budget cut mandated by Gov. Rick Scott and the state Legislature.

The utility opened the $144 million C.W. Bill Young Regional Reservoir in June 2005 to store water skimmed from the Alafia River, Hillsborough River and Tampa Bypass Canal. The reservoir, named for the longtime congressman from Pinellas County, covers about 1,100 acres in Hillsborough County.

The reservoir’s walls consist of an earthen embankment as wide as a football field at its base, averaging about 50 feet high. An impermeable membrane buried in the embankment prevents leaks.

The embankment’s top layer, a mixture of soil and cement to prevent erosion, began cracking in December 2006. Some cracks were up to 400 feet long and up to 15½ inches deep. Workers patched the cracks, but the patches didn’t last.

An investigation found water is getting trapped between the soil-cement lining and the membrane. As long as the reservoir is full, the trapped water remains stable. When the utility draws down the reservoir, though, pressure increases on trapped water in some areas, producing cracks and soil erosion.

The cracks have not been deemed a safety hazard to the structure, but utility officials say if they don’t fix their underlying cause then conditions could get worse. But HDR officials contend the problem is not that serious, and could be solved with a simple monitoring and maintenance program that would cost less than $1 million a year.

Kiewit’s proposal called for digging out and replacing the soil cement and the membrane beneath it. The reason, Kiewit’s design manager, Trent Dreese, said earlier this year is that they believe the cracks showed a weakening of the reservoir wall and “additional failures are likely during drawdown” of the water for the repair.

As for the expansion, Kennedy said the only change that would be visible was that the walls would be about 10 feet higher.

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Lawmakers push cooperation by transportation agencies

On 08.14.11, In Blog, By Murman

By TED JACKOVICS | The Tampa Tribune
Published: August 14, 2011

 

TAMPA Victor Crist stunned colleagues on the Hillsborough County Commission and the county’s aviation authority when he proposed cooperative efforts among the area’s seaports and airports that typically compete.

“We need to take a look at how we could benefit the region by thinking differently and cooperatively,” Crist said this year. “The only obstacle would be those who want to hold on to their power.

“We must take baby steps,” he said, proposing discussion of cooperative, regional prospects before endorsing changes to how things are run today.

Crist is in front of elected officials and program managers who generally are reluctant to discuss the politically sensitive topic of rearranging their turf and operations.

Managers point to competitive realities that elected officials create.

But political and fiscal realities require leaders to change the way they think, said Ronnie Duncan, chairman of the Tampa Bay Area Regional Transportation Authority. “The world is different today than yesterday,” Duncan said. “Congress is debating the nation’s budget, and the House already has made clear that less federal money will be available for transportation projects than in recent years.

“All of us from Tampa Bay to California are going to have to do things differently, and that’s not a bad thing.

“What happens in Pinellas stays in Pinellas; what happens in Hillsborough stays in Hillsborough, but that has to change. We have to have those kinds of (regional) discussions.”

Some regional initiatives have been in place for years, such as the Tampa Bay Partnership, which oversees economic development opportunities for eight counties.

The Pinellas and Hillsborough visitors’ bureaus share some marketing initiatives, and the county’s two transit systems purchase buses and equipment under joint contracts to save money.

In 2007, the state Legislature created TBARTA to develop and implement transportation plans in seven counties. But Gov. Rick Scott in May vetoed the re-appropriation of $950,000 to support TBARTA – about 25 percent of its annual budget.

Duncan said TBARTA’s regional mission is needed more than ever, and a new budget will be crafted this month to go into effect in October. “What TBARTA brings is the ability to have a regional discussion,” Duncan said.

Its 16 board members are from a 6,000-square-mile area that encompasses two Florida Department of Transportation districts, two highway toll authorities, three regional planning councils, five metropolitan planning organizations, seven transit service operators and 42 cities.

But it’s the need to trim costs that appears to be driving discussions of regional cooperation.

Republican state Sen. Jack Latvala of St. Petersburg, chairman of the Florida Senate Transportation Committee, this year began exploring how the Hillsborough Area Regional Transit Authority and the Pinellas Suncoast Transit Authority might be combined.

Latvala is scheduled to address HART on the issue this month.

“The push for regional plans for transit is becoming a nationwide topic,” said Alison Hewitt, HART board chairwoman, citing initiatives in the Atlanta and Washington-Arlington, Va., areas among those at the forefront. “But we have to be careful we don’t lose service for our patrons in the quest to combine services.”

Every opportunity to work more closely on a regional basis raises potential problems that must be sorted out, in particular who wins, who loses, who pays, who gains.

Airports

In June, Crist congratulated the new administration at Tampa International Airport on “working diligently to reach across the barriers, whether they be the bay or … silos or turfs that exist within our geographic area.”

His comments took place during a meeting when the aviation authority board approved the airport’s first comprehensive financial-incentive program to recruit airlines to enhance international and domestic service.

That could make recruiting for Pinellas’ airport a little more difficult, Pinellas County officials acknowledge. Historically, the two airports seldom pursued the same service, and the Pinellas visitors’ bureau has opened a $250,000 pot of money that Tampa International could apply to use to generate international flights serving Pinellas hoteliers.

Years ago, Pinellas was unsuccessful in recruiting Southwest Airlines, which chose Tampa International – a departure from its small-airport strategy – in part because Southwest officials were concerned about traffic congestion at the Pinellas airport.

Pinellas was disappointed more recently when the federal government designated Tampa as the area’s destination for Cuba charter flights.

Still, traffic is growing at the Pinellas airport, which last year completed a $21 million terminal renovation project and serves a sizable general aviation and UPS air cargo service. It also hosts the nation’s largest U.S. Coast Guard Air Station.

A third of Tampa International’s passengers are from Hillsborough County, and nearly the same percentage – 31.5 percent of its 19 million annual ridership – is from Pinellas, a 2007 report found.

However, the aviation authority board governing Tampa International is represented only by Hillsborough interests.

That factor has not been an issue, but Crist said he wouldn’t oppose representatives from other counties serving on the authority board if those counties would accept representatives from Hillsborough on their boards.

Aviation authority board member Steve Burton said he encourages regional cooperation, but would leave the issue of board membership to the state Legislature, which created the authority.

Seaports

Even more than the area’s commercial airports, the region’s two major seaports, Port Manatee and the Port of Tampa, have been competitors, with Tampa handling five times more cargo tonnage and all of the region’s cruise passengers.

Crist’s recommendation to seek common ground between the two ports as well as consider the role of the Port of St. Petersburg, which has no cargo or cruise passengers, drew a sharp response from fellow Commissioner Sandy Murman in an April county commission meeting.

“The other ports that you’re talking about, collaboration is good, but honestly, you don’t want to pick up somebody’s deficit,” Murman said. “Things aren’t just as good as some people think they are at other ports, so we have to go about this very cautiously because we are doing so well.”

Crist suggests the strengths of the Manatee and Tampa ports should be considered under the same authority.

Much undeveloped land surrounds Port Manatee, which could be more ideal for cargo than the Tampa port, which has urban neighbors. And Tampa should continue to develop its profitable, cleaner cargo-container business, he said.

St. Petersburg’s port, which leisure boaters use, might host smaller, boutique cruise ships if a market could be developed, Crist suggested.

Mass transit

Transit operations through the Tampa Bay region face myriad challenges.

Hillsborough County voters defeated a sales tax proposal in November that would have funded the area’s first light-rail system and serve as the forerunner for rail in nearby counties.

“The fact is, the Pinellas and Hillsborough transit systems are on life support,” Duncan said. “I think people realize we can’t keep running buses where they carry five passengers where they want to go.”

Latvala is expected to further energize merger or collaboration plans for HART and PSTA this month.

Pinellas County is moving forward with its plan to seek federal money for rail and/or fast bus service that would connect to Hillsborough County via the Howard Frankland Bridge.

TBARTA officials continue to hold discussions about prospects for commuter rail service on CSX Transportation tracks.

TBARTA updated its master plan this year to incorporate freight and cargo transportation and highway plans.

Despite Gov. Scott’s rejection in February of Florida’s high-speed rail project between Tampa and Orlando, vendors remain interested in providing capital for infrastructure, Duncan said.

“Is it feasible for a private-sector company to take over a public transit operation?” he said. “We got our balloons deflated with high-speed rail, the Hillsborough light-rail referendum and other things.

“No one wants to give up the power and ownerships of their domains, but the majority of people want leadership to come up with new ways to fund and operate transportation.

“Yet they are distrustful of government to provide that. We have to have those kinds of discussions.”

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