Commissioner Murman presented a Commendation to Hillsborough County Fire Rescue for winning the International 2011 Heart Safe Community Award recently.
On 10.27.11, In Blog, By Murman
On 10.27.11, In Blog, By Murman
By MIKE SALINERO | The Tampa Tribune
Published: October 19, 2011
Updated: October 19, 2011 – 6:12 PM
TAMPA —
Hillsborough County may soon place a moratorium on Internet sweepstakes cafés, the proliferating strip mall parlors that offer computer games resembling video slot machines.
County commissioners voted 7-0 today to have the county attorney draw up an ordinance that would require the cafes to get county licenses and be regulated by county inspectors. Once the existing cafés are licensed, no new parlors would be allowed to open until May 1, 2012, when the Florida Legislature concludes its regular session.
Commissioners will get a look at the ordinance Nov. 2 and then schedule a public hearing for Nov. 16. They can pass the new regulations at that meeting.
The moratorium motion came from Commissioner Sandy Murman, who considers the cafés illegal gambling houses that need to be shut down. County Sheriff David Gee agrees, and has sent written notice to café operators saying he will prosecute them if they are participating in illegal gambling.
Café owners and lawyers representing them say they are offering a legal sweepstakes in which the winners are predetermined, not chosen as the result of the computer video games. They sell Internet time on computers and patrons get phone cards that allow them to play games that look like slot machines.
Murman put a May 1 end date on the moratorium to see whether the Legislature will act to regulate the sweepstakes cafés. There are several bills already filed, some of which would leave it up to local governments to decide whether to allow the parlors to stay open.
“Let’s take care of our own people in our own county right now and see what happens” with the Legislature, Murman said.
On 10.27.11, In Blog, By Murman
By Bill Varian, Times Staff Writer
Posted: Oct 19, 2011 04:47 PM
Noting their speedy proliferation, Hillsborough County commissioners initiated steps Wednesday toward ordering a moratorium on Internet sweepstakes cafes.
Commissioners voted unanimously to ask their staff to create a licensing requirement for existing sweepstakes cafe owners for their consideration at a future public hearing. Once those cafes are registered, the window would quickly close for new sweepstakes cafe licenses.
Commissioner Sandra Murman noted that the Legislature is scheduled to take up several bills next year dealing with sweepstakes cafes. In the meantime, cafe owners have filed lawsuits to ban their operations in other nearby counties including Pinellas.
The license and moratorium approach would give commissioners an opportunity to halt their fast spread in the county while enabling them to see how the state and courts address regulation of them.
“I’m just trying to find something as a stop-gap measure right now,” Murman said.
Murman presented commissioners with a map produced by the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office showing the locations of at least 28 cafes that have opened in unincorporated areas. Since the map was produced less than two weeks ago, Murman said eight new locations have opened.
“Let’s take care of our people in our county right now,” she said.
On 10.26.11, In Blog, By Murman
Internet sweepstakes cafés elude anti-gambling laws by having customers buy account cards that are used to play simulated gambling games on computers.
The outcome is predetermined, but to the player, who doesn’t know whether the card will generate a return, it is like being at a slot machine.
The operators decide how much they will allow the “gamblers” to win. Customers win or lose points at a predetermined rate. And the owners can adjust the odds whenever they want.
It is a predatory practice aimed largely at the elderly and the poor. Hillsborough County Commissioner Sandy Murman and the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office rightly want to put a stop to it. Sheriff David Gee has warned owners they appear to be “conducting gambling activities,” and his office intends to investigate and enforce the law. Sheriffs in Pinellas and Pasco have shut down similar cafes and arrested owners.
Gambling is illegal in Hillsborough except in a few specified areas such as the Seminole Indian property.
Other than being required to register with the state Department of Agriculture, there is no oversight of the operations and no accounting of the cash that flows through them. Most are located in strip malls.
These gambling facilities are growing fast. Three years ago, there were no sweepstakes cafés in Hillsborough. Now, there are more than 25.
Murman is pushing an ordinance that would outlaw the “gambling devices” found in the cafés.
The well-funded operators will vigorously fight it, but Hillsborough County commissioners should consider the opinion of Florida Attorney General Pam Bondi, who found the electronic games constituted “illegal slot machines or devices.”
And commissioners also can find guidance from U.S. District Court Judge John Antoon, who in a detailed ruling upheld Seminole County’s similar measure.
He found the Seminole ordinance specifically described the cafés’ “simulated gambling machines” that made payoffs to those playing the games. He pointed out that “none of the video games at issue is banned on its own — only the play of such a game in conjunction with the possibility of a payoff is banned.”
He refused operators’ request to issue a preliminary injunction against the Seminole ordinance.
Hillsborough commissioners should not allow little casinos to open up around the county. They should put an immediate halt to the spread of these strip-mall gambling dens.
On 10.26.11, In Blog, By Murman
By Stephanie Wang, Times Staff Writer
In Print: Friday, October 14, 2011
http://www.tampabay.com/news/localgovernment/funding-clears-way-for-new-south-county-ymca/1196453
RIVERVIEW — After securing $2 million in county funding, the YMCA is forging ahead with plans to open a new facility in south Hillsborough.
In partnership with Hillsborough County Parks and Recreation, the YMCA will expand recreational offerings in a growing region, said Cindy Sofarelli, senior group vice president of the Tampa Metropolitan Area YMCA.
“It maximizes the efforts for the community,” she said about the public-private partnership. “It’s a win-win.”
The project is still in the initial planning stages. The partnership aims to build a YMCA facility on a 33-acre county-owned parcel next to Vance Vogel Park. The South Shore complex will contribute to the economic development of a burgeoning area located off the intersection of Interstate 75 and Big Bend Road, Sofarelli said.
The project has been in the works for nearly three years. In April 2010, the YMCA conducted an initial market study for community feedback and found residents showed interest in a full family facility, similar to the nearby Campo Family YMCA in Valrico, Sofarelli said. Their wish list included a gymnasium, sports fields and aquatics, which likely will be added to the South Shore complex in phases.
The new facility will provide a home base for existing YMCA programs run at places such as the South Shore United Methodist Church or South Bay Hospital, while also complementing the county park.
Because the project remains in its infancy, Sofarelli did not give any time frame for the start or completion of construction.
“It’s still a footprint right now,” she said. “I wouldn’t say it’s set in stone.”
The approval of the county budget in September cemented a key piece of financial backing: County Commissioner Sandy Murman set aside an annual allocation of $500,000 for four years for the project. The money will be given in reimbursements to the YMCA from sales tax funds.
Sofarelli estimates the YMCA will need to raise an additional $4 million to $6 million for the facility.
But the public-private partnership cushions the costs for both parties.
“In this day and time,” Murman said, “it’s the best recipe for putting something in and having some public benefit.”
Murman praised the YMCA’s past cooperation with the county in providing services and constructing new facilities, such as the Campo pool, using public grants.
“They did it by the book,” she said. “And it was really almost an example of how a project should be done.”
Still, Murman said the organization will be subject to any new rules and policies that may be implemented for groups receiving county funding following recent criticism of public dollars spent to build the Regent in Riverview.
The YMCA is expected to present a business plan Nov. 2 to the County Commission, Murman said.
Stephanie Wang can be reached at swang@sptimes.com or (813) 661-2443.
On 10.06.11, In Blog, By Murman
Demorris A. Lee, St. Petersburg Times
Thursday, October 6, 2011
http://www.tampabay.com/news/publicsafety/hillsborough-sheriff-warns-internet-sweepstakes-cafes-to-fly-right/1195463
In joining a crackdown already under way in neighboring counties, the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office is warning owners of Internet sweepstakes cafes to stop any illegal gambling or risk prosecution.
In a letter dated Oct. 3, the Sheriff’s Office writes to owners that it is “obligated to investigate all illegal activities occurring within our jurisdiction, including illegal gambling activities.”
The letter states that “according to our understanding of your operation, you are conducting business activities in violation” of state gambling laws.
The letters come as Hillsborough County commissioners are set to meet next week to take their own steps to regulate the cafes.
Sweepstakes cafes have been allowed to operate freely in Hillsborough, while in Pinellas and Pasco counties, Sheriffs Jim Coats and Chris Nocco have shut down such cafes and arrested owners.
In both Pinellas and Pasco, the sheriffs began their enforcement campaigns against the cafes with similar letters of warning. Coats and Nocco contend that the cafes foster illegal gambling.
Larry McKinnon, a Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office spokesman, said Wednesday that the letters sent this week give owners the opportunity to make sure their businesses operate legally.
“If they are unclear about what the law says, then they should consult an attorney or the State Attorney’s Office for clarification,” McKinnon said.
The number of Internet sweepstakes cafes has soared in the Tampa Bay area recently.
Sweepstakes cafe customers purchase Internet time that they use to access casino-style games on cafe computers. Points won in the games can be redeemed for cash in the cafes.
Last month, Hillsborough County commissioners voted unanimously to direct staffers to draft an ordinance banning simulated gambling devices. The ban could exempt nonprofit groups.
Commissioners have scheduled a workshop for 1:30 p.m. Tuesday to discuss regulating the cafes. If they can agree on language for an ordinance, a public hearing will be held Oct. 19.
Commissioner Sandy Murman, who wants the establishments banned, said there are at least 25 Internet sweepstakes cafes operating in unincorporated Hillsborough.
“The Sheriff’s Office is doing the right thing,” Murman said of the letters. “They are supposed to stop crime and illegal activity.”
The letters are arriving at cafes days before commissioners discuss local regulations, but Murman said the two events are not related.
“I don’t think anyone is operating on a timeline because of the ordinance we are proposing,” Murman said. “The workshop will allow both sides to present their case.”
Nancee Laursen, owner of the Enless II sweepstakes cafe on W Hillsborough Avenue, received one of the letters. She said she is running a legal business.
“I’m going to wait and see what happens,” Laursen said. “The fact is, it’s not gambling. If they are going to investigate, they should come into my store and let us know they are here so I can explain it to them. It’s completely black and white. It’s not gambling.”
But area law enforcement agencies point to Florida gambling statute 849.16, which states in part that any device is considered a slot machine — illegal in Florida except where specifically allowed — if it operates “as a result of the insertion of any piece of money, coin or other object” and if the user, because of “any element of chance,” receives anything of value.
Sweepstakes cafe proponents point to a different state statute on game promotions when they argue their cafes are legal. They say they are merely using sweepstakes games to promote their businesses.
A Pinellas cafe owner is challenging Coats’ decision to raid and close her Palm Harbor business. A federal court hearing in Tampa is scheduled for Oct. 14.
On 10.05.11, In Blog, By Murman
Regent may face state review
By From staff reports
Published: October 05, 2011
http://www2.tbo.com/news/news/2011/oct/05/menewso5-regent-may-face-state-review-ar-262848/
TAMPA — Hillsborough County commissioners have asked the state Joint Legislative Auditing Committee to review funding and operations at The Regent, a controversial community center near Brandon.
Commission Chairman Al Higginbotham sent a letter last week to state Sen. Jim Norman, chairman of the audit committee and a former Hillsborough commissioner, asking for the review of the center. Built with county, state and federal money, The Regent was sold to government officials as a community center and hurricane shelter. After the building was finished in January, however, it was criticized because of its lavish decor and lack of accessibility for ordinary residents.
Commissioner Victor Crist, a former state senator, suggested at the Sept. 21 commission meeting that the audit committee look at the center. Crist made the suggestion after a county auditor reported that $35,000 in county money had been spent on consultants and other inappropriate uses during construction. Commissioners asked the board running The Regent to return the money.
“From the holistic perspective, we really need to have the full bird’s-eye view of what this deal is and what has really taken place,” Crist said at the meeting, “and the best way to do that is to send a formal request from this board to the state Legislature and ask that the Joint Legislative Auditing Committee look into this matter.”
Commissioner Sandy Murman is also scheduling meetings with The Regent’s board to discuss the future management of the center. Murman has suggested that Hillsborough Community College, which owns the building, also operate it.
On 09.27.11, In Blog, By Murman
Posted: 4:00 AM
- By: Heather Gordon
Hillsborough County officials will hold a meeting Tuesday to discuss the upcoming closure of the Platt Street Bridge in downtown Tampa.
District 1 County Commissioner Sandra L. Murman and other city and county staff will be leading the Community Information Open House Meeting beginning at 6 p.m. The meeting will be held at the Freedman Tennis Court Center at 59 Columbia Drive, Davis Islands.
At the Open House, citizens will be able to hear a briefing and visit information stations to find alternate commuting options and to provide comment.
The Platt Street Bridge will be closed beginning Monday, October 3, and is scheduled to remain closed for 105 days. Officials say the closure is necessary as part of the required rehabilitation of the bridge to allow the contractor to open the drawbridge and perform replacement work on its components. The full project is expected to be completed in the spring of 2012.
For more information on Alternate Routes, call the City of Tampa at (813) 274-8333.
For more information on the Platt St. Bridge Project, call Hillsborough County at (813) 635-5400.
Detailed information can be found on online at www.hillsboroughcounty.org/publicworks/traffic/platt.
On 09.20.11, In Blog, By Murman
Deal to settle Tampa Bay Water reservoir lawsuit comes up one vote short
By Craig Pittman, Times Staff Writer
In Print: Tuesday, September 20, 2011
A sharply divided Tampa Bay Water board voted Monday to settle its lawsuit against the company that designed its flawed reservoir, with HDR Engineering handing over $30 million — far less than the cost of a repair, which means the ratepayers would likely pick up the rest of the tab.
The regional utility’s management announced the settlement in a news release, and an HDR executive hailed it as the best possible solution.
But there was a problem. The settlement passed by a vote of 4-3 — and it turns out that’s not enough.
Late Monday, two Pinellas County commissioners who were on the losing side of the vote pointed out what was wrong: The rules governing Tampa Bay Water require at least five of the board’s nine members to ratify any legal settlement.
Votes to approve the settlement fell one short, so “it doesn’t count,” said Pinellas Commissioner Susan Latvala.
Latvala and Commissioner Neil Brickfield had voted against the settlement and then heard about the problem from county attorneys who were familiar with how Tampa Bay Water was set up, she said.
As a result, the board will have to vote on the proposed settlement again at its Oct. 17 meeting, according to spokeswoman Michelle Biddle Rapp.
But this time it will be different. Monday’s decision to settle the case, as with all previous discussions of the lawsuit, took place behind closed doors, thanks to an exemption in Florida’s open government law. No one in the public knew the terms of the settlement discussions in advance. Now they do.
“Stay tuned for another installment,” joked Latvala, who has seen the utility stumble repeatedly over glitches with its desalination plant and its relations with other government agencies.
For nearly two years, Tampa Bay Water officials have said they hoped the companies that designed and built the reservoir would bear most, if not all, of the cost of fixing its cracks.
Two of the contractors that worked on the reservoir had previously settled the utility’s claims for $6.75 million. Added to the proposed settlement with HDR, that makes $36.75 million in damages — which falls far short of the repair cost, estimated at $121 million.
The decision on how to pay for the rest — and whether it will mean a rate hike — will come next year, said Tampa Bay Water general manager Gerald Seeber. The staff is predicting rates might go up 10 to 15 cents per thousand gallons of water used. The average Tampa Bay area household uses about 8,000 gallons, so that would be 80 cents to $1.20 per month on the average bill.
Latvala, Brickfield and Hillsborough County Commissioner Sandy Murman voted to oppose the settlement, while St. Petersburg City Council member Karl Nurse, Pasco County Commissioners Anne Hildebrand and Ted Schrader and New Port Richey Mayor Bob Consalvo voted to go ahead with it.
Two members weren’t there: Tampa City Council member Charlie Miranda was recovering from surgery and Hillsborough County Commissioner Mark Sharpe was attending a Hillsborough Area Regional Transit committee meeting. Sharpe could not be reached for comment, but Miranda said he’d be at the October meeting “even if I have to find someone to drive me.”
Nurse said he voted for the settlement because he was worried that even if Tampa Bay Water were to win, HDR would appeal and drag the case out for years. Hildebrand said any rate increase would be “just pennies.”
But Brickfield predicted water customers “are going to feel a lot like me — not happy.”
The utility opened the 15.5 billion-gallon C.W. Bill Young Regional Reservoir in June 2005 as a place to store water skimmed from the Alafia River, Hillsborough River and Tampa Bypass Canal. The embankment’s top layer is a mixture of soil and cement to prevent erosion. That’s what cracked in December 2006. Some cracks were up to 400 feet long and up to 15½ inches deep. Workers patched the cracks, but the fix didn’t last.
Last month Tampa Bay Water approved a contract with Kiewit Infrastructure South to repair the reservoir and also boost its capacity by 3 billion gallons for $156 million. The company has promised to finish in two years — during which the reservoir will be drained, forcing the utility to use its desalination plant more.
Craig Pittman can be reached at craig@sptimes.com.
Port director gets two-year extension
By Steve Huettel, Times Staff Writer
Posted: Sep 20, 2011 11:48 AM
TAMPA – Disappointing his critics, the Port Authority board voted today to extend the contract of director Richard Wainio by two years.
Hillsborough County Commissioner Sandy Murman first proposed a one-year extension. After her motion was rejected, Tampa Mayor Bob Buckhorn proposed the two year extension, and it passed on a 4-2 vote.
Questions over Wainio’s future rose in July, when the Port of Tampa Maritime Industries Association called for the board to let Wainio go when his contract expires next March.
The group, which represents 47 companies doing business at the port, cited significant declines in cargo tonnage at the port since Wainio took over in 2006.
Operating income at the Tampa Port Authority was nearly $5 million in the black at the beginning of his tenure and was $1.1 million in the red last year, the group said. The number is misleading, port staffers insist, because it includes millions in depreciation from new construction. The authority isn’t actually losing money.
Much of the conflict is over personality.
Critics say Wainio doesn’t listen to their suggestions on port business strategy, has been disrespectful toward business leaders and creates a ”chilling effect” on public comment at board meetings.
Wainio says his critics don’t represent the views of the larger port community. In a recent e-mail, he wrote commissioners that morale at the agency is suffering from the attacks.
“My staff and I are irritated by the generally baseless, erroneous and repetitive accusations from several people who quite frankly have no particular knowledge or expertise regarding the issues,” he wrote ”
Wainio, 61, has served as the Port Authority’s chief executive since 2005. He earns $251,118 a year.