GAC Chair Rick Goldstein introduced Johnny Wong, executive director of Hillsborough Transportation Planning Organization (TPO), and Elizabeth Watkins, executive planner for Plan Hillsborough at the May VMs meeting.
Wong gave a brief presentation about the purpose of the TPO and explained that at the suggestion of the state legislature, staff members were investigating the possibility of merging with the TPOs of Pinellas and Pasco counties to create a regional organization.
Watkins mentioned that the Hillsborough Transit Authority (HART) is conducting a survey of county residents as they explore reconfiguring current bus routes. Plan Hillsborough has also released a survey about the possibility of having a Brightline high-speed rail system in the Tampa Bay area. She encouraged the VMs to complete both surveys.
Wycliff VM Theresa Lanzar asked how a newly created regional TPO would ensure that funding was distributed fairly across the three counties. Wong said the distribution would be based on population.
Dawn Gingrich, VM for The Bridges, asked why the bus route that used to run down Linebaugh no longer existed. Watkins told her that there were insufficient funds to keep all routes running, and HART focused on the areas with the greatest need.
WCA President Michiel Oostenbrink asked whether Watkins knew when Linebaugh Avenue would be repaved within the boundaries of Westchase and if anything could be done to hasten the process. The county looks at the condition of the pavement and how many calls they get about particular roads, she replied. She added that the county commissioners also have some input. Radcliffe VM Eric Holt said he’d reached out to county officials who told him Linebaugh was 47th in line. Watkins told Oostenbrink that she’d look into the matter and follow up with him.
Holt reported that the Document Review Committee recently held their seventh meeting and had completed their initial review of the CCRs. After soliciting feedback from residents, the committee received between 50 to 60 suggestions for changes. He said the committee planned to review each suggestion individually.
Holt asked the VMs for input on two issues that had come up during committee meetings. The first was whether residents should continue to be permitted to serve as both VMs and board members. Holt held a straw poll, and the majority of VMs raised their hands to indicate that they should be allowed to do so.
The second question was whether homeowners should be able to keep portable sports equipment outside throughout the week. A minority of VMs voted in favor of doing so. Holt indicated that the committee would no longer pursue either issue based on the VMs’ feedback.
Goldstein reminded the VMs that the county was holding a public meeting about the proposed Linebaugh crosswalk on May 20. He expressed dissatisfaction with the format of the meeting, which would not allow for public discussion; instead, attendees would move through various stations where they could ask questions of county officials. Residents wishing to express concerns would need to do so in writing, explained Goldstein.
Several VMs asked whether anything could be done to stop the crosswalk. Goldstein recommended that as many residents as possible attend the meeting. He assured them that the GAC was in contact with county commissioners and other officials in an effort to communicate the community’s opposition to the project.
Goldstein reminded the VMs that Sheriff Chad Chronister would be at the June meeting and he had invited District 7 County Commissioner Josh Wostal, County Administrator Bonnie Wise, and Assistant County Administrator Kim Byers to attend separate VM meetings in the fall. Holt pointed out that Goldstein had not yet sought approval from the VMs to extend those invitations and expressed frustration that the GAC chair was not complying with the recent motion requiring him to do so.
Goldstein insisted that he had submitted the list of potential guest speakers, and Oostenbrink and Holt said that he had not. Goldstein then told the VMs he would rescind all of the invitations and that he would no longer have public officials attend their meetings. Oostenbrink stressed that that was not the purpose of the policy, and urged Goldstein to reconsider. Goldstein agreed to send an updated list to the VMs for consideration.
Oostenbrink then turned his attention to the question of whether there would be negative ramifications if Westchase opted to discontinue having lifeguards on duty at community pools. He said they reached out to their insurance agent who assured them that there would be no difference in premiums without lifeguards as long as proper signage was in place.
Christine Hennes, VM for The Enclave, urged her fellow VMs to consider all that lifeguards do in addition to watching swimmers in the pool. They open and close the facilities, regulate pool chemicals, keep the grounds and bathrooms clean, and more, she continued. Goldstein shared a number of statistics about drownings and argued that parents and grandparents aren’t properly trained to keep children safe while swimming. Westchase is the only community that GPI manages that has lifeguards, Lanzar stated. Waterchase, for example, has pool monitors but no lifeguards, she added. Mary Griffin, VM for the Single Family Homes of WPV, asked whether the issue could be put on the June agenda. She shared that she was curious to know how much money the community could save by not having lifeguards. The VMs voted in favor of adding the issue to the June agenda.