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   ↳You arrived here from a search for “Marine Parkway Multi-Use Path Project” — transcript expanded below

   Presentation: Marine Parkway Multi-Use Path Project

   discussed

   Jonathan Toner of Terratech Tectonics presented design plans for the Marine Parkway Multi-Use Path Project, a 10-foot wide concrete trail running along the south side of Marine Parkway from U.S. 19 to Grand Boulevard, with a project cost of $550,000. The presentation covered landscaping (drought-tolerant and native plantings), stained-concrete sidewalk treatments at intersections, lighting matching Main Street, street furniture, and possible bus shelter designs including a proposal to hold a USF student design competition. Council provided feedback on city branding, maintenance, irrigation/reclaimed water, and concerns about future parkway conversion.

   • direction:Council gave general direction supporting the design approach including stained concrete sidewalk treatments and exploring a USF student design competition for bus shelters tied to city branding. (none)

   📍Kennedy Boulevard, Tampa📍Marine Parkway between U.S. Highway 19 and Grand Boulevard🏢Terratech Tectonics🏢USF👤Jonathan Toner👤Mr. Davis👤Mr. House👤Mr. Starkey👤Ms. Menz👤Robert#Marine Parkway Multi-Use Path Project#Miami lifeguard station design competition#Pinellas Trail#Sims Park#Starkey Trail#elevated crosswalk over U.S. 19#reclaimed water irrigation

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   [00:00:30] Thank you. You may be seated. We've got two items on the agenda tonight. The first is the Marine Parkway Multi-Use Path Project, Ms. Menz? Yes. Mr. Mayor, we have Mr. Jonathan Toner in attendance this evening, pardon me, of Terratech [00:01:00] Tectonics and he has been the architect that the staff has been working with on the multi-use trail spanning along Marine Parkway between U.S. Highway 19 and Grand Boulevard and he's prepared a presentation for us this evening of his design work. Incidentally, the project cost is $550,000. [00:01:27] Good evening everyone, Mayor, Council, good to be here. This is the multi-use trail project as mentioned. This runs from U.S. 19, this is the overall map of U.S. 19 all the way to Grand Boulevard and it's on the south side of Marine Parkway and we've got some plans here that are reflective of the planting plans. [00:01:56] It's an easier read than going through all the construction documents which we've already prepared and we've turned in that have been reviewed now, so those are ready to go. These are the planting plans with a little bit of color on it. This is the end at Grand Boulevard. We're going to talk about the trail real quickly, some of the plantings and then we'll talk about some of the details and the hardscape and some of the other things that are proposed. [00:02:20] Existing out there now is a sidewalk that somewhat meanders through this area. We'll start at this end. It starts here at U.S. 19. It varies from 5 feet, 8 feet and in this place there's actually, it sort of merges with the asphalt. I'm sure you know where this is, it's the shopping centers there. [00:02:47] And so what we're trying to do is create a consistent pathway from one end to the other so people know that when you're on this pathway that you're on something that has a link and goes, the idea is it goes through the rest of the city. We have a couple of things we're going to talk about too, like the treatments. We've got some treatments here at the ends of the road where they cross the intersections and down here. Some surface treatments on the sidewalk with some colors and some patterns. [00:03:13] As opposed to doing something like pavers and expensive things like that, we're going to do a concrete in place and then do some color staining on top and I'll show you some ideas of what that should look like. Very inexpensive solution to get a lot of drama. [00:03:28] Again, on this end there's not a lot of anything or drama. It's sort of taking what's there and creating a wider sidewalk and then doing the treatments. And then here's where it starts to digress. We have a house here with a tree. This little line, I don't know if you can see it, is the right-of-way. Right here the right-of-way is the back of the sidewalk. This is where the right-of-way starts to diverge and starts to spread. [00:03:54] So the right-of-way is actually very close to the fronts of these houses, which makes it a little bit tricky for basically ownership, visual ownership. This house looks like he goes all the way to the street, but really he's only got a very short front yard. [00:04:09] So this whole space in here becomes public land for putting the sidewalk and doing some planting. So we're trying to be very respectful of those situations. There's also a couple of trees we're looking at taking out. There's a couple that were struck by lightning. There's a couple of big ones that are in really, really bad shape and they're actually right on city property. You can see the line there and there's the trees. They're right inside the line. [00:04:36] We're trying to keep as many as we can because this sort of functions as people's front yards and even though it's public land, we're trying to be respectful of that. [00:04:45] This is where it connects and keeps going in this area. You can see here, again, this is the right-of-way line. And then we're putting the sidewalk as far as we can in the center. We're going to start meandering it in some places where we can create little dips like in here so we can create some street trees out on the edge. [00:05:09] And we try and give a little bit of variety to the sidewalk rather than being straight. But again, we don't want to bring the sidewalk up to the edge of the right-of-way because it puts it some places eight feet in front of someone's bedroom window. So we try to be respectful of some of those things. [00:05:24] As far as the plant material, we're looking at as much color as we can get in plus building some canopy back. These are some of the flowering trees we're looking at, a vitex and some senas. These are really interesting trees, very drought tolerant. [00:05:40] And then we're also looking at building some larger tree canopies down in the areas by the pond. And also trying to bring back some of these. These are big oak trees to build a nice streetscape with some bigger trees. There are some littler trees out here now that are about three feet from the edge of the roadway. We want to take those and bring them back and plant bigger ones as far back from the edge of the roadway as we can for safety reasons. [00:06:06] Also, this becomes a right-of-way too and we're looking at planting this little center spot. We also have pedestrian crosswalks that we're looking at treating. We've talked about basically white striping, which is a traditional, but there's some other options. Because we're under budget, we're going to look at some of those things too. There's still a little bit more discussion on that. It might be a white stripe with some brick or something. [00:06:32] But again, we also have some end-of-sidewalk treatments that we want to show you. We don't want it to clash with that. So that's a little bit more discussion on that one with the design team. [00:06:42] This is where we start getting into some areas where we have a little bit more variety because we have some more room to work with. So we're moving the sidewalk around a little bit, creating these little pockets for the street trees. [00:06:54] And again, this is a concrete sidewalk, 10 feet. And then we have the crossings that we'll treat. And we're trying to cluster some plantings at the crossings, but be cognizant of sightline visibilities and things. And then creating the oak street trees. But we're not just doing oaks. We have a lot of other things going on. Some elms and some flowering trees and so forth. [00:07:25] Hmm. Can we go forward? Yeah, the other way? It stopped. No, there was one more. Okay, they're out of order. I'm sorry. Yeah, this would be the one at the end then. [00:07:53] This is the one at Grand Boulevard as it comes up. This is where the pond is, the current pond. And then this is where the new pond is being proposed. So we've got some really nice heavy plantings in here with some heavier native trees and some bigger oaks and some cypress. And they're a really nice cypress tree. It's called an autumn gold. They're all cultivars, so they drop their leaves at the same day and grow new ones on the same day. And they're really beautiful trees. [00:08:16] So we've got a bunch of those in here and some down here and some bigger oaks. And again, we're trying to be respectful of visibility at the corners and then not planting too much in front of people's houses. But here's a place where we can start planting. So it's a rather complex little project for just being a sidewalk because of all the other issues. [00:08:36] And then the next one. This is the sidewalk treatments that we're proposing. This is an example of the Copacabana in Brazil. And it's a nice, interesting sidewalk pattern. It goes on for miles and miles and miles, and it just breaks up these large areas. [00:08:58] This is all done in individual tiles that are probably three-inch, four-inch square. Obviously, that's a huge budget item. This is my old office on Kennedy Boulevard in Tampa. This is an old concrete sidewalk from the 1930s. And we came in with two colors of concrete stain and painted the sidewalk. And next to it is a coffee shop, so we did it in coffee colors. [00:09:20] So this is an option of doing it with paint colors. And this is what we were proposing for patterns. And this would be at the ends of the sidewalk. So the sidewalk is 10 feet wide. These would be about 30 feet wide. And at the ends where the intersections are, we would have the ADA-compliant textures. But this could be two different colors. And it just gives some energy and some life to it as opposed to putting in expensive pavers. [00:09:46] The concrete stains, we used them on the interstate, and they're designed to last 30 years. They've been in now for seven or eight on I-4, and they're still as bright as the day they went in. And it's in full direct sun, so I think we'll get some pretty good longevity out of that. [00:10:01] The pavers that are on this sidewalk have been in almost six years, and they look just like that now. And people walk on it every day. You can wash it right off. Very inexpensive solution as opposed to expensive pavers. [00:10:16] And then the other idea was the bus stop. I proposed a couple of things, but I had another idea. This is a bus stop, and then this one that has like a barrel tile roof. It's kind of an interesting thing for the city. I think it's architecturally interesting. [00:10:33] But I had another proposal that we've got some really fine design schools here, architecture schools at USF. And the city of Miami did this years ago. They came out with a design competition for their lifeguard stations. And each one of the lifeguard stations in Miami is a different style, different type, and it's really unique. It's a great color thing. [00:10:54] These are all very small, and each one of them is unique. And I thought, why not do something like that with the city and do a design competition with the students at USF and design bus shelters and have sort of a common element, but yet each one can be unique and do them throughout the city. And you can get the design through the students and give them a budget and say it needs to fall within this amount and then open it up and see what happens. I think it would be an interesting proposal. [00:11:24] And if not, then there's these things. So that was those guys. And there's two locations on the trail for bus stops. One's on the north side and one's on the south side. But of course they're throughout the whole city also. [00:11:40] And then this would be the light. And the light is the same that's used on Main Street. The ones on Main Street sit on concrete. These will actually be in a post in the ground. And so we've accommodated that for the cable and so forth. So that's all in the plans and in the cost estimates also. [00:11:58] And then the street furniture, we've got a few bench locations and trash urn locations. This is a selection that I picked out and it would be in a light blue. And this would be a trash can also. It would be in light blue, but I couldn't find a picture in blue. So that would be some of the street furniture. And so that's the project. And it's under budget. [00:12:21] Can you go back to the last picture when you were showing the last iteration of the curving over to Grand Boulevard? [00:12:29] Number 10. [00:12:33] So I just have a question. I am not a bicyclist. I'm going to defer to those who are. That curviness to the right there at the first thing, is that something that would be? [00:12:50] This one? [00:12:51] Yeah. [00:12:52] How's that for a? [00:12:55] There's probably not a problem. There's actually one of those where if you're on the Starkey Trail extension going out from Congress and Mass out towards Starkey. [00:13:10] Where it dips down and turns? [00:13:13] There's one of them. Yeah, there's one of them. [00:13:18] Just the other side of whole node acres. [00:13:21] Oh, OK. [00:13:22] And it's not a problem. [00:13:25] The reason this exists, if you're out there and you look at that, there is a large drainage swale that runs right through here. [00:13:32] There's an inlet. I don't know if you can see that black dot, but there's an inlet right there and there's an inlet right there. [00:13:39] And the swale runs across there. [00:13:41] Oh, perfect. [00:13:43] There's the inlets right there and there. [00:13:45] So we can't put the sidewalk over the inlet. [00:13:48] And if we come this way, we're really, really close to the street. [00:13:52] And then we'd have to build something back here and fill in the inlet or the swale. [00:13:56] Because now the sidewalk's over the swale. [00:13:58] And we'd have to redo all the drainage here. [00:14:00] So we're kind of working around what's over there. [00:14:04] I like what it looks like. I just wondered if that was a problem. [00:14:07] And is this actually a bike trail that you're talking about? [00:14:10] Multi-use. [00:14:11] Multi-use. [00:14:12] So it's 10 feet wide. [00:14:14] We're not delineating it as pedestrian on one side and bicycle on the other. [00:14:18] You need actually a little bit more room to do that. [00:14:21] According to, like, the Pinellas Trail, you need about 12 feet for bikes, 3 or 4 foot separation, and about 4 feet for pedestrians. [00:14:29] So it's not enough room, so we're just calling it a multi-use. [00:14:33] It'll work fine. [00:14:34] Yeah, it's a big sidewalk. [00:14:36] Yeah, this was a concern. [00:14:38] But the existing sidewalk, it follows this exact same path. [00:14:42] So because of these drainage inlets and this deep swale right here, [00:14:45] we were unable to cross here without doing stormwater work and other things. [00:14:52] But these are big sweeping curves here. [00:14:54] And then it's clear, as you can see, there's a landscape here so that a pedestrian can be seen. [00:15:00] by the cars. Do we have any questions or comments from anybody in the audience [00:15:04] tonight? [00:15:08] Robert you've answered this question before but it escaped me. Why are we [00:15:12] doing this right now without funding secured for an elevated crosswalk over [00:15:16] 19? Is it just putting the puzzles, pieces of puzzles in place? Because it's [00:15:21] kind of like we're starting here, ending here, and there's just nowhere to go to [00:15:23] on either side. Okay and now's the right time to do it. And then only other [00:15:31] concern I have, we're putting a lot of landscaping in between this and Sims [00:15:34] Park so I just want to be sure we're not putting in landscaping that we aren't [00:15:37] able to maintain. It's a waste so I just want to be sure we got that covered [00:15:41] whether we're... Right, Robert has been involved in the design of the project [00:15:46] since its inception and we have gone for landscape materials that are very low in [00:15:52] maintenance responsibilities. Do we have reclaimed water on there? [00:16:04] Okay I didn't realize we had the irrigation already in there. That'll help. [00:16:08] Do we have reclaimed that'll go into the neighborhood? Okay that's what I [00:16:17] meant. Okay there's reclaimed water for the site plus irrigation plants for the [00:16:22] project and then all the plant materials are low drought tolerant and they're [00:16:27] mostly native plantings so very easy to maintain. Well I hope we could get the [00:16:32] additional funding because I was so excited after your last presentation [00:16:35] about US 19. So I hope we're still able to continue that project. If we could get [00:16:39] the if we could get the overpass at 19 I think it would be a good incentive then [00:16:44] for us to get the remaining piece which would come from this intersection of [00:16:48] Marine and Grand up over the bridge and from there into town it's a piece of [00:16:55] cake. So we came under budget because we're painting the we're staining the [00:17:02] road is that what you were saying or is that is that going to drop the cost as [00:17:07] well? If you could use the mic for the people at home. I'm not sure why it's [00:17:15] under budget it's a contributing factor. We just design what needs to be done [00:17:20] and I was saying as you had mentioned that you could stain the [00:17:27] stain the pavement so what we're looking at and the under budget cost is because [00:17:33] we're looking at staining the sidewalk is that correct? If I didn't do the [00:17:37] numbers but 10 feet wide by 1,500 feet 2,000 feet long if we did that at $6 a [00:17:44] square foot pavers I mean that's a lot of money. I'm not suggesting that we do that. No [00:17:49] whereas as concrete is the most inexpensive. So the cost that we were [00:17:54] talking about is with the concrete being stained? Concrete with the stain and the [00:17:58] stain is only at the ends that's another thing we didn't see the need to do it [00:18:02] all the way through so it's at the ends at the intersections and there's a [00:18:05] couple places where we did a little section in the middle where it's in [00:18:09] between people's houses just to give a little accent. They work nice as [00:18:13] accents if you don't do it everywhere and so you have the nice concrete and [00:18:17] then you come up on it at the intersection. It's also a good signal to [00:18:20] somebody on a bike that you're arriving at an intersection and slow down to. I [00:18:25] love the idea of us suggesting that we work with the USF students and I think [00:18:31] it would be really exciting if we were able to open that up to some other maybe [00:18:35] key pieces in in what we're trying to do because that looked so much more [00:18:39] whimsical than those those other and I'm not suggesting that they may not come [00:18:44] back with whimsical but I think that's a great idea. There's a lot of talented grad [00:18:50] students at USF. They're grad students so they've got a lot of ability and very [00:18:54] good ideas. Do we control the bus stops or does the county? Yeah, we'd have to check with them. [00:19:01] You have to advise them of our plans but they encourage us to put in shelters at [00:19:08] at the bus stop locations. You can do that. I'd rather you tie in to Sims Park and [00:19:17] have it in our bridges and the looks that we have in our Sims Park. That I [00:19:23] don't think is tying into Hacienda and downtown. Well I think that it might. I just think [00:19:29] we're branding. I think that's a term that we've been using before and that's [00:19:33] branding the city and knowing when you're in the city. The generic bus stop [00:19:38] shelters that the county puts in are pretty plain. Well I mean you had one of [00:19:44] them there that had the roof on it. You know the tile roof. You would prefer that than [00:19:49] having the USF students design something here. I'd rather us tie it into our city's branding. [00:19:56] Everybody's talking about it looks the same from Palm Harbors as [00:20:01] Spring Hill. This is a way to start to identify. Well I guess what I was [00:20:05] suggesting is that we we open it up to the students. Not to say that what they [00:20:12] were showing is whimsical but I like that idea of tying into the students and [00:20:17] asking them to brand our city because now we're doing the park as well. [00:20:21] There's a group that are working with our economic development director through [00:20:28] the design team and they're using students for some of the design and I [00:20:32] mean it's just amazing. So I think that if that's an option for us to do I think [00:20:37] that would be a very exciting thing and definitely have it that where those key [00:20:42] pieces are tied into the rest of what else we're doing. Deputy Mayor any thoughts? [00:20:49] Yeah I have quite a few as usual. The first one is I guess I'm thinking about [00:20:59] when Mr. House is going to come tell us what this is all about. You know he has [00:21:04] his own inferences the way the world turns and what it's all about. My [00:21:08] question is is on this on this area how many homes are I know some of the land [00:21:14] we own and drainage and all that. Obviously we have some homeowners in [00:21:20] that area that don't take care of their places at all and we're going to be [00:21:24] dressing it up. Again the conversation is going to come back if we're going to put [00:21:28] irrigation on ours but we're not providing reuse in the neighborhood [00:21:36] which is obviously an element. The other thing I'm anticipating is [00:21:41] educating the public as to what land really belongs to us and what belongs to [00:21:47] them because obviously they've had free reign of that front yard area and once [00:21:54] we come in there and start putting our line in saying this is what we own and [00:21:58] it's what you own I think we create we unless we do it early on we're going to [00:22:03] create some real opportunities for misunderstandings. The staining of the [00:22:12] road and stuff is fine I think that's exactly what they did on East Main [00:22:15] Street and I'm so happy that they did that because instead of putting the [00:22:18] planters in Pasco County has this mindset that everything has to be a [00:22:23] parkway instead of a traversing road. Now this eventually needs to be a parkway [00:22:29] because this is our second or third entrance into the city and it needs to [00:22:33] be accentuated because it's going to take everybody up to the Marine District [00:22:37] there over by where the hospital is going to be tearing down [00:22:42] about 80% 90% of that hospital so we anticipate that. I just want to make sure [00:22:46] that as we're doing this if we are going to go much like Mr. Starkey asked we do [00:22:52] this and we come back four years from now we tear out 75% of this to make a [00:22:57] parkway is three or four years of having that that architectural feel and [00:23:03] that look is that something that's beneficial I don't know but over and [00:23:09] above that is it's just the idea of you know dressing that roadway up and [00:23:14] wanting to make sure that because if they were to put if they were to put the [00:23:21] landscaped areas in on East Main Street we would have so many issues because [00:23:26] there's a very high retiree population in the wilds they would have been more [00:23:32] accidents coming out of that intersection trying to cross over the [00:23:35] roadway and all those things only because it creates a visual blockage and [00:23:40] as long as you as long as you're happy with the with the landscaping material [00:23:46] I'm going to be okay with it I'm just going to tell you that if the mayor [00:23:49] comes back and tells me he doesn't like what it is a couple years from now I'm [00:23:54] going to look at you guys and say it's if this is an elm tree and it looks like [00:23:58] crap I don't I don't I'm not putting my name on it I'm not doing it again [00:24:01] because personally right now I'd really take all those daggum trees out of [00:24:05] downtown to give everybody the visual with their canopies and stuff but that's [00:24:09] not streetscape that's not what we've done and then the final one is I don't [00:24:13] mind letting the students have an opportunity to design some things but [00:24:18] like Mr. Davis said we need we need to understand that when you're in the city [00:24:22] of New Port Richey it has a feel and you know you're in the city and if we've [00:24:27] got that over at Sims Park and then we change that feel on another end of the [00:24:31] city I think not only do we confuse people but we don't let them know that [00:24:35] this is a city of New Port Richey so if you put clay tile or you do something on [00:24:39] top of those those those bus stops those are fine but I just you know we talked a [00:24:47] lot about 19 and wanted to make sure where the city stops and where it starts [00:24:52] and stops so those are some elements and I don't I don't mind looking at those [00:24:56] and you know playing interior decorator but at the end of the day you know that [00:25:02] investment we want to make it once and we want to have it last for 10 or 15 [00:25:06] years because we're already running into some things that were designed in the [00:25:10] last 10 years that we're having to rework as well as things on bridges and [00:25:14] all that and to be honest with you spending that money on over over and [00:25:18] over again leads me to a definition that I've used that people use all the time [00:25:22] which is insanity and I'm not I think it's I think it's a waste if you do that [00:25:27] over and over so I know I enjoy 19 I enjoy this area I think we're a little [00:25:32] early on it but I'm not opposed to doing it because I want to show that to [00:25:37] whoever wants to come in and develop in the Marine District I want to dress that [00:25:42] up and if that means I've got it you know we're under budget and we can do [00:25:46] that and the final thing is the whimsical concrete I'm not sure if [00:25:51] people are going to get it I mean I like it I personally do I like the way you [00:25:57] tied it in and the way you accentuate that I'm just not sure in that [00:26:01] neighborhood right out of the gate that they're going to get it they're going to [00:26:05] think it was an afterthought or you're covering something I'm just giving you [00:26:09] the thoughts because that neighborhoods been in a real redevelopment or [00:26:13] redesign and we've got you know there's a lot of things over there so I like I [00:26:17] said I think we need to do something over there to enhance that and you know [00:26:23] I just don't want to come back and have to redo a lot of it because I think it's [00:26:25] I think it's key to our our entry off of 19 thank you man thank you I've and I

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3. 3

   Recreation & Aquatic Center Fitness Expansion Project: West Side Facade Designs

   discussed

   Architects Jason Jensen and Aaron McGonigal of Wanamaker Jensen presented west-side facade designs for the Recreation & Aquatic Center Fitness Expansion Project, including high-performance gradient-fritted glass, mecco shade rolling shades, perforated sun-shading panels, and a secondary entry. Council discussed budget concerns ($2.4M price tag), child care/fitness expansion benefits, marketing, and potential green/photovoltaic features. No formal vote was taken; the item was presented for council direction in a work session.

   • direction:Council provided feedback on the proposed west facade design, with concerns raised about the $2.4 million price tag and a suggestion to target $1.5 million. (none)

   🏢Ballard King🏢Kimley Horn🏢Wanamaker Jensen👤Aaron McGonigal👤Councilman Starkey👤Don Dodge👤Jason Jensen👤Joan Byrne👤Ms. Phillips#Ballard and King 2011-2012 study#City of Madeira Beach city hall (referenced precedent)#Largo recreation centers (referenced precedent)#Marine District redevelopment#Recreation & Aquatic Center Fitness Expansion Project#West Side Facade Designs

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   [00:26:31] agree with both of you guys I'd love to see if we're going to do the the bus [00:26:38] stops have it have a tie-in architecturally with what we're doing [00:26:41] now in the Hacienda and all just so it it has a sense of you're here that was [00:26:48] what I was going to comment on the ones in Miami Beach look unique because the [00:26:54] design parameters were beach and tropical and art deco and I think you [00:26:58] can take the same approach here and say you know they're architecture students [00:27:02] they're pretty smart people and they're not going to create a Miami Beach look [00:27:05] so you say come to the city look at what we have take take the elements that [00:27:10] are here in the city and this is what architecture is is what they do and and [00:27:14] use these elements and I mean it I don't see I mean it wouldn't cost anything you [00:27:20] don't have to build the designs but I think it'd be interesting to get some [00:27:23] it's a nice link to the community and and it starts to create some some [00:27:28] communication with the university and and you get some I you may find some [00:27:32] ideas are pretty interesting better than that council stick drawings that [00:27:35] we'd come up with and give them you know an idea of what we're looking for and [00:27:43] let them go with it and if we don't like it then we don't like it and yeah I [00:27:46] agree with miss Phillips I mean he puts things sometimes I can't get the thoughts [00:27:50] out of my mouth and the way I'd like to get them out but yeah I do have a [00:27:54] concern with with the timing of this and then why we're doing this but with the [00:27:58] potential redevelopment of the Marine District in the hospital being torn down [00:28:01] I think it is going to accentuate that entrance from 19 and help us sell that [00:28:05] potential that that would be the that's the I think that's the only reason I'm [00:28:09] going along with this at this time to be honest with you that that would be the [00:28:12] reason that I would be in favor of it also because I think it does it sets sets [00:28:15] a tone that hey here's a key piece of land for redevelopment it's right at the [00:28:20] end of something we're already doing something with what I brought back from [00:28:23] Vegas City tonight clearing land and having the land ready for yeah anyway [00:28:30] you can make suggestions I know that main entrance coming in has off of 19 [00:28:36] for us to grow up here that used to be where the old Kentucky fried chicken is [00:28:39] where the where the the Chinese restaurant is and then you've got the [00:28:45] strip center and as you said and the in the pool shop and then then you get some [00:28:49] then you get some real opportunity to do some things and then as you come upon [00:28:53] that corner where they actually closed a roadway that used to abut into Marine [00:28:58] Parkway used to be called Sunset Road because we used to have eight of them [00:29:02] around here until they renamed all the streets but used to come in there as you [00:29:07] come to that last term before you go on to grand if there's some ways that we [00:29:11] can make some suggestions to leaning tower and all that on the north side of [00:29:17] the street I think that begins to give it a real flow foliage that gets keeps [00:29:26] appearing on the noise north side about halfway down is that somebody that we're [00:29:31] concerned about yeah on the north side about where the cul-de-sac is there it [00:29:40] seems like there's always a large amount of debris you know is that one of our [00:29:44] problems yes I think we have I think the problem is in with one of those [00:29:52] houses right there they might have a landscaper one of my work for a [00:29:57] landscape time we see it all over my neighbor it's getting yeah [00:30:00] Not to get in all that, but I mean, it's getting worse and worse. [00:30:05] I think it's an interesting idea that we're doing what we're doing on the north end of our town, [00:30:11] which is where the park is, and then doing this on the south end of town, [00:30:14] really creating some definition and also creating some excitement about improving. [00:30:23] And I'd like to think that doing this kind of enhancement in a neighborhood will raise the bar for everyone, [00:30:31] and I dare say that folks along the north side of that road will take notice. [00:30:36] We saw that happen when we were doing the paint-up, fix-up grants in the neighborhoods, [00:30:43] where that really did have a trickle effect to kind of bring it back. [00:30:47] What's the timing? [00:30:51] We're hoping to get the project bid the latest, and then that'll be 30 days after the holidays. [00:31:02] Maybe in January we'd be able for a bid award. [00:31:06] And then construction maybe would start around March, early spring. [00:31:12] OK. All right. Thank you. [00:31:15] As long as it's not happening in July, August or September when we get all the weather and the rain. [00:31:20] And obviously with all the draining elements there and creating that new pond. [00:31:24] Sorry, Mr. Mayor. [00:31:27] Did you need anything from us? [00:31:29] No. [00:31:30] OK. Next item is the Recreation Aquatics Fitness Center Expansion Project Westside Facade Designs. [00:31:37] That's a mouthful. All yours. [00:31:41] The project at the Recreation and Aquatic Center has been contemplated by you since February of 2015. [00:31:55] When it was last presented to you, that was in July, July 21st, [00:32:00] you specifically expressed some concerns about the west facade of the building. [00:32:06] Since that time, the architect and we have Jason Jensen of Wanamaker Jensen and Aaron McGonigal of his staff [00:32:18] in attendance this evening to present to you their work on the elevations. [00:32:25] OK. Very good. [00:32:28] And we also have a representative from Kimley Horn that's working on the project, Don. [00:32:32] Don Dodge. [00:32:33] In case there is any other questions outside of the building as well. [00:32:39] We're definitely excited to be here. [00:32:42] We appreciate following this project and it's continuing to move along well. [00:32:49] And all the consultants and permitting all the comments have gone smoothly. [00:32:55] And the process right now, we're in permitting and final budgeting now. [00:33:02] So taking a look, and I don't know if you can go full screen with this. [00:33:13] Down a little bit. [00:33:14] Yeah, full screen just a little bit lower. [00:33:17] There you go. [00:33:19] So just going back just in context, looking about where we are and looking at your existing multipurpose room [00:33:29] and your existing glazing and truss and how we were trying to pull all this together. [00:33:37] And just to highlight, come back to the floor plan, the entryway, the canopy that we're extending just a little bit so it all aligns. [00:33:49] We have the fitness expanded into this area. [00:33:54] And then we're maintaining and making this wall a little bit longer. [00:34:00] We have the play feature is along the glass. [00:34:03] And then area for parties and other child care tables would be between the play feature, the outside and the inside for that area. [00:34:16] What is the increased square footage in those two spots? [00:34:22] Square footage in the health fitness area. [00:34:29] The amount increased to each room? [00:34:32] Yeah, I mean, you must get some numbers here. [00:34:35] Yeah, I had the same question raised to me today is how much are we expanding the fitness area? [00:34:42] Yeah, this is the line of the existing. [00:34:44] So you have before and after. [00:34:46] I believe it's approximately 500 and 400 square feet, but I want to give you exact numbers so we can follow up with that number exactly. [00:34:56] The gray line that's going that way is not a wall. [00:35:01] This line is the line of the existing building. [00:35:04] Okay. [00:35:05] So the floor will continue, but this is here for your reference to know where the building was and where we're going. [00:35:15] So we wanted to look at some other precedents for other buildings that are using these type of facilities as advertisement for the building, [00:35:23] be able to really be a billboard. [00:35:27] So this is one example. [00:35:29] You see the treadmills along the wall, open structure, glass that goes all the way up. [00:35:37] Then another facility that does the same thing. [00:35:40] Here you have the roadway that moves in front of this glass, and then you're able to see all the activity going on inside. [00:35:50] And then from the inside, what does that feel like having a more open sensation? [00:35:55] So even with that size room, the room will seem even larger with the glass here. [00:36:03] And so we wanted to look at a few things that we're using to give you some options to modulate the glass, [00:36:11] to help with the condition if you want more or less light, more or less view. [00:36:17] One are these what's called mecco shade, rolling shade, that is also still – you can still see through it a portion, [00:36:25] so it doesn't close off the wall. [00:36:27] Erin's brought a couple samples of that for you to see. [00:36:31] So you can see you can still see through those, but you can have as much control as you'd like [00:36:48] over how much light or visibility comes in to that space. [00:36:54] And the other feature that we wanted to bring to you is the actual glass. [00:36:59] So what we're bringing isn't a typical glass here. [00:37:03] So the glass is a double pane insulated glass, so you have some space in between the two panes. [00:37:13] It's impact rated, has what's called a low E coating, so you are taking the heat gain out of the – [00:37:22] as the sun's rays come through, that coating is helping with that. [00:37:26] And then it also has a – those dots that are on there are on the inside of the glass, [00:37:32] not on the outside, so they won't chip or peel over time. [00:37:37] So the one on Erin's left is the lowest portion of the glass on that facade. [00:37:43] So you can see that's the densest portion, close to where people would actually be. [00:37:48] And then as it moves up, it gets a little bit lighter with the second one. [00:37:53] And then the third pane, as you get close to the roof structure, is the more transparent. [00:38:03] So you have a gradient going up on that wall. [00:38:07] And that allows you to really, from the outside, get a good glimpse of the play structure. [00:38:13] You'll still be able to see out. I have a picture of that coming up. [00:38:19] This is a city hall that we did for City of Madera Beach. [00:38:23] That same glass is on here. [00:38:26] So when you're inside, you can still have a view, see out. [00:38:30] But on the outside, especially during the day, you can't see in. [00:38:34] And then in the evening, you still see activity going. [00:38:40] You still see the colors, but you don't see facial recognition. [00:38:45] So it's a really neat product. [00:38:48] The glass that we're providing is a real high-performance glass, which we think, [00:38:53] we're dealing with an existing building. [00:38:56] If we had it to start over, we wouldn't face it west. [00:38:59] But we want to make sure that we address it with the technology that we have. [00:39:05] Just looking a little bit more, going back and looking at the full picture of this, [00:39:11] and just showing how we're bringing that together so it all looks as it was done at one time, [00:39:17] thought of as one time, really bring it together. [00:39:20] So just to go back one more time. [00:39:24] So this just continues. [00:39:29] Just representing that you have this in the background. [00:39:33] In the evening, you'll be able to see those colors popping through. [00:39:38] And during the day, you'll have this a lot whiter at the bottom and then clearer at the top. [00:39:47] But again, this all comes together. [00:39:50] And then this also shows how we're making that other entry, [00:39:53] when you have more straight aquatics events, that you can use that as a second entry [00:39:58] and alleviate some of the load on your main entry. [00:40:01] If you have a meet, some of those real high-volume days, you have a great opportunity. [00:40:06] We're putting in a window on that side to help service that. [00:40:10] So that allows all of that to occur. [00:40:14] And then looking at the other facade, one of the things that we wanted to address here, [00:40:20] you have a really high overhang on this side here. [00:40:26] But during a lot of the year, the sun just comes through, [00:40:30] and this really doesn't provide any shade, just because it's so high. [00:40:35] So one of the other things, this is a perforated panel here, [00:40:40] and you can see this is showing how that would shade that area. [00:40:45] So now that becomes, you just found a usable space there by providing that structure. [00:40:51] And at our last meeting, we were talking about that really being a great staging area [00:40:56] for larger parties or events, that you could use that as a, you know, [00:41:02] that could be a buffet area or a place that becomes a rentable space for you. [00:41:10] So with that, take any questions you have, and we can go back to any slide that you like. [00:41:16] Let me open it up to anybody in the audience. [00:41:19] Do we have any questions? [00:41:20] Yes, sir. [00:41:21] I have a question about where you can incorporate. [00:41:28] If you could repeat the question, please. [00:41:30] Okay. [00:41:31] I can repeat it for you. [00:41:32] If I missed it. [00:41:34] Is there a way that you could, like, [00:41:37] have the exposure where the solar panels could be put in? [00:41:46] Certainly, any green. [00:41:48] He wants you to repeat that, because the people at home. [00:41:51] Sure, I'll repeat it for you. [00:41:52] So the question was, can we integrate more green products, [00:41:57] such as photovoltaics on a southern exposure into the project? [00:42:02] Correct? [00:42:03] So the answer is yes, but budget needs to be, you know, thought of. [00:42:13] Photovoltaic is still difficult on a cost recovery standpoint [00:42:18] with the products and how much you put into it. [00:42:21] So I would advise if the city and photovoltaics and solar is more of a citywide, [00:42:28] you know, thought process that ideally you want to find a roof that would, you know, [00:42:35] hold a large capacity so that the infrastructure that you put in, [00:42:39] want to do a lot of it in one time. [00:42:42] But that's more of a citywide project. [00:42:46] I think what we're doing, at least from what we're addressing the building, [00:42:51] everything that we're touching, we're doing in a very green way. [00:42:54] So the highest efficiency glass we can provide, the mechanical systems will be high efficiency, [00:43:03] and the products will all be low VOC, renewable, recyclable content. [00:43:09] We're really getting into the details of all those products [00:43:13] to make sure they are as green as possible as well. [00:43:18] Questions from council? [00:43:19] Deputy Mayor? [00:43:20] Yeah, can you run through your slides and I'll tell yours. [00:43:25] It's probably near the beginning. [00:43:27] Sorry. [00:43:31] Right there. [00:43:32] Go back. [00:43:33] Right there. [00:43:38] I've had the opportunity to look at that. [00:43:43] It's not a feasibility study. [00:43:45] It was a study done back in 2011, 2012, by a firm out of Denver [00:43:51] that came in to analyze our existing operation at that day. [00:43:56] Obviously, the economic times were much different. [00:44:00] I remember they misspelled a few things in this thing, if I remember right. [00:44:03] But Ballard and King. [00:44:07] And some of the key points is kind of where I keep coming back to. [00:44:14] And the major one was, you know, functionality of the facility, [00:44:25] the health club area side or the workout area side. [00:44:31] And then obviously we didn't at that point, it was never in the original, [00:44:39] was the child care side of the activity. [00:44:46] Everybody's going to cut this thing up and say we're not adding enough square footage [00:44:50] in the fitness area. [00:44:52] We finally moved it to where it needs to be, which is on the front of the building [00:44:56] so we don't have to open the entire building to walk through to go to the workout area. [00:45:00] workout facility. So, and they're saying that a square footage needs to be somewhere in the 3,500 square feet or above range. [00:45:13] My question here is, is I see the child care area, I see how big it is. [00:45:17] And I know we have a third room down towards the end of the building, or I guess that's to the north of the building. [00:45:24] It was the dance floor, or it used to be the game room, or whatever's down that way. [00:45:30] It's just always been at the end of the facility there. [00:45:36] So, in looking at that, I know you pulled everything out, tried to give it a new front, to give it much more of a curb appeal, [00:45:46] because we're back away from the road, or we're back away from the road that accesses through there. [00:45:53] And we run into a lot of access for seniors, ADA. [00:46:00] I'm really surprised that it met a lot of the thresholds that it did when it was built. [00:46:07] And I've tried to go to great lengths not to spend a lot of time talking about what was developed in the past, [00:46:13] because it is what it is, doesn't matter how it got there. [00:46:17] It's like when somebody does a home renovation and you buy the house, you got it. [00:46:23] You got to modify it. [00:46:28] I can tell you right now, I don't like the price. [00:46:30] I don't like $2.4 million. [00:46:34] Mine, looking at this at the moment, if you're going to redo the face of it a little bit and you can get my number down, that. [00:46:43] I'm not overwhelmed with the extra room on the side, but I'll take it to get access. [00:46:48] And then the $90,000 for the back room, which is really, I guess it's the lifeguard area in the other room. [00:46:57] If I had to do something, I'd tell you I'm going to give you $1.5 million, and you're going to make it work. [00:47:02] And then the next three, four years down the road, once it's in place, then somebody else can come in and start tweaking it a little bit. [00:47:14] I think it's incrementally, because we're fighting two battles, or actually three. [00:47:20] One, nobody knows where it is, and we've never done a good job in all the years of where's the facility located. [00:47:31] Because we bounced around the marketing program so many times on this thing, we get ahead of steam, and then we stop. [00:47:40] Some was economics, 09 to 012, staff, everything else. [00:47:46] And then over and above that, it's just the ability to see how functional it is with hours and services to drive revenue streams [00:47:57] that help us capture more of the operating costs. [00:48:01] Because nobody ever builds a recreation center or facility like this to be break even. [00:48:05] I'm not aware of any. [00:48:07] The best one I see in the report we have was Largo, which is about 75% to 80%. [00:48:15] And to me, it's a quality of life issue in the city. [00:48:18] But then finally, it's making sure that you continually maximize its operating capabilities. [00:48:28] And sometimes we are, collectively, council, we're their biggest obstacle. [00:48:37] Because we start and stop, or whatever. [00:48:39] And right now, we have $300,000 in the budget for new equipment. [00:48:44] But there's no new equipment in this facility because we're waiting to do something else. [00:48:48] And we're losing members, we're losing face time. [00:48:52] So in my mind, we need to buy that $300,000. [00:48:56] And then when we get to the point that we open this up, then we can do something else. [00:48:59] But we're not effectively helping ourselves today with maintaining what we have. [00:49:07] So like I said, $2.4 million doesn't go with me. [00:49:14] And other people talk about taking the debt and putting it over here or whatever. [00:49:17] Well, at the end of the day, the debt's the debt. [00:49:21] And it's paid for in a lot of different ways. [00:49:23] But those are my three things. [00:49:28] Okay, if I could talk about a few of those. [00:49:32] One, very familiar with the firm from Denver. [00:49:35] And I think that when they, one, throwing out a large number like that, the $3,500 script, [00:49:42] but you really put yourself on competing with your private market. [00:49:46] And the maintenance of that puts you into a whole other realm. [00:49:49] You are, the size of this and the equipment offering here is more in context with Florida services. [00:50:00] Denver's very cold. [00:50:01] You know, we have a lot of outdoor athletics, a lot of offerings in Florida currently. [00:50:08] One thing that I think is very smart of you as a city is that in this renovation, [00:50:17] what you're adding are a lot of features that are going to drive more people to come here and more revenue sources. [00:50:25] So the party rooms that you added, small in the context of the whole project, [00:50:32] but those are great revenue sources for the city. [00:50:36] And the childcare, Largo, we've done two of Largo's centers. [00:50:40] We're very familiar with Joan Byrne, who runs their recreation department there. [00:50:45] The childcare is one of their highest producing revenue streams. [00:50:51] And in particular, their indoor playground, they charge specifically for that feature. [00:50:59] So that is actually, those two aspects are the main economic drivers for some of Largo's centers. [00:51:09] And then having the childcare next to the fitness is a great advantage that you have over some of the private providers that they can come. [00:51:19] If they have a child, they can put them in the childcare. [00:51:23] They can work out. [00:51:24] They can do other things. [00:51:25] So now you have a center that's more intergenerational, able to really help families to be able to come to a center and use different activities. [00:51:35] So at least on those aspects, you're going in the right direction. [00:51:40] The building is a very complex building. [00:51:44] There's a lot going on in elevations and structure and size. [00:51:49] So I will say that the cost on the front of that building versus doing a very simple box in a different site, [00:52:00] a different building that isn't really a marquee face to your community, would be a different price. [00:52:10] But like you said, you do have this building. [00:52:16] And we want to make sure that we adhere to the quality that New Port Richey deserves as well. [00:52:22] Councilman Starkey. [00:52:28] Yeah, we can talk about price. [00:52:29] I'm not, we don't have too much information in front of us. [00:52:32] Very well said, by the way. [00:52:33] I mean, I think what we're trying to do here is improve the quality of life for potential residents and our current residents. [00:52:41] You know, there's a lot of people that I know, I'm 41, a lot of people my age and in their 30s that have children and would not come to a rec center [00:52:49] because it's not a very, it's not very, you know, the health and fitness equipment we have is outdated. [00:52:54] It's a small area and there's no child care. [00:52:55] I mean, without child care, you're going to have young people, teenagers and people right out of high school coming to play basketball and older people, which is fine. [00:53:04] We want to cater to everybody. [00:53:06] But when we first started this discussion, if you recall, my big thing was child care. [00:53:10] We need to have a facility where the families we're trying to entice to come to move to our city is a facility that's functional to those families. [00:53:21] Not that I'm trying to kick any family out of New Portagee right now, but just looking towards the future and all these projects we're working on and what we're trying to do with our city. [00:53:30] And I think that's why we're trying to do this to the rec center, if I'm correct. [00:53:36] I think that's a discussion we've had in the past. [00:53:39] So to me, child care functionality are the two big issues. [00:53:42] We can talk about price. [00:53:43] You know, we don't have a lot of info in front of us with the breakdown of price. [00:53:46] I'm not real sold on redoing the whole parking lot and putting the bus loop in. [00:53:49] If we can save 500 grand there and put that off for a while, I'm probably okay with that. [00:53:53] So the issues that we're talking about today and in the presentation that's presented to us today are what's important to me. [00:53:59] Child care, a better health and fitness center and a better functional facility. [00:54:03] And, you know, I've said it before and I'll say it again. [00:54:05] Just because we make the facilities nicer, the overall experience has to be there. [00:54:11] And right now it is not there. [00:54:13] The service level is not what it should be. [00:54:16] There's a lot that has to be changed on the inside, which is how the facility is ran, whether or not. [00:54:21] Yeah, I don't know how the tiers work as far as the manager all the way down and how the facility is run. [00:54:27] But just from talking to people who have been there and me kind of sneaking in, it's not what it could be by any means. [00:54:33] And that's another key issue that has nothing to do really with price of redesigning it that we have to address. [00:54:40] It's just like Sims Park, you build this beautiful park, we need to make sure it stays beautiful. [00:54:45] And we're doing the events that we want in the park to attract the quality citizens that we want living in our area. [00:54:50] The same thing goes with the rec center. [00:54:52] You know, when people go and visit this place, they should feel welcome and smiling faces and so on and so on. [00:54:58] So I think that's something we also have to keep in mind as we're looking to the redesign. [00:55:03] But, you know, if you want to look at dropping some things, I'm fine with that. [00:55:07] Mr. Phillips, $2.4 million is a lot of money. [00:55:10] But like I said, my big things are child care, a nice workout facility and functionality of the building. [00:55:17] Councilman Davis? [00:55:21] Davis. [00:55:21] Councilwoman DeWolf-Thomas, I think he just deferred to you. [00:55:24] Yes, thank you. [00:55:27] Well, do we know in that health fitness area if it's larger, much larger, [00:55:34] only a little bit larger than the area that we have now in the back area? [00:55:40] It's about 25% larger than the one that you have right now, just in comparison. [00:55:47] Okay. [00:55:47] And so I don't know what kind of equipment we have in terms of how many numbers of ellipticals or, you know, whatever. [00:55:55] And we're not talking about the equipment now. [00:55:58] But they are looking really closely at the equipment, and they have some really fantastic packages [00:56:04] in the equipment that we've seen at the meetings. [00:56:08] Well, I don't know that this is necessarily the appropriate time to discuss the equipment portion of it. [00:56:12] But I would like to insert, while we're looking at it, [00:56:16] that maybe leasing the equipment rather than purchasing it outright might be maybe a better way to go, [00:56:23] especially if you're able to upgrade it quicker or whatever. [00:56:26] Because I know right now that is a real problem with the equipment that we have. [00:56:31] You know, once equipment gets shabby or looking bad, I mean, we've got some tough competition in the community. [00:56:37] And the fitness center, you know, is a source of revenue for membership and also for coaching, that type of thing. [00:56:46] So definitely want to see this happen. [00:56:51] But I think I was thinking that we were taking over more of the area. [00:56:57] And I'm not sure that I realized that we were leaving that other room there. [00:57:01] So I guess my thought was it was going to be fitness and child care in that third section. [00:57:10] Now, if we're looking at doing this for 2.4, you know, I don't know what that would require. [00:57:20] But that was my only, I don't want to say I'm disappointed. [00:57:22] But the 2.4 includes 500,000 on the pool deck. [00:57:28] On my mind, I don't, you can spruce up a few things on the pool deck until you drive it. [00:57:36] So to me, that wasn't even, that's, you know, you're at a million nine then. [00:57:43] I mean, because there were some, I'm sorry, there were some Birmingham, there were some other stuff, you guys, [00:57:48] that was being presented, not you guys, I'm sorry. [00:57:50] But that was being presented to do an overall complete, and we appreciate the complete package. [00:57:56] Now we're like being at the cafeteria line. [00:57:59] We're only going to take this and this and this to make that, possibly to make that step. [00:58:04] So, but, so. [00:58:06] Well, I do love the idea that you're creating that shade because that area there, [00:58:10] definitely that is, that's a beautiful thing. [00:58:12] And I think, our thinking was that the area that is now the fitness center was going to be accessible from that area. [00:58:22] So that if people were doing parties, whatever, there's the children's pool and it kind of creates that. [00:58:27] So that's a beautiful thing. [00:58:29] The only thing that, as I said, I'm just, I'm just thinking in terms of that area there. [00:58:37] You know, it reminds me of, again, you know, we did a remodel of a house and we wanted, you know, [00:58:44] certain amount of footage out and came to find out that the contractor cut off piece of the beam [00:58:50] because it was only eight feet and it could have gone 12 feet and it would have been, you know, not that much more. [00:58:57] So I know that we can't go out anymore because we want to stay in that roof line. [00:59:01] But I'm just wondering if now would be the time for us to, to think that, I mean, [00:59:07] I don't know what the, what the rec center does with that other classroom. [00:59:12] That's used for exercise classes, principally, other rental purposes. [00:59:19] And you would want to keep, would want to keep a room that size for the exercise class to complement, you know, [00:59:26] what you're doing in the fitness. [00:59:28] Well, that's good that it's, yeah, I just wasn't sure if it was a, pardon? [00:59:32] I wish it was larger, it's a pretty small room. [00:59:34] Yeah, I mean, it's certainly we're trying to keep a lot of the circulation outside that's occurring. [00:59:40] And then, you know, not wanting to put, we want it to be functional, but not, you know, go any farther with the budget. [00:59:47] You know, one, one add to what we're doing on the, on the pool deck as a team is we're also trying to make your pool deck a revenue generator, you know, [00:59:58] so that some of these areas. [01:00:00] that are being added or cabana-like or special seating area, [01:00:05] that those are also other opportunities [01:00:07] that you can make revenue generation. [01:00:11] If somebody has, they could rent one of those rooms [01:00:15] for a party, but you could also rent [01:00:17] some of those other areas on the pool deck [01:00:19] for a party or a day for your family, things like that. [01:00:25] It's not that you have to do that all the time, [01:00:27] but you have the flexibility [01:00:29] and some other opportunities to get more revenue. [01:00:33] And for aquatics in general, [01:00:35] that fun factor on that side of the pool [01:00:39] is really what drives your revenue generation [01:00:42] more than the other swim tournaments and stuff. [01:00:46] And beating a dead horse again, [01:00:50] this can provide exclusive revenue for the membership [01:00:53] and the coaching and that type of thing [01:00:55] and the childcare, all of that, then that's great. [01:00:58] We're still competing with a lot of facilities [01:01:00] in the community. [01:01:02] I really wish that we were able to create that pool [01:01:06] so that we can really enhance that [01:01:09] and make that be the pool that we have. [01:01:12] We don't have that lane. [01:01:13] I want that lane. [01:01:14] Make a competition. [01:01:14] Yes, so that we can get the money from that. [01:01:16] Yeah, that would be a... [01:01:18] But the other thing that drives that, [01:01:20] once you do that is the convenience of parking [01:01:25] at this location is a challenge. [01:01:28] And when we do have a swim meet right now, [01:01:32] no way to park. [01:01:33] They park over at Sweet Bays. [01:01:35] They get towed. [01:01:36] They park on Van Buren. [01:01:38] People tell them they're gonna get towed. [01:01:40] So to me, it's not customer service friendly. [01:01:43] And so, I don't wanna create a area that's gonna... [01:01:49] I'm gonna create a backwards issue. [01:01:52] I'm gonna have the chicken [01:01:53] and I'm not gonna have the egg. [01:01:55] And with the parking issue, [01:01:59] it makes it really challenging. [01:02:00] And taking that land down and doing those things. [01:02:03] So, I can wait on a $500,000 improvement like that [01:02:08] no matter how much of a revenue stream it is [01:02:10] until you generate it or until at the time [01:02:13] where you get enough penny for PASCO money [01:02:16] that you can put in that competition pool. [01:02:18] But with that comes additional parking with it [01:02:20] adjacent to it. [01:02:21] I think we've actually got the pool [01:02:23] is in the, correct me if I'm wrong, 1920 fiscal year. [01:02:27] So, it's out there about five years. [01:02:30] 2020. [01:02:31] Yeah. [01:02:32] The 19, 2019, 2020 fiscal year. [01:02:36] That would be building a new pool? [01:02:38] Yes. [01:02:39] But let me ask again, [01:02:41] because I was thinking that part of what we were doing [01:02:44] was addressing that parking issue. [01:02:46] And I thought that we were [01:02:47] because there is so much land there that is pointless. [01:02:51] Just in the drop off area in the front. [01:02:54] You're not taking down the berm behind Claude Pepper [01:02:57] that you could see, [01:02:58] actually see the facility from Van Buren. [01:03:01] You're not doing any of those elements there. [01:03:03] It's strictly that opening up the front driveway area [01:03:07] to do a drop. [01:03:07] That's still not creating parking. [01:03:08] No, it's just creating a bus drop off [01:03:10] until I understood it, correct? [01:03:11] In the front of the... [01:03:13] Adding 20 spaces. [01:03:14] So, we're adding 20 spaces to your current facility. [01:03:18] What is the cost of that 2.4 million? [01:03:20] What's the run of a cost for the bus loop [01:03:23] and 20 extra parking spots? [01:03:25] And just regarding the bus loop, [01:03:27] that was one of the elements that we were looking at. [01:03:29] It's roughly $320,000. [01:03:31] 20? [01:03:33] It's really a drop off loop. [01:03:35] It's not necessarily a bus loop. [01:03:37] I mean, it's big enough to bring a bus, [01:03:38] but you can... [01:03:40] People are using it more often than not. [01:03:42] Like I said, we are looking at [01:03:44] how to potentially save some costs right there. [01:03:46] So, that will be reflected in the next time we come back. [01:03:50] And part of moving that is you've got the old pump station [01:03:52] from the old pool sitting down there in that area. [01:03:54] So, I mean, you've got some items there [01:04:00] and then over and above that is just [01:04:03] how it terraces down to the other parking lots. [01:04:07] It sounds like it would also be advantageous [01:04:09] to look at your temporary parking situation [01:04:12] and how that can be better addressed [01:04:14] for some of the meets too. [01:04:15] I was just making myself a note. [01:04:16] We've got that skate park that's underutilized or... [01:04:21] That is deteriorating. [01:04:23] Need of something. [01:04:25] Is that an option for overflow parking? [01:04:29] Well, at some point we're gonna have to take that out [01:04:30] just the same as we did playground. [01:04:36] Councilman Davis, you've been pretty quiet here. [01:04:40] I'm really disappointed that Elaine's not here [01:04:42] because she would have some numbers for it. [01:04:43] Is there a reason? [01:04:45] Well, Elaine is sick. [01:04:46] And if you tell me what numbers you're looking for [01:04:49] I'll do my best to try to answer. [01:04:51] We're talking about hundreds of thousands of dollars [01:04:53] when we don't even know the square footage. [01:04:55] And I'm kind of disappointed. [01:04:57] Yeah. [01:04:58] Well, I can communicate that to you later. [01:04:59] I'm sorry we don't have it. [01:05:02] All right. [01:05:04] I'll say right off the bat, [01:05:06] we have the finest facility in the state of Florida. [01:05:09] And I've said this before for the size of our town. [01:05:14] I also brought up that we have under 500 members, [01:05:18] which means probably card carrying. [01:05:20] We have somewhere just over a thousand people [01:05:22] that are using our facility on a regular basis. [01:05:25] We have 700 members [01:05:27] and we have almost 23,000 daily walk-ins to date. [01:05:33] Well, that's not the numbers you gave me before. [01:05:36] You gave me a membership of... [01:05:38] There's membership of 450. [01:05:42] 250, or 450, 225 in the town, 225 out of town. [01:05:47] Based on the numbers at the YMCA, it's usually three to one [01:05:51] because they have 3,000 members, 9,000 people card carrying. [01:05:54] So I'm basing the 450 times three, [01:05:57] somewhere around 1,200, 1,300 card carrying. [01:06:00] You know, that's kind of the numbers where I've got, [01:06:02] you know, actual memberships and actual people. [01:06:05] Now, true, we have a summer program [01:06:07] that brings in a lot of people, [01:06:08] probably pretty much covers itself. [01:06:10] But I'm looking at a year-round situation. [01:06:13] Do we have any numbers of people that access the pool [01:06:16] on probably a bell-shaped situation? [01:06:19] Because it's gonna- [01:06:20] Yeah, we do have the numbers, [01:06:21] but I don't have them with me this evening. [01:06:23] It's just, we're here and we've got the wrong, [01:06:25] we don't have the right people here. [01:06:27] All right, I'd like to, I read that study too. [01:06:31] That study says close it, pretty much is the way I read it. [01:06:35] You know, it had marking conditions. [01:06:37] We don't have a marketing plan at all. [01:06:40] We don't have a fee. [01:06:42] These fees vary from time, you know, [01:06:44] time of year to time of year. [01:06:46] Operations, it said, yeah, 3,500, [01:06:48] but you get down to the end and its weaknesses [01:06:51] is twice what its strengths are. [01:06:53] It was an excellent report, [01:06:54] and I think it must have been hidden since 12, [01:06:56] because not very many things that they suggest here [01:06:59] have we done since 12. [01:07:03] But I'd like you all to take a little test. [01:07:05] Just take a little piece of paper out, [01:07:07] and staff, you can join in. [01:07:09] You might as well have fun with this too. [01:07:11] And I'm gonna ask some questions, [01:07:12] and I just want you to say whether it's a positive [01:07:14] or whether it's a negative. [01:07:16] And this is only for yourself. [01:07:17] I don't want your answers. [01:07:18] This is just an evaluation of what the situation is. [01:07:21] This has to do with fitness centers, [01:07:23] and I just want you to put whether this is a positive [01:07:26] or a negative in our facility right now. [01:07:29] Do we have a proper business plan [01:07:34] for our rec center right now? [01:07:35] Do you think we have a proper business plan? [01:07:38] On your own self. [01:07:40] Are we short of capital for this project? [01:07:43] Are we playing with capital? [01:07:45] Are we in the right place with our capital? [01:07:47] We putting our capital in the right place? [01:07:52] If we financed this thing the best way that we can [01:07:56] over the last thing, [01:07:57] if we know we do have a mark, [01:07:58] you know, I'll get back to the marketing, [01:07:59] but we have, do we have, [01:08:00] how many trainers do we have? [01:08:03] How many physical trainers do we have in the facility? [01:08:06] Is this place, you know, financed right [01:08:10] as it sits right now? [01:08:11] I mean, I was wishing Elaine was here [01:08:14] because I only know of one guy that's there [01:08:16] is actually a financial, a physical trainer. [01:08:19] Training. [01:08:20] Yeah, personal trainer. [01:08:21] I think there's only one, you know, [01:08:22] so that can't pretty much cover the whole hours of there. [01:08:25] Location. [01:08:27] Are we, is this the location? [01:08:29] Are we promoting this location? [01:08:31] Have we gone ahead and decided this, you know, [01:08:34] we've done our due diligence on the location [01:08:37] because we just had a, [01:08:39] I'll tell you this little story. [01:08:41] We just had an ancillary businesses [01:08:42] from the Board of Realtors had a show there, [01:08:49] ancillary businesses, meaning plumbers, [01:08:53] AC people, home healthcare agencies, [01:08:59] assisted living facilities. [01:09:00] They all had a show there. [01:09:02] They had 10 people that were on the committee [01:09:04] and you know how far the Board of Realtors building is [01:09:06] from our rec center. [01:09:08] They have 10 people on the committee, [01:09:09] three didn't know where the rec center was. [01:09:15] Are we growing this the right way? [01:09:18] I'm gonna mention that because I think [01:09:21] there's something we can do [01:09:22] with what we have in existing right now. [01:09:26] Are we taking our competition too lightly? [01:09:29] I mean, we have the, how many places have been in Southgate? [01:09:34] How many places have been in the old Bowling Alley? [01:09:39] You know, just in those two locations itself. [01:09:42] You know, they come and they try to make it [01:09:44] and they don't. [01:09:45] They try to make it, you know, [01:09:46] the old Bowling Alley and they don't. [01:09:53] Or do we have the right promotions and marketing? [01:09:55] We don't even have a marketing plan. [01:09:56] So that kind of answers that right there. [01:10:00] We haven't had any changes. [01:10:01] You talked about the equipment at $300,000. [01:10:03] You have to have continually changing equipment. [01:10:06] You have to have equipment that keeps up to date. [01:10:08] You have to bring stuff in and take stuff out. [01:10:11] You gotta have a constant change of equipment. [01:10:14] And our website, today's rec centers are all over the web [01:10:21] and trying to promote them. [01:10:24] And I don't believe ours is all over the web. [01:10:27] You know, trying to promote the whole building, [01:10:29] but promote the fitness part of it. [01:10:31] I don't think so. [01:10:33] Now, we have two, just to utilize the building as it is. [01:10:38] And if we max the building out, [01:10:39] then come back and talk to me. [01:10:41] But right now, I don't think we're maxing the building out. [01:10:44] We have two gyms. [01:10:46] We can definitely put the floor protection [01:10:49] down on one side of the gym most of the time [01:10:53] and have the classes there. [01:10:55] If we do that, then we can take the existing classroom [01:10:59] and we can make that the childcare center. [01:11:01] We can open up what you call the childcare center [01:11:03] and the fitness center. [01:11:04] You can open that up as the gym, [01:11:06] put your $300,000 worth of equipment in there [01:11:08] and let's see it go. [01:11:10] Let's see it go and let's market and let's see it go. [01:11:13] I think the city needs a marketer. [01:11:15] I think we found out when we get [01:11:17] the economic development person, [01:11:19] what the economic development person has done for our town. [01:11:22] I think we need an economic, [01:11:23] I think we need a marketing person for this town. [01:11:27] Could be working with the rec center, [01:11:30] could be working with the incubator, [01:11:34] could be working with city hall [01:11:36] and get somebody to the same level in the department head [01:11:40] or somewhere in the same level that Mario was [01:11:43] or some of the other department heads. [01:11:49] Just to clarify the additional square footage being added [01:11:53] for the fitness center, we're adding 864 square feet. [01:11:57] So in this area is being, is adding. [01:12:01] Roughly 1600 now or less. [01:12:03] Correct, so we're adding, you see a third. [01:12:06] So yes, 1600 plus another 864. [01:12:13] So I think I've stood back and say [01:12:15] you take the fitness center, you take the childcare, [01:12:17] you make that your exercise room, [01:12:19] you take the back room and it's going ahead [01:12:21] and you can have whatever you, back in the back part, [01:12:25] you got the other room there that can be childcare [01:12:29] and let's see it work. [01:12:30] Let's market it. [01:12:31] Let's see if we can increase our membership. [01:12:33] If we increase our membership, [01:12:34] then come back and talk to me about spending $1 million. [01:12:38] But I can't receive recovery in anything [01:12:40] of that million dollars. [01:12:42] And I can't even see us getting up above 50% [01:12:45] on the return on our investment in the rec center [01:12:50] and the pool as it is. [01:12:53] That's my opinion. [01:12:54] Thank you. [01:12:56] Ms. Manch, do we have, and I know we're at a disadvantage [01:12:59] because Elaine's not here, [01:13:00] but Mr. Davis makes an interesting point [01:13:03] about the double basketball courts. [01:13:08] Do we have any sort of feel for how heavily utilized [01:13:13] those are? [01:13:14] I can't respond to that question, no. [01:13:16] It might be interesting to find out [01:13:18] because I was sitting here thinking the same thing [01:13:21] about that dance or whatever room up at the top. [01:13:26] If you did that, if you moved the childcare into there, [01:13:29] you could really open it up, [01:13:30] the other part up for the fitness. [01:13:35] But a lot of that depends on whether or not [01:13:37] that second half's getting used all the time. [01:13:41] They have pickleball, I think. [01:13:42] That's the only thing I've ever seen. [01:13:43] You know, that they, you know. [01:13:45] Yeah, in the morning, they have that from Mike. [01:13:47] They rent out one of them in the evening [01:13:50] because I've actually reffed volleyball there [01:13:53] for the church school on the corner of Madison [01:13:57] and Massachusetts. [01:13:59] So there are probably other things that go on, [01:14:02] but we have the flooring to put down and take up, too. [01:14:07] I would say you could use that protective flooring for sun. [01:14:10] I'm looking at this, and like I mentioned earlier, [01:14:12] I wish that third room was bigger. [01:14:13] You know, I keep going back to how successful [01:14:16] the bootcamp that my wife attends has become [01:14:18] on Pine Hill Road. [01:14:20] It's unbelievable. [01:14:21] A lot of the equipment they use during those [01:14:23] are handheld weights and heavy ropes and whatnot. [01:14:25] I don't know if thin padding over the hardwood floor [01:14:29] would be sufficient. [01:14:30] Oh, that stuff's good, yeah. [01:14:32] But yoga classes and just exercise classes [01:14:35] that don't incorporate weights and things like that. [01:14:36] I'm sure we could use some of the basketball court. [01:14:39] But I just, I can't talk to you, I can't talk to you, [01:14:42] I can't talk to you, and I can't talk to you [01:14:44] outside these meetings. [01:14:45] So can we just have an open discussion here? [01:14:48] Obviously, Mr. Davis is, from what I just got from that, [01:14:53] is he's opposed to putting money into the rec center. [01:14:56] Yeah, I think that's probably, [01:14:58] Not until we prove it. [01:14:59] He's been. [01:15:00] Clear on that for the last three times we've met. [01:15:02] For a while, okay. [01:15:03] So, I personally think we do need to put money [01:15:05] in the rec center. [01:15:06] Yeah, I can just do example, example. [01:15:08] I was talking to a couple years younger than me [01:15:11] a few weeks ago, and it was a Friday afternoon. [01:15:13] I said, what are y'all doing tonight? [01:15:14] He said, oh, we are going out on a date. [01:15:16] I'm a ghost watching the kids, [01:15:17] so we're dropping them off at Trinity Y. [01:15:19] They have like date night there. [01:15:20] When they have high school kids, watch your kids. [01:15:22] Things like that, I don't think we have space for right now. [01:15:25] And believe me, $2.4 million seems like a lot to me, [01:15:28] and I'm not sold on that figure by any means, [01:15:30] but I am sold on the fact that, once again, [01:15:32] we need a larger health fitness facility [01:15:35] with an adjoining daycare to attract the families [01:15:38] that we want to move to Newport. [01:15:40] Yeah, if I were gonna prioritize this, [01:15:42] the health and fitness area is just abysmally too small [01:15:50] as it stands now. [01:15:51] So, I really do believe we need to boost it. [01:15:54] I'm not sure that adding 864 square feet [01:15:59] is gonna be adequate, [01:16:01] but it would at least be a step in the right direction. [01:16:05] Second priority that I would have [01:16:07] would be having the childcare, and again, pick a room, [01:16:12] because for all the reasons that we've talked about, [01:16:15] we need to do that. [01:16:19] Third priority I would have [01:16:21] would be cleaning up the pool deck, [01:16:24] and that's, I don't know that I'm saying that right, [01:16:27] but making it more functional. [01:16:31] I don't know that that's a half a million dollars [01:16:33] more functional, but basically, [01:16:37] it's all chopped up into little pieces, [01:16:39] and unchop it up, if that's a technical description, [01:16:45] and get it so that it's a little more functional [01:16:49] for the larger groups that we'd like to attract in there. [01:16:53] Quite frankly, I couldn't care less about a bus loop. [01:16:56] I just, we could take that off the table up front. [01:17:02] You wouldn't hurt my feelings a bit. [01:17:04] If we need overfill parking, [01:17:07] park them in the bike, or the skate park area. [01:17:13] But if we're gonna spend the money, [01:17:16] and whether that money's 2.4 million, [01:17:18] or is Councilman- [01:17:19] Currently at 2.1 million. [01:17:22] 2.1, or as Councilman Phillips has suggested, [01:17:24] down in about the one and a half million. [01:17:29] If we can do it smart, I think we should. [01:17:32] The thing is underutilized. [01:17:35] Mr. Davis makes an excellent point. [01:17:37] We have done a miserable job of marketing [01:17:41] a whole bunch of stuff. [01:17:42] I agree with that 100%. [01:17:43] Including, and we've talked about this [01:17:46] as recently as this summer, [01:17:48] we've got inadequate wayfinding, [01:17:52] and it is scary that we've got people [01:17:55] that live and work inside the city limits [01:17:57] of the city of New Port Richey, [01:17:59] have no clue where that rec center is. [01:18:02] And that means two things. [01:18:04] One, first of all, we don't have direction signage [01:18:08] that would jump out at them. [01:18:09] And secondly, we haven't done nearly enough to market it. [01:18:16] If you'll allow me, Mr. Mayor, [01:18:18] we did approve in the fiscal year 2015-2016 [01:18:25] a marketing position for the rec center. [01:18:29] We just have delayed the hiring of that [01:18:32] until such time as the improvements have been implemented. [01:18:35] And part of that was driven [01:18:36] because we wanted to lower our millage rate. [01:18:39] I want to remind everybody of that, number one. [01:18:42] Number two is that [01:18:44] the functions of this particular facility, [01:18:51] it's made it difficult. [01:18:53] And when we got this report, [01:18:55] this report's been out since 12, we've known about it. [01:18:58] We looked at it. [01:19:00] And when you ran for council, it was in the purview. [01:19:04] And part of the things that we did back in 12, [01:19:08] because we didn't have any money, [01:19:09] we were cutting people, [01:19:11] we were cutting jobs again for the third time. [01:19:14] The first step we made was to hire Marilyn Deschamps' group [01:19:17] to be a marketing force. [01:19:20] We went over a six or eight month time period. [01:19:22] We felt that that wasn't getting enough bang for our buck. [01:19:25] So then we hired Beth Frager and her group. [01:19:28] She was doing a phenomenal job. [01:19:30] Then she got the executive director job [01:19:33] at the greater New Portia Main Street, [01:19:36] was dovetailing those. [01:19:37] And then unfortunately, she got sick. [01:19:41] And then we waited for her contract to blend out [01:19:44] and we moved to the next one. [01:19:46] We brought in Kristen King to try to move some things. [01:19:50] And that moved the needle just a little bit in my mind. [01:19:53] But absolutely where we are now, [01:19:55] and we've proved the case. [01:19:56] If you bring somebody on and that's what they focus on, [01:20:00] or 90% of their focus is on it, [01:20:02] you're gonna see it. [01:20:03] And with the economic times changing, [01:20:06] we get Mr. Izzoni here bragging to us all the time [01:20:09] about all the stuff they're doing on the Echo side, [01:20:11] which is great. [01:20:13] But again, it truly is. [01:20:16] If you don't focus on it, it will be what it is. [01:20:20] And as always, the biggest question is, [01:20:24] and I'm gonna answer your question, Mr. Davis, [01:20:26] it was a poor decision to put this facility where it is. [01:20:30] But that's where the rec center [01:20:31] has always been in New Port Richey. [01:20:34] They had the land and they had the swimming pools. [01:20:37] Is that where we put it today? [01:20:39] Heck no. [01:20:40] Would we design the front of it the way it is? [01:20:42] No. [01:20:42] But back in those prosperous times, [01:20:45] they designed this facility [01:20:46] and they go out and buy $14 million worth of real estate. [01:20:50] So we've been on the backside of that. [01:20:53] And over and above that is being, it's the same thing. [01:20:58] Would we put the police department where we put it now? [01:21:00] No. [01:21:01] Would we put other functions? [01:21:02] No. [01:21:03] Those are decisions that former councils have made [01:21:06] and God bless them, they made them at the best time, [01:21:08] at the best place they could. [01:21:09] But in this day and time with the economics [01:21:12] the way they are, no, we wouldn't put [01:21:16] that recreation center where it is today. [01:21:19] And in my mind, it's like buying a business [01:21:22] or having a business partner come in and say, [01:21:25] let's tweak a few things [01:21:27] to develop those additional revenue streams. [01:21:30] And I think the other bigger question we have to have [01:21:34] is one, how we're gonna spend a penny for PASCO, [01:21:36] new money for this project. [01:21:38] And then number two is, what do we believe [01:21:42] is a comparable number to try to strive for, [01:21:49] Mr. Davis calls it return on investment, [01:21:51] he calls it business plan, he calls it whatever. [01:21:53] I call it stabilization. [01:21:57] Is that 70 or 80% that Largo gets? [01:22:00] Is that the best you can get? [01:22:04] Because we've been at 45, we've been at 55, [01:22:05] we've been at 60 and it all comes down [01:22:07] to who wants to do with the math. [01:22:09] But what is it that we believe from a quality of life [01:22:13] in New Port Richey and offering the services there, [01:22:17] is it a 60, 70 or 80% goal to make that facility [01:22:24] execute the plan to get them to that part [01:22:27] and then there's only 20% of the spread that's being played. [01:22:30] And then over and above that, the biggest thing [01:22:32] is that we carry this debt on us, [01:22:35] we took care of other debt, but this debt [01:22:37] for that they incurred for this to build it [01:22:40] has always been a really tough element [01:22:44] in the overall impact of what it's done to the city. [01:22:47] Sorry, Mayor. [01:22:48] No, thank you. [01:22:51] So I'm hearing that we've got some interest [01:22:56] in moving on it, but I do believe we need definitely [01:23:01] to have a good way to market this thing. [01:23:04] And let's break out just exactly what pieces are, [01:23:10] because if we can drop that down towards [01:23:14] where the Deputy Mayor is looking. [01:23:18] And if we hold off on the pool deck stuff for a while [01:23:22] until we see how it sorts out, [01:23:23] I don't have a problem with that. [01:23:26] My priorities and if I'm hearing Mr. Starkey correctly [01:23:30] and please correct me if I'm wrong, [01:23:32] I think is get that health fitness [01:23:36] and childcare area taken care of. [01:23:38] That's job one. [01:23:41] Then if this is an open discussion, [01:23:44] let's somebody else talk to me a little bit [01:23:46] about putting that proposed childcare area [01:23:49] and the health fitness right together now [01:23:51] without any building on it [01:23:53] and put the childcare in the third room. [01:23:56] And then you have that back room where the fitness is now [01:23:59] and you can open that up. [01:23:59] You can have classes in there. [01:24:01] Maybe it doesn't fit. [01:24:02] Maybe you can use the gym depending on the size of class, [01:24:04] but we don't have classes there now. [01:24:06] We're not marketing it to bring people in for classes. [01:24:10] I think we are doing classes in there. [01:24:12] There are some yoga classes. [01:24:14] We're not, we're not. [01:24:15] Well, I think that we need to take a very more global look. [01:24:19] I don't think that we should just be marketing [01:24:21] the Parks and Rec Department [01:24:22] or just be marketing the Aquatic Center. [01:24:27] I think that we've done a miserable job [01:24:30] over the years of marketing our city, period. [01:24:32] I can't tell you how many times [01:24:34] we were attending the Snowbird Extravaganza in Lakeland [01:24:38] and people didn't, who had been coming to Florida [01:24:41] for 40 years and live in Holiday [01:24:45] and didn't know that we had a downtown, [01:24:46] let alone a Recreation Department [01:24:48] or an award-winning library, et cetera, et cetera. [01:24:51] And I don't want to beat up anybody [01:24:52] or suggest that it's staff [01:24:56] that did a poor job of anything. [01:24:58] I think that you can do what you can do with the money. [01:25:03] It takes money to do anything. [01:25:05] And I just don't know that we've prioritized [01:25:08] marketing our city, period, as a priority. [01:25:12] Now we have the opportunity. [01:25:13] We have an incredible project going on in Sims Park. [01:25:19] We're doing this development here. [01:25:21] I think that we had a conversation and agreed [01:25:24] that the area that we had right now in the back [01:25:28] is not large enough for what we need. [01:25:30] So to just modify this and not include that, [01:25:33] I think that we would be kicking ourselves [01:25:37] because I don't think that that would be adequate. [01:25:39] I think that if we're going to do it, [01:25:41] we need to do it right, we need to do it correctly, [01:25:43] we need to have the room to add that. [01:25:47] I think that was one of the pieces that we said, [01:25:50] the point of putting it in the front of the building [01:25:52] is so that we could utilize that separately [01:25:55] from anything else, where we're going to be able [01:25:58] to use the card, where people that we're wanting to, [01:26:00] those millennials or older, even grandparents [01:26:04] that babysit their grandchildren and are into fitness [01:26:08] can go and utilize that fitness center [01:26:13] without having to get into the rest of the building. [01:26:15] And that's part of the reason for expanding it [01:26:18] out to the rest too. [01:26:19] I think it's the hours of operation, yeah. [01:26:21] Because you could actually make it card access in early. [01:26:24] But the other, and I was picking up on your other thought [01:26:28] is, can you pull or ask the county administrator [01:26:33] to send you the job description for Ralph Lair? [01:26:37] I don't know if you know who Ralph is. [01:26:40] Ralph, if you're getting the press releases [01:26:44] for the county, since Ralph has been there, [01:26:47] Ralph's pedigree is, is that he started [01:26:50] with Carl Littlefield while he was in the house. [01:26:54] And then he went from there to a couple other positions. [01:26:59] He was one of Will Weatherford's right-hand people [01:27:02] when he was in the legislature. [01:27:04] And the county brought him in from not only [01:27:07] a public relation aspect, but as a promoter [01:27:12] of all of it. [01:27:15] He got tied up into the flood issues. [01:27:18] He's got the library, he's got the recycling, [01:27:20] he's got those. [01:27:21] And if that's the kind of person or that type [01:27:25] of description that is trying to market, [01:27:28] because each one of our departments market themselves [01:27:32] individually, and sometimes it's a crossover, [01:27:34] sometimes it, you know, and I was picking up on yours [01:27:38] is that you wanted something more cohesive, [01:27:41] something that was more, because our website, [01:27:44] we redesigned, we won an award for, [01:27:46] from Tampa Bay Regional Planning Council, [01:27:48] and we just need to hop on that a little bit more, [01:27:51] I think is where we're at. [01:27:52] Yeah, and I think looking at it globally, [01:27:54] there are some phenomenal things that this city is doing, [01:27:57] department by department, and yet, you know, [01:28:00] there's not, they're operating almost in silos, [01:28:03] because they're all working with minimal money [01:28:07] to get the word out about whatever it is [01:28:10] that's happening in their particular departments. [01:28:12] And I'm specific about, you know, [01:28:13] the library's doing phenomenal things, [01:28:14] the rec center's doing phenomenal things, [01:28:16] they had a wonderful activity just last weekend. [01:28:20] The city itself, we are doing wonderful things, [01:28:23] but collectively, it should be the picture. [01:28:27] New Port Richey is, we're happening, [01:28:29] it's, you know, it's happening, we're happening. [01:28:31] You said the city so many times, [01:28:32] other than marketing the city, [01:28:34] we have to differentiate the city of New Port Richey [01:28:38] from New Port Richey, which goes from 52 to 54, [01:28:41] whether we contact every press agency [01:28:43] and say, any news you do on us, [01:28:45] please refer to us as city of New Port Richey. [01:28:47] If it's not in the city, [01:28:48] please refer to it as unincorporated. [01:28:50] Jeff, you know what I think part of the problem is? [01:28:53] They don't know where the city, you know, yeah. [01:28:56] We don't either. [01:28:57] Back to the rec center, just real quick. [01:28:59] I mean, I think the fact that, [01:29:00] whether it's 400 or 700 memberships, [01:29:02] that tells the whole story right there. [01:29:04] Either the facility's not what it should be, [01:29:06] or it's not being ran like it should be. [01:29:08] I think we need to proceed with the expansion [01:29:11] of the health and fitness. [01:29:12] The childcare has just an awesome childcare facility, [01:29:15] not just some place to dump your kid, [01:29:17] and hopefully they don't cry. [01:29:18] It's a place where kids want to go, [01:29:21] and that will go a long, long way. [01:29:24] And when we get people to come visit our rec center, [01:29:26] we have to keep them there. [01:29:27] Once again, we have to change the way it operates [01:29:30] and make it a fun place to come and visit, [01:29:32] whether you're five years old or 95 years old. [01:29:35] And that's gonna be key, I think. [01:29:38] And I think when we look at some of those elements, [01:29:41] we need to take the approach that Dulcet's took. [01:29:44] I was trying to look for an analogy [01:29:46] when I was trying to figure out how it would differentiate. [01:29:50] And I think we can go back to the money [01:29:53] they put into that facility, [01:29:54] and when it opened on New Year's Eve day, [01:29:59] I think [01:30:00] That was one of the key driving factors in the city that raised the bar. [01:30:07] And we've seen what's happened over the last 10 or 11 months, [01:30:11] because they've reset it. [01:30:13] So if we have to get equipment that's bigger, better, and badder today, [01:30:20] then let's be able to market to that, or be able to say that. [01:30:24] And I think that if we piggyback on what Economic and what other businesses [01:30:29] have done to show that it can be, I think that we can recharge where we are [01:30:35] and go from seven to whatever. [01:30:37] It's a matter of basically, as I said in my blog last week, stepping up the game. [01:30:42] Basically, we need to be better than we have been. [01:30:47] We need to set a higher standard. [01:30:51] Fresh equipment, more equipment, and a bigger, brighter room [01:30:55] with the child care next door, I think, does those things. [01:30:59] Another thing, too, and we talked about it early on at some point, [01:31:03] but we're talking about child care, we're talking about a recreation center, [01:31:07] and we have a phenomenal library. [01:31:10] I had thought years ago that it makes good sense [01:31:14] to put all of that in one facility. [01:31:16] We've got some wonderful child-centric programs, [01:31:23] and here you've got a recreation center, and you're talking about child care. [01:31:27] And then that key piece of all the people in our city that deal with children [01:31:31] are on the other side of town. [01:31:32] So it's almost like, you know, we talked about the computers and the children. [01:31:37] I mean, it just seems like it should be in one place. [01:31:39] Or even, I mean, that's, if we're disputing $2.4 million just to do the expansion, [01:31:45] I mean, putting those two sounds great, but putting those two in one place [01:31:48] is a whole new ball of wax. [01:31:49] Maybe we could possibly look into maybe purchasing a bus [01:31:53] where we can run the children from the rec center to the library [01:31:56] and have certain library rec center days, [01:31:58] and you spend the morning in the library doing this, this, and this throughout the summer. [01:32:01] Then we're going to move to the rec center, [01:32:02] and that would allow us to have more children in our summer program [01:32:06] and not all have to be in the same place at one time. [01:32:08] It'd be a lot cheaper than building another library. [01:32:10] But I like your thought, for sure. [01:32:14] But I mean, it's such a huge, grandiose project. [01:32:15] Well, yeah, and I'm saying that just let's look at the global picture here. [01:32:19] We've got this phenomenal library that has a wonderful children's summer program, [01:32:23] and then we've got the rec center. [01:32:26] It just seems like it's somehow, let's keep that in mind. [01:32:29] Let's not lose that we've got some folks that are already dealing with children, [01:32:35] and we've got a wonderful facility. [01:32:37] So just let's not lose sight of that. [01:32:41] I asked for some give and take on my suggestion, and I got nothing. [01:32:47] So I'll just move on to something else. [01:32:51] Bill, I didn't mean the location was a problem. [01:32:54] Knowing where the location was the problem. [01:32:57] I have no problem with where it's at. [01:32:58] I think it's in the center. [01:32:59] It's close enough to the center city. [01:33:01] It's just not being able to find. [01:33:04] There's something in the real world in business, too. [01:33:07] If you have a gym and your people aren't coming to the gym, [01:33:10] somebody's held accountable. [01:33:11] Well, in our case, we're held accountable back to our constituents, [01:33:16] and they're not going there. [01:33:17] So what's the problem? [01:33:18] There's more people going out the back door than there is coming in the front door, [01:33:22] meaning our retention is poor or doesn't hardly exist. [01:33:26] There's another thing that the private world does is that they charge, [01:33:30] give me a figure, $10 a month, and it's automatic paid every month. [01:33:37] So if the person stops coming, then they still get the $10 until the person finally realizes they've got to get out of the way. [01:33:45] But that's part of their business plan, that they know that's going to happen. [01:33:49] They've researched it. [01:33:50] They know it's going to happen. [01:33:51] We have no accountability except for us and our constituents that sit there and say, [01:33:57] well, what's your retention there? [01:33:59] No one staff member is responsible for that. [01:34:03] If you don't show up in a gym in the public world, in the private world, [01:34:10] you don't show up for a week or two. [01:34:11] They call you, see what's happened. [01:34:13] Where are we slipping? [01:34:14] How do we get you to come back? [01:34:16] We don't do anything like that. [01:34:18] All the things that makes this successful, those things that I brought up, [01:34:22] those different topics I brought up, we don't do most of them. [01:34:26] And how much money you throw at it, unless we change our approach to this thing, [01:34:31] it's going to be the same thing. [01:34:32] We're going to have more money there. [01:34:33] I thought I had agreed with you, actually, on that, with the way that the actual facility is operated. [01:34:39] From a service base, just from the bottom, top to bottom, it has to change, [01:34:43] and it has to be a fun place where people want to join. [01:34:46] And I think that kind of ties into what you're saying. [01:34:49] Obviously, there is no accountability. [01:34:50] People show up and get paid, no matter how many members are there. [01:34:53] I'm not saying we need to be paying our associates' commission, [01:34:56] but we need happy, fun people that want to be there that make it a fun place to visit. [01:35:01] And that ties into your business marketing plan. [01:35:03] But for me, it's just common sense. [01:35:04] Well, that's why I say, why don't we open those two up for the gym, [01:35:07] put the child care in there, and let's see if we can market it. [01:35:10] Let's do a trial basis here. [01:35:12] Let's spend the $300,000, put the equipment in there, open up the child care, [01:35:16] and let's see if it works. [01:35:17] If we still don't work, then we haven't spent a million, whatever number it is. [01:35:22] We spent a few hundred thousand, a couple hundred thousand. [01:35:25] I think two things. [01:35:27] It's not large enough, it doesn't have enough equipment, [01:35:30] and the hours are not long enough, which brings another point to the table. [01:35:34] If you put those two rooms together, you would have more than you're going to have as it is, [01:35:39] with the extension on it. [01:35:42] If you have those two rooms together, the child care room and the fitness room, [01:35:45] you'll have more square footage than adding the 800, [01:35:48] and the child care room could start out in that smaller room. [01:35:51] I mean, please prove me wrong, but please don't spend my money until you prove me wrong. [01:36:01] Direction. [01:36:03] I'm in support of continuing with the expansion. [01:36:09] Deputy Mayor. [01:36:10] Yeah, I think that we have to, you know, the dull set feature. [01:36:14] We've got to go big, and we've got to do it right. [01:36:19] I'm in favor of the expansion, but I want to keep a lid on the price. [01:36:24] Deputy Mayor. [01:36:25] Yeah, I think she has most of my notes, I believe. [01:36:28] Thanks. [01:36:30] Give you some direction. [01:36:32] Good, thank you. [01:36:34] Let's work our way around, and force of habit, [01:36:37] Councilman Stark, I usually start on that side for communications. [01:36:40] Can you start with me? [01:36:42] Go ahead. [01:36:42] Yeah, I'd be happy to start, because thank you very much. [01:36:47] Appreciate it. [01:36:48] And we'll say the last one that we did, the Southwest Rec for Largo, [01:36:52] the first day, exactly what you're doing with the fitness, [01:36:56] fill up the first day that they were open. [01:36:59] So great marketing opportunity. [01:37:01] Thank you. [01:37:03] Thank you, Mr. Mayor. [01:37:05] First of all, the travel gods were not with me on Friday. [01:37:09] I happened to be in Dallas, Texas, with all good intentions. [01:37:13] Mr. Izzoni, I had all good intentions to be your traffic cop at the Hacienda [01:37:18] thing, and then really hoped if I couldn't get home on Friday night, [01:37:21] I'd be home on Saturday. [01:37:23] I'd like to thank everybody who stepped in and pitch in for me, [01:37:26] because I will tell you, 13 hours in an airport, [01:37:30] and they cancel your flight at 7, and then you come back, [01:37:32] and the earliest they can get you out is 5 o'clock on the following Saturday. [01:37:36] You can rest assured that Dallas, Texas is the place I wanted to be, [01:37:40] and they had terrible weather. [01:37:42] But I understand the event went very well, and congratulations. [01:37:47] And I just hope, without being there and being able to assess some things, [01:37:52] I hope that the friends of the Hacienda had a good time, [01:37:55] and I hope that the Historical Society saw how, on back-to-back weekends, [01:38:01] the city doing certain things drove a lot of people into the downtown. [01:38:06] And I can only imagine if the ice cream store across the street [01:38:09] probably thinks that we ought to do that every other weekend, [01:38:11] just so we can drive that for them. [01:38:13] And of course, Mayor Marlowe was already bragging on them as it is. [01:38:18] So it's interesting, and I see we've got the Hacienda bids coming up. [01:38:25] We've got a number of other things out there. [01:38:28] Disappointed that FDOT, once again, doesn't [01:38:30] think that safety at a major intersection [01:38:33] deserves a turn lane on Gulf Drive and what's there. [01:38:43] I think with the upcoming grand opening for the park sometime in late December, [01:38:51] I'm presuming, if we're going to do it right, [01:38:55] and we said we want to do it right with all the volunteers that [01:38:58] built the first playground, we need to start planning that right now. [01:39:03] Absolutely right now. [01:39:04] And if somebody wants my input, they're more than happy to ask, [01:39:09] and I'll be happy to provide, because some of us helped to build it. [01:39:12] Some of us were around. [01:39:14] Some of us, they knew better to give a tool to. [01:39:16] They just made sure we passed them out. [01:39:18] You had Steve Lukart standing next to you, [01:39:20] telling you which tool to hand to the right people. [01:39:23] But there's a laundry list of people that were involved in that. [01:39:26] And to go back and to recapture that at the Christmas time frame [01:39:30] is going to be important. [01:39:35] And it was interesting, when I didn't get home on Saturday [01:39:37] and I finally got the sleep out of my eyes, I looked in the Pasco Times. [01:39:42] And for all the things that we haven't done from the city [01:39:46] and being able to effectively market and do all those kind of things, [01:39:49] we sure were in there a lot on Friday. [01:39:52] First of all, I'd like the manager to write a letter [01:39:57] and have us all sign it, because Capozzi's Whole Works Restaurant [01:40:02] is one of the local restaurant's top 100 Tampa Bay list, right here. [01:40:08] So a nice little letter back from us recognizing that would be great. [01:40:13] The bid invitation for the Hacienda in the paper. [01:40:18] The upcoming garden area that Gary Gans is letting the group put on. [01:40:24] And we've been invited to their Saturday opening. [01:40:27] That would be great. [01:40:29] I hate black and white photos, especially, [01:40:31] but the ribbon cutting for roses and the rest of us [01:40:34] looking like we're in shock behind here was interesting. [01:40:38] And then to be in the community news section [01:40:41] and really dominate almost the two first columns, [01:40:45] one about the program to help repairs, home repairs with the cost. [01:40:50] That was nice. [01:40:51] And then, obviously, the Hacienda tours information. [01:40:53] So sometimes you're better lucky than good. [01:40:58] And you can get out of your own way. [01:41:00] And I have to tell you that I appreciate being up here. [01:41:04] And I appreciate the interaction. [01:41:07] And as we've always said, we can agree to disagree [01:41:10] as long as we're not disagreeable. [01:41:11] And we all have our points of view. [01:41:14] And we all want to make sure that the next step for the city [01:41:16] is up and upwards, as we have recently. [01:41:20] And again, I apologize for not being here on the weekend. [01:41:23] I was really disappointed. [01:41:24] I couldn't participate. [01:41:26] Because Mr. Iazzoni, I was going to have my black jeans on [01:41:30] with my tuxedo jacket and my white shirt and my red tuxedo tie. [01:41:34] I was going to try to make their experience as well as it could. [01:41:37] And they go, he can't match anyway. [01:41:39] So that's OK. [01:41:40] Thank you. [01:41:41] Thank you. [01:41:42] Went to the ribbon cutting for Tampa Bay Community Development [01:41:45] Corporation this morning. [01:41:47] They are right across the street. [01:41:50] For those of you who are not familiar with them, [01:41:52] they help people become homeowners, among other things. [01:41:56] So I think probably one of the best businesses [01:41:59] we could have downtown, if one of our long-term goals [01:42:02] is to try to get more homeownership than less [01:42:05] rentals in the area. [01:42:08] If you get an opportunity, drop by, say hello to them. [01:42:12] I gave each of you a flyer on a neighborhood block party, [01:42:16] which is down the block from me. [01:42:17] It's going to be on Parks right at Palmetto. [01:42:23] That's coming up in a couple of weeks. [01:42:26] If you can make it, please do RSVP [01:42:28] so they know how many hot dogs to buy. [01:42:32] Should be a lot of fun. [01:42:33] I've told Robert Revere, he's probably the neighborhood [01:42:37] hero between getting the block stone light post put back up [01:42:44] and getting the pink sidewalks cleaned up [01:42:46] so you can tell they're pink. [01:42:48] So it should be a good time. [01:42:53] If you haven't been over by Winn-Dixie [01:42:59] and then over towards the rec center, [01:43:00] there is all sorts of construction [01:43:02] going on right there. [01:43:04] And I saw the little plastic fencing [01:43:09] and got curious and went over and looked. [01:43:12] It's a multi-use trail going in. [01:43:14] And they are actually getting it set up and cut out. [01:43:18] So if you want to see what's going [01:43:21] to happen on Marine Parkway here in a few months, [01:43:26] it's happening now going all the way from the Starkey Trail [01:43:29] extension out towards the Grand Boulevard. [01:43:37] Went to Boulevard Beef and Ale Friday night. [01:43:40] Had a couple of grandkids in tow. [01:43:43] Figured we'd go over there and have dinner. [01:43:45] No such luck. [01:43:46] They were completely full. [01:43:50] Completely full. [01:43:51] They had reservations up front and they [01:43:53] had huge parties in the back, both in the room [01:43:56] and on the patio. [01:43:58] Another example of what is happening in the downtown [01:44:01] is that we've got businesses that are doing well. [01:44:06] I have to think that at least part of it [01:44:08] is because Joe upgraded his menu and he's got some fancy stuff. [01:44:13] Plus he's doing some pretty interesting marketing. [01:44:15] He's offering a discount to people to go to the theater. [01:44:19] FDOT Gulf Drive, I responded by emailing them [01:44:24] and invited them to come drive with me. [01:44:27] Because if you haven't gone over to the Starbucks [01:44:30] and then tried to get back across the highway, [01:44:33] you haven't lived. [01:44:36] The westbound traffic is coming straight at you [01:44:40] as you're trying to make a turn onto Highway 19. [01:44:43] And you can't tell whether somebody [01:44:46] is going to go straight or turn until they actually do it. [01:44:49] And if you're looking right at facing their windshield, [01:44:53] it's not healthy. [01:44:54] I've given an invitation to everybody [01:44:57] I had on the FDOT email list that I had. [01:45:00] come on up and I drive them through there a few times and I think that may convince [01:45:04] them that they were mistaken. [01:45:07] Their traffic study and as Robert Rivera told me before the meeting, the traffic study concentrated [01:45:13] on the people headed west and trying to get through the intersection or turn onto 19. [01:45:20] That's not the biggest part of the problem. [01:45:21] The problem is the eastbound side where you basically take your life into your own hands. [01:45:28] So we'll see if anything comes of it. [01:45:31] I'll let you know. [01:45:35] Councilman Davila-Thomas? [01:45:36] Well, I'm sorry that I missed the Tampa Bay CDC ribbon cutting this afternoon, but we [01:45:41] do welcome them into town. [01:45:44] This past weekend on Saturday evening, earlier in the evening at 4 to 6, I believe the Parks [01:45:51] and Rec Department had their trunk retreat. [01:45:53] And then downtown, New Port Richey was host to a more adult entertainment. [01:46:00] It was the fourth annual Hollywood Horror Night and it was really amazing to see as [01:46:07] many people came into town for that. [01:46:10] And again, the eight restaurants and taverns that participated in it, as well as our newest [01:46:18] ice cream store, as well as Johnny Gritz, it really was great. [01:46:21] We did have a really very good crowd that stayed into the evening. [01:46:27] There's only 18 days left to the Cody River, I mean the Cody Man Triathlon. [01:46:32] And I know that Bob Smallwood had said something to us about doing something. [01:46:37] I know I haven't done anything about participating, but he asked me to remind you all that it's [01:46:43] only 18 days to that. [01:46:46] And in 39 days, I'm sorry, 32 days is Shop Small Business, which is celebrated in our [01:46:55] downtown. [01:46:56] There's at least 12 or 15 merchants that participate and you'll be starting to see those Shop [01:47:03] Small Saturday signs in the windows. [01:47:07] We're so pleased to know that Monogram House returned to the downtown by the time that [01:47:14] Shop Small Saturday is coming. [01:47:18] Also we'll have the little tearoom, the White Heron tearoom, which the retail side of it [01:47:24] will be open, not the tearoom I don't think, but either way that's another two nice additions [01:47:29] to our downtown. [01:47:32] And also remind you that this weekend is the last weekend of the current performance at [01:47:39] the Ritchie Suncoast Theater. [01:47:41] We're really very pleased to have two theaters, live theaters, in our downtown and both of [01:47:45] them are bringing quality entertainment. [01:47:48] And there are several of our restaurants that provide a discount if you have theater tickets [01:47:55] and you eat at dinner, they do give you. [01:47:57] So it's Boulevard Beef and Ale and several others who do that. [01:48:00] And it's great to hear the good news about Kaposi's. [01:48:04] Kaposi's restaurant has been one of, they really were a very good supporter of our [01:48:12] downtown many years ago. [01:48:14] They participated in several of the Tastes of in our downtown and Nancy and her staff [01:48:19] have a quality product and just couldn't be more happy for them. [01:48:23] So really glad that we've got some excellent restaurants in our downtown. [01:48:31] Thank you. [01:48:32] Councilman Davis? [01:48:33] Yeah, plus we've got to give John credit because he does the cooking, not just Nancy. [01:48:42] I was at a work session this morning, or this afternoon, it was the BCC and the tourist [01:48:48] development and I'd like staff to kind of follow up because there's going to be $8.5 [01:48:55] million spent over in the Wiregrass area for a program that probably is going to be a convention [01:49:02] center and who knows what after that, but that's the first start of it. [01:49:09] But they also are going to earmark $2.5 million for trails and just see if we can maybe somehow [01:49:17] hook the city and the things that we're doing in the city out to Starkey and I think Starkey [01:49:21] will end up hooking into the northern corridor that will get us all the way out to Dade City. [01:49:28] So let's see if we can get some help from our side on the monies that's going to be [01:49:35] available. [01:49:36] It's the first thing that TDC has kind of all got on the same board because people want [01:49:42] stuff in the east, people want stuff in the central, people want stuff in the west. [01:49:46] And so we finally found something that we all kind of agree on, it's this trails type [01:49:51] of thing. [01:49:52] So biking, it's only $2.5 million so I don't know where it's all going to go, but the [01:49:58] old railroad station in Dade City, they're going to try to revamp that and kind of be [01:50:02] a headquarters. [01:50:06] And then, I'm sorry I was in Savannah, but it was a lot of fun there this past weekend [01:50:12] and I guess I'm back for a while. [01:50:15] Other than that, that's all I have. [01:50:18] Thank you. [01:50:19] Councilman Starkey. [01:50:21] Soccer season started Saturday so I was not able to attend the Hacienda during the day [01:50:25] but I was there Friday night and it was really cool. [01:50:27] It was kind of neat to be there Friday because it wasn't quite as crowded and every time [01:50:30] I tour with Mario we tend to find some new little crevice or hidden room that I hadn't [01:50:36] been in the previous time. [01:50:37] So everyone that was there Friday really, really enjoyed it and then I passed twice [01:50:41] going back and forth to the soccer game Saturday morning and Saturday afternoon and the whole [01:50:45] parking lot was packed. [01:50:46] So just an incredible turnout and what a way to bring the community together. [01:50:49] So it was just a great idea, great planning and it went off having the old photographs [01:50:54] and the old menus and just everything spread out throughout the building made it kind of [01:50:59] got people a visual of what we're kind of hoping to do with it and bring it back to [01:51:05] its grandiose 1920s theme. [01:51:08] I hope we can do it and I hope the investors are going to work with us and put the money [01:51:11] in that needs to be put in and get it back where it needs to be. [01:51:16] Also that same evening, Mario took me over to Tampa Bay Multimedia. [01:51:20] I'd never been in there. [01:51:21] I remember teasing them about the rent price we were giving them for the back of the incubator [01:51:24] but if y'all have not been there, stop by. [01:51:26] I mean, what a facility and they're out of space. [01:51:29] They need more space already. [01:51:30] I mean, it's unbelievable. [01:51:31] It's just taken off. [01:51:32] It's just really, the owner, what's his name? [01:51:35] John. [01:51:36] What a sharp individual and a nice fellow he is and he's just on top of things and I [01:51:40] was just so impressed with that facility. [01:51:42] And last but not least, my thoughts and prayers go out to Susan's family. [01:51:46] You know, I know her old family, her daughters I went to high school with, grew up in the [01:51:50] neighborhood. [01:51:51] Jamie actually works here and to Dave and her sisters and all her family, she's just [01:51:55] a phenomenal person. [01:51:56] She's going to be deeply, deeply missed and she loved Newport, she just loved it, so. [01:52:01] Thank you and a special thank you to Carl Orth for putting the Hacienda Tour on the [01:52:09] Tribune TV or what do you call that, Carl? [01:52:13] The Suncoast News website slash YouTube channel. [01:52:20] Okay, so if you didn't get a chance to tour, there's a very good video. [01:52:27] I just want to think, I think Mario's head is going to be about this big after Friday. [01:52:32] I think there's a big economic development article going to be in the Tampa Bay Times.

   This text was generated automatically from the meeting video. It is not a verbatim or official record. For exact wording, consult the video or the city clerk.

4. 4Adjournment▶ 1:52:40