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OPENPUBLICA · PUBLIC MEETING RECORD

Record of Proceedings

Hillsborough County BOCC Regular Meeting – September 16, 2026

Hillsborough County Archive View Page — Wednesday, September 16, 2026

BodyHillsborough County, Florida

SessionHillsborough County Archive View Page

DateWednesday, September 16, 2026

StatusFILED

Video Record

0:00 / 3:01:42

Transcript — VerbatimClick a timed line to jump · ⧉ to share it

0:14

Most people today and trained I are gonna sit here and say that this owner starved her dogs.

0:18

We're gonna head up to that dog call right now.

0:20

We'll go out, we'll assess the situation.

0:22

I mean, look at that.

0:23

These dogs look like garbage.

0:24

I mean, that's just like did you see those facts through there?

0:27

She was very upset about losing all of her cats.

0:30

Uh, she she called me up uh a few times in tears.

0:33

I need my photos.

0:34

I need to be able to paint this picture for the judge so that he sees what I see.

2:09

Welcome to a meeting of your Hillsborough County Board of County Commissioners.

2:14

Representing District One, Harry Cohen.

2:20

Representing District Two, Ken Hagen, representing District Three, Gwen Myers.

2:30

Representing District Four, Christine Miller.

2:35

Representing District Five, Donna Cameron Cepeda.

2:40

Representing District Six, Chris Bowles.

2:45

Representing District 7, Joshua Wolstall.

2:49

The County Administrator is Bonnie Wise.

2:54

The County Attorney is Julia Mandel.

2:58

Time is set aside at the beginning of each meeting for citizens to speak on any issue.

3:03

So we have time for everyone.

3:05

Speakers are asked to limit their comments to three minutes.

3:10

Today's meeting is brought to you with closed captioning by Hillsborough Television.

3:19

Good morning and welcome to September 16, 2026 regularly scheduled board meeting of the Hillsborough County Board of County Commissioners.

3:26

Would everyone please rise for the pledge and invocation given by our chaplain, Commissioner Gwynmyers.

3:43

With liberty and justice for all.

3:53

Thank you for our first responders.

3:56

Thank you for aligned the two organizations that's going to receive proclamations today.

4:19

He's given a total of 43 years of service as a public servant, but 20 years here in our county helping our citizens.

4:30

And that is Carl Harness.

4:37

Give him the strength, the fortitude to continue to do your will, your way, and we truly thank you for his service to the residents, to the county, to the county administration, and that he can have a successful retirement.

4:55

In your holy name I pray.

4:57

Amen.

5:01

Thank you, Commissioner Myers.

5:02

I appreciate you also recognizing uh Carl Harness.

5:06

He's been an outstanding public servant for over four decades, including over 20 in Hillsborough County.

5:12

He's been a just a great public servant and proud D2 resident.

5:18

Um I know Carl didn't want to be recognized, but uh Carl Godspeed brother, and um would you like to say a few words?

5:26

No pressure, but no.

5:30

I think all everyone personal.

5:50

It's not your first rodeo.

5:52

Come on.

5:53

I'd rather not have my back to the board.

5:55

But Mr.

5:56

Chair and Board, thank you for recognizing me.

6:00

It's been a true honor working for you and and the previous commissions before then.

6:05

I would say it's been, you know, my grateful honor to work under the leadership of Bonnie Wise and to the rest of the county family, all the folks that I've worked with over the years, and particularly I'd like to throw a shout out to my human services team for just their dedication and their steadfast.

6:25

Uh there's dead fast um there's dead fast um oh god, I'm I'm I'm missing words, uh, just a dedication towards serving the underserved.

6:35

Uh, I think a lot of times, people we feel that you know our are um you caught me off guard with the speaking thing.

6:46

We we feel that our that our um that are um wow that are um that were underappreciated sometimes, and I always tell my crew every night that you can go home and look at the mirror, look in the mirror and say that you've touched someone that day you've done a good job, and not too many opportunities, not too many career paths and opportunities give us the you know, give us the wherewithal to be able to say that on a daily basis.

7:16

So my 20 years here have been great.

7:19

Thank you for the recognition.

7:21

Uh I always say it's all it's always about the people and not the place.

7:26

And you know, I will miss you.

7:27

And again, thank you.

7:33

Thank you, Carl, for that uh those heartfelt words.

7:36

I've I've always said that um the most gratifying part of this job is when you can meaningfully impact someone's life, and it's not the sexy things that might get in the press and and people you know talked about, but it's when you can positively and meaningfully impact someone's life.

7:51

That's what makes the job worthwhile, whether it's from a from um staff perspective or an elective perspective.

7:56

So again, uh we thank you for all your service and um we wish you well and godspeed.

8:03

Okay, so with that, we've got two um special proclamations to present uh this morning.

Discussion Breakdown — Share of Meeting

Tourism██████████10%

Animal Welfare████████8%

Procedural███████7%

Miscellaneous███████7%

Transportation Planning███████7%

Cultural Funding███████7%

Procurement Process███████7%

Public Comment██████6%

Intergovernmental Agreements██████6%

Summary of Proceedings

Hillsborough County Board of County Commissioners Regular Meeting – September 16, 2026

The Hillsborough County Board of County Commissioners convened on September 16, 2026, at 9:00 a.m. The meeting included proclamations, public comments, a consent agenda, and several discussion items covering the Community Investment Tax (CIT) Phase IV project list, an interlocal agreement with the University of South Florida (USF), updates on the Riverview Community Plan and Selmon Expressway extension, the 2027 Annual Audit Plan, Sheriff's Office camera program reports, a public-private partnership with ZooTampa, an interlocal agreement with the Hillsborough Soil and Water Conservation District, school impact fee exemptions for farm worker housing, a feasibility study on reinstating the cone of silence, and an owner's representative agreement for the Tampa Bay Rays ballpark.

Consent Calendar

Approved 7-0: Consent agenda including routine approvals and contracts. Commissioner Boles noted documentation concerns regarding Item A-8 (NAACP agreement) but confirmed staff monitoring on a reimbursement basis.

Public Comments & Testimony

Tom Cobert expressed support for the USF CIT projects and ZooTampa partnership.
Sergeant Doss (veteran) requested an audit line for county-funded court functions and raised due process concerns.
John Green opposed the NAACP funding agreement (Item A-8), alleging violations of school property policies and electioneering rules.
Bishop Michelle Patty requested due diligence and audits for the NAACP contract, noting past non-performance.
Hannah Lamport raised concerns about threatening rhetoric toward commissioners during previous public comments, calling for a clear line against intimidation.
Annette (virtual) echoed concerns about threats and asked for standards to prevent intimidation.
Tamir Ben David (virtual) defended Israeli businesses and rejected genocide accusations against Israel.
Catherine (IAC director) emphasized the need for factual discourse and youth leadership programs.
Don Shimmer (virtual) expressed fear after recent comments and asked the board to address intimidation.
Alon Giovanni (virtual) urged the board to focus on county budget criteria rather than international politics.
Catherine Vickers requested traffic safety improvements (speed tables or reduced speed limit) for Park Creek neighborhood in Riverview.
Dr. Betsy Covell advocated for a new pet resource center (PRC), citing inadequate funding (56 cents per resident vs. $6.43 in Pinellas) and cruel conditions (no A/C for dogs).
John Marinello criticized delays on the animal shelter, linking it to $800 million allocated for the Rays stadium, and questioned why funds were not available.
Ann Malone asked for clarity on FY27 budget for PRC, noting one washing machine for 450+ animals and no A/C.
Amy Summers requested full funding for a new PRC with central heat and air, describing volunteer experiences during 115°F heat index.

Discussion Items

D-1 & B-1 (10:00 a.m.) – CIT Phase IV Public Hearing & USF Interlocal Agreement: The board conducted a public hearing on adding three projects to the Phase IV CIT list: Fletcher District Transportation Improvement, Sheriff's Infrastructure Maintenance, and Sheriff's IT & Communications Equipment. One speaker (Tom Cobert) supported. The board then approved both the resolution adding the projects (7-0) and the $24 million interlocal agreement with USF for infrastructure improvements related to the Fletcher District development (7-0).
F-2 (10:15 a.m.) – Riverview Community Plan & THEA Selmon Expressway Extension Update: Planning Commission and Tampa Hillsborough Expressway Authority (THEA) presented updates. Over 225 participants in community meetings, 1,300 survey responses. Top priorities: transportation/connectivity, infrastructure, recreation/environment. THEA extended the project to Sun City (SR 674). Traffic analysis shows deteriorating conditions; planning timeline targets FY29 program development. The report was received without a vote.
B-2 (10:30 a.m.) – 2027 Annual Audit Plan: County Internal Auditor presented the risk-based plan, approved by the Audit Committee. Board approved 7-0.
B-3 & B-4 (10:45 a.m.) – Sheriff's Camera Program Annual Reports:
- Red Light Camera Program (July 2025–July 2026): 22,097 notices of violation (NOVs) issued; 13,799 paid; $2,180,002.15 total revenue; $1,039,199.90 retained by County. Approved 7-0.
- School Speed Zone Camera Program: 154,262 NOVs issued; 103,338 paid; total revenue $10,334,600; distributed among public safety, school district, crossing guard program, vendor, etc. Approved 7-0.
F-1 – Soil and Water Conservation District Interlocal Agreement: Commissioner Boles moved to authorize negotiations for an ILA with performance measures, citing hidden costs ($30K technology, $99K maintenance, plus legal fees). Seconded. Board approved 7-0.
G-1 – Options for Removing School Impact Fees for Farm Worker Housing: Staff presented options; H2A farm worker housing has no school-age children. The Agricultural Economic Development Council endorsed. Board approved 7-0 to adopt Option 1: non-assessment of school impact fees for H2A-only projects.
G-2 & F-3 (11:00 a.m.) – ZooTampa Capital Funding Proposal & Partnership:
- Staff presented ZooTampa's $75 million county funding request (matched 1:1, total $150 million) for expansion and habitat renovations. Other capital requests ($90 million total) from Florida Aquarium, Glazer Children's Museum, Straz Center, History Center, Tampa Theatre were noted.
- Commissioner Hagan recommended a formal process for all cultural institutions. Commissioner Wostal moved to receive the report only (substitute motion). That motion carried 5-2 (Hagan and Cohen dissenting).
- Immediately after, Commissioner Wostal moved to finalize the public-private partnership with ZooTampa (F-3), directing staff to finalize the contract and schedule a CIT public hearing. Motion carried 4-3 (Hagan, Cohen, Myers dissenting).
G-3 – Feasibility of Reinstating the Cone of Silence Framework: Staff presented options. Commissioner Myers moved to reinstate the pre-2023 framework (starts at bid issuance, ends at award). Motion failed 3-4. Board then voted 7-0 to receive the report.
A-6 – Interlocal Agreement with Tampa Sports Authority for Owner's Representative Services: Removed from consent. Commissioner Wostal questioned advancing funds ($300,000 initially) from county general fund reserves before other ballpark agreements were finalized, noting no clawback if the project fails. Commissioner Cohen supported, citing value engineering. Approved 5-2 (Cameron Cepeda and Wostal dissenting).

Key Outcomes

Approved: CIT Phase IV project additions (7-0); USF interlocal agreement (7-0); 2027 Annual Audit Plan (7-0); Sheriff's red light camera report (7-0); Sheriff's school speed zone report (7-0); ILA negotiations with Soil and Water Conservation District (7-0); exemption of school impact fees for H2A farm worker housing (7-0); ZooTampa public-private partnership (4-3); TSA owner's representative agreement (5-2).
Received: Riverview Community Plan/THEA update; ZooTampa capital funding report; cone of silence feasibility report.
Failed: Motion to reinstate prior cone of silence framework (3-4).
Future Items: Commissioner Miller requested quarterly updates on Pet Resource Center facility improvements, evaluation of unallocated HOPE funds for PRC, and quarterly updates on Lithia Pinecrest Road widening/corridor improvements.

Meeting Transcript

Most people today and trained I are gonna sit here and say that this owner starved her dogs. We're gonna head up to that dog call right now. We'll go out, we'll assess the situation. I mean, look at that. These dogs look like garbage. I mean, that's just like did you see those facts through there? She was very upset about losing all of her cats. Uh, she she called me up uh a few times in tears. I need my photos. I need to be able to paint this picture for the judge so that he sees what I see. Welcome to a meeting of your Hillsborough County Board of County Commissioners. Representing District One, Harry Cohen. Representing District Two, Ken Hagen, representing District Three, Gwen Myers. Representing District Four, Christine Miller. Representing District Five, Donna Cameron Cepeda. Representing District Six, Chris Bowles. Representing District 7, Joshua Wolstall. The County Administrator is Bonnie Wise. The County Attorney is Julia Mandel. Time is set aside at the beginning of each meeting for citizens to speak on any issue. So we have time for everyone. Speakers are asked to limit their comments to three minutes. Today's meeting is brought to you with closed captioning by Hillsborough Television. Good morning and welcome to September 16, 2026 regularly scheduled board meeting of the Hillsborough County Board of County Commissioners. Would everyone please rise for the pledge and invocation given by our chaplain, Commissioner Gwynmyers. With liberty and justice for all. Thank you for our first responders. Thank you for aligned the two organizations that's going to receive proclamations today. He's given a total of 43 years of service as a public servant, but 20 years here in our county helping our citizens. And that is Carl Harness. Give him the strength, the fortitude to continue to do your will, your way, and we truly thank you for his service to the residents, to the county, to the county administration, and that he can have a successful retirement. In your holy name I pray. Amen. Thank you, Commissioner Myers. I appreciate you also recognizing uh Carl Harness. He's been an outstanding public servant for over four decades, including over 20 in Hillsborough County. He's been a just a great public servant and proud D2 resident. Um I know Carl didn't want to be recognized, but uh Carl Godspeed brother, and um would you like to say a few words? No pressure, but no. I think all everyone personal. It's not your first rodeo. Come on. I'd rather not have my back to the board. But Mr. Chair and Board, thank you for recognizing me. It's been a true honor working for you and and the previous commissions before then. I would say it's been, you know, my grateful honor to work under the leadership of Bonnie Wise and to the rest of the county family, all the folks that I've worked with over the years, and particularly I'd like to throw a shout out to my human services team for just their dedication and their steadfast. Uh there's dead fast um there's dead fast um oh god, I'm I'm I'm missing words, uh, just a dedication towards serving the underserved. Uh, I think a lot of times, people we feel that you know our are um you caught me off guard with the speaking thing. We we feel that our that our um that are um wow that are um that were underappreciated sometimes, and I always tell my crew every night that you can go home and look at the mirror, look in the mirror and say that you've touched someone that day you've done a good job, and not too many opportunities, not too many career paths and opportunities give us the you know, give us the wherewithal to be able to say that on a daily basis.

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