Hillsborough County Commission debates the merits of advancing Tampa's Lowry Park Zoo $2 Million dollars two years ahead of planned budget.
Concerns discussed include:
- "WE HAVE A MULTIPART ITEM TODAY TO COME BACK TO YOU ON THE ZOO FUNDING.
ONE WOULD BE TO ACCELERATE 2 MILLION OF THE $4 MILLION THE BOARD HAS IDENTIFIED AS AVAILABLE FOR THE LOWRY PARK ZOO, AND WE'D MOVE IT FROM 2008 TO THE CURRENT YEAR.
WE'D BORROW FUNDS TO MAKE THAT WORK."
- "IT WILL COST US, WE ESTIMATE, $176,658 TO BORROW THE MONEY TWO YEARS EARLIER TO MAKE IT AVAILABLE TO THE ZOO."
- "AT ONE POINT WE WERE PURCHASING, I BELIEVE, GIRAFFES AND A PYGMY HIPPO, AND AT THIS POINT WE'VE MOVED IT AROUND SO WE'RE NOT BUYING ANIMALS, WE'RE IMPROVING THE EXHIBITS."
-
"WE SHOULDN'T BE BUILDING ANYTHING WE'RE NOT GOING TO MAINTAIN, AND IF WE'RE GOING TO GIVE MONEY FOR AN ASSET TO AN ORGANIZATION, WE SHOULD HAVE SOME CONFIDENCE THAT THEY HAVE THE ABILITY TO MAINTAIN THOSE ASSETS OVER TIME."
-
"NOBODY HAS DEFINED WHAT CONSTITUTES A BUSINESS PLAN, SO PART OF IT WILL BE WE'LL LAY OUT THAT STRUCTURE, AND THEN IT'LL BE CLEAR THAT WHEN YOU GET A PROPOSAL THAT THEY'VE THOUGHT IT THROUGH, THEY KNOW HOW TO MAINTAIN WHAT THEY BUILD, AND ONE OF THE ISSUES HERE IS THAT THE ZOO IS COMING TO US BECAUSE THEY HAVEN'T NECESSARILY SPENT ENOUGH MONEY MAINTAINING THEIR EXISTING EXHIBITS, AND THAT'S WHAT THEY'RE ATTEMPTING TO DO THROUGH THIS COMMITMENT FROM THE BOARD."
CAPTIONING
MARCH 15, 2006
BOCC REGULAR MEETING
MORNING SESSION
***This is not an official, verbatim transcript of the ***following meeting. It should be used for informational ***purposes only. This document has not been edited; ***therefore, there may be additions, deletions, or words ***that did not translate
>>PAT BEAN: COMMISSIONERS, THE FIRST ITEM THAT WE WOULD TAKE UP, THEN, BECAUSE IT'S STILL NOT TIME FOR OUR FIRST TIME CERTAIN, WOULD BE ITEM B-4, WHICH IS BROUGHT TO YOU BY THE MANAGEMENT AND BUDGET DEPARTMENT.
THIS HAS TO DO WITH THE ISSUE THAT YOU DISCUSSED I BELIEVE A BOARD MEETING OR TWO AGO REGARDING THE ZOO AND ALLOWING THE ZOO TO DRAW DOWN $2 MILLION OF THE 4 MILLION THAT YOU HAD AGREED TO GIVE THEM EARLIER THAN THE ORIGINAL SCHEDULE, AND ERIC JOHNSON IS HERE TO TALK ABOUT THAT ISSUE.
>>ERIC JOHNSON: GOOD MORNING, COMMISSIONERS.
ERIC JOHNSON, MANAGEMENT AND BUDGET DEPARTMENT.
WE HAVE A MULTIPART ITEM TODAY TO COME BACK TO YOU ON THE ZOO FUNDING.
ONE WOULD BE TO ACCELERATE 2 MILLION OF THE $4 MILLION THE BOARD HAS IDENTIFIED AS AVAILABLE FOR THE LOWRY PARK ZOO, AND WE'D MOVE IT FROM 2008 TO THE CURRENT YEAR.
WE'D BORROW FUNDS TO MAKE THAT WORK.
SECONDLY, THE BOARD INDICATED THAT WE SHOULD REVISE THE POLICY WE HAVE FOR CAPITAL FUNDING OF OUTSIDE AGENCIES.
COMMISSIONER BLAIR HAD RAISED THAT AS A WAY FOR US TO BETTER UNDERSTAND THE REQUESTS THAT COME FROM OUTSIDE AGENCIES AT THE TIME THAT THE BOARD MAKES ALLOCATION DECISIONS REGARDING THE COMMUNITY INVESTMENT TAX, AND WE'VE REVISED THAT.
I SHOULD SAY THAT WE DID NOT UNDERSTAND THE MOTION TO REQUIRE A BUSINESS PLAN AS PART OF THIS PARTICULAR PROJECT, SO I DON'T KNOW, COMMISSIONER BLAIR, WHETHER THAT WAS THE -- THE INTENT, BUT I DIDN'T SEE THAT SPECIFICALLY WITHIN THE MOTION, THAT THE ZOO SHOULD DO A BUSINESS PLAN.
WE UNDERSTOOD THE TASK THERE TO BE CHANGE THE POLICY SO THAT IN THE FUTURE, WHEN THE BOARD HAS PUBLIC HEARINGS ON CIT AND NONPROFIT ORGANIZATIONS COME BEFORE THE BOARD WITH A PROJECT, THAT WE CLEARLY KNOW WHAT THEIR PLAN IS AND HOW THEY PLAN TO BE SUCCESSFUL IF THEY RECEIVE FUNDING FROM THE BOARD, SO I JUST WANTED TO MAKE SURE YOU UNDERSTOOD.
WE DIDN'T THINK THAT WAS PART OF THE TASK, BUT IT MAY HAVE BEEN YOUR INTENT.
>>BRIAN BLAIR: NO, YOU'RE CORRECT, AND YOU CAN'T UNSPILL SPILLED MILK, BUT THANK YOU FOR PROCEEDING WITH THE --
>>ERIC JOHNSON: THE NEXT THING IS WE HAVE A RESOLUTION AMENDING THE ADOPTED CIT TO ADD THE LOWRY PARK ZOO.
THE BOARD HAS ACTED TO IDENTIFY PROJECTS IN THAT EIGHT-YEAR PLAN THAT IS GOING TO BECOME AN 11-YEAR PLAN FOR THE CIT -- EXCUSE ME, GOING TO BE AN EIGHT-YEAR PLAN, NOT A FIVE-YEAR PLAN, BUT WE HAD NOT ACTUALLY PUT IT INTO THE -- THE SIX-YEAR CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PROGRAM, SO ITEM "C" ON THE AGENDA DOES THAT.
ITEM "D," THEN, FOLLOWING FOLLOWS THROUGH WITH A BUDGET AMENDMENT APPROPRIATING THE $2 MILLION.
ITEM "E" RECOGNIZES THAT WE BELIEVE PART OF THE MOTION WAS TO TAKE INTO CONSIDERATION THE TIME VALUE OF MONEY.
IT WILL COST US, WE ESTIMATE, $176,658 TO BORROW THE MONEY TWO YEARS EARLIER TO MAKE IT AVAILABLE TO THE ZOO.
OUR PROPOSAL IS NOT TO SUBTRACT THAT FROM WHAT WE GIVE THE ZOO NOW BUT TO SUBTRACT THAT FROM THE 2 MILLION REMAINING IN 2008 FOR THE ZOO.
THE OTHER THING THAT YOU SHOULD KNOW THAT'S NOT PART OF THIS BUT IS REFLECTED IN THE ITEM IS THAT WE ACTUALLY WORKED WITH THE ZOO BY WAY OF THE CITY OF TAMPA, SO WE'LL HAVE AN INTERLOCAL AGREEMENT, AND TYPICALLY WE WOULD HAVE THE CITY SIGN THAT, THEN WE WOULD BRING IT FORWARD TO THE BOARD TO AUTHORIZE ONCE THE CITY SIGNS OFF.
TYPICALLY WE HAVE THE OTHER PARTY SIGN FIRST, SO WE'RE WORKING WITH THE CITY ON THAT, AND AS SOON AS THE CITY SIGNS OFF ON THE INTERLOCAL, WE'LL BRING THAT BACK AT THE FIRST OPPORTUNITY.
THE KEY TODAY IS THE ZOO WILL KNOW THEY ARE GOING TO GET THE MONEY.
THEY'VE GIVEN US A DETAILED LIST ON HOW THEY PLAN TO SPEND THE MONEY.
AS YOU KNOW, THEY HAVE AN EVENT COMING UP IN SEPTEMBER THAT THEY WERE TRYING TO PREPARE FOR.
WE HAVE WORKED WITH THEM, AND THE -- THE LIST IS IMPROVEMENTS TO EXHIBITS AND IMPROVEMENTS TO THE EXISTING FACILITIES, AND WE DID GET THEM TO MAKE SOME CHANGES.
AT ONE POINT WE WERE PURCHASING, I BELIEVE, GIRAFFES AND A PYGMY HIPPO, AND AT THIS POINT WE'VE MOVED IT AROUND SO WE'RE NOT BUYING ANIMALS, WE'RE IMPROVING THE EXHIBITS.
WE'D BE GLAD TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS YOU MIGHT HAVE.
>>KATHY CASTOR: I HAVE A QUESTION.
>>KEN HAGAN: COMMISSIONER CASTOR.
>>KATHY CASTOR: ERIC, ON THE REVISED POLICY, IT -- WILL YOU EXPLAIN IT.
I'VE READ IT A FEW TIMES.
I DON'T SEE THAT THERE'S A MAJOR CHANGE TO IT, BUT TELL ME, IS THERE A MAJOR CHANGE IN THE REVISION TO THE POLICY?
>>ERIC JOHNSON: IF YOU'LL GIVE ME JUST ONE MOMENT.
I HAVE SO MANY PIECES --
>>KATHY CASTOR: THIS IS THE POLICY FOR CAPITAL FUNDING FOR OUTSIDE AGENCIES.
>>ERIC JOHNSON: YES, MA'AM.
AND WE'VE GIVEN YOU TWO VERSIONS.
ONE IS A BLACK-LINED VERSION, WHICH HELPS CLARIFY THAT THERE ARE ACTUALLY SOME TYPOS IN THE FORM OF THE POLICY THAT HAVE BEEN FILED.
THERE'S NOT MUCH.
MOSTLY WHAT YOU SEE IS UNDER THE RESPONSIBILITIES THAT THE LANGUAGE INDICATES THAT IT'S MY DEPARTMENT'S RESPONSIBILITY -- WE'VE BEEN KIND OF VAGUE IN THE PAST AS TO WHO'S RESPONSIBLE FOR THE POLICY, AND THAT WE'LL MAKE SURE THAT THEY COMPLY WITH THE POLICY.
AS YOU SEE, THE POLICY ALREADY HAD A LOT OF INFORMATION THAT WAS REQUIRED OF THE CAPITAL FUNDING REQUEST.
THE OTHER PART THAT WE'VE ADDED IS IT'S THE RESPONSIBILITY OF THE DEBT MANAGEMENT DEPARTMENT TO DEVELOP THE BUSINESS PLAN FORMAT AND REVIEW SUBMITTED BUSINESS PLANS, AND THERE IT'S -- IT'S CLEAR THAT WE'RE FOLLOWING THROUGH IN THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE POLICY, SO -- SO PRIMARILY THE CHANGES ARE REFLECTED IN THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE POLICY, WHICH HAD NOT BEEN PARTICULARLY CLEAR IN THE PAST, AND THIS IS A POLICY THAT'S BEEN IN PLACE FOR -- SINCE 1991 WITHOUT CHANGE.
>>KATHY CASTOR: SO THESE CHANGES, YOU'LL INTERPRET THEM, REALLY JUST CLARIFY THE RESPONSIBILITIES OF THE --
>>ERIC JOHNSON: IT'S MOSTLY TO CLARIFY THE RESPONSIBILITIES.
THE POLICY'S BEEN OUT THERE, BUT HERE IT'S CLEAR EXACTLY WHO'S DOING WHAT IN REGARD TO THE POLICY.
>>KATHY CASTOR: OKAY.
THANK YOU.
>>KEN HAGAN: COMMISSIONER BLAIR.
>>BRIAN BLAIR: SO, ERIC, WHAT WAS THE -- WOULD YOU TELL ME AGAIN OR EXPLAIN TO THE BOARD AGAIN, WHAT WAS THE ORIGINAL REQUEST, THEN, IF YOU NEW UP FRONT?
WHAT WAS THE REQUEST FOR?
>>ERIC JOHNSON: THE ORIGINAL REQUEST, AS I UNDERSTOOD IT, WAS FOR A SOUTH AMERICAN EXHIBIT THAT THE ZOO WOULD BE BUILDING, MUCH AS THEY HAD RECENTLY DONE THE AFRICAN EXHIBIT, AND THAT WAS THE $4-MILLION REQUEST, AND I DON'T RECALL THAT THERE WAS A LOT OF SPECIFICITY, WHICH IS, I THINK, WHAT THE BOARD WAS LOOKING TO ADDRESS THROUGH THESE CHANGES IN THE BUSINESS PLAN, THAT IN THE FUTURE, IT WOULD BE CLEAR WHAT IT IS THAT AN ORGANIZATION IS REQUESTING.
AND I THINK IN THIS CASE -- AND AGAIN, THE FORMAT OF THE BUSINESS PLAN WILL BE DEVELOPED BY THE -- THE DEBT MANAGEMENT DEPARTMENT, BUT PART OF WHAT WE'D BE LOOKING FOR IN A BUSINESS PLAN IS IF YOU BUILD SOMETHING, HOW DO YOU PROVE TO US THAT YOU HAVE THE CAPACITY TO MAINTAIN IT SO THAT YOU DON'T LOSE THE ASSETS, BECAUSE THE BOARD HAS THE POLICY ON THAT.
WE SHOULDN'T BE BUILDING ANYTHING WE'RE NOT GOING TO MAINTAIN, AND IF WE'RE GOING TO GIVE MONEY FOR AN ASSET TO AN ORGANIZATION, WE SHOULD HAVE SOME CONFIDENCE THAT THEY HAVE THE ABILITY TO MAINTAIN THOSE ASSETS OVER TIME.
>>BRIAN BLAIR: SO YOU'RE COMFORTABLE WITH THE LANGUAGE -- THE REVISED LANGUAGE THAT YOU'RE ADDRESSING?
>>ERIC JOHNSON: I THINK -- AND I THINK THE -- THE POLICY DOESN'T HAVE ALL OF THAT DETAIL, BUT THE FORMAT OF THE BUSINESS PLAN WILL BASICALLY LAY OUT WHAT ARE THE ESSENTIAL REQUIREMENTS OF A BUSINESS PLAN?
WE ALL USE THE TERM "BUSINESS PLAN," BUT IT'S NOT REALLY A TERM OF ART.
NOBODY HAS DEFINED WHAT CONSTITUTES A BUSINESS PLAN, SO PART OF IT WILL BE WE'LL LAY OUT THAT STRUCTURE, AND THEN IT'LL BE CLEAR THAT WHEN YOU GET A PROPOSAL THAT THEY'VE THOUGHT IT THROUGH, THEY KNOW HOW TO MAINTAIN WHAT THEY BUILD, AND ONE OF THE ISSUES HERE IS THAT THE ZOO IS COMING TO US BECAUSE THEY HAVEN'T NECESSARILY SPENT ENOUGH MONEY MAINTAINING THEIR EXISTING EXHIBITS, AND THAT'S WHAT THEY'RE ATTEMPTING TO DO THROUGH THIS COMMITMENT FROM THE BOARD.
>>BRIAN BLAIR: RIGHT.
AND I'D LIKE OUR BOARD MEMBERS -- FELLOW BOARD MEMBERS -- TO UNDERSTAND THAT, YOU KNOW, WHEN WE'RE IN THE PROCESS OF ALLOCATING DOLLARS AND SOMEBODY GIVES A FIGURE FOR A PROJECT THAT WE THINK IS WORTHY AND WE'RE SOLD ON THE PROJECT AND WE GIVE THEM THAT MONEY, THEN THEY CHANGE HORSES IN THE MIDDLE OF THE STREAM, WE COULD HAVE ACTUALLY ALLOCATED THOSE DOLLARS TOWARDS TRANSPORTATION OR STORMWATER, AS COMMISSIONER STORMS PUSHED VERY HEAVILY FOR DURING THE PROCESS AS WELL, BECAUSE THEN THOSE ARE TIED-UP DOLLARS.
SO THIS WOULD PREVENT, I THINK, THOSE DOLLARS FROM BEING TIED UP UNNECESSARY -- WITHOUT AN ACTUAL PLAN, SO THAT'S THE PURPOSE.
>>KEN HAGAN: COMMISSIONER SHARPE.
>>MARK SHARPE: I JUST WANTED TO THANK YOU FOR A WELL-CONSIDERED POLICY, AND I'LL GO AHEAD AND MAKE A MOTION TO MOVE STAFF RECOMMENDATION.
>>THOMAS SCOTT: SECOND.
>>KEN HAGAN: OKAY.
WE HAVE A MOTION TO APPROVE STAFF RECOMMENDATION BY COMMISSIONER SHARPE, SECONDED BY COMMISSIONER SCOTT.
PLEASE RECORD YOUR VOTE.
>>RECORDING SECRETARY: MOTION CARRIED 6-0.
>>ERIC JOHNSON: THANK YOU.
Link to the complete City Council transcripts
|
