City Council

WELCOME TO THE CITY OF SAINT PETERSBURG CITY COUNCIL MEETING YOUR ELECTED OFFICIALS. OUR MAYOR KEN WELCH, DISTRICT ONE, COPLEY CURTIS, DISTRICT TWO AND COUNCIL VICE-CHAIR BRANDY GABBARD DISTRICT THREE, EDMONTON ERIE. DISTRICT FOUR PLUS JACK HANNA WITH DISTRICT FIVE. DEBORAH FEYERICK, SANDERS DISTRICT SIX AND COUNCIL CHAIR GINA DRISCOLL. DISTRICT SEVEN. LISA WHEELER BOWMAN AND DISTRICT EIGHT RICHIE FLOYD GOOD MORNING EVERYONE WILL CALL TO ORDER THE MARCH 3RD 2022 MEETING OF THE SAINT PETERSBURG CITY COUNCIL. WE'LL BEGIN WITH THE ROLL CALL PLEASE ITINERARY HERE AND WHAT'S RICK SANDERS DRISCOLL HERE WILL BOWMAN OR FLOYD YOU'RE CURTIS YOU'RE HERE. THANK YOU FOR JOINING US TODAY FOR OUR INVOCATION IS CANON ETHAN COLE FROM THE CATHEDRAL CHURCH OF SAINT PETER. GOOD MORNING AND WELCOME. MORNING. EVERYONE COULD PLEASE STAND FOR THE INVOCATION, FOLLOWED BY THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE ALMIGHTY GOD, OUR HEAVENLY FATHER SEND DOWN ON THOSE WHO HOLD OFFICE IN THE CITY OF SAINT PETERSBURG. THE SPIRIT OF WISDOM, CHARITY AND JUSTICE THAT WITH STEADFAST PURPOSE, THEY MAY FAITHFULLY SERVE IN THEIR OFFICES TO PROMOTE THE WELL-BEING OF ALL PEOPLE. AND SINCE YOU HAVE BOUND US TOGETHER IN A COMMON LIFE, HELP THIS CITY GROW IN JUSTICE, FAIRNESS AND TRUTH, AND ALL THOSE SPIRITUAL QUALITIES THAT MAKE FOR A PROSPEROUS AND SERENE COMMUNITY, AND ESPECIALLY HELP OUR LEADERS WHO TAKE COUNSEL FOR OUR COMMON GOOD TO WORK TOGETHER WITH MUTUAL, FAIR FORBEARANCE AND RESPECT THAT THE WHOLE CITY AND THE GREAT DIVERSITY OF PEOPLES OF ALL SORTS AND CONDITIONS WHO LIVE AND WORK HERE MAY PROSPER AND KNOW AND FEEL YOUR BLESSINGS. WE PRAY ESPECIALLY THAT YOU MAY POUR DOWN ON THESE COUNCILORS A DISCERNING SPIRIT, THAT THEY MAY GOVERN WITH DILIGENCE AND CARE, EXERCISING LEADERSHIP THAT WILL CONTINUE TO MAKE THIS SUNSHINE CITY A PLACE WHERE FAMILIES AND YOUNG PEOPLE MAY GROW AND LEARN IN PEACE AND SAFETY, WHERE BUSINESSES MAY THRIVE WHERE WE MAY WELCOME VISITORS WITH HOSPITALITY, AND THAT WE MAY RESPOND WITH COMPASSION TO THOSE AMONG US IN NEED, SICKNESS, OR ANY KIND OF TROUBLE. MOST ESPECIALLY, WE ASK THAT YOU KINDLE IN US ALWAYS A SPIRIT OF GRATITUDE FOR THE BLESSINGS WE HAVE KNOWN AND A WILLING HEART AND WILLING HANDS TO LIFT EACH OTHER UP CELEBRATE EACH OTHER AND PROSPER AND FLOURISH TOGETHER. IN YOUR HOLY NAME, WE PRAY. AMEN. AMEN. BEFORE WE MOVE ON TO THE PLEDGE, OF ALLEGIANCE, I'D LIKE TO ASK FOR A MOMENT OF SILENCE AS WE RECOGNIZE AND HONOR ONE OF OUR FALLEN FIRST RESPONDERS, FIREFIGHTER ABNER EL DAUGHTRY. LAST ALARM. MARCH 4TH. 1954 THANK YOU. I PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE TO THE FLAG OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA AND TO THE REPUBLIC FOR WHICH IT STANDS. ONE NATION UNDER GOD, INDIVISIBLE, WITH LIBERTY AND JUSTICE FOR ALL. THANK YOU, EVERYONE. AND THANK YOU. THANK YOU. KENT AND COLE FOR JOINING US TODAY. ALL RIGHT, COUNCIL MEMBERS, WE HAVE AN AGENDA BEFORE US WITH ONE CHANGE WILL BE THE LEADING ITEM D ONE AND ALSO I BELIEVE JANINE, WE HAD A CHANGE. IS IT AT THIS POINT THAT YOU'D LIKE TO MAKE THE CHANGE TO THE THE RESOLUTION THAT WE HAVE? OR ARE YOU HAVE TWO RESOLUTIONS BEFORE YOU? THE AMENDMENTS HAVE ALREADY BEEN MADE FOR THE UNION NEGOTIATION AGREEMENTS. THE ONLY CHANGES TO THE TWO RESOLUTIONS ARE ADDING THE WORDS AMENDMENTS TO THE AGREEMENT INSTEAD OF THE AGREEMENT. THIS IS ONLY THE CHANGE REGARDING THE 3% GENERAL WAGE INCREASE AND STEP INCREASES. AND THAT'S THE ONLY CHANGE IN THE RESOLUTION PARAGRAPH OKAY. THANK YOU. SO TO CLARIFY THE CHANGE. THE ONLY CHANGE IS THAT THE WORDS AMENDMENTS TO HAVE BEEN ADDED TO THE LAST PARAGRAPH OF THE RESOLUTIONS. YES. SO WITH THAT AND THE OTHER CHANGE, WHICH IS DELETING ITEM D ONE, I WILL ENTERTAIN A MOTION FOR APPROVAL OF APPROVAL. SECOND. ALL RIGHT. WE HAVE A MOTION IN A SECOND SAYING THAT THERE IS NO REQUEST FOR DISCUSSION WITH THE CLERK. PLEASE OPEN THE MACHINE FOR VOTING COUNCIL MEMBERS. PLEASE ENTER YOUR VOTES. SAYING THAT ALL PRESENT COUNCIL MEMBERS HAVE VOTED WITH THE CLERK. PLEASE TALLY AND ANNOUNCE THE VOTES. EXCUSE ME, MADAM CHAIR. THE MOTION TO APPROVE THE AGENDA PASSES UNANIMOUSLY WITH COUNCILMEMBER SANDERS BEING ABSENT. THANK YOU, COUNCIL MEMBERS. WE HAVE A CONSENT AGENDA BEFORE US. I'LL ENTERTAIN A MOTION FOR APPROVAL. MOVE APPROVAL. SECOND, WE HAVE A MOTION IN A SECOND TO APPROVE THE CONSENT AGENDA. SAYING THAT THERE'S NO REQUEST FOR DISCUSSION WITH THE CLERK. PLEASE OPEN THE MACHINE FOR VOTING. MADAM CHAIR, WE HAVE NO NO PUBLIC SPEAKERS FOR. YES. THANK YOU. COUNCIL MEMBERS, PLEASE ENTER YOUR VOTES. SAYING THAT ALL PRESENT COUNCIL MEMBERS HAVE VOTED BY THE CLERK. PLEASE TALLY AND ANNOUNCE THE VOTES MADAM CHAIR, THE MOTION TO APPROVE THE CONSENT AGENDA PASSES UNANIMOUSLY WITH COUNCILMEMBER SANDERS BEING ABSENT. THANK YOU. UM, NEXT, WE HAVE A PROCLAMATION FOR FLOOD AWARENESS WEEK BY VICE CHAIR GABBARD. GOOD MORNING, EVERYONE. AND, TOM, DO YOU KNOW IF MS.. ABERNATHY WAS GOING TO BE ABLE TO BE WITH US THIS MORNING TO ACCEPT THE PROCLAMATION OKAY, WELL, WE WON'T HOLD UP THINGS, SO WANTED JUST TO HAVE THE HONOR THIS MORNING OF PRESENTING THIS PROCLAMATION WELL, GOOD MORNING, MS.. ABERNATHY HEARD MY NAME. YES. WE ARE JOINED BY ELIZABETH ABERNATHY, A PLANNING AND DEVELOPMENT DIRECTOR WHO WILL BE ACCEPTING THIS AWARD ON BEHALF OR THIS PROCLAMATION ON BEHALF OF THE ADMINISTRATION. THIS COMING WEEK IS FLORIDA FLOOD AWARENESS WEEK, AND THAT TAKES PLACE MARCH 7TH THROUGH THE 13TH. IT IS SUPPORTED BY THE FLORIDA FLOODPLAIN MANAGERS ASSOCIATION AND NOAH. AND SO IF YOU'RE INTERESTED IN MORE INFORMATION, I DO RECOMMEND THAT YOU GO TO FEMA CONFERENCE DOT ORG. NEXT WEEK, THEY WILL BE ISSUING SOME INFORMATIONAL PIECES EVERY SINGLE DAY OF THE WEEK THAT YOU CAN FEEL FREE TO SHARE ON YOUR SOCIAL MEDIA. WE KNOW THAT FLOODING IS ONE OF THE MOST COSTLY AND MOST FREQUENT NASH NATURAL DISASTERS THAT OCCUR. AND IT'S DEFINITELY AN ISSUE THAT WE HEAR IN THE CITY OF ST PETERSBURG HAVE TO PAY GOOD ATTENTION TO WITH CLIMATE CHANGE AND SEA LEVEL RISE AND IS ONE OF OUR BIGGEST LONG TERM SUSTAINABILITY CONCERNS. SO WITH NO FURTHER ADO, I WOULD LIKE TO PRESENT THIS PROCLAMATION, WHEREAS SAINT PETERSBURG HAS EXPERIENCED SEVERE WEATHER IN THE PAST IN THE FORM OF EXTREME RAINFALL OR TROPICAL SYSTEM EVENTS RESULTING IN FLOODING AND COASTAL AREAS. AND THIS FLOODING HAS CAUSED DAMAGE AND FLOOD LOSSES TO HOMES AND BUILDINGS IN ALL AREAS, WHETHER THEY ARE HIGH RISK SPECIAL FLOOD HAZARD AREAS OR LOW TO MODERATE RISK FLOOD ZONES. AND. WHEREAS, SAINT PETERSBURG IS A VOLUNTARY PARTICIPANT IN THE COMMUNITY RATING SYSTEM THROUGH THE NATIONAL FLOOD INSURANCE PROGRAM THAT PROVIDES RESIDENTS WITH THE OPPORTUNITY TO PROTECT THEMSELVES AGAINST FLOOD LOSS THROUGH THE PURCHASE OF FLOOD INSURANCE AT REDUCED INSURANCE PREMIUM RATES, AS WELL AS SETTING HIGHER REGULATORY STANDARDS TO REDUCE FLOOD RISK AND POTENTIAL FLOOD DAMAGE TO THEIR PROPERTY. AND. WHEREAS, THE REDUCTION OF LOSS OF LIFE AND PROPERTY DAMAGE CAN BE ACHIEVED WHEN APPROPRIATE. FLOOD PREPAREDNESS, CONTROL AND MITIGATION MEASURES ARE TAKEN BEFORE A FLOOD. AND. WHEREAS, PUBLIC EDUCATION AND AWARENESS OF POTENTIAL WEATHER HAZARDS AND METHODS OF PROTECTION ARE CRITICAL TO THE HEALTH SAFETY AND WELFARE OF RESIDENTS. AND THE FLORIDA FLOODPLAIN MANAGERS ASSOCIATION HAS DECLARED THE WEEK OF MARCH 7TH. 2022 AS FLOOD AWARENESS WEEK TO PROMOTE AWARENESS AND INCREASE KNOWLEDGE OF FLOOD RISK, THE AVAILABILITY OF FLOOD INSURANCE, FLOOD PROTECTION METHODS AND HOW TO PREPARE FOR EMERGENCIES. NOW, THEREFORE, I COUNCILMEMBER BRANDI GABBARD, ON BEHALF OF KENNETH T WELCH, MAYOR OF THE CITY OF ST PETERSBURG, FLORIDA, DO HEREBY PROCLAIM MARCH 7TH THROUGH THE 13TH 2022 TO BE FLOOD AWARENESS WEEK IN SAINT PETERSBURG AND WE ENCOURAGE OUR CITIZENS TO INCREASE THEIR KNOWLEDGE OF HOW TO PROTECT THEMSELVES AND THEIR PROPERTY FROM FLOODING THE SERENGETI. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. THANK YOU. DO YOU HAVE ANYTHING YOU WANT TO SHARE? GOOD MORNING. THANK YOU FOR A MOMENT. IT'S NICE TO BE HERE ON A PROCLAMATION ELIZABETH ABERNATHY, YOUR DIRECTOR OF PLANNING AND DEVELOPMENT SERVICE. I JUST WANTED TO TAKE A MOMENT TO ALSO THANK CLAUDE TANKERSLEY, HIS DEPARTMENT'S. THIS IS REALLY A MULTI DEPARTMENT ALL EFFORT AND ISSUE. AND WE'RE GOING TO CONTINUE TO WORK TOGETHER TO TRY TO MAIN NOT JUST MAINTAIN BUT IMPROVE OUR COMMUNITY RATING SCORE THAT HELPS ALL OF OUR CITIZENS IN THE FLOOD AREAS, LOWER THEIR PREMIUMS FOR THEIR FLOOD INSURANCE AND TO TRY TO TACKLE OUR SEA LEVEL RISE CREATE NEW STANDARDS FOR BETTER RESILIENCY AND SUSTAINABILITY. SHARON WRIGHT AND HER TEAM, THERE'S A LOT OF GROUPS IN THIS IN THE CITY THAT THAT WORK TOGETHER ON THESE ISSUES. SO I'M NOT THE ONLY ONE I'M THE ONE WHO'S HERE TODAY, BUT I WANT TO THANK ALL OF THEM AS WELL. SO THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR THIS. AND WE WILL KEEP THIS TOP OF MIND AS ALWAYS. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. ALL RIGHT. FOR PROSPERITY AFTER PROCLAMATION, YOU GO THANK YOU. THANK YOU. AND THANK YOU, VICE CHAIR GABBARD, FOR BRINGING THIS FORWARD TODAY. WE APPRECIATE ALL THAT YOU HAVE DONE, NOT ONLY HERE IN SAINT PETERSBURG BUT NATIONALLY ON ON THIS TOPIC TO HELP PROTECT HOMEOWNERS AND BETTER PREPARE OUR COMMUNITIES FOR FLOODING, ESPECIALLY IN THE IN THE FACE OF CLIMATE CHANGE TODAY. SO THANK YOU FOR ALL YOU DO. THANK YOU. ALL RIGHT. WE'LL GO NEXT TO OPEN FORUM. DO WE HAVE ANY REQUESTS FOR CITIZENS TO SPEAK TODAY? I'M GOING TO READ THE INSTRUCTIONS FIRST. ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU. IF YOU WISH TO ADDRESS CITY COUNCIL ON SUBJECTS OTHER THAN PUBLIC HEARING OR QUASI JUDICIAL ITEMS LISTED ON THE AGENDA, YOU MAY SIGN UP WITH THE CLERK. ONLY INDIVIDUALS WISHING TO SPEAK, THEY SIGN THE OPEN FORM SHEET. ONLY CITY RESIDENTS ONLY A PROPERTY BUSINESS OWNERS IN THE CITY OR THEIR EMPLOYEES MAY SPEAK. ALL ISSUES DISCUSSED UNDER OPEN FORM MUST BE LIMITED TO ISSUES RELATED TO THE CITY OR SAINT PETERSBURG GOVERNMENT. IF YOU'RE SPEAKING TO AN ITEM ON THE AGENDA, YOU MAY ONLY SPEAK ONCE DURING THE OPEN FORUM WHEN OR WHEN THE ITEM COMES UP ON THE AGENDA IN ORDER TO PROVIDE AN OPPORTUNITY FOR ALL CITIZENS TO ADDRESS COUNCIL. EACH INDIVIDUAL WILL BE GIVEN 3 MINUTES TO SPEAK AND AFTER WHICH THE MICROPHONE WILL BE MUTED IF YOU WISH TO ADDRESS CITY COUNCIL THROUGH THE ZOOM MEETING, YOU MUST USE THE HANDRAILS FEATURE BUTTON ON ZOOM APP OR ENTER ON YOUR PHONE AT THE TIME THE AGENDA ITEM IS ADDRESSED. WHEN IT IS YOUR TURN TO SPEAK, YOU WILL BE UNMUTED AND ASKED TO STATE YOUR NAME AND ADDRESS AT THE CONCLUSION OF YOUR COMMENTS. OR WHEN YOU HAVE REACHED THE THREE MINUTE TIME LIMIT, YOU WILL BE MUTED. ALL RAISED HANDS WILL BE LOWERED AFTER EACH AGENDA ITEM REGARDLESS OF THE METHOD OF PARTICIPATION USED. NORMAL RULES APPLY, INCLUDING THE THREE MINUTE TIME LIMIT ON COMMENTS. THE REQUIREMENT THAT ANY PRESENTATION MATERIAL MUST BE SUBMITTED IN ADVANCE OF THE MEETING AND THE RULES OF DECORUM. IF LIKE PUBLIC COMMENT IS DISRUPTED BY A VIOLATION OF THE RULES OF DECORUM, THE CHAIR IS AUTHORIZED TO ACCEPT PUBLIC COMMENTS BY ALTERNATE MEANS, INCLUDING BY EMAIL ONLY. AND WE DO HAVE SOMEONE ON THE LIST. ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU. IF YOU HAVE REQUESTED TO SPEAK TODAY, WE HAVE TWO PODIUM, TWO AT A TIME. PLEASE WAIT AT AN EMPTY PODIUM UNTIL IT'S UNTIL IT'S YOUR TURN. THANK YOU. WE HAVE THE FIRST TWO SPEAKERS, PLEASE. LISA BLACKSHEAR AND WILLIAM KILGORE. ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU. AND PLEASE STATE YOUR NAME AND ADDRESS FOR THE RECORD. YES, JUDGE LISA BLACKSHEAR. 25, TEN, TEN, THREE. SOUTH THE MORNING COUNCIL. MADAM CHAIR, I THINK ABOUT TWO WEEKS AGO, I WAS ABOUT PROBABLY 7 MINUTES LATE FOR THE LAKE MANAGEMENT MEETING THAT WAS HELD AT THE MUNICIPAL SERVICE BUILDING. BUT I WAS GREETED BY A NICE GENTLEMAN, AND HE TOLD ME HOW THE AGENDA ITEMS THAT WERE DISCUSSED AND COVERED. HE MENTIONED THAT THE CITY IS IN PROGRESS OF SELECTING ONE CONTRACTOR FOR THE LAKE. RIGHT NOW THERE IS A BPA BLINKING PURCHASE AGREEMENT FOR ONE CONTRACTOR, WHICH EXPIRES, I BELIEVE LATE APRIL, EARLY MAY. SO I'M GLAD THAT THAT IS IN ACTION. BUT I WAS REALLY INTRIGUED BY THIS MAN BECAUSE HE ASKED ME WHO I WAS. HE WAS LOOKING FOR A BADGE AND I TOLD HIM MY NAME AND THAT I'M AN ACTIVIST HERE. AND I ASKED HIM WHAT HE DID AND HE TOLD ME HE WAS A PROCUREMENT ANALYST. AND I WAS LIKE, OH, ARE YOU? SO WHEN HE SAID THAT, THE DISPARITY STUDY CAME TO MIND. SO MY QUESTION FOR COUNCIL AND THE ADMINISTRATION, WHEN WILL THE DISPARITY REPORT AND RECOMMENDATIONS BE IMPLEMENTED TO THE CITY'S PROCUREMENT ANALYSIS? NO, I YIELD. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. GOOD MORNING. HI. GOOD MORNING, EVERYBODY. WILLIAM KILGORE WITH THE SAINT PETERSBURG TENANTS UNION. I RESIDE IN THE PONCE DE LEON NEIGHBORHOOD HERE IN SAINT PETE. I JUST WANTED TO SPEAK ON A COUPLE OF THINGS THAT ARE THERE COMING UP TODAY. AGENDA ITEM FOR THE F F THREE. IT'S THE FOR THE THE ALLOCATION OF THE AFFORDABLE HOUSING FUNDING OR THE AA WRAP FUNDING. THE $10 MILLION THAT IS GOING THROUGH ARE GOING TO BE DISCUSSED SO I'M LOOKING AT THAT THAT $10 MILLION BREAK BREAKDOWN AND YOU'VE GOT THE THE DEUCES RISING PORTION OF THAT IS $6.5 MILLION. AND THEN THERE'S $3.5 MILLION ALLOCATED FOR THE GAP GAP FINANCING FOR FOR PRETTY MUCH A DEVELOPER HANDOUT TO TO BUILD SO-CALLED AFFORDABLE HOUSING. I'M LOOKING AT THE ORIGINAL SORT OF BREAKDOWN THEY HAD BACK AT THE MEETING IN NOVEMBER WHERE THEY HAD $3.5 MILLION WAS ALLOCATED TOWARD HOMELESS SERVICES. SO IT WAS A DUCES RISING WITH 6.5 MILLION 3.5 MILLION FOR HOMELESS SERVICES AND THEN IT TO BE DETERMINED $10 MILLION FIGURE. SO I'M WONDERING WHY THAT AND I'D LIKE TO SEE THAT DISCUSSED TODAY HOPEFULLY YOU KNOW WHY ARE WE LOOKING AT PUTTING THAT INTO LIKE GAP FUNDING AS OPPOSED TO LIKE HOMELESS SERVICES, RAPID REHOUSING, RENTAL ASSISTANCE MONEY, SOMETHING THAT LIKE WE NEED RIGHT NOW BECAUSE IF WE FIGURED OUT THIS WAY TO FAST TRACK THIS $10 MILLION OF THE ROUTE STUFF THAT YOU KNOW, AND GET THAT MOVING, YOU KNOW, WHY ARE WE NOT LOOKING? LOOKING AT THAT I THINK THE DUCES RISING THING, THAT'S FINE. THAT PROJECT'S BEEN IN THE WORKS FOR A WHILE. IT'S VERY IMPORTANT TO GET THAT GO AHEAD AND GET THAT BALL ROLLING. BUT THAT $3.5 MILLION I DON'T KNOW WHEN THAT WE DECIDED WE'RE JUST GOING TO DO DEVELOPER HANDOUTS WITH THAT MONEY SO. AND THE OTHER THING I JUST WANT TO SPEAK ABOUT THE NEW BUSINESS ITEM DUE TO IT'S BEING BROUGHT BY RITCHIE TODAY ABOUT HOW WE CAN BETTER FUND REPRESENTATION FOR PEOPLE FACING EVICTION RIGHT TO COUNCIL. I THINK THAT'S SOMETHING THAT'S REALLY, REALLY IMPORTANT. AND I THINK IT'S JUST TO GET IT PUT INTO A COMMITTEE OR WHATEVER. SO WHAT I'M REALLY HOPING TO SEE THAT THAT HAPPENS TODAY. THAT WOULD BE THAT'D BE GOOD. WE NEED TO GET THE BALL ROLLING. YOU KNOW, I KNOW THAT IN NEW YORK CITY, THEY HAVE A RIGHT TO COUNSEL PROGRAM THEY SAW EVICTIONS DROPPED BY SOMETHING LIKE 86% IN SAN FRANCISCO, HAVING RIGHT TO COUNSEL, HAVING A RIGHT TO A LAWYER JUST LIKE YOU DO IN A CRIMINAL CASE. AND THE EVICTIONS DROPPED BY LIKE 67%. SO IT'S A HUGE THING. THIS WOULD HAVE HUGE MATERIAL BENEFIT FOR FOLKS IN ST PETE. AND IT'S NOT SOMETHING THAT, YOU KNOW, RUNS AFOUL OF ANYBODY, YOU KNOW, IT'S JUST GIVING FOLKS REPRESENTATION IN COURT. SO ANYWAY, THANKS. I JUST WANTED TO BRING THAT TO YOUR ATTENTION. I'M GOING TO FOLLOW UP IN AN EMAIL TO I JUST DIDN'T HAVE A CHANCE BEFORE THE MEETING TODAY. SO THANK YOU ALL. THANK YOU. NEXT, TWO SPEAKERS, PLEASE. SPEAKERS, MADAM CHAIR. ALL RIGHT. WELL, CLOSE OPEN FORUM AND WE HAVE A PUBLIC HEARING THAT WILL BEGIN AT NINE 30. IN THE MEANTIME, WE'LL GO AHEAD AND SKIP AHEAD TO OUR ITEM F ONE, AN UPDATE FROM HCA HEALTH CARE. AND JOINING US THIS MORNING FOR THAT PRESENTATION, I'D LIKE TO WELCOME DR. SCHORI, PRESIDENT OF THE WEST FLORIDA DIVISION FOR HCA HEALTH CARE. GOOD MORNING. AND THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR JOINING US. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, CHAIR DRISCOLL. OKAY. THANK YOU, CHAIR DRISCOLL AND VICE CHAIR GABBARD. COUNSEL, THANK YOU FOR THE MOMENT TO SPEAK TODAY. YOU HAVE A PRESENTATION, I THINK, AND MAYBE IN FRONT OF YOU AND IT'S CERTAINLY ON THE SCREEN AND AS AS CHAIR DRISCOLL SAID, I'M RAVI CHERRY, PRESIDENT OF THE HCA, HEALTH CARE WEST FLORIDA DIVISION. AND TODAY WHAT I'D LIKE TO SPEND A FEW MINUTES TALKING ABOUT TO INTRODUCE YOU TO A LITTLE BIT WHO WE ARE. YOU MAY NOT KNOW WHO WE ARE. WE'VE BEEN HERE A LONG TIME AND TODAY IS ACTUALLY A VERY EXCITING DATE FOR US. I HAVE A SLIDE TALKING ABOUT THE FACT THAT WE ARE GOING TO WHAT WE DID EARLIER TODAY ANNOUNCE THAT ALL 450 OF OUR SITES OF CARE ACROSS THE GREAT STATE OF FLORIDA ARE NOW CALLED HCA. FLORIDA HEALTH CARE AS THE LOWER BOTTOM RIGHT SHOWS ON THE SLIDE AFTER WHO WE ARE, TALK ABOUT WHAT WE MEAN TO THE STATE TO THIS COMMUNITY. AND THEN I WANT TO ALSO THEN FINALLY END ON THE QUALITY THAT WE HAVE AND WHAT WE PROVIDE FOR THE FOR THE PATIENTS. OUR STORY IS AN AMAZING STORY. WE CALL IT THE LEGEND OF HCA. IT WAS STARTED IN 1968 BY TWO PHYSICIANS AND A PHARMACIST. ON YOUR LEFT IS TOM FRIST SENIOR ON THE EXTREME RIGHT AS TOM FRIST JR AND THE MIDDLE IS JACK MATTHEWS STARTED OUT HIS LIFE AS A PHARMACIST AND YOU WILL KNOW WHO HE IS BECAUSE I'LL TELL YOU WHAT HE DID THAT'S PROBABLY THE MOST WELL I THINK HE'S MOST FAMOUS FOR HCA HEALTH CARE. HOWEVER, I ACTUALLY BROUGHT THREE COMPANIES TO THE BIG BOARD. THE FIRST ONE HE BROUGHT TO THE BIG BOARD WAS CALLED KENTUCKY FRIED CHICKEN. SO VERY INTERESTING STORY. DON'T HAVE TIME FOR BASED ON TIMELINESS BUT IT'S IT'S FASCINATING TO LEARN ABOUT THIS AT THE END OF THE DAY, OUR MODEL WHAT WE DID CHANGED HEALTH CARE INDELIBLY JUST BECAUSE OF HOW IT CHANGED THE WAY WE LOOK AT HOSPITALS, HOSPITAL OPERATIONS, PHYSICIAN CARE, EMPLOYMENT AND HOW MANY DIFFERENT WAYS THAT WE CAN CHANGE CARE AND HOW WE DELIVER IT. OUR MISSION IS STRAIGHTFORWARD. IT'S BEEN THIS WAY FOR OVER 50, ALMOST 54 YEARS. WE'RE COMMITTED TO THE CARE AND IMPROVEMENT OF HUMAN LIFE. WE HAVE SEVERAL KEY BELIEFS. WE BELIEVE IT'S IN ALWAYS DOING WHAT'S RIGHT FOR THE PATIENT. WE BELIEVE THAT EXCELLENT PEOPLE MAKE EXCELLENCE HAPPEN IN TOM FOR A SENIOR. OUR FOUNDING OUR OUR FATHER HE SAID BASICALLY THAT OUR PEOPLE ARE OUR GREATEST ASSET AND BY THE WAY, WE'RE IN THE PEOPLE BUSINESS AND EVERY DAY WE BELIEVE TAKING CARE OF OTHERS WHILE BEING THERE FOR EACH OTHER. AND THAT'S NO MORE TRUE THAN THE LAST TWO YEARS AS WE'VE GOT THROUGH THE PANDEMIC THIS IS HCA HEALTH CARE. WE'RE ACROSS THE NATION IN 20 STATES AND THE UNITED KINGDOM WE BREAK OUR BUSINESS DOWN INTO 48 DIFFERENT MARKETS. YOU'LL SEE THE WEST FLORIDA MARKET AND ALCON DOWN ON FLORIDA AND WEST FLORIDA SOME VERY INTERESTING STATISTICS ABOUT WHAT WE SEE AND HOW CAN WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO CHANGE CARE FOR INSTANCE WE HAVE 187 HOSPITALS 124 AMBULATORY SURGICAL CENTERS. 100 AND OVER 1100 PHYSICIAN PRACTICES IN A GIVEN YEAR WILL HAVE OVER 35 MILLION PATIENT ENCOUNTERS. WE'LL HAVE OVER 9 MILLION EMERGENCY ROOM VISITS. AND SOME OF THE THINGS THAT WE'VE CHANGED IN THE CARE THAT YOU EXPERIENCE, NO MATTER WHAT HOSPITAL YOU ARE AROUND THE WORLD, IS SOMETHING AS SIMPLE AS HAVING THE BILIRUBIN ABOUT THE JAUNDICE NUMBER CHECKED ON EVERY BABY BEFORE THEY GO HOME. THE WORLD HEALTH ORGANIZATION DECLARED THAT A BEST PRACTICE IN 2012. IT STARTED IN HCA IN THE EARLY 2000. SO THESE ARE THE THINGS THAT WE'RE ABLE TO CHANGE BECAUSE IN A GIVEN YEAR WILL DELIVER OVER A QUARTER MILLION BABIES IN OUR COMPANY. ONE IN 17 BABIES BORN IN AMERICA IS BORN IN AN HCA HOSPITAL. LET'S TALK ABOUT FLORIDA. HERE IT IS IN FLORIDA. THE MAP ON YOURS WILL GIVE YOU JUST A SENSE. WE PUT A LITTLE SET OF DOTS ON THERE. SO YOU SEE THE HOSPITALS, THE SURGICAL CENTERS, THE PHYSICIAN PRACTICES, AS WELL AS OUR FREESTANDING E.R. AS AN URGENT CARE. AND YOU'LL SEE HOW THEY'RE SCATTERED ESSENTIALLY WHERE THE HOSPITALS ARE. ONE IN FIVE HOSPITAL ADMISSIONS IN THE STATE OF FLORIDA OCCURS IN AN HCA HOSPITAL. THAT WOULD BE SO OVER 550,000 ADMISSIONS IN A GIVEN YEAR. OVER SIX AND A HALF MILLION ARE CLOSE TO SIX AND A HALF MILLION PATIENT CONTACTS IN A GIVEN YEAR. AND SO WE COVER THE STATE. AND AS I MENTIONED TODAY IN AN UPCOMING SLIDE, I'LL TALK ABOUT HOW WE'VE ORGANIZED AROUND THIS IDEA OF BEING HCA, FLORIDA HEALTH CARE. WHAT DOES THAT MEAN FROM AN ECONOMIC CONTRIBUTION STANDPOINT? WELL, IN THE STATE OF FLORIDA, OVER 5.3 BILLION IN SALARY AND WAGES. WE ARE AN INVESTOR OWNED COMPANY, AND SO WE DO PAY TAXES AT EVERY LEVEL. ALMOST 760 MILLION IN STATE, LOCAL AND FEDERAL TAXES PAID BY HCA, FLORIDA HEALTH CARE. WE ALL WE HAVE UP ALL PATIENTS WHO COME IN RECEIVE CARE. SO WE HAVE OVER 430 MILLION AND MEDICAID CARE COSTS THAT WE SUPPORT 58,000 CHARITY CARE ADMISSIONS ACROSS OUR HCA FLORIDA FOOTPRINT IN A GIVEN YEAR AND OVER A QUARTER MILLION MEDICAID PATIENTS THAT WE TAKE CARE OF ALL IN A LITTLE OVER 850 MILLION OF CHARITY CARE AND IN BLUE AT THE BOTTOM IS SOMETHING THAT I WANT TO MAKE SURE ALL OF YOU MAY BE AWARE OF AND RECALL THAT WE'RE THE ONLY HEALTH CARE COMPANY IN AMERICA THAT RECEIVED AND THEN REFUNDED ALL OF OUR FEDERAL GOVERNMENT CARES MONEY HERE'S A DID YOU KNOW DID YOU KNOW THAT HCA HEALTH CARE IS THE LARGEST SPONSOR OF GRADUATE MEDICAL EDUCATION IN THE NATION AND IN FLORIDA, LARGEST TEACHING HOSPITAL SYSTEM IN THE STATE OF FLORIDA WITH OVER 2500 RESIDENTS DOCTORS IN TRAINING IN OUR PROGRAMS HERE ON THE WEST COAST OF FLORIDA THAT NUMBER IS CLOSE TO 1000 RESIDENTS THAT ARE TRAINED. AND THE GREAT THING ABOUT THAT IS WE KNOW THAT MOST OF THESE RESIDENTS STAY LOCAL TO PROVIDE ONGOING CARE TO THE CITIZENS OF THESE COUNTIES IN THE STATE OF FLORIDA. NOT JUST DOCTORS. WE TRAIN NURSES AS WELL. YOU MAY NOT KNOW. WE HAVE A CAMPUS OF GALEN COLLEGE OF NURSING HERE IN SAINT PETERSBURG. WITH 600, ALMOST 680 STUDENTS. WE ARE OPENING ANOTHER ONE ON THE WEST COAST IN SARASOTA, AND THAT WILL OPEN IN APRIL OF THIS YEAR TO PROVIDE FOR ONE OF THE BIGGEST CHALLENGES THAT WE FOUND COMING OUT OF THIS PANDEMIC, WHICH IS THE ABILITY TO RECRUIT AND HIRE NURSES. IN ADDITION, BECAUSE OF THE CHANGES IN THE WAY EDUCATION IS DELIVERED, WE STARTED A UNIQUE PROGRAM CALLED STAR IN. REGARDLESS OF WHERE A STUDENT AND NURSING STUDENT GRADUATES, WE PROVIDE AN ADDITIONAL THREE MONTHS OF TRAINING TO TO ENSURE THAT WE HAVE THE RIGHT TRANSITION FROM GRADUATE NURSE TO BEDSIDE NURSE. AND WE CALL THAT PROGRAM THE STAR R.N. PROGRAM. IT CAME FROM ACTUALLY, WE FOUND THAT IF WE PROVIDED THIS TRAINING, THEY WOULD STAY WITH US. SO STAR AROUND ACTUALLY COMES FROM STAY ARE IN BECAUSE THEY'D STAY AND AFTER THAT BUT WE LIKE THE WAY SHORT IN THAT TO STAR AND BECAUSE IT SOUNDED SOUNDED A LITTLE BETTER. I MENTIONED THIS SEVERAL TIMES SO HERE IT IS. IT OCCURRED, I WOULD SAY ABOUT 2 HOURS AGO MAYBE OR MAYBE AN HOUR AGO THAT WE HAD OUR PRESS RELEASE AND THEN CAME OUT. AND YOU'LL SEE A LOT OF THIS GOING ON TODAY. ALL OF OUR CAMPUSES, YOU'LL SEE SOCIAL MEDIA IF YOU DRIVE BY THE CAMPUSES AND I'LL SHOW YOU WHERE WE'RE LOCATED HERE IN THE COUNTY, YOU'LL SEE A LOT OF ACTIVITY AS WE CELEBRATE HCA, FLORIDA HEALTH CARE IT CREATES AN ABILITY FOR US TO HAVE THE SENSE THAT YOU ENTER OUR SYSTEM IN ONE LOCATION, YOU'LL BE KNOWN AND YOU'LL BE ABLE TO SEE THAT THE CONSISTENCY THAT WE'RE ABLE TO DELIVER CARE ACTUALLY EXTENDS ACROSS THE ENTIRE STATE. SO LET'S TALK ABOUT THOSE PLACES. HERE IN PINELLAS COUNTY, WE HAVE FOUR HOSPITALS. I KNOW MANY OF YOU HAVE MET WITH OUR CEOS. THESE ARE OUR CEOS. MIKE IRVIN AT PASADENA HOSPITAL. YOU MAY HAVE KNOWN IT PREVIOUSLY AS PALM'S OF PASADENA. OFFICIALLY, TODAY, THE NAME CHANGE ALONG WITH THE BRANDING IS ACTUALLY HCA, FLORIDA, PASADENA HOSPITAL. SIMILARLY, YOU MAY KNOW VALERIE OVER AT NORTHSIDE IT'S A LITTLE BIT NORTH OF HERE. THAT NAME DID NOT CHANGE. WE DID AT HCA, FLORIDA IN FRONT OF IT CAN OVER IT. WHAT USED TO BE CALLED SAINT PETE GENERAL IS NOW SAINT PETERSBURG HOSPITAL. AND THEN ADAM NORTH OF THAT IN LARGO AT HCA, FLORIDA LARGO. WHEN I TALK ABOUT SAINT PETERSBURG IN OUR HOSPITALS, THIS IS A MAP THAT OUTLINES WHERE THEY ARE ACROSS THE COUNTY OVER 300 MILLION IN SALARY, WAGES AND BENEFIT IN A GIVEN YEAR. OVER 520 MILLION ECONOMIC CONTRIBUTION OF WHICH NEARLY 30 MILLION IN STATE, LOCAL AND FEDERAL TAXES IN THE LAST TWO YEARS WE'VE INVESTED OVER $34 MILLION IN CAPITAL INVESTMENT IN THIS OUR HOSPITALS HERE DELIVER OVER $60 MILLION OF CHARITY AND UNCOMPENSATED CARE. TWO THINGS I'M PROUD OF THAT I WANT YOU TO BE AWARE OF. ONE WITH WITH THE SUPPORT AND URGING OF FIRE CHIEF GANCI, WE STARTED THE FIRST RESPONDER PROGRAM AND THIS IS THIS OCCURS AT OUR LARGO MEDICAL INDIAN ROCKS CAMPUS NOW CALLED LAGO WEST. THIS WAS REALLY AN IMPORTANT SET OF ACTIVITIES THAT WE DO TO SUPPORT OUR FIRST RESPONDERS THAT ARE SUFFERING, ESPECIALLY THROUGH THIS PANDEMIC, FROM DEPRESSION, ANXIETY, SUBSTANCE ABUSE AND POST-TRAUMATIC STRESS. IN A HIGHER RATE. AND ONE OF THE THINGS HE IMPRESSED UPON US IS THAT THERE'S A RELUCTANCE AMONG FIRST RESPONDERS TO SEEK CARE UNLESS YOU'RE ABLE TO PROVIDE A PRIVATE ROOM WITH A PRIVATE RESIDENCE CONFIDENTIALITY THAT ALLOWS THEM TO NOT HAVE TO ENCOUNTER PEOPLE THAT THEY MAY HAVE BROUGHT IN TO OUR AIR IS JUST THE DAY BEFORE WAYS IN WHICH THEY'RE ABLE TO SEEK CARE WITHOUT FEAR THAT THE INFORMATION COMES OUT AND JEOPARDIZES THEIR LIVELIHOOD. SO WE'RE REALLY PROUD THAT WE'RE ABLE TO PUT THIS IN PLACE AND HAVE SEEN THIS BEING USED IN THE WAY THAT FIRE CHIEF GANCI WANTED IT TO BE USED. AND WE WANT TO EXPAND THAT. AND WE'RE ALSO REALLY PLEASED WITH OUR GERIATRIC PSYCHOLOGY UNIT, WHICH IS ANOTHER CRITICAL, VITAL ROLE THAT THIS PLAYS IN OUR ELDERLY HEALTH. AND IT DID. THIS YEAR THAT CAMPUS WON THE GUARDIAN OF EXCELLENCE AWARD FOR EXCEPTIONAL CARE THROUGHOUT BEHAVIORAL HEALTH AND GERIATRIC PSYCHOLOGY AS WELL. I'M GOING TO END, AS I MENTIONED, WITH A COUPLE OF STATEMENTS ABOUT OUR QUALITY. JUST FOR REFERENCE IN ANY OF THE INDICES. THAT'S A DECIMAL POINT. THAT NUMBER ONE, IS THE EXPECTED PERFORMANCE OBSERVED TO EXPECTED IS THE RATIO IN OUR NUMBERS AND MORTALITY COMPLICATION AND IN THE BOTTOM, THOSE ARE INFECTIONS BOWEL INFECTION, A URINARY INFECTION, A BLOOD IN FACT INFECTION. AND THEN YOU MAY KNOW MRSA, WHICH IS A SPECIFIC BACTERIA, ALL OF OUR PERFORMANCES EXCEED THE THRESHOLD OF ONE LOWER BEING BETTER THAT WE HAVE LOWER OBSERVED THAN EXPECTED. AND THEN IN STROKE, 45 MINUTES BEING THE NATIONAL STANDARD, OURS IS 36 MINUTES TO TREATMENT. AND THEN IN SEPSIS THE GOAL SHOULD BE ABOVE 75%. MORE SPECIFICALLY, OUR HOSPITAL THAT'S IN SAINT PETERSBURG, SAINT PETERSBURG HOSPITAL IS OUR NUMBER ONE HOSPITAL IN THE ENTIRE HCA COMPANY OF ALL 187 HOSPITALS FOR INFECTION PREVENTION. THEIR RATES ARE THE LOWEST AND THE BEST IN CLASS, LIKELY ACROSS ANY HOSPITAL IN THE ENTIRE COUNTRY, CERTAINLY IN AMERICA. YOU'LL SEE THE OTHER NUMBERS THAT THEY HAVE THAT ARE EXCEPTIONAL AS WELL. AND SO WE'RE VERY, VERY PROUD OF OUR PERFORMANCE IN OUR HOSPITALS. WITH THAT, I'LL WRAP THIS UP AND ASK IF THERE'S ANY QUESTIONS THAT YOU MAY HAVE. RIGHT. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THAT EXCELLENT PRESENTATION. AND WE'RE HAPPY TO BE HERE TODAY CELEBRATING YOUR THE NEW NAME IN THE NEW BRAND HCA, FLORIDA, IT'S A GREAT PRESENTATION THAT YOU GAVE. WE'LL GO AHEAD AND TAKE SOME SOME QUESTIONS FROM COUNCIL MEMBERS. WE'LL START WITH VICE CHAIR GABBARD. THANK YOU SO MUCH, CHAIR AND GET MY NOTES HERE IN FRONT OF ME. AND THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THE PRESENTATION. TODAY IS NICE TO MEET YOU. I DON'T THINK WE'VE MET BEFORE, SO THANKS FOR COMING HERE TODAY. FIRST NOTE THAT I HAD WAS JUST UNDERSTANDING MAYBE A LITTLE BIT MORE. SO THE GALEN COLLEGE OF NURSING THAT THAT'S LOCATED IN MY DISTRICT AND THERE'S BEEN A LOT OF CONVERSATION ABOUT KIND OF THIS IDEA CENTERED AROUND MAKING SAINT PETERSBURG A COLLEGE OR A CITY OF EDUCATION SPECIFIC TO NURSING PROGRAMS. AND SO I WAS CURIOUS TO SEE IF YOU HAVE HAD ANY CONVERSATION WITH OUR LEGISLATORS REGARDING THIS IDEA. YOU KNOW, OBVIOUSLY THE IMPORTANCE OF, YOU KNOW, BOOSTING OUR HEALTH CARE ARENA WHEN IT COMES TO EMPLOYMENT. IS THAT SOMETHING THAT YOU'VE HAD A CONVERSATION WITH OUR LEGISLATORS ABOUT? YOU KNOW, WE'VE TALKED A LOT WITH THE LOCAL TEAM JUST BECAUSE WE WANT TO MAKE SURE WE WORK WITH USF. SAINT PETE IS ANOTHER KEY AREA HERE. THERE'S OTHER COLLEGES OF NURSING THAT WE WANT TO WORK IN CONCERT WITH IN THIS IDEA OF EXPANDING NURSING IS SOMETHING THAT WE'VE TAKEN TO A HIGHER LEVEL. WE HAVE WITH THAT NOT ONLY THE SARASOTA CAMPUS, WE'RE OPENING ANOTHER CAMPUS UP IN THE GAINESVILLE AREA AND ANOTHER ONE ON THE EAST COAST WILL HAVE A TOTAL OF FIVE NURSING CAMPUSES FOR GALEN IN THE STATE SHORTLY. WE WILL WORK CONTINUOUSLY WITH THE STATE, THE STATE BOARD OF NURSING IN ANY WAY THAT WE CAN CAN PRINT TO CONTINUE TO PROMOTE AND EXPAND NURSING. AND IN ADDITION TO THIS IDEA OF EXPANDING CAMPUSES FOR PHYSICAL SPACE, THE OTHER NEED THAT WE'RE WORKING VERY CAREFUL CLOSELY WITH IS ENSURING THAT WE HAVE THE RIGHT NUMBER OF BLACK MEMBER TEACHERS. SO WE'VE GOT TO HAVE PEOPLE WHO CAN TEACH THESE NURSES IF WE EXPAND THESE COLLEGES. SO IT'S ANOTHER ACTUAL GREAT NEED THAT WE HAVE AS WE LOOK TO SOLVE THIS CHALLENGE THAT WE HAVE IN HEALTH CARE. IT'S CERTAINLY SOMETHING WE HAVE DISCUSSED, ESPECIALLY THROUGH OUR LEGISLATIVE COMMITTEE, YOU KNOW, VERY INTERESTED IN THIS IDEA THAT'S BEEN FLOATING AROUND ABOUT CREATING A CITY OF EDUCATION AND I THINK OUR HEALTH CARE ARENA IS VERY IMPORTANT TO THAT. SO PLEASE KEEP US POSTED AND CONSIDER US TO BE AN ALLY IN THAT WITH YOU VERY CRITICALLY IMPORTANT. AND THEN ALSO, I JUST WANTED TO HIGHLIGHT YOU HAD THE SLIDE REGARDING THE FIRST RESPONDER PROGRAM AND THE GERIATRIC PSYCHOLOGY UNIT. I JUST WANT TO APPLAUD YOU ON THE FOCUS FOR MENTAL HEALTH. SO CRITICALLY IMPORTANT. AND I THINK, YOU KNOW, ESPECIALLY COMING OUT OF COVID, I THINK WE'VE RECOGNIZED THAT TO BE AN ELEVATED NEED IN OUR COMMUNITY. I WANT TO JUST GIVE A QUICK SHOUT OUT TO MELISSA MICHAUD FOR CONNECTING. SO SHE HAD BROUGHT THE FIRST RESPONDER PROGRAM FORWARD TO ME WHENEVER YOU FIRST BROUGHT IT FORWARD. AND I WAS HAPPY TO BE ABLE TO MAKE THOSE RELATIONSHIPS BETWEEN THE UNIONS AND YOURSELF AND, YOU KNOW, INCREDIBLY IMPRESSIVE WHAT YOU'RE DOING WITH THE FIRST RESPONDER PROGRAM. I KNOW THAT THE UNION REPS THAT CAME OUT WERE VERY, VERY SUPPORTIVE AND VERY GLAD TO BE ABLE TO BRING THAT TOOL BACK. SO I DIDN'T HAVE A QUESTION ABOUT IT. I JUST WANTED TO APPLAUD YOU BECAUSE THE MENTAL HEALTH ARENA IS SOMETHING THAT WE ALL NEED TO BE COGNIZANT OF AND SEE HOW WE CONTINUE, CAN CONTINUE TO SUPPORT OUR FIRST RESPONDERS WITH THOSE CRITICAL NEEDS. THANK YOU FOR YOUR COMMENTS. VICE CHAIR GAVIN ACTUALLY, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR SUPPORT AND HELPING ADVANCE THAT CAUSE. ABSOLUTELY. ABSOLUTELY. AND GOOD TO SEE YOU, MELISSA. THANK YOU, CHAIR. THANK YOU. COUNCILMEMBER FLOYD, YOU KNOW, I'M HOPING YOU CAN ADDRESS SOMETHING THAT I'M LOOKING AT RIGHT HERE, WHICH IS THAT THE NATION'S LARGEST NURSES UNION, SEIU, HAS ACCUSED HCA OF, UH, UNNECESSARY E.R. ADMISSIONS 5% OVER THE NATIONAL AVERAGE IN ORDER TO LIFT PROFITS. THEY'RE CALLING IT MEDICARE FRAUD. AND THEIR CONCERN IS ONE, OBVIOUSLY, THE POTENTIAL FOR FRAUD, BUT TO, YOU KNOW, STAFF SHORTAGES AND WORKER OVERBURDENED DURING THE PANDEMIC AS WELL AS, YOU KNOW, THEY'RE CLAIMING LACK OF PROTECTIVE EQUIPMENT THROUGHOUT THE PANDEMIC. AND I'M HOPING YOU CAN SPEAK TO THAT BECAUSE IT'S SOMETHING THAT I'M QUITE CONCERNED ABOUT. YES. I APPRECIATE THE COMMENT. THANK YOU. COUNCILMEMBER FLOYD, WE ARE AWARE OF THAT BEING RAISED. AND AT THIS TIME WITH IT, WITH ONGOING EVALUATION I'M NOT ABLE TO COMMENT ON IT. WE, OF COURSE, BELIEVE THAT WE HAVE THE RIGHT SYSTEMS IN PLACE. WE HAVE THE RIGHT EVALUATION OF OUR PATIENTS. WE'RE TAKING CARE OF PATIENTS AND PROVIDING THE RIGHT CARE AT THE BEDSIDE AS OUR POSITION. SO THAT'S THAT'S MY COMMENT ABOUT WHAT WE DO AND HOW WE DELIVER OUR CARE. OKAY. WELL, YOU KNOW, I MEAN, I DON'T SEE A REASON FOR WORKERS IN YOUR HOSPITAL TO BE BRINGING THINGS UP UNLESS THEY'RE CONCERNED. SO I HOPE THAT WE CAN COME TO A CONCLUSION WITH THIS QUICKLY BECAUSE IT'S IT'S REALLY CONCERNING. I AGREE. I THINK A CONCLUSION TO IT QUICKLY. THANK YOU, CHAIR. COUNCILMEMBER MONTANARI, THANK YOU. THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR. AND DR. JARI, THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE. I REVIEWED YOUR BIO AND YOU'VE GOT A VERY IMPRESSIVE BACKGROUND. UM, I, UH, JUST JUST AMAZED AT YOUR BACKGROUND. AND THANK YOU FOR COMING IN AND GIVING US AN UPDATE OF, UH, HCA, FLORIDA AND THE IMPACT THAT YOU HAVE IN OUR COUNTY AND HERE IN OUR, OUR CITY. UM, I I WAS IMPRESSED THAT YOU'RE ON YOUR FIRST SLIDE. YOU ADDRESS QUALITY BECAUSE QUALITY IN A HOSPITAL TO ME IS JOB ONE. AND THAT'S WHERE THAT'S WHAT PATIENTS ARE LOOKING FOR. AND ME PERSONALLY AND MY FAMILY, YOU KNOW, WHEN YOU'RE THINKING ABOUT WHERE YOU'RE GOING TO TAKE YOUR FAMILY, YOU WANT TO GO TO A QUALITY HOSPITAL. SO THAT'S IMPORTANT TO TO EVERYONE. THAT WAS AWESOME. PRESS THAT, UH, AND I DIDN'T KNOW THIS, THAT YOU'RE THE LARGEST TEACHING HOSPITAL. THAT THAT IS SOMETHING THAT I WANTED TO POINT OUT. UM, I WAS WITH MELISSA UP IN TALLAHASSEE A FEW WEEKS AGO, AND WE, WE MET WITH SENATOR BRANDIS AND TALKED ABOUT THIS NURSING SHORTAGE THAT WE HAVE. AND I KNOW IT'S A NATIONAL PROBLEM. UM, AND, BUT IT'S SPECIFICALLY A FLORIDA PROBLEM ALSO. CAN YOU TELL US A LITTLE BIT ABOUT, UH, HOW YOU'RE ADDRESSING THAT NURSING NURSING SHORTAGE? I KNOW THAT THERE ARE SOME NURSES THAT ARE LIKE TRAVELING NURSES THAT ARE YOU, HOSPITALS ARE PAYING A VERY LARGE PREMIUM TO, TO GET NURSES TO FILL THE SCHEDULE. CAN YOU, CAN YOU ADDRESS THAT FOR US HERE? YES. SO I THINK, YOU KNOW, GOING BACK AND DON'T I DON'T WANT TO RUN YOUR GOLF SCHEDULE HERE, I CAN GO BACK AND GIVE YOU A LITTLE BIT OF BACKGROUND, SORT OF WHAT'S OCCURRED DURING THE PANDEMIC AND HOW AS A NATION AND AS A HOSPITAL SYSTEM, WE FIND OURSELVES IN THIS SITUATION SO AS THE PANDEMIC STARTED, BECAUSE OF THE VARIABLE SURGES ACROSS THE NATION, IT CREATED A MISMATCH BETWEEN THE NUMBER OF PATIENTS WITH COVID AND THE NURSING SUPPLY AND IN ORDER TO SOLVE THAT MISMATCH, THERE WAS A WAY IN WHICH YOU COULD ESSENTIALLY ADDRESS THE SUPPLY DEMAND BY RAISING THE PAYMENT TO ATTRACT NURSES TO TRAVEL. AND THAT RESULTED IN NURSES LEAVING THEIR CURRENT ROLES. AND ALL THE HOSPITALS ARE SEEING THE SAME SITUATION OCCUR WHERE HISTORICALLY THEY'VE HAD A WHAT WE CALL A CORE STAFF RELATIVE TO WHAT THEY RUN FOR A DAILY CENSUS SO THAT YOU'D HAVE CORE STAFF AND YOU ALWAYS HAD WHAT WE WOULD CALL FLEX LABOR IN THIS PART OF THE COUNTRY, WESTERN FLORIDA, WEST PART OF THE STATE. IT'S VERY MUCH A SEASONAL POPULATION. AND SO WE ALREADY WERE WELL VERSED IN THIS IDEA OF HAVING BETWEEN ROUGHLY DECEMBER TO MAY, A DIFFERENT WAY TO STAFF OUR HOSPITALS, BECAUSE THE CENSUS WOULD ESSENTIALLY GO UP BY 50% WHEN YOU HAVE THEN THIS MOVEMENT OF THOSE USUAL NURSES WHO CAME IN, SEASONAL NURSES, AND YOU HAD OTHER PEOPLE MOVED TO TO TAKE THESE CONTRACTS ACROSS THE ACROSS THE BOARD, YOU WENT FROM BEING CORE STAFFED OF 90% THAT DROPPED INTO LOWER AND LOWER NUMBERS. AND SO NOW YOUR ABILITY TO HAVE THE THE NUMBER OF NURSES AT THE BEDSIDE BASED ON YOUR CORE WAS REDUCED AND YOU RELIED MORE AND MORE ON THESE TRAVELER CONTRACT CUTS. AS THE PANDEMIC CONTINUED TO GO ON. THERE CONTINUED TO BE THIS VARIATION ON WHERE THE DEMAND WAS THAT CONTINUES TO FUEL THIS IDEA OF NEEDING TO HAVE PRICING TO ADDRESS THE SURGES, EVEN THOUGH THAT'S SETTLING. THE OTHER OCCURRENCE THAT HAPPENED DURING THE COURSE OF THE PANDEMIC WAS A NUMBER OF NURSES WHO SAID, I'M NOT DOING THIS ANYMORE, TAPPED OUT. AND THE THIRD PART IS THERE'S BEEN EXPANSION OF PLACES THAT NURSES CAN WORK NOW. SO BEYOND THE HOSPITAL, SO IT'S CONTINUED TO EXACERBATE A CHALLENGE IN THE HOSPITAL WHERE PROVIDING THE RIGHT STAFF AT THE BEDSIDE FOR ALL HOSPITALS HAS BECOME DIFFICULT AND IT CONTINUES TO HAVE THIS IDEA OF TRAVELING NURSES WHERE THE CONTRACT RATES ARE HIGH IN THE SHORT TERM. THAT'S A KEY THING TO LOOK AT. A SECOND PART THAT WE'RE ADDRESSING IS IF YOU LOOK AT THE CARE DEMAND OF A PATIENT IN A HOSPITAL BED, AS WE UNDERSTAND THAT AND BREAK THAT DOWN, THERE ARE KEY THINGS THAT ARE IN CAN PROVIDE THAT AN LPN CAN PROVIDE THAT A PATIENT CARE TECHNOLOGIST CAN PROVIDE. AND SO YOU ARE NOW A LOT MORE AWARE OF THE VARIABLE NEEDS. AND WE CAN THEN SAY IF WE HAVE OTHER INDIVIDUALS, WHAT WE CALL TEAM NURSING, WHERE WE HAVE DIFFERENT SKILLS AT THE BEDSIDE, NOT JUST WE'RE RELYING ON NURSE ONE SINGLE R.N., BUT WE CAN HAVE OTHERS. WE'RE ABLE TO PROVIDE THE RIGHT CARE NOW WITH TEAM BASED NURSE AND VERSUS JUST A SINGLE. AND THAT'S REALLY THE DIRECTION WE'RE GOING RIGHT NOW. SO WE'RE LOOKING AT USING THE NURSES COMING OUT OF OUR, OUR NURSING SCHOOLS, NOT JUST OUR GAYLAN, BUT ALL IN GRAD NURSE EXTERNAL POSITIONS. WE'RE ACCELERATING THEM IN TERMS OF HOW THEY GET TO THE BEDSIDE WE'RE HIRING LPNS, WE'RE EXPANDING OUR HIRING AND TRAIN OF PATIENT CARE PCT OR PATIENT CARE TECHS OR MEDICAL ASSISTANCE AS THEY'RE CALLED IN. IN ADDITION WE'RE LOOKING AT DIFFERENT WAYS TO ACCELERATE ARE GRADUATING TO BE AT THE BEDSIDE. AND OF COURSE, ALL OF THAT ONLY MATTERS IF YOU PROVIDE THE RIGHT WAY TO RETAIN THEM. SO AMONG THOSE DIFFERENT WAYS THAT WE CALL SKILL MIX, CHANGING THE SKILL MIX FOR TEAM BASED NURSING AMONG THE WAY WE'RE LOOKING AT DIFFERENT RETENTION AND THEN RECRUITMENT TACTICS, THAT'S HOW WE'RE ADDRESSING THAT AND IT CONTINUES TO BE OUR MOST IMPORTANT THING THAT WE DO. I SAID THAT ALREADY. WE'RE IN THE PEOPLE BUSINESS. I SAID OUR PEOPLE ARE OUR GREATEST ASSET. IN ORDER TO GET THE QUALITY WE NEED, WE NEED TO HAVE THE MOST ENGAGED TEAM AT THE BEDSIDE WORKING, AND WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY FEEL THAT WE'RE COMMITTED TO THEM IN THE WORK THAT THEY'RE TRYING TO DO FOR THE PATIENTS WE SERVE. OKAY. THANK YOU. THANK THANK YOU FOR WALKING US THROUGH THAT. CAN YOU CAN YOU GIVE US A LITTLE LIKE ORDER OF MAGNITUDE OF LIKE HOW SHORT OF NURSES ARE WE HERE IN FLORIDA AND WHAT WHAT'S IT FORECAST TO BE? YOU KNOW, I DON'T KNOW IF I CAN GIVE YOU A STRAIGHT NUMBER OF WHAT THAT IS, BECAUSE ON A DAY TO DAY BASIS THROUGH DIFFERENT MECHANISMS, WE'RE ENSURING THAT WE HAVE THE RIGHT NUMBER OF NURSES AT THE BEDSIDE. THE WAY THE WAY IN I CAN'T SPEAK EVEN BEYOND THE HCA SYSTEM. WHAT THE OTHER SYSTEMS ARE EXPERIENCING, THOUGH I KNOW IT'S A SIMILAR KIND OF MAGNITUDE THAT WE'RE SUFFERING FROM RIGHT NOW. SO I I HESITATE TO GIVE A BALLPARK FIGURE BECAUSE I JUST DON'T KNOW HOW ACCURATE IT'LL BE BEYOND WHAT WE'RE SEEING IN OUR COMPANY. OKAY. WELL, THANK YOU UH, THE LAST THING IS JUST, JUST A COMMENT ON I WAS IMPRESSED WITH THE FIRST RESPONDER PROGRAM. AND WHENEVER YOU BRING UP CHIEF GANCI IN FRONT OF THIS BODY, HE'S A HE'S A ROCK STAR AT SAINT PETERSBURG FIRE AND RESCUE. AND HE, HE'S ONE OF THOSE LEADERS THAT TAKE TAKES CARE OF HIS PEOPLE. AND I'M VERY GLAD THAT YOU BROUGHT HIS NAME UP IN IN RELATION TO THIS FIRST RESPONDER PROGRAM. THANK YOU. IN WHAT MAY NOT BE AND I'LL THROW IN A LITTLE PERSONAL NOTE, NOT MAY NOT BE IN MY BIO IS MY WIFE WAS WAS BORN AND RAISED IN SAINT PETE. SHE WAS BORN SHE LIVED ON 67TH STREET, JUST OUTSIDE JUST OUTSIDE OF TOWER AND MALL. TOWER MALL DIDN'T EXIST WHEN SHE WAS BORN. AND SO WE HAVE A LONG HISTORY OF COMING BACK AND FORTH. IN FACT, MY RECEPTION WAS AT THE PIER WHEN IT WAS THE UPSIDE DOWN PYRAMID. YEAH. YEAH. WELL, GOOD. WELL, THANK YOU. THANK YOU FOR COMING IN. AND AND GIVING US AN UPDATE OF HQ. THANK YOU, MANAGER. ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU, COUNCILMEMBER CURTIS. THANK YOU, CHAIR. DR. THANKS FOR BEING HERE. MELISSA, GOOD TO SEE YOU. I JUST HAVE A COUPLE OF QUICK COMMENTS, TO BE HONEST WITH YOU. SAME GENERAL IS IN MY DISTRICT. I'VE KNOWN A REALLY LONG TIME I THINK I WAS A FIRST PATIENT AT 12 YEARS OLD WHEN SOMEBODY THREW A BASEBALL AT ME WHILE I WASN'T LOOKING AND THEN TOLD ME TO TURN AROUND AND I BROKE MY NOSE. AND AND THEN MOST RECENTLY, ABOUT FOUR WEEKS AGO, AGAIN, I WAS BACK. BUT MORE IMPORTANTLY, SO I DON'T LIKE I'M NOT A FREQUENT FLIER, BUT I JUST HAPPEN TO RUN INTO THINGS. BUT I WANTED TO I DID WANT TO MAKE A COMMENT. MY WIFE WAS A PATIENT AT SAFETY GENERAL LAST YEAR AND I CAN TELL YOU THAT I DON'T KNOW THAT WE WOULD HAVE GONE THROUGH ALL OF THAT AS SMOOTHLY AS WE DID WITHOUT TWO PEOPLE THAT TOOK CARE OF HER. ONE WAS OUR CARE MANAGER, SUE ELLEN. SUE ELLEN. WAIT A MINUTE. I WANT TO MAKE SURE GLOVER THAT WOMAN IS AMAZING, AND SHE MADE OUR LIVES A LOT EASIER. AND I CAN'T SAY THANK YOU ENOUGH FOR THAT. AND THEN HER SURGEON WAS DR. SCHUCHAT. AND I'M TELLING YOU, BECAUSE OF THOSE TWO PEOPLE ON OUR TEAM, THE BEGINNING OF THAT PROCESS WAS SIGNIFICANTLY EASIER. AND TOM LOOKING TO ME BECAUSE HE THINKS I'M GOING TO CRY LIKE MY DAD DID BUT IT WAS IT WAS IT WAS AN EXPERIENCE THAT WE NEVER THOUGHT WE'D HAVE TO GO THROUGH. AND BECAUSE OF THE TEAM THERE, THAT WAS THAT WAS THE BEGINNING OF OUR CORE TEAM. AND IT MADE THE ROAD A LOT SMOOTHER. AND SO VERY HAPPY TO BE ABLE TO SAY THANK YOU UP. YOU'RE ON THE DIAS. AND I'LL SAY THANK YOU ON BEHALF OF MY WIFE. I WAS JUST TEXTING HER. AND SO THAT WAS MY ONLY COMMENT. SO. THANKS FOR THAT. I APPRECIATE IT. IT'S GREAT TO HEAR. AND I MADE A NOTE AND I'LL PASS IT ALONG TO BOTH CANES WHO I KNOW. WELL, THANK YOU. THANK YOU, CHAIR. JUST FOR THE RECORD, I WAS TRYING NOT TO GET ME TO THANK YOU. COUNCIL MEMBER CURTIS. AND I'VE ALSO MADE A NOTE TO ENSURE THAT YOU SIGN A WAIVER PRIOR TO NEXT YEAR'S KIDS INCOME SOFTBALL GAME. I DIDN'T HAVE TO GO BECAUSE OF THAT. THANK COUNCIL MEMBER HANNAH WOODS. WELL, THANK YOU VERY MUCH. I REALLY APPRECIATE THE PRESENTATION. I THINK LIKE SOME OF MY COLLEAGUES, I WAS SURPRISED. I DIDN'T REALIZE THAT YOU WERE THE LARGEST TEACHING HOSPITAL SYSTEM HERE IN FLORIDA. AND EDUCATION IS, I THINK, EXTREMELY IMPORTANT. NOW, WE HAVE OBVIOUSLY A NEED FOR MORE NURSES I WAS JUST WONDERING, YOU KNOW, RECENTLY I WAS SPEAKING TO SOMEONE REGARDING HOSPITALS, PARTNERING WITH SCHOOLS AND STARTING THAT EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS ARE REALLY LIKE HIGH SCHOOL LEVEL TO EXPOSE, YOU KNOW, HIGH SCHOOL KIDS AND GET COLLEGE COURSES. AND I JUST WANTED TO FIND OUT, IS THAT SOMETHING YOU'RE DOING? BECAUSE I, I THINK, YOU KNOW, WE WANT TO GET KIDS INTERESTED BECAUSE WE HAVE THAT BIG NEED. YEAH, I THINK, I THINK YOU'RE ABSOLUTELY CORRECT. ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE FEEL IS PART OF OUR MISSION IS TO ENSURE PEOPLE ARE EXPOSED TO HEALTH CARE, HEALTH SCIENCES. SO WHILE WE DON'T NECESSARILY HAVE A COLLEGE OR A UNIVERSITY, WE DO HAVE A NUMBER OF FOLKS WHO WILL COME STRAIGHT OUT OF HIGH SCHOOL AND WORK IN OUR HOSPITALS IN THE ROLE I MENTIONED CALLED A PATIENT CARE TECH OR A PC TEAM. SO WE DO PROVIDE THAT. SO WE TRY IN ALL OF OUR AREAS SO OUR HOSPITALS, WE DO HAVE 15 HOSPITALS IN THIS AREA FROM CITRUS COUNTY DOWN TO PORT CHARLOTTE. AND EACH OF OUR LEADERSHIP TEAMS GO INTO THE HIGH SCHOOLS TO HAVE HEALTH CARE FAIRS. AND WE REALIZE THAT THE BROADEST EFFECT OF THAT IS GOING TO BE TO INSPIRE PEOPLE TO CHOOSE A CAREER IN HEALTH CARE. SOME IN HARDCORE SCIENCE, SOME MORE IN DIRECT PATIENT CARE AREAS, AND SOME MAY EVEN JOIN US DIRECTLY OUT OF HIGH SCHOOL. SO WE DO ALSO PARTNER WITH SCHOOLS FROM COLLEGES IN THAT AREA OR UNIVERSITIES TO MAKE SURE WE COLLABORATE WITH THEM AND UNDERSTAND THAT WE CAN HELP MAKE THOSE CONNECTIONS FOR THEM, BECAUSE IT'S A GREAT THING IF WE CAN INSPIRE PEOPLE TO CHOOSE A CAREER IN HEALTH CARE, EVEN THOUGH IT MAY NOT DIRECTLY BENEFIT US TODAY, TOMORROW OR WHATNOT, IT'LL BENEFIT ENTIRE COMMUNITY AND LIKELY US AS WELL. DOWN THE ROAD. SO WE ARE VERY CONNECTED WITH OUR SCHOOLS IN THAT WAY THROUGH OUR LOCAL TEAMS. OKAY. I APPRECIATE THAT. THANK YOU SO MUCH. AND NEXT TIME YOU HAVE TO PUT THAT YOUR WIFE WAS BORN HERE. SHE WAS YOU HAVE TO PUT THAT ON THE SLIDE. I DO. MAYBE I SHOULD HAVE PUT THAT IN THERE NEXT TIME. SHE'S GOT EIGHT BROTHERS AND SISTERS, ALL OF WHICH WERE HERE. THANK GOODNESS. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THE FOR THE PRESENTATION TODAY AND FOR THE UPDATE AND MOST IMPORTANTLY, FOR REMINDING US WHY YOU'RE SUCH A GREAT PARTNER TO OUR COMMUNITY. IT IS ENCOURAGING NOT ONLY TO SEE THE WORK THAT YOU'RE DOING FOR PATIENTS IN IN SAINT PETERSBURG. AND CERTAINLY I ECHO THE THE COMPLIMENTS ON THE FIRST RESPONDERS PROGRAM. THAT IS SOMETHING THAT IS INCREDIBLY IMPORTANT TO ME. AND I'M JUST I'M GRATEFUL FOR YOU AND FOR CHIEF GANCI, FOR FOR THAT. THE GERIATRIC PSYCHOLOGY UNIT IS SOMETHING THAT I HOPE TO SEE MORE OF THAT OUT THERE BECAUSE WE HAVE FOLKS WHO ARE LIVING LONGER. THEY ARE WANTING TO BE, YOU KNOW, MORE INDEPENDENT LATER IN LIFE. AND WE REALLY NEED TO REALLY PUT OUR ARMS AROUND THAT AND ACCOMMODATE THAT AND HELP PEOPLE TO TO THRIVE IN THEIR LATER YEARS. AND THAT INCLUDES TAKING CARE OF THEIR MENTAL HEALTH. SO I APPRECIATE THAT. I JUST ONE QUESTION REGARDING THE NURSE NURSES EDUCATION IT'S WONDERFUL THAT YOU'RE DOING OUTREACH TO ENCOURAGE PEOPLE TO EXPLORE THAT AS A CAREER PATH, AND I'D LOVE TO SEE MORE OF THAT ARE THERE. AND WITHOUT GETTING INTO IT TOO MUCH. CAN YOU TELL US ABOUT ANY KIND OF AFFORDABILITY PROGRAMS THAT YOU HAVE? BECAUSE THERE ARE MANY MANY STUDENTS IN OUR CITY WHO SEE SOMETHING AND THEY WOULD LIKE TO BE THAT, BUT THEY DON'T HAVE THEY CAN'T AFFORD IT. AND THAT IS A BARRIER. AND SOMETIMES PEOPLE DON'T EVEN ASK. THEY JUST ASSUME THEY CAN'T AFFORD IT AND THEY DON'T EVEN TRY. SO ARE ARE THERE SOME EFFORTS THAT YOU'RE MAKING TO HELP BRIDGE THAT FINANCIAL GAP TO THIS CAREER? ABSOLUTELY. SO THAT'S PERFECT TIMING. SO WE DID ACTUALLY HAVE RECOGNIZED THAT THROUGH THE FALL HAS BEEN A SIGNIFICANT BARRIER, ESPECIALLY AS WE TRY TO ADDRESS THE ISSUE OF HAVING THE RIGHT NUMBER OF CAREGIVERS AT THE BEDSIDE. AND SO WE HAVE STATEWIDE WIDE RIGHT NOW ARE MOVING FORWARD WITH THIS IDEA OF ORGANIZING AROUND. WE'RE CALLING IT SCHOLAR PROGRAMS. SO WE'RE ABLE TO PROVIDE THAT SUPPORT FOR THEM WHEN THEY'RE ENROLLED AS THEY TRANSITION AND ARE ABLE TO BECOME NURSES TO SUPPORT THEM IN WHATEVER AREA, BECAUSE WE HAVE MULTIPLE AREAS ALL THE WAY FROM WHAT IS A TRADITIONAL ARE THROUGH OTHER AREAS, WHETHER IT COULD BE WORKING IN SOME OF THE ALLIED AREAS OF TECHNOLOGIES FOR RADIANT RADIOLOGY, ETC. ETC. SO BROADLY, WE'RE TRYING TO ADDRESS THAT IN A WAY TO GIVE THAT SUPPORT FOR THOSE FOLKS. EXCELLENT. THANK YOU SO MUCH, SO MUCH. THANK YOU AGAIN FOR FOR JOINING US. AND PLEASE PASS ALONG OUR GRATITUDE TO ALL WITH HCA, FLORIDA, FOR THE WORK THAT YOU DO FOR OUR RESIDENTS AND FOR THE FOR THE COMMUNITY. AND WE'LL DO. THANK YOU SO MUCH. APPRECIATE IT. THANK YOU. ALL RIGHT. COUNCIL MEMBERS WILL GO AHEAD AND MOVE INTO OUR PUBLIC HEARINGS FOR THE DAY. WE HAVE ITEM E-1 REGARDING THE COMMUNITY BENEFIT AGREEMENT PROGRAM, ORDINANCE NUMBER 50504, DASH EIGHT AND ORANGE AMENDING SECTION TWO, DASH FIVE, 22 AND TWO DASH FIVE 25. THE ST PETERSBURG CITY CODE FOR THE SOLE PURPOSE OF PROVIDING UPDATED COST REFERENCES AND PROVIDING FOR AN EFFECTIVE DATE. AND MADAM CHAIR, WE DO NOT HAVE ANY CARDS ON THIS. ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU. GOOD MORNING, MR. TENANT. GOOD MORNING, CITY COUNCIL. GOOD TO SEE EVERYONE IS HERE. IF THERE'S ANY QUESTIONS ALL RIGHT. AND DO WE HAVE STAFF SPEAKING ON THIS? AND I KNOW THAT THIS IS REALLY JUST A A VERY SLIGHT AMENDMENT FOR THE CORRECT. AND AS MR. TENANT SAID, YOU KNOW, IF YOU HAVE QUESTIONS, IF COUNSEL HAS QUESTIONS, WE CAN CERTAINLY ADDRESS THOSE. WE DO HAVE BRIAN COOPER ON HAND. I DON'T KNOW THAT WE HAVE A PRESENTATION TO TO PRESENT, BUT IF THERE ARE QUESTIONS, WE CAN CERTAINLY RESPOND. MOVE APPROVAL. THANK YOU. WE HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND. COUNCILMEMBER FLOYD. YEAH. I JUST WANTED TO GET SOMEBODY TO SAY OUT LOUD, LIKE, THIS IS JUST TO CLEAN UP SOME LANGUAGE AND CLARIFY THINGS. I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT THAT WE JUST SAID IT OUT LOUD. YES. THE PROGRAM IS IN EFFECT RIGHT NOW. THIS DOESN'T AFFECT THE EFFICACY OF ANYTHING. IT'S JUST FOR FUTURE. IT'S A LOT EASIER TO HAVE THIS CROSS-REFERENCES IN THERE WHEN PEOPLE LOOK LATER. GREAT. THANK YOU. ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU. SEEING THAT, THERE ARE NO FURTHER REQUESTS TO SPEAK WITH THE CLERK, PLEASE. WE HAVE A MOTION IN A SECOND. WILL THE CLERK PLEASE OPEN THE MACHINE FOR VOTING? YOU HAVE A QUESTION IF IT'S APPROPRIATE. MY LEGAL THERE'S THREE ITEMS ON THIS. YOU KNOW, THE ORDINANCE AND THE TWO RESOLUTIONS OF THAT JUST FOUR. YES, THEY CAN BE PASSED ALTOGETHER. I JUST NEED TO CLARIFY THAT WITH THE MOTION MAKER, RIGHT? YES. TO PASS ALTOGETHER. SECOND, ALL RIGHT. WE HAVE A MOTION IN THE SECOND. WILL THE CLERK PLEASE OPEN THE MACHINE FOR VOTING? COUNCIL MEMBERS, PLEASE ENTER YOUR VOTES SAYING THAT ALL PRESENT COUNCIL MEMBERS HAVE VOTED BY THE CLERK. PLEASE TALLY AND ANNOUNCE THE VOTES I'M SURE THE MOTION TO APPROVE IS IN ITEM E, ONE, A, B, AND C PASSES UNANIMOUSLY WITH COUNCILMEMBER FICK SANDERS BEING ABSENT. RIGHT. THANK YOU. THE NEXT ITEM ON OUR AGENDA IS ITEM F THREE RESOLUTION APPROVING THE TRANSFER OF FUNDS IN CONNECTION TO THE RPA. GOOD MORNING, MADAM CHAIR AND MEMBERS OF COUNCIL. AND I'M GOING TO WAIT FOR JAN TO BRING UP OUR OUR SLIDE DECK. BUT THIS MORNING, ROB CURTIS, ASSISTANT CITY ADMINISTRATOR, AND I WILL KIND OF TAG TEAM ON THIS UPDATE. I WILL START OUT. FIRST OF ALL, TOM GREEN, INTERIM CITY ADMINISTRATOR. FOR THE RECORD, I WILL COVER THE FIRST SEVEN OR EIGHT SLIDES IN THE DECK. I'LL TALK ABOUT WHAT ACTION ITEMS WE HAVE BEFORE YOU TODAY WITH RESPECT TO THAT RESOLUTION. I'LL TOUCH ON SOME OF THE FUTURE PROPOSED ALLOCATIONS FOR DISCUSSION PURPOSES, AND THEN I WILL TURN IT OVER TO ROB AND HE'LL PROVIDE A DETAILED UPDATE ON THE HOUSING AND AFFORDABILITY SECTION OF THE RPA. I DO WANT TO ALSO MENTION THAT WE HAVE BEEN LASER FOCUSED ON THE HOUSING AND AFFORDABILITY SECTION OF THE RPA RESOURCES. CLEARLY, THIS IS A THE HIGHEST PRIORITY OF OUR COMMUNITY OF THE COUNCIL OF THE MAYOR ADMINISTRATION. SO THAT WAS THE PURPOSE OF WHY WE FOCUSED EXCLUSIVELY ON ON THIS ISSUE WITH RESPECT TO THE HEALTH AND SOCIAL EQUITY AREA OF IMPACT. WE'RE MINDFUL OF A COUPLE OF THINGS. THESE ARE ONE TIME RESOURCES THAT WE HAVE, AND WE WANT TO ENSURE THAT THE PROGRAMS THAT WE ROLL OUT AND INVEST IN THE COMMUNITY WILL HELP US TO DEVELOP SUSTAINABLE AND LONG TERM CAPACITY BUILDING WITHIN OUR COMMUNITY. SO WE'RE TAKING OUR TIME TO GET IT RIGHT AS OPPOSED TO JUST GETTING IT DONE, SO TO SPEAK. BUT SO I JUST WANTED TO TOUCH ON THAT VERY, VERY BRIEFLY UPFRONT SO I WILL NOW MOVE INTO THE SLIDE DECK. AND AS I MENTIONED, WE'LL SHIP IT AS IT TURNED ON JUNE OH, THERE WE GO. MAYBE, MAYBE HAVING SOME TOUGH TECHNICAL DIFFICULTIES. THE DOCTOR DIDN'T HAVE ANY PROBLEMS RIGHT. OKAY. THANK YOU, CHAD. I'M SORRY. SO JUST TO RECAP, THE RESOURCES THAT WE ANTICIPATE RECEIVING UNDER THE RPA IS 45.4 MILLION. WE EXPECT TO RECEIVE THE NEXT INVESTMENT OR INSTALLMENT OF 22.7 SOMETIME LATER THIS YEAR. AND GENERALLY, THESE RESOURCES HAVE TO BE DEPLOYED BY THE END OF CALENDAR YEAR. 20, 24 SO THE ACTION BEFORE YOU TODAY IN THE RESOLUTION THAT YOU HAVE, I HAD AN OPPORTUNITY KIND OF A LITTLE WHILE AGO TO CHAT INDIVIDUALLY WITH EACH OF YOU ABOUT THIS, THE FINAL RULE AND THE STANDARD ALLOWANCE THAT WAS GRANTED UNDER THE FINAL RULE OF A $10 MILLION REVENUE LOSS. AND I'LL TAKE JUST A SECOND TO TO STEP BACK A MINUTE. WHEN THE INITIAL RULE CAME OUT, THEY PROVIDED PROVIDED A CALCULATION, A METHODOLOGY FOR HOW WE WERE TO COMPARE REVENUES DURING A CERTAIN PERIOD AND UNDER THE QUITE CANDIDLY, CONVOLUTED CALCULATION THAT THEY HAD US PERFORM. THE CITY DID NOT HAVE ANY REVENUE LOSS UNDER THAT METHODOLOGY. I THINK ACROSS THE COUNTRY, I THINK PEOPLE, YOU KNOW, POINTED THAT OUT TO THE TREASURY. AND WE WERE GRATEFUL AND THANKFUL THAT THEY THE FINAL RULE SAID, YOU KNOW, GIVING US THIS STANDARD ALLOWANCE OF $10 MILLION IN REVENUE LOSS. SO THE LEGISLATIVE ACTION BEFORE YOU TODAY IS WHAT THE RESOLUTION WILL TRANSFER THE RESOURCES FROM THE RPA FUND INTO THE GENERAL FUND. AND EFFECTIVELY WHAT WE THEN DO IS CAPTURE OR RECAPTURE SOME OF THE EXPENSES WE INCURRED DURING THE PANDEMIC, FREEING UP $10 MILLION IN THE GENERAL FUND TO THEN BE ALLOCATED TO THE PROGRAMS THAT WE HAVE LISTED HERE AS PROPOSED INVESTMENTS, 6.5 MILLION FOR THE DUCES TOWNHOUSE DEVELOPMENT, AND THEN 3.5 TO GO TO THE HOUSING CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT FUND TO INVEST IN IN FUTURE DEVELOPMENTS THAT WILL BE TARGETED AT 60%. AMI SO THAT'S THE LEGISLATIVE ACTION THAT WE ARE REQUESTING TODAY FOR COUNCIL TO TAKE. AND YOU HAVE THE RESOLUTION AND THE BACKUP MEMO IN YOUR PACKAGE CLEARLY OVER THE LAST COUPLE OF WEEKS THERE'S BEEN A LOT OF DISCUSSION ABOUT AFFORDABLE HOUSING IN OUR COMMUNITY. AND SO THIS IS AN UPDATE OF POTENTIAL ALLOCATIONS OF THE 45 MILLION WITH RESPECT TO THE DIFFERENT FIVE AREAS OF OF IMPACT THAT WE HAD INITIALLY IDENTIFIED. SO AT THIS POINT WORKING WITH ROB CURTIS AND HIS TEAM WE BELIEVE THAT THE 34.3 MILLION IN RESOURCES IN AFFORDABLE HOUSING IS A NUMBER THAT WE CAN EFFECTIVELY DEPLOY IN THE TIME PERIOD PROVIDED WE PROPOSE TO MAINTAIN THE LEVEL OF INVESTMENT OF APPROXIMATELY 11.1 MILLION IN THE HEALTH AND SOCIAL EQUITY CATEGORY, AND THEN THE TWO TO TWO THAT WE WOULD BE DEPLOYING ALL 45 MILLION IN THOSE TWO AREAS OF IMPACT SO WE WOULD EFFECTIVELY REDUCE THE PLANNED INVESTMENT IN THE INFRASTRUCTURE CATEGORY WHERE WE HAD PROPOSED $8 MILLION FOR THE WATER RESOURCES LAB FACILITY. ADDITIONALLY, WE WOULD REDUCE THE, THE KIND OF AIR TREATMENT AND AIR QUALITY IMPROVEMENTS THAT WE PLANNED IN IN THE POLICE AND FIRE DEPARTMENTS. AND THEN ALSO ABOUT 5.5 MILLION PLAN FOR ECONOMIC RECOVERY, WHICH INCLUDED SOME COMPLETE STREET TYPE PROJECTS AND THINGS LIKE THAT. THIS SLIDE JUST ILLUSTRATES KIND OF THE EVOLUTION OVER TIME AS WE CONTINUE TO GET COMMUNITY FEEDBACK WITH REGARD TO PRIORITIES AND SO FORTH. AND SO I WANTED TO JUST ILLUSTRATE, YOU KNOW, KIND OF IN A SLIDE AS TO, YOU KNOW, HOW HOW THESE HOW IT HAS EVOLVED FROM THE VERY BEGINNING BACK IN AUGUST OF LAST YEAR. IMMEDIATELY AFTER THE PUBLIC INPUT SESSIONS. BUT AS WE CONTINUE TO GET PUBLIC INPUT, OBVIOUSLY THE HOUSING HAS BECOME A LARGER PRIORITY AND WE'RE TRYING TO BE RESPONSIVE TO THAT. AND NOW IF I IF I COULD, I THINK I'LL INVITE ASSISTANT CITY ADMINISTRATOR MR. CURTIS UP TO WALK THROUGH SOME OF THE HOUSING SPECIFIC INVESTMENTS THANK YOU SO MUCH, MR. GREEN. GOOD MORNING, CITY COUNCIL. ROB CURTIS, ASSISTANT CITY ADMINISTRATOR, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR TIME THIS MORNING. THANK YOU FOR CONSIDERING THIS ITEM THAT IS BEFORE YOU. I'M VERY EXCITED ABOUT THIS ITEM. I THINK THIS IS A VERY STRONG INVESTMENT IN OUR TEN YEAR PLAN FOR HOUSING AFFORDABILITY, AND I'M VERY HOPEFUL THAT THIS FIRST PART WILL BE APPROVED THIS MORNING. SO TOM MENTIONED THIS ALREADY, AND I'M NOT GOING TO FOCUS ON THIS TOO MUCH. I DO WANT TO MENTION THIS $3.5 MILLION CONTRIBUTION INTO SKIPPY. THIS IS GOING TO BE VERY IMPORTANT IN THE OVERALL PLAN OF ATTACK WITH THIS FUNDING. AND WHEN I GET TO THE LAST BULLET POINT IN THIS SLIDE PRESENTATION, I'M GOING TO COME BACK TO THIS 3.5 MILLION AND EXPLAIN TO YOU WHY IT'S SO IMPORTANT IN THIS PLAN. I JUST WANT TO GIVE YOU SOME QUICK UPDATES ON ITEMS THAT WE'VE DISCUSSED PREVIOUSLY AND LET YOU KNOW WHERE WE'RE AT. WE DISCUSSED PREVIOUSLY A $2.5 MILLION INVESTMENT IN SCATTERED SITE FAMILY SHELTER FOR HOMELESS FAMILIES. WE DO KNOW THAT DURING THE PANDEMIC WE'VE SEEN AN INCREASE IN HOMELESS FAMILIES. HOMELESS SHELTERS ARE TYPICALLY FULL RIGHT NOW. THERE'S NOT ACCESS TO THOSE SHELTERS SO THIS RFP HAS BEEN OUT ON THE STREET. IT'S CLOSED. WE DO ANTICIPATE BRINGING A CONTRACT TO YOU MAY MAYBE IN APRIL. BUT I'M HOPEFUL THAT WILL ACTUALLY GET THIS TO YOU IN MARCH. AND SO THIS IS MOVING FORWARD. AND HOPEFULLY WE'LL COME TO YOU AT THE END OF MARCH FOR APPROVAL ON THE PERMANENT SUPPORTIVE HOUSING SERVICES AGAIN. JUST A REMINDER, THESE ARE SERVICES THAT ARE PROVIDED BY AFFORDABLE HOUSING DEVELOPERS ONSITE TO HELP THE RESIDENTS. THESE SERVICES ARE TYPICALLY PROVIDED BY AGENCIES LIKE BOWLING CENTERS OR VOLUNTEERS OF AMERICA. THIS FUNDING IS VERY HARD TO GET ACCESS TO OVER THE PAST FOUR YEARS WHILE I'VE BEEN WORKING ON THE ISSUE OF HOUSING AFFORDABILITY. THESE TYPES OF PROVIDERS HAVE CONTINUOUSLY ASKED FOR THIS TYPE OF FUNDING BECAUSE IT'S VERY DIFFICULT FOR THEM TO ACCESS IT IN OTHER PLACES. SO THIS IS AN OPPORTUNITY TO ASSIST THOSE TYPES OF AGENCIES WITH PERMANENT SUPPORTIVE HOUSING. THIS RFP WAS RELEASED MARCH 1ST AND IS ON THE STREET RIGHT NOW. OKAY. THEN THE LARGE INVESTMENT IN AFFORDABLE MULTIFAMILY HOUSING, WE'RE PROPOSING $20 MILLION IN AN RFP FOR AFFORDABLE MULTIFAMILY HOUSING THAT WILL FOCUS ON UNITS AT 60% AMI AND BELOW. WE'RE PROPOSING TO HOLD BACK 3.5 MILLION FOR POTENTIAL RENTAL ASSISTANCE THIS WAS AN ITEM THAT WAS RECENTLY BROUGHT UP BY CITY COUNCIL AS A POTENTIAL TO USE AREA FOR RENTAL ASSISTANCE. THERE ARE A COUPLE OF THINGS HAPPENING RELATED TO RENTAL ASSISTANCE THAT I HOPE YOU'RE AWARE OF. WE HAVE BEEN WORKING WITH PINELLAS COUNTY TO GET ACCESS TO THEIR EMERGENCY RENTAL ASSISTANCE DOLLARS. THAT IS THAT MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING IS SCHEDULED AT THE BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS MARCH EIGHT. AND IT'LL BE ON YOUR COUNCIL AGENDA MARCH 10TH. SO HOPEFULLY WE WILL APPROVE THAT MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING. WE WILL START TO PROCESS COUNTY ERA DOLLARS IN THE CITY OF SAINT PETERSBURG. THERE IS ALSO A POSSIBILITY, IF WE WORK THROUGH THAT FUNDING, THAT THE TREASURY COULD RELEASE ADDITIONAL ERA FUNDING THAT HAS NOT BEEN USED BY OTHER CITIES. THAT'S ANOTHER POTENTIAL OPTION. AND THEN WE'RE GOING TO LOOK AT THIS OPTION WITH ERA JUST TO MAKE SURE THAT WE HAVE REDUNDANCIES AND A BACKUP PLAN IN PLACE. IF WE SPEND THE ERA VERY QUICKLY, WE WOULD ALSO RECOMMEND 500,000 IN ADMINISTRATIVE EXPENSES FOR THE HOUSING DEPARTMENT TO PROCESS THE DIFFERENT RFP THAT WE'RE WORKING THROUGH. WE DO ANTICIPATE THAT THE RFP FOR THE MULTIFAMILY WILL BE ISSUED IN APRIL 20, 22. AND I'M GOING TO TALK A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT WHY THAT HAS BEEN DELAYED. SO AGAIN, WE'LL FOCUS ON 60% ARMY UNITS. WE'VE BEEN WORKING WITH MULTIPLE DEVELOPERS WE DO BELIEVE WILL HAVE STRONG APPLICATIONS FOR THE RFP. THIS WILL ALSO HELP US BE MORE AGGRESSIVE IN FUNDING PROJECTS THAT WE HAVEN'T BEEN ABLE TO FUND PREVIOUSLY BECAUSE THE SIZE OF THE SUBSIDY REQUIREMENT. AND THEN LASTLY, THE FINANCING CONSIDERATIONS AND FRANKLY, THIS IS WHY THE RFP FOR THE MOST PART HAS BEEN DELAYED AND IT'S ALSO WHY THE $3.5 MILLION INTO THE GENERAL FUND IS SO IMPORTANT. I'M GOING TO TRY AND SIMPLIFY THIS. IT'S PRETTY COMPLICATED BUT THERE WAS INITIAL GUIDANCE FROM THE TREASURY THAT IF WE PROVIDE A LOAN TO A DEVELOPER FOR AFFORDABLE HOUSING WITH THE MATURITY DATE PAST 20, 26, THAT THERE'S A VERY COMPLICATED FORMULA THAT WE HAVE TO FOLLOW AND ESSENTIALLY PROVIDE A MATCH TO THE ARPA FUNDING WITH ANOTHER FUNDING SOURCE. THERE WAS A LOT OF PRESSURE PUT ON TREASURY TO CHANGE THIS GUIDANCE. THEY CAME OUT WITH THEIR FINAL GUIDANCE. AND IT IS STILL THERE. SO IT HAS ACTUALLY TAKING US QUITE A WHILE TO WORK THROUGH THIS, TALKING TO EXPERTS. WE BROUGHT IN THE FINANCE DEPARTMENT BUDGET, CITY ATTORNEYS OFFICE. EVERYBODY WAS HELPFUL. WE'VE ALSO BEEN TALKING TO THE DEVELOPMENT COMMUNITY ABOUT ABOUT HOW WE HANDLE THIS. AND IT'S VERY IMPORTANT BECAUSE WHEN YOU'RE DEALING WITH A TAX CREDIT DEVELOPMENT, IT HAS TO BE STRUCTURED AS A LOAN AND IT HAS TO HAVE A LONGER MATURITY PERIOD. IT WON'T WORK AS A GRANT. SO THIS IS AN EXTREMELY IMPORTANT CONSIDERATION. SO WITHOUT GETTING INTO ALL THE DETAILS OF IT, I'M GOING TO TRY AND GIVE YOU AN EXAMPLE. SO AN EXAMPLE IS THAT WE DO A LOAN FOR $4 MILLION FOR AN AFFORDABLE HOUSING DEVELOPMENT. THE TERM OF THAT LOAN IS 40 YEARS, AND THE COST OF THE MONEY IS 3.5%. ESSENTIALLY, THEN WE HAVE TO DETERMINE THE PRESENT VALUE OF THE $4 MILLION. UNDER THOSE TERMS, THE PRESENT VALUE IS ESSENTIALLY $1 MILLION THE $1 MILLION HAS TO COME FROM ANOTHER FUNDING SOURCE. SO IT COULD BE 3 MILLION IN ARPA AND 1 MILLION IN ANOTHER FUNDING SOURCE. ESSENTIALLY, YOU'RE GOING TO BE LOOKING AT SOMEWHERE BETWEEN 20 AND 25% MATCH FROM ANOTHER FUNDING SOURCE ON THE ARPA FUNDS. THEREFORE, THE $3.5 MILLION IS EXTREMELY IMPORTANT BECAUSE IT CAN BE USED AS THAT MATCH ALONG WITH CHIP FUNDS AND OTHER FUNDS THAT WE HAVE AVAILABLE. SO WE BELIEVE THAT WE CAN ACHIEVE THIS UNDER THE REQUIREMENTS OF THE TREASURY GUIDELINES WITH THAT, I JUST WANT TO SAY THANK YOU SO MUCH AGAIN FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION OF THIS. THIS IS A VERY IMPORTANT FUNDING SOURCE FOR US MANY OF YOU KNOW THAT AS PART OF OUR TEN YEAR PLAN, WE INCLUDED A PROPOSAL RELATED TO AN IMPACT FEE ON NEW DEVELOPMENT THAT EVENTUALLY, UNFORTUNATELY, COULD NOT GO FORWARD BECAUSE OF CHANGES TO STATE STATUTE. THIS COULD ESSENTIALLY REPLACE THAT FUNDING SOURCE IN OUR PLAN AND REALLY MAKE THE PLAN WHOLE SO THAT MR. GREEN AND I ARE HERE TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS. AND THANK YOU SO MUCH. ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU DO WE HAVE ANY PUBLIC COMMENT ON THIS ITEM? WE DO. MADAM