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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After confusion, Tampa and Hillsborough officials try to improve economic incentive process

On 08.02.11, In Blog, By Murman

By Richard Danielson and Bill Varian, Times Staff Writers 

In Print: Tuesday, August 2, 2011

TAMPA — Last week’s confusion over a $1.2 million incentive package for Pricewaterhouse­Coopers had local officials talking Monday about creating a process that is more clear, consistent and unhurried.

“This last one did not go as smoothly as everyone would like,” said Bob McDonaugh, Tampa’s acting economic development administrator.

So officials met to discuss ways to refine the process for the future.

On July 25, several days after the Tampa City Council and Hillsborough County Commission approved the incentives, a top PricewaterhouseCoop­ers executive said the firm never considered moving its operating center out of Tampa.

That disclosure surprised several council members and commissioners who said they were led to believe that a then-unnamed financial services firm needed incentives to keep 1,633 jobs in Tampa.

State law allows the identities of companies to remain confidential while local officials negotiate incentives, but PricewaterhouseCoop­ers identified itself as the company after the subsidies were approved.

At Monday’s meeting, officials from the city and county met with executives from the nonprofit Tampa Hillsborough Economic Development Corp. and came up with at least four potential improvements:

• Giving city and county elected officials the same information in a standard format.

• Putting such requests on regular meeting agendas, giving elected officials time to review them in advance, instead of walking them on to the agendas just a day or two before the meeting as happened with the PricewaterhouseCoopers package.

• Having a staff member from the Economic Development Corp. on hand to answer questions. (EDC representatives were at the County Commission’s meeting, but didn’t speak.)

• Having the Economic Development Corp. provide elected officials with a briefing on the economic development process and how it works.

Those steps would help, City Council member Mary Mulhern said, but they wouldn’t have necessarily given elected officials the information they should have had on this project.

“We still don’t know whether they were planning to move or not,” said Mulhern, who has said that elected officials were misled.

Mulhern said local officials also need to work through other questions, including whether they should even offer incentives to companies for retaining existing jobs — as opposed to creating new ones — and whether the identities of the companies should remain confidential.

The City Council has asked its staff for a report on the process used to consider the incentive package. On Wednesday, the County Commission is expected to discuss the Pricewaterhouse­Coopers project at the request of Commissioner Sandra Murman.

After Monday’s meeting, county chief financial administrator Bonnie Wise would not say whether there will be a recommendation to proceed with the subsidy.

“Part of the problem is that we’re still under a confidentiality agreement right now,” she said.

“I think where we ended up is: This is still a good project, still a good company, good jobs.”

McDonaugh agreed, saying the proposal requires Pricewat­erhouseCoopers to invest in a new building with an estimated cost of $78 million to receive the incentives. Not only that, but the particulars of the incentives will come back in a detailed agreement for another vote.

The firm plans to move into the building, being constructed in West Shore, in 2013.

McDonaugh noted the city wouldn’t pay any incentives until 2017.

“We would have three or four years of property taxes before spending the first nickel,” he said. “The taxpayers are protected.”

Without saying the process broke down in this case, Wise said she expects officials involved in Monday’s meeting will sit down again at some point.

“We all want to coordinate and communicate better, which I think is always a good thing,” she said. “There’s always room for improvement.”

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Times: Parks Budget scales back programs

On 07.28.11, In Blog, By Murman

Commissioner Murman quoted in this Times article on Parks budget:

Hillsborough commissioners approve controversial scaling back of after-school programs

By Bill Varian, Times Staff Writer

In Print: Thursday, July 28, 2011

http://www.tampabay.com/news/localgovernment/hillsborough-commissioners-approve-controversial-scaling-back-of/1182693

TAMPA — A divided Hillsborough County Commission voted Wednesday to dramatically scale back after-school parks programs, a budget cut that has drawn spirited condemnation from parents.

But commissioners left open the prospect of revisiting the issue, planning to talk next month about whether they can keep the programs operating at more parks than were approved Wednesday.

“I think we’re probably far away from a resolution on this,” said Commissioner Sandra Murman, saying she thinks a broader board discussion on how it serves children is needed.

The vote came as commissioners met to make some of the main unresolved budget decisions needed to set a tentative property tax rate for next fiscal year. Commissioners agreed to shave a tiny fraction from the current rate, reducing the county’s portion of the tax bill on a $200,000 home with a $50,000 homestead exemption by 72 cents.

The rate tentatively set for unincorporated areas is about $10.76 for every $1,000 of taxable value. Commissioners can lower the rate before September when they pass a final budget, but can’t raise it.

The parks dispute has represented one of the thornier decisions on their plate as they wrestle with a $3 billion budget.

For now, the commission vote means that after-school programs operating at 42 county parks will be consolidated at 11 regional recreation centers. The vote was 4-3, with Commissioners Ken Hagan, Les Miller and Victor Crist opposed.

Prevailing commissioners said the county can no longer afford the $7.5 million service that has seen its enrollment dwindle since fees were introduced in an attempt to recoup costs.

Hagan said he agreed. He nevertheless is floating a proposal to keep the programs operating at 30 parks. He also wants to see an analysis of whether fees could be lowered to draw more kids and bring in more paying customers.

“It would be fiscally irresponsible to ignore the reality,” Hagan said. “I think we can do better.”

Under the plan approved Wednesday, children who don’t live near one of the regional parks would be encouraged to use the HOST program, an after-school program offered at more than 130 elementary and middle schools. It costs the same as the county service, $48 per week for each child with discounts available to low-income families.

The county used to offer its after-school programs for free. When property tax revenue began declining in recent years, county officials targeted the programs for elimination as a luxury they could no longer justify.

Parents rallied on their behalf, agreeing to fees that were implemented and then increased. Enrollment declined from a high of 6,200 in 2007 to 1,800 currently, with average weekly fees collected per child at $23 after low-income discounts.

At a public hearing last week, the after-school program was the prevailing topic. Among other things, speakers argued that the county service, with multiple structured offerings from athletics to crafts and tutoring, is far superior to the school district’s HOST program.

Gwen Luney, an assistant superintendent for Hillsborough County schools who oversees the program, noted it has 8,000 children enrolled. She said supervised outdoor activities are offered as well as homework assistance and access to school media centers.

“We try to make sure we work with every parent … to give (them) a safe, wholesome opportunity for their children,” Luney said.

Bill Varian can be reached at (813) 226-3387 or varian@sptimes.com.

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Thoughts on Transportation and the Budget

On 06.10.11, In Blog, By Murman

Commissioner Murman quoted in this Tribune article on transportation and budget:

Hillsborough commissioners want plan for roads

By MIKE SALINERO | The Tampa Tribune
Published: June 10, 2011

TAMPA —

Despite limited money, Hillsborough County commissioners want more transportation projects underway to create jobs and show constituents the county is working to clear jammed roads.

Commissioners voted Thursday to have county administrators contact planners at other agencies in order to draw up a coordinated plan to expedite transportation projects.

“We need to look at this as a strategic objective that we plan for,” said Commissioner Sandy Murman.

Murman started the conversation at a budget workshop where administrators were explaining how they prioritize transportation projects when revenues are plummeting. The county is deferring $76 million in scheduled road work until 2014 because of the continuing decline in the Community Investment Tax, a half-cent sales tax.

Despite the shortfall, County Administrator Mike Merrill has recommended budgeting $32.8 million for road projects in fiscal 2012 and about $56 million in fiscal 2013.

How that money is spent, and how quickly projects can get underway is crucial to the local economy and to residents stuck in traffic jams, Murman said. She said the issue is so important, the county should assign one person to deal only with transportation. No such position now exists.

“The county staff needs to be involved in this at the get-go in some kind of leadership roll,” Murman said. “We’ve got the dollars and the public works department.”

The suggestion spurred a conversation on the importance of transportation and the need to coordinate efforts now fragmented among numerous agencies, most of which do not answer directly to the commission.

Commissioner Mark Sharpe suggested resurrecting a list of road projects recommended by the county’s Transportation Task Force, a group that studied transportation needs from 2006-09. The task force recommended a 1 cent sales tax increase to pay for the road projects as well as a light-rail system. Voters rejected the sales tax last November.

Commissioners finally decided to have county administrators talk initially with directors of the Metropolitan Planning Organization and the City-County Planning Commission about coordinating a plan to identify the most crucial road projects. Other agencies could be brought in later, Sharpe said.

msalinero@tampatrib.com (813) 259-8303

 

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