[music playing]
Mayor Demings: Good afternoon everyone.
Let me welcome all of you back to the Orange County Budget
Commission on July 16th, 2026.
We are now in the afternoon portion
and we will now reconvene as the Orange County Community
Redevelopment Agency commonly known as the OBTCRA.
I'm going to call on Vanessa Pinkney.
She will be coming forward and presenting this item
this afternoon.
After her presentation we will call
members of the board for any questions or comments.
>> Good afternoon, Mayor Demings, administrator Brooks,
commissioners.
I am Vanessa Pinkney manager of the OBTCRA.
Today I will be presenting to you a proposed budget for Fiscal
year 2026-27 for the OBTCRA.
It's going to give you an overview of the OBTCRA, Where
we are and then I will propose the requested action.
Very quickly, the OBTCRA was established in 1994
an initial 30 year term.
That 30 year term was not very productive
and so that term has been extended another 30 years
to the year 2049.
The updated CRA plan is under final review.
We just have to go to the LBCRA for review
and then that will be brought to you for final approval.
As you know the BCC is managed by the OBTCRA.
These are the current Board of Directors.
We have several board of directors.
3 or 4 live in the neighborhood.
Some work within the neighborhood
and we have of course Commissioner Michael Scott
serves on our board, as well.
The OBTCRA area encompasses 759 acres.
37% of those are in the county and you will see that
on the map in the orange and 63% encompasses the city of Orlando.
Boundaries are from colonial to I-4 bounded on the east and west
by Rio Grande and Westmoreland Drive.
And now to get into the project updates of where we've
been since we last saw you and spoken
with you this current year we have
been able to make significant roadway improvements
to West Central Boulevard from Westmoreland to Rio Grande.
Total investment from CRA was $355,000.
That project is 100% complete.
We did that with the city of Orlando
and we are currently working with Orange County Public Works
Division who is going to manage the installation of a new mast
arm at OBT and Michigan.
The CRA investment is $877,000 and simply put,
they have let me know that they have ordered the structure.
They are simply waiting for it to arrive
and it will be installed.
We are continuing to work on residential development.
We work on areas of redevelopment.
We work on -- we are working on new development.
We work on renovating current properties.
And so with that, we are still in partnership
with habitat for humanity.
We are moving along.
We have an agreement.
This board has transferred four of those CRA properties
to habitat to begin that building from to begin building
on those sites.
That was the four and the survey plans have been completed
and concept plans are underway.
What you see is a very rudimentary concept plan
and what is great about this concept
is not only do we want to bring affordable housing,
but we are working with habitat to elevate
the design of the projects and we
want to offer a sampling of different types of housing.
We have some townhomes.
We have a small cluster of cottage homes
and we have a few duplexes.
Right now, we are estimating approximately 23 new homes
planned for that area of Holden Heights and that is on Woods
Avenue between 22nd Street and 24th Street.
So it is two blocks of new development there.
And again, just briefly going over our renovation of homes,
we have a partnership with Rebuilding Together
Central Florida.
We've worked with them for the last 2 or 3 years.
This year the CRA has invested $126,000 to update six owner
occupied homes within the CRA.
As you can see here, this is a before and after of a roof.
We have a number of homeowners who just are not
able to bring their homes up to the standard
and make that level of repair and so
through that partnership we are able to help our residents
stay in their homes, be able to afford
and be able to even acquire insurance.
So that is very important to us, that we are here
for our legacy residents permit this is just
a little more snapshot but you can see it is
a massive change in the before.
This is the same kitchen.
That was renovated.
In the middle you will see there was a terrible water leak.
There was mold.
There was a lot of things going on.
So the kitchen remodel and the plumbing repair and to the right
there you see a very usable, very nice looking kitchen
and again, we are very proud and very happy again
to support our residents who have been here
and who are doing the very best that they can sometimes
with a very limited income.
So we are able to help them and finally we
show you a little bathroom conversion
because we do have a lot of our residents are aging in place.
They want to stay in their homes and to be able to take out
the bathtubs and replace them with a shower and the ability
to -- chairs in different things that they can be able
to continue to bathe themselves and take care of themselves
in their own homes.
So that is very important to us.
One of our great successes this year
has actually been the implementation
of the commercial development.
The CRA has completed a business development grant
program for a small businesses along the Orange Blossom Trail.
They range anywhere from $1,000 to $100,000,
which is within our purview of being able to approve.
Today we have -- at the time of the presentation was made,
we had eight local businesses and had awarded about 735 000.
To date we have about 3 or 4 more
so we are nearer to the million dollar mark
and we've had some great success stories.
We have some local businesses that
have already been put in place.
We are encouraging new businesses to come to the area
to incentivize them to come to the area and like on the Right,
we have the Lager House .
Some of you have visited that business.
And most importantly they have the Canning
they were sending over to Lakeland to be done.
With the help of this grant they were
able to bring that Canning here locally
and so to expand on what we are able to offer our community.
It's a good thing.
And here is a few more of other grant recipients.
We have a young man who does a V --
AV storytelling and helps with marketing.
We have Sweetie's ice cream.
Formerly.
They've completely renovated and it gets a lot of activity.
Especially with this heat we are having.
I think everybody is very interested in having
a little ice cream.
And there on the right side we have Orlando City Deli.
One of their issues was they did not
have seating in their establishment
so people double down it was a take and order online
or take and go but there is a lot
of people who work in that area and sometimes
they just want to come and sit down, relax, have something.
So they've added new furnishings and new equipment
so they can provide more offerings in there hoping
to expand that business in the future
but for now this does give them more than they
were able to offer before.
And now we will move into the proposed budget for fiscal year
2026 -27.
This is a layout showing the fund
revenue contributions from Orange County at 1.5 million.
City of Orlando 1.3 giving us a subtotal.
It shows the interest that is earned
from the monies in the CRA Trust Fund.
The 5% statutory deduction.
That is mandatory through the CRA,
and the cash brought forward.
So we had a lot of rollover because a lot of our funds
are allocated.
We have some projects in the pipeline
but they aren't short term.
Some of them are not short term projects
so we are holding on to those.
For that.
And so that shows a balanced budget presented to you today
of $8,306,175 and now we will show you a breakdown of how we
have allocated those funds.
We have a couple of neighborhood enhancement projects
that we will continue to maintain.
Those are a retention pond that we keep as an amenity
and that is directly behind the homes
we are building on Woods Avenue and we also
have entryway features that we are updating
and we will continue to maintain those.
So total neighborhood enhancements are 800 $0.
The Woods Avenue construction, we've talked to this board
before about the portion of Woods Avenue near Miller
that was partially completed but we want to turn that
into a complete street so we have
been able to acquire some right of way from the business owner
there and we are currently working with the City of Orlando
on the drainage so instead of it being an open drainage ditch,
it's going to be closed drainage so the planning is
being done for that.
We also have the actual construction of the roadway.
So we are starting to set funds aside
as construction costs increase.
Started off as maybe $700,000 is probably going to be roughly $2
million when we get there but we would just set aside and we will
just phase the funding in .
Roadway maintenance of OBT from I-4 to colonial is ongoing.
We have a $350,000 contract with the maintenance crew.
They do a very good job at keeping the trash cans empty,
keeping the rubbish off of the roadway trimming the grass
and keeping the trees -- sometimes there may be trees
from other properties that hang over the sidewalk.
Keeping the crack weeds -- the weeds in the sidewalk cracks .
Cleaning the trash cans and bus shelters.
Those types of things.
So while we aren't able to make a whole lot of improvements
and we aren't able to install landscaping again,
it really does go a long way with cleaning the area keeping
the area tidy and nice and we have seen other business owners
come out and start to make improvements on their property .
Just be inspired by it looking cleaner and seeing
that there is investment into their community
and it causes them to kind of step up.
We have a sidewalk maintenance and repair A $50,000
because sidewalks are an ongoing issue for us sometimes.
They raise.
They crack permit different things
and we need to have some money set aside
so we can address those as quickly as possible
to avoid any kind of safety issues.
Street light maintenance permit the maintenance along that
corridor along the CRA is maintained by oh you see and we
pay them about $13,000 to be then On our behalf.
We have the mural program.
We are working with Orange County staff
and we understand there is a process.
We are working on agreements with the artists about three
locations.
We recently learned we are going to be partnering with Westlake
District because they have a mural program so we learned
yesterday how we could leverage so we could expand the program
and it really is to beautify the area and encourage the residents
and encourage people to come and have a reason to come to OBT
Because unfortunately OBT still does struggle with a stigma.
With the mural program it may give an opportunity
and then we can create you know hey come to OBT
and see all the murals we have here program.
It can be a destination of sorts.
Then the hardscape program looking at a way we
can beautify our buildings and bring some color to the area.
Our residential development projects total $4.2 million.
We have a potential multifamily housing
project that has been proposed to the Development Board.
We are reviewing that.
They have a financial gap and they are
requesting that we assist them.
As you know the job of a CRA is to remove slum and blight.
This is the former parliament property
that has been vacant for some time now
and I know we've had discussions.
We would like to see something happen.
This will be the largest project for the CRA
if the board decides to approve an incentive For this project.
We have money set aside for marketing and communication.
We need to market the CRA.
People don't understand what the CRA is.
Time and time again on a state level
they don't think CRAs are being utilized properly.
We need to show them what we are really doing .
We are dealing with roadway improvements.
Lighting.
Safety issues.
Renovations.
There is so much that we are doing
and we need to be able to get that
out and let the community know.
We have money set aside for crime prevention.
We have 368,000 towards administration.
So our subtotal of planned expenditures
are a little over $7 million.
We continue to maintain future capital outlay for any
additional projects that will come on and the total proposed
funding for the year is $8,306,175.
Here is a categorization of the same numbers we just
went through breaking them down into the categories
we used with OMB.
>> How long have you been with the OBT cra now?
>> Next month is 35 years.
>> She's been with them a long time now.
Since the inception?
>> Not quite since the inception.
>> And so with the administration costs how many
employees do you have?
There are four.
And the building that you all work out of you
own that building?
>> We lease.
>> Okay.
I'm going to go to Commissioner Wilson
and she will be followed by Commissioner Gomes Cordeiro
and Commissioner Scott.
>> Thank you so much.
I agree with you about CRAs being
something that is a confusing topic to the public.
Understanding your experience in the community
you are working in what would be the best way for us to try
to make sure we are describing it in educating and inviting
people to the conversation about the function of CRAs?
>> In the part of the plan where we have worked with local
businesses we did create little commercials and snapshots.
We are using those on social media.
We are going to put those all on YouTube.
Some of the younger folks have told me
all about Geotag dropping.
I was still learning but it will help people who are obviously
going to events in the area and targeting
those people at that time to let them know I don't you
stop at the lager house after an event
or stop by Sweetie's for a little ice cream
after this event that you currently have.
Between YouTube and social media and we've
even talked about maybe a billboard or so.
They have more support and are bringing more volunteer support
than our five men staff can provide
so they are using relationships with people
who are very well grounded and connected in that community.
>> Awesome.
I have to say that I like the missing middle
project that you have.
Very good.
And then my other question is, in slide number 17,
you mentioned the mural program and I
like what you Said about letting others now what CRA is.
Where are you doing this project?
>> We have one at 28th and Michigan.
It is a mechanic shop and so it is one wall facing there.
I think one of the more exciting ones is --
I can't remember the actual address
but there is a driving school and they
have two walls that kind of have a V shape
and the V kind of points toward OBT
so we will be able to utilize two walls
and we are hoping to make something very impactful there.
That driving school I think is 160 Driving Academy.
What they do there is they train 18 wheelers to drive.
They use that whole interior.
They take them out on the road eventually
but they use that interior and they have a very large space
and they are super excited about having something very
eye catching and we know about it is not
going to be signage for them.
Is going to be something that is beautiful
and something that either resembles
the history of OBT, orange County or something like that.
But we don't want anything graffiti looking.
We want high level, beautiful murals
because again out there it is pretty much gray on gray.
Gray road.
Gray concrete.
>> Awesome.
Yes.
Okay and my last question is on the other slide, which
is the proposed project, I wanted
to ask you on the administration Line
368 that includes the staff and leasing of your renting
your office?
It does include it in this?
Okay.
>> Our administrative budget is made up of two different
resources so CRA as well as our MSTU.
That's not our complete budget but CRA
does pay the largest portion.
>> Got it.
Thank you so much.
>> Commissioner Scott.
>> Thank you for the presentation.
I don't have any questions.
Just some points to highlight for the board.
The grants that we've done over the past year or so
have really allowed these small businesses
in and around the area to grow.
Some of them were home based businesses.
Some of them had challenges that they could not overcome
and so we have seen in the instance of Orlando Brewery,
City Deli right across the street from Orlando Police
Department, Darkmaster bringing pallets
just the change in their business
and the ability to contribute to the community
and sometime soon I think we are still working on the timeline
because we went for some state funding
with the Desire Foundation.
You will see a micro grocery that
will help address some of the food insecurities and the food
desert in and around the community.
The Desire Foundation right there across from the Health
department and the birth certificate office of Vital
statistics does usually monthly --
I can't describe it as a food drive
because there is so much more.
There is clothes.
There is Pampers.
There is air freshener.
Everything you need.
Haircuts to help these communities
and so it's been a great joy working with OBT next CRA
and we've been able to do some good and amazing things
and as she shared today when you look at the housing
opportunities that we'll be able to provide it's just amazing.
Like I said, we've had our challenges
trying to figure out what is the best need for those
in and around the community and it has been phenomenal.
So Vanessa, I appreciate you and your team.
I have no questions.
We talked quite frequently so thank you for the work you
and your team do.
>> Commissioner Semrad.
>> Thank you.
Thank you Vanessa.
You are only involved with this CRA right?
So I tried to look up quickly and I
think we have a CRA for Orlando Eatonville Winter Park alpaca
Winter garden Oakland Maitland.
Did I miss any?
High drive and Oakland is not?
Okay.
So we have multiple that go across the county
and I think you are right.
Advertising the CRA is difficult to do
because it has concepts that we don't normally
talk about on a regular day so therefore
into people so from what I understand from a is that when
people agree to come in to one it basically freezes
the taxable base value right?
So it freezes it there and then any incremental increase goes
into paying for improvements?
>> Within that same boundary area.
>> And so it can be affordable housing.
It can be streetscapes.
It can be infrastructure.
It can be all sorts of great aspects
that make our community stronger, more
resilient and more flourishing.
So how much of your CRA is funded by property taxes?
Do you know?
That's what I'm trying to get.
Yes.
It's not a trick question.
>> So property taxes is the revenue source for CRAs.
Are you asking me that residential question
again or just in general?
>> None of this is a trick question.
Do you by chance know how much is residential
and how much is commercial in your area?
>> I do not.
>> Okay but both are impacted because with residential
and with our commercial there is a cap --
>> We definitely have more commercial that comes in.
What we have noticed is a continued increase
comes a lot from the warehousing in that area.
>> And so if we lose that taxable income,
what happens to your CRA and all the projects like the affordable
housing and the infrastructure and the streetscapes
and everything that goes into redeveloping this area
to a place that people are proud to live in and contribute to?
>> Like everyone else we will have cutbacks but fortunately we
are able to apply sometimes for state funding for different
areas, so we will seek funding from wherever we can but we are
prepared to make some cutbacks if we have to on maybe projects
going forward.
We may not be able to reach double our reach might not
be as far as we would like it to be before 2049.
>> I just also really want to say that when we talk about
a CRA in certain areas they're done to redevelop those areas
because they need that redevelopment and that taxable
value of those properties is -- it could be less a winter park
CRA I'm trying to say has a higher taxable value on property
so when the property tax reform hits we are going to see that
those CRAs still have a taxable base but they are going to be
others that are almost depleted to nothing and those are
our more vulnerable communities so we begin to talk about safety
issues.
We begin to talk about flooding issues.
We get to talk about roads that don't work any longer so I'm
concerned about the CRAs and their way to fund
and I think it's also just important
to note that most of your projects
are done through a bonding system.
Correct?
When you do projects you use >> We have not bonded anything.
>> You do no bonds?
That is good news because long term bonding doesn't impact it
but it still impacts you incredibly
in the short and mid-term where you lose a huge chunk of revenue
that is used to directly improve residents quality of life.
>> It very well could.
I think we are all just kind of waiting fingers crossed to see
what the residents decide.
>> I'm trying to get from you because you are an expert
in the CRA if there is one fact I could carry into the community
and say if this passes this is how it impacts you the most what
would you say to the people of the CRA that you represent?
>> For our CRA residents, because if this is passed
it's not going to just have an impact on CRA.
It's going to have an impact on all of us countywide.
The services are going to be needed
and we are going to pay for it one way or another
so if it is not through the property tax,
it's still going to have to be taken care of so again,
yes there are a lot of CRAs but I will tell you
the thing about the OBTCRA is that we are true to what
CRAs were created to do.
To eliminate slum and blight.
We have a lot of slum and blight and like I said,
the first 30 years I have seen our CRA tank twice
below the baseline.
So we adapt.
We do what we can with what we have and like I said,
we will utilize other opportunities.
And we are the only CRA in the state still
that is split between two different municipalities.
All those other CRAs that you referred to,
they are within different cities and so
how those cities will deal with it is one thing.
>> So what I just heard you say is that if this property tax
reform passes and CR is like yours are impacted,
we can expect to see in our community more slum and blight.
Is that correct?
>> That would be my assumption.
If we are not able to directly do what we've continued to do,
we will revert .
And opt and the mayor has been here.
I've known him the whole time I've been here
and he can tell you we know what OBT was before.
It may not be where we want it to be
but it is a whole lot better than it was before
and I would hate to see and I think
it would be very tragic for us to rewind
on some of those improvements that have been made
and the investments that have been made so I think it's
important that the constituents know not just within the CRA
area but that will impact us all over as a community.
>> Absolutely and to my colleagues on the board,
we all know tourism destinations that can be labeled with slum
and blight don't sell on an international marketplace
and across the country so I think that is something to be
conscious of, that the less of CRAs and funding can also impact
our local economy.
Thank you very much for all you do.
>> Commissioner Uribe.
>> Hey there.
I just had a few follow up questions.
Why are we trying to pursue tourist development
tax (Indistinct) and also have you
all pursued any of the Vision Zero?
I mean I live off of OBT so I travel all the time
and I see how bad the sidewalks are.
I've seen people in wheelchairs get stuck.
Have we actively pursued any Vision Zero funding from DOT?
>> No.
They do allocate a portion to us and I
have met with FDOT and FDOT has continued to add things
in the area and I have continued to challenge and look
at their budget because we are taking on a little more.
Every time they add more we are taking
on more to maintain so they are reviewing their budgets.
>> Have we pursued any actual grants because I know
there's grants out there for Vision Zero and we know that OBT
south of I-4 has gotten significant funding from dot.
I mean you've got crosswalks.
Lighted crosswalks.
Lights to stop people.
Who are you?
I would like to help with this so
knowing that I serve on the DOT board
I would like to help because you can't help but notice
the influx of more pedestrian walkers
north of I-4 and the fact that you can't even
safely go on the sidewalk in that area
knowing we have an active CRA, have we ever leveraged that?
Because with all these sidewalk fundings --
we were putting sidewalks where people didn't even want
sidewalks yet we can't fix your sidewalks.
It just doesn't make sense.
>> If you are talking within the CRA because it's state highway,
the state did come in and make some --
they have installed some sidewalks within the CRA area.
One of the issues within see a area is because the property
lines are so close to the road where there is not a lot of room
to expand the sidewalks or really do
the types of improvements that are needed to those sidewalks
but in terms of replacing them, they have replaced some.
We have replaced some.
We have added some decorative measures along the CRA.
Sidewalks but the CRA has definite
in terms of land that kind of impedes upon the sidewalks
there.
>> I'm not talking about expanding.
I'm just talking about the sidewalks you have right now.
The striping on the street.
Just basic stuff that is done all over the state of Florida.
Why is it not being done north of I-4?
I would like to know.
I'm going to host Secretary Purdue August here in Orlando
and we have a meeting coming up July 30th.
I would like to take this request directly
to Secretary Tyler because that just doesn't make any sense.
I see too many people walking.
I see too many kids.
Wheelchairs.
You name it and it doesn't make any sense.
It just seems like a different world once you go under I-4.
>> Yeah.
FDOT did last year make improvements to the sidewalks.
They refreshed the crosswalks.
So yeah but it would be interesting
and please include me.
>> If you could please follow up with my office.
Thanks.
>> Certainly.
>> All right.
You've got something else, Commissioner?
Okay.
That was the final question.
We do have an action item and we do see it before us at this time
and that Commissioner Scott serves on the CRA board.
We will entertain a motion from him.
>> Second Wilson.
>> We have a motion and a second.
All in favor let it be known by saying aye.
Opposed, no.
Motion passes and it is unanimous.
>> Thank you.
For all those I won't be able to see you
next time around I wish you all the best in mayor
I've appreciated working with you all these years through all
the different things we've done and one thing I can say
and I just want to say this real quick.
Has always remained the same.
He is accessible.
Always professional, kind and I really
appreciate working with you.
I have in my prayers with you.
Going back to really being a street
cop working narcotics and everything else
and all those other things.
It's come a long way.
With that, thank you all for your presence.
We're going to move to the next item on the agenda
for this afternoon.
We will now adjourn as the Orange County Community
Redevelopment Agency and reconvene
or convene as Orange County International Drive community
Redevelopment Agency governing board
and miss Krista Tereshinski assistant project
manager for neighborhood services
is going to lead us off this morning.
Welcome.
>> Thank you mayor.
You said that wonderfully.
I am here to present the international Drive Community
Redevelopment Agency.
Fiscal year budget work session.
Today's presentation will provide a background summary.
The redevelopment area and plan.
The program highlights the proposed fiscal year 2026 27
Budget Year Overview.
The CRA was completed in 1998 for a terms 30 years.
The original focus was improving transportation light
throughout the I-drive community but in 2021 the CRA plan
was updated to add four new focus areas including
affordable and attainable housing, economic development
community programs and beautification
and esthetics while still maintaining the transportation
initiatives.
You the Board of County Commissioners
serves as the governing board and we
have an advisory committee that was established
in 2002 to assist with determining
which projects move forward and how the funds are spent.
The advisory committee consists of seven representatives
starting with the 2026 chairperson Sarah Nemes
representing efficient transportation for the community
of Central Florida.
Vice chair Chris Mueller as the mayor's representative.
Carmen Peterson representing the University Boulevard Property
Owners Association.
Derek Baum representing the I-drive Resort Area Chamber
of Commerce.
Brian Small representing the I-drive Master Transit
and Improvement District.
Shirley Washington representing the Tangelo Park Civic
Association and our newest member
is Laura Kelly at large representative John.
Many of these advisory committees
are attending virtually and our business partners
in the audience are here to support their recommendations.
The redevelopment area consists of 7315 acres
surrounding International Drive and Universal Boulevard.
On the Western side the border is I-4.
On the north it staggers through the Orange County and City
of Orlando line with the exception
of the small area in gold, which was originally
part of Orange County but was annexed into the city of Orlando
in 2002.
On the eastern side north of 528 is Florida's Turnpike
and south of 528 the line staggers between International
Drive and the Williamsburg community.
To the south, Westwood Boulevard southern Lake.
The CRA plan helps to identify the focus areas, the intent
of each focus area and how the funding is distributed
amongst the different focus areas.
In 2021 in addition to adding the four new focus areas
we also added a funding cap of $22 million.
Any funds collected over $22 million
are then divided with 75% returning back
as a rebate to the general funds at the same percentage
in which it was collected.
The other 25% is added to the original $22 million
to remain with the CRA.
All while maintaining the sunset date of September 30th of 2028.
Program highlights since the inception
of the program include 20 transportation projects that
have either been completed or in progress
including the widening of Jean-Luc Parkway
and International Driveway.
We've had two new connections that
were very important to help international drive
motorists reach the major expressways more efficiently.
We have repaired 29 low income homes
with an investment of $3 million in the Tangelo Park community.
We have assisted over 800 employees to improve
their English skills .
We have constructed a new community center for the Tangelo
Park residents and install new wayfinding signs
throughout the CRA boundaries.
The proposed fiscal year 26-27 budget totals $156.1 million
which is a reduction of 35.8% over the current budget.
This is primarily due to the capital improvement projects.
This fiscal year we had a couple projects
that are in construction and had a larger amount of funds
whereas next year most of those projects
are in early design and planning phase
and have a lower funding need.
Under the transportation Focus area
we are requesting $22.3 million for the projects you see above
and we will review each one universally
starting with regional transit Connectivity project.
This is a project managed by Lynx
and funded through the I-drive CRA
to provide extended hours and an increased
frequency of the transit operations
in the I-drive corridor.
This project was brought to you by the commissioners who
found a lot of our employees start early in the morning
and go late beyond midnight and dark existing transit operations
not conducive to the hospitality industry.
By adding extended hours and increasing the frequency
we found that the employees are spending more time at work
making money or home with their families
rather than riding a bus.
We implemented the project in December of 2021
and we've had an increase in stop usage of over 50%
since that time and an average increase
in ridership of at least 12% on an annual basis.
The requested funds of $2.5 million
will continue the extended service to routes eight, 37, 42
next fiscal year.
The Kirkman Road extension was opened
and during this fiscal year we continued
to close out our punch list items
to prepare to transfer the road from maintenance to Orange
County.
The requested funds of $3 million
will be utilized for rebate that was already
determined as part of the roadway agreement that
is due one year after it turns over to maintenance permit just
south of Kirkland Road trade show Boulevard was originally
a two lane roadway designed just to carry freight
for the convention center's north south building
but as the Kirkland Road extension came down
south to Universal Boulevard it soon became evident
that we needed more than just a two lane road.
The requested project allows for two lanes
in each direction for general use, a dedicated transit
lane in the center all while maintaining
the freight lanes needed for the convention center.
We are currently finalizing design plans as 90%
and we plan to have those design plans
by the end of the fiscal year.
In addition we've worked with Duke Energy
to ensure that all of the improvements on trade Show
Boulevard has the least amount of impacts to the utilities
that were existing.
The requested funds of $5.7 million
will complete the permitting and mitigation stage
and allow us to repair the writing and mitigation easement
agreements with owners on either side of the road.
This also provides an important connection of transit
all the way from the city limits down south to the destination
Parkway and allows us to improve for the future areas
in the super stop that exists just south of Destination
Parkway.
The Tangelo Park pedestrian Traffic Calming program
has approved the replacement of bus shelters and trash
receptacles throughout the Tangelo Park neighborhood.
We heard from residents that the existing bus shelter
design was not conducive to what was needed.
A lot of the stops are very small
and the roof is very curved so that when it rains,
it funnels down on either side and leaves a very small area
in the center for people to stand and wait
for the bus shelters.
Links provided the amount of funds
that would be needed to redo those bus shelters that they
would have put forth toward the project and the CRA funded
the additional amount to replace them instead of just refurbish
them.
In addition, the neighborhood warranted speed radar signs
and in light speed limit markings
on the two main roadways.
The inline speed limit markings have been installed
but the speed radar signs are on backorder
and we anticipate those to be installed
by the end of the fiscal year.
The requested funds of $300,000 will be used to install
additional marked pedestrian crosswalks both near
the elementary school and on the main walkway between the Baptist
Church and the new community center we plan to open in just
a couple months.
Pedestrian enhancements throughout the CRA
include the activation of three new pedestrian traffic
signals including two new set traffic
signals on international drive and one much needed traffic
signal at Universal Boulevard and Lake K.
I'd like to draw your attention to the image you
have in your presentation.
This shows the newest mast arm that was installed
and it is the longest mast arm we have installed
on International Drive.
The design that was used allowed us to have less impacts
to the four corners, less right of way needed
and it required less downtown for the roadway
to have the installation.
In addition, international drive just north of Sand Lake Road
we are conducting a pedestrian study
to upgrade the sidewalks to the newest Ada standards
and provide a more enhanced pedestrian crossings
across International Drive.
The requested funds of $5.2 million
will be used to implement the recommended improvements that
come from the study.
We will upgrade two bus pull offs that are currently
on international Drive.
They are heavily used by our longer articulated busses
so that the back end does not block the through traffic.
And lastly, funding will be utilized
to upgrade traffic signals on Central Florida Parkway
to enhance both traffic flow and pedestrian safety.
The international drive pedestrian overpass
at International Drive at Sand Lake
finalized its conceptual analysis with you
the board approving to move into the design stage.
This fiscal year we have advertised the design scope
to get the right consultant to build this overpass
throughout the intersection.
The original concept plans recommended both stairs
and elevators on all four corners
and joining everybody in the center to more efficiently cross
both bicycles and pedestrians.
We are currently in preliminary right of way discussions
with property owners on all four corners.
They've been great partners and are aware of the project.
We would like to request $5 million
to progress this project into the next stage
and fund the rest of the design phase next fiscal year
and it will also allow us to enter into the independent peer
review.
The peer review is a by fDOT for all category two
complex structures.
As you saw in the original conceptual analysis,
this is not just your average bridge.
It is a unique complex structure so
with that we are required to do an independent peer review along
with our design phase.
In addition it will help us to prepare
the right of way and easement agreements
and processing those agreements with the property owners.
The International Drive Bus Rapid Transit System
is also a joint project with Lynx.
This will provide a more premium robust transit system
along international drive.
As well , we did the conceptual analysis in the past prior
to COVID and are now beginning the professional engineering
phase.
We have hired a consultant and they
will prepare the rest of the study environmental requirements
to complete the initial study and review
the need for dedicated lanes that was initially done
with the Transit lane project.
We will reengage our stakeholders
that were very involved in the conceptual analysis
to ensure that all the elements we have in place
are ready for our request with the Federal Transit
Administration.
The request of 100 thousand dollars
will allow us to expand our scope
and add additional technology and roadway connections that
did not exist when we did the original conceptual analysis.
Items like Kirkman Road Extension
is a good example of items we did not
know existed when we did the original feasibility study.
A little bit of extra funds will allow us to do a full analysis.
Under the affordable and attainable Housing Focus area
we are requesting $1.38 million for the two projects
you see above starting with the Tangelo Park Housing Repair
Project.
This housing repair project is very similar to the housing
repair projects throughout the rest of the county.
It is income based and helps to provide improvements
to one or more rooms in a residential home giving priority
to people with elderly, disabled or known safety violations.
Each person files for an application
and it is determined what the needs are for their homes
based on income and what the specific home needs are.
Three homes are currently under construction
and we have additional residents in the preplanning stage.
The requested funds of just over $1 million
will allow us to continue this program into fiscal year 2027
and allow additional funding for additional residents
to be improved upon.
The housing infill project continues
to build capital to incentivize a future mixed income
residential property within the CRA limits.
The requested funds of $325,000 will be added to the previous
funds and previous budget years to continue our planning efforts
to have a small nest egg available when the right
property and developer comes along.
In the economic Development Focus area
we are requesting just over $1.5 million for the projects
you see above on the screen beginning
with English first speakers of other languages.
This program assists employees that work within the I-drive CRA
to learn English.
Whether they are a beginner or more advanced English speaker.
We currently have two employers that are hosting programs
this fiscal year and we are actively searching
for new and post locations.
This program is brought by a partnership with Orange County
Public Schools Adult Education and I
would like to draw attention to the picture of the unique setup
that we have in with the Orange County Public Schools.
These utilize both laptops and headphones allowing employees
to have different skill set levels.
If somebody comes in with no English skills at all,
they can be sat in the same classroom
as somebody who wants to work on verbs and adverbs
so you don't have to have separate classroom sessions.
As long as an employee has at least 25 people with an interest
we can host a location right there.
The funds of $250,000 will allow us to continue the program
into fiscal year 2027.
This program has been about three years now
and it has been found to be very successful and a program
that a lot of the employees enjoy in the CRA.
The culinary pilot program has developed a curriculum
this fiscal year to include both a classroom and hands on kitchen
prep through partnerships with Florida Restaurant
and Lodging Association, Central Florida Hospitality and Lodging
Association, rosin College of Hospitality Management
and Careersource.
We begin our stakeholder engagement
with stakeholders in the area to ensure
that the curriculum we chose has the right elements
to help the employees to have the greatest
impact and growth within their hospitality industry.
The requested funds of $300,000 will help us to continue
the program into next fiscal year and find host locations
throughout the CRA.
Under the community cultural and Institutional Focus Area we are
requesting $250,000 for the Tangelo Youth Service Program.
This is a developed curriculum based program
to provide after school and summer program
within the Tangelo Park community.
Previously they used to have the program at the elementary school
and it was discontinued.
Universal Orlando offered to sponsor the program temporarily
until we can grow our own Orange County program.
Using the CRA funds we have hired a consultant
to oversee the program and manage the operations for 40
to 50 elementary aged students.
The program will begin in the Baptist Church
as it is held today and then as we continue our construction
through the community center, once it
is open in just a couple of months
we will transfer over to the community center.
Once we are in the community center
we do anticipate that number to grow a little bit.
We did our initial assessment based on how many students come
to the Baptist church right now but the Baptist church is quite
a distance from the elementary school .
So once it is next door we may see
an increase of those kindergartners first grade
second grade that are a little farther to traverse today
to get to the Baptist School.
The requested funds of $250,000 will allow us to continue
the program next fiscal year and to assess what the needs are.
As I said, this will be conducted in the community
center and as you can see from the images,
we've made great progress throughout 2026
throughout the construction of this development.
We have solar panels on the top end
to the side of the community center
and it will also have a swimming pool in the back for the youth
to take advantage of.
We anticipate having a grand opening in just a few months.
We will provide the date when it's available.
The last focus area is beautification and esthetics.
We are requesting $295,000 for the projects you see listed
beginning with the Sand Lake Road I-4 beautification.
This is a continuation of FDOT's current project
at the intersection of I-4 and Sand Lake.
The project was to install a new diamond and new ramp
so that we can eliminate the left turns of Sand Lake Road
onto Turkey Lake.
Both the diverging diamond and the new ramp
are open and have been very successful at redirecting
traffic.
FDOT hired some off duty officers
at the intersection of Sand Lake and Turkey
like to ensure people don't continue that left turn
and they are starting to learn the new pattern.
This will follow the FDOT project
at the end of their project and provide a more enhanced
landscaping and hardscape plan.
We are currently advertising our design scope
to get the right consultant to do the project
and preparing our stakeholder and FDOT engagement
to ensure the recommendations made in the conceptual analysis
that our Planning Division did has the right pieces that
are needed for the final design and construction.
The requested funds for next fiscal year include $100,000
to finish the design plans into 2027 and be ready in 2028 when
FDOT is done to progress to construction.
The Tangelo Park neighborhood sign Project
installed two new signs for the Tangelo Park community.
We had one major sign just north of Sand Lake Road which
is on both sides of the road that you see in the image,
and there was a secondary sign installed on the northern side
coming from the city limits.
That was a smaller sign but it also
cross-connects as a bench for our transit
stops so what you see in the picture is the main entrance
and then there is a secondary sign in the back entrance.
The signs were installed and we have also prepared a landscaping
agreement with Universal Orlando so that they
will maintain all of the beautiful trees and landscaping
that we put around the signage and keep them up to date
and efficient.
The requested funds of $5,000 will electrify the signs during
low light periods and help us fund the utility bill throughout
the fiscal year.
Overall, you will see a balanced budget with $156.1 million
on both the revenue and expenditure side.
I'd like to draw your attention to a couple
items on the expenditure side before we wrap up
our presentation including the CRA rebate totaling just
under $13.3 million, which will be
rebated into the general funds in the future capital outlay.
The future capital outlay right now
is currently just over $117 million
and that may seem like a lot of funds but as we spoke about,
we are getting near the end of the CRA
and you will find that we have approximately 5.39
in annual operation project total
as well as our capital improvement projects.
Currently this lists all of our capital projects
that we have started and if we wanted
to take all of those capital projects to the finish
line through construction right now that
is estimated at about $171.8 million permit that doesn't
include the Sunshine Corridor or the operations
and maintenance that might come from the projects
after work completed.
So as you see, we still will continue
to prioritize our projects and determine
which ones are best needed for the community redevelopment
and where we want to utilize our funds.
We will return to you the board in a few months
to continue our discussions on the sunset Date.
Our requested action for today is to approve and adopt
the resolution of the international Drive Community
Redevelopment Agency regarding the proposed fiscal year 2026-27
budget of the International Drive Community Redevelopment
Agency.
At this time I would like to turn it back over
to you for questions from either myself or the representatives
in the audience that represent the large village that
helps to make the CRA possible.
>> All right.
Quick question when you talk about the Tangential Park
housing repair program and 1,055,000 that you are
requesting for that, what would be the maximum per home that
an individual will qualify to receive?
>> Each project is assessed on an individual basis and I will
look to my housing team.
I think they have a representative.
There he is.
I will have Mitch come up.
I don't know that we have a max or if we evaluate it
on a case by case basis.
>> Good afternoon, mayor and commissioners.
I think we've been averaging under 100 000.
75 to 80,000 but we do have some homes that really need total
rehabs and those can go up to 150 000.
>> Okay.
So is that the established Max if it is a total home rehab?
150 grand?
>> Yeah.
I would have to check with staff in terms of our absolute cap
but I've seen --
I sign a lot of the contracts that come through.
I know that we've been averaging a pretty good average in Tangelo
Park but I have seen homes that have come up.
>> It just seems like we have to have some kind of cap.
Otherwise 1,055,000 will go very quickly and we are talking about
Tangelo Park and maybe some of the homes out there have over
the years been improved and they may be worth $275,000
or something like that.
But usually the ones who are higher
end you know they can afford to put something in too.
In any case it's just a question.
Commissioner Wilson followed by Commissioner Scott
and Commissioner Semrad,
>> Thank you so much.
It was great to see you Saturday.
It was interesting.
I ran into you then I talked to our resident who
came up and introduced herself we went through the program
and works at one of the Rosen properties.
It was complimentary of it and apologized for her English
and like we just had a conversation
and I don't speak Spanish so actually you're winning.
I will say that I was blessed to be here during the time
that we expanded these uses, and to see some of the projects
in Tangelo Park and things that benefit
the existing residential community.
It is really exciting to know what
is coming in the future for other parts of these projects.
It's also very exciting but we are
getting close to that 2028 day.
You said we are coming back to maybe talk about what next
so I believe I made a pitch for it back then
and I'm going to do it again.
If you look at the map of the CRA,
the part that is right there below Tangelo Park --
if you dip down there below 528 all those little residential
areas down there, that is Williamsburg and Williamsburg is
another established older community.
Working class and some elderly residents
and they have been very much I believe
impacted by the development that has been beneficial to many
in other parts of the county that is right over that line
and there was not an opportunity to expand
to assist some of the projects they need and we've really
struggled there to afford everything from speed tables
to extra stop signs.
It took three commissioners to get a light
and that had been warranted I think
in 2012 in the Williamsburg.
I know that this part of the district
is going to be turned over to a new commissioner in November
and I will continue to pursue this because I still
work for all the people in Orange County
but I think there is really a great opportunity seeing
the success the CRA has had in the expanded uses in all
of the areas that they have been in since the inception
to try to see if we can bring in the Williamsburg area,
if that's possible.
My last question was, will the study for the bus rapid transit
or the studies that have gone into bus rapid transit in that
area --
I know there was talk in the past about an expansion
of I-drive itself and it concerns me knowing
that the shade trees along this stretch
are finally actually giving some shade
and people actually do sort of try to walk along their and just
see there has been a lot of effort
made into the crosswalks and other options.
I feared that if we widened more and take out those trees that we
are actually going to be undoing that work that has been done
on the pedestrian accessibility, and I mean that in a way
that I don't want to walk out in the sun right now or really
most of the year here in Florida unless there is some shade.
So has there been a look at trying
to make sure that those are going to be kept
or if they are going to be designed around?
>> So there is two different projects.
The Transit lane project and then the bus rapid transit
system.
The transit lane project, currently the design plans
show the widening from the center median
so all of those trees that are along the sidewalks
on the outside won't be as impacted as the ones that
are in the center.
They did look at the plans to reduce the least
amount of impact to the trees but the best widening
is to the center, which means some of that median
is going to be impacted.
The good news is that after the project is done,
we can return back and freshen up and beef up the landscaping
and we do also have the wayfinding signs that
will help beautify it.
And attached in conjunction with that project.
The second piece is the bus rapid transit system.
Those will have pull offs on the side of the road ,
but they have been intricately looked at so we can put them
in the best locations to have the least impact to everything.
Driveways, drainage entries.
Can help put those bus pull offs in the best locations.
>> Great news.
Anywhere that we can try to keep that coverage
I mean all you have to do is drive along I drive
corridor and the difference it makes in those areas
where they have matured is indescribable
until one is gone then you're like why does this look so
barren it is because of that natural element that God created
and that we protect and so that's my pull for that.
>> Commissioner Scott.
>> Thank you for the presentation.
You guys have been busy.
Kind of along the lines of what Commissioner Wilson was sharing,
obviously it is slated to sunset.
We have a lot of different things to factor
but let's say property tax does not pass or it does.
I would really like for you guys to evaluate
what it would look like to expand the project
to encompass Williamsburg and even to some degree Bonnybrook.
All three of those communities are older
not just in the sense of construction
but in the sense of who has been there for 30 or 40
years in some instances and those are the three communities
that are most impacted by tourism
as they come in for traffic and special events.
I think now recently with the new theme park now
the fireworks every night all those communities
it's like can you hear the fireworks
and you can see it so particularly if you are
a new family and you have a child asleep
and then boom boom boom and so making sure
that we invest in all of those communities around the area.
Not just tangelo.
I'd like for you guys to kind of look
at what that looks like as we start
having the conversation of sunsetting the CRA.
Other than that I don't have any concerns.
I think you guys have done a phenomenal job of communicating
and I'm just grateful.
>> And just to be clear on the expansion whether it is
Williamsburg or Bonnybrook, that's going to require some
staff research and some other things.
Met will have to come back for a full discussion.
The only thing you are being asked to do now
is to prepare for that, you know?
Gather some information etc.
And you will have to work with county administration
for that conversation to occur at some point in the future.
Commissioner Semrad.
>> Thank you for your presentation.
Commissioner Wilson and Commissioner Scott I
also fully support going down into Williamsburg.
This is a very healthy CRA.
Of course we get a lot of commercial
that is contributed into the tax base as well
but also to remember that international drive you know
connects on two different ends so there's
four different directions.
North south east and west.
If you compare this total amount of the CRA
to like OBT you can see the large discrepancy between that
and I think that the larger the area
is that the CRA can be used for, the more residents
can benefit from hosting 76 million tourists per year
into our economy so I definitely advocate
for the extension of this CRA.
What is your percentage between residential and commercial?
>> I will look to Kurt for a specific percentage basis but I
can tell you that most of our area is commercial,
and the majority of the funds that come in is from
the business portion of it.
>> Yeah.
I don't have an exact percentage but it is mostly
commercial so actually yeah.
It's over 90%.
>> We have one residential single home community and we
have probably about five apartment complexes within
the CRA right now, so the bulk is business.
>> Okay so then you will be in a little bit of a different boat
than other presentations and other departments.
Can you explain then to people watching and taxpayers
because now people will be like why would property tax reform
impact that if it's 90% business?
Can you explain how that can still impact your?
>> The key word -- cra is community development.
As we talk about our five main focus areas
while the incoming amount of money
is not going to change the amount of resources
and how it needs to be stretched going out will change.
So when you look at each one of those focus areas
starting with transportation, right now
we are progressing into the future
after almost 30 years working on the CRA.
We started this with just the transportation initiative
and we started with just filling extra potholes
and filling in that extra buffer of maintenance that
wasn't able to be funded for and we
are progressing into full streets of Kirkman Road.
So I hate to see us roll all the way back to 1998
and go back to just maintaining the roadways
and having to use our funds for other items
instead of progressing toward the future.
Other things include community outreach.
Our economic development programs
as you saw our culinary programs may become more auxiliary
when we have to compete for bigger needs.
>> So do you think like for example some of your educational
programs where people learn to speak English,
that helps them provide better service to our tourists which
might impact repeat tourists or word of mouth recommendation
that they got great service while they were in Orlando?
Do you think that language barrier
component is important for the CRA to >> Yes.
The program has been very successful.
We've done it at least three years now
and every year we grow at the amount
of interest and employees.
So the ESOL program has been found
to be an important element.
Our upcoming pilot programs -- we hear over and over from
the industry that there is not enough people that know
the culinary and Hvac and that they are able to progress
into higher positions once they are in their.
So having those programs within the economic development
allows the employees to grow, make more money and progress.
>> And then lastly, do you help keep 76 million tourists safe
while they visit us through your CRA efforts?
>> We try.
>> Do you?
Yes?
No?
I say yes.
I mean you are doing pedestrian improvements.
You're doing a bridge improvement.
You're doing road improvements.
I think those are all safety features
and I think it helps keep 76 million tourists safe
while they visit us and I think that the property tax and
how that reform happens still impacts commercial businesses
and it still impacts your bottom line when it comes down to it.
>> Yes.
The CRA as well as our business partners
do a great job with all those pieces.
>> Thank you.
>> Commissioner Uribe and then Commissioner Gomez Cordero.
>> Thank you for the presentation.
I did have a question.
I know our CRA is in our unincorporated area.
Correct?
Legally have we ever looked at North I-drive .
It's just so sad when you get to Sand Lake and I drive
and you make a left going south and you
make a right going north.
It's like night and day.
You know?
>> I don't have the history on if we have ever reviewed
integrating the city.
I know that I drive business district goes into the city
and has those broader elements but I
don't have a lot of knowledge on the history of if we've ever
considered broadening into the city.
>> Yeah.
Because I always say when people come and visit clearly
that is tourist reporter they're not saying oh no I'm
in the city limit.
I'm in the county limit.
What they do see is a different look and a different concern
also by the hotel levels and things like that.
So I know when the CRA was created was for transportation.
I know the home builders have decided eight year
contract with Vegas so that means they are not coming here.
They cited transportation.
Right?
How realistically you know I hear
a lot about using these funds for transportation,
at least in the tourist corridor.
Does that encompass you all like the B-Line in that area
also or is it just county roads?
>> Our boundaries do allow 528 and we are looking at projects
that either end or begin in our boundaries.
We are only allowed to put funds within the CRA boundary,
so the project does have to touch it at the boundaries.
So project such as the Sunshine corridor we did
put that in our long range plan, but when
you look at the current setup, they have it phased.
For example sunshine corridor three eight
only takes you from the airport to Orange Avenue
so we would not Be associated to funding with that but then
once you progress into phase B and C we have from Orange Avenue
to the I drive and then leaving I drive to the south down
to Disney Area.
>> But you guys technically could make your boundaries
as good as you want?
>> As we progress our discussions of the CRA plan
and how we change the plan and discuss our sunset date you know
we can look at things like the suggestion to broaden out
into other neighborhoods and see what you would like to do as far
as the boundaries.
>>.
I mean for the sake of transportation
and infrastructure I think it is so valuable to see that.
I thought I read one that said you guys we could even
go one mile outside of the boundary
but I didn't know if it was fact or actually very strictly
prohibited to within the boundary permit
>> I don't see a legal representative to know that
part.
The statutes I've read I didn't see it
but I don't know all of the statutes in and out.
>> Okay.
Thank you.
>> Commissioner Gomez Cordero and then Commissioner Scott,
you have the final word.
>> Thank you for the presentation and everything you
do.
I was going to ask exactly the same thing about I-drive
to see if there would be anything to consider there.
Is CRA involved in the pedestrian bridge
in the sand lake and I-Drive?
>> Yes.
Pedestrian overpass is a CRA funded project.
We funded the original conceptual analysis
and we are currently in design.
We are funding the first about three quarters
of the design in last fiscal year
and then part of the requested funds for next fiscal year
will finalize out the design.
From there we will have to decide at a later date
if we would like to fund the construction.
>> Okay.
Thank you and then my other question is,
are you all going to -- at continuation.
I have to appreciate that but I just wanted to know
if it's going to be -- where is it?
The English speakers of other language.
Are you going to continue with that program?
>> We plan to continue as long as employees have an interest.
What we do is we look for host locations
and in order to host a location you
have to have at least 25 employees that would
like to come to the program.
That way it allows us to fund one teacher and one
centralized location and it is open to any
of the businesses that are within the I-Drive CRA.
We've had a number of employees in the past to participate.
Right now we have two employers that have active programs
and then we are trying to get new host locations.
>> Okay.
So thank you.
>> Commissioner Scott.
>> I just had a thought when Commissioner Uribe was speaking.
To her point like some of the business
owners have a lot of concerns but more
consistent is what is the electric.
That has been the most consistent thing
I've heard over the years is how it looks
for our businesses versus similar businesses
or different businesses as you cross the street so I just
wanted to highlight that for you as well.
Thank you for bringing that up.
I appreciate it.
Move requested action.
>> Second.
>> All right.
We have a motion and a second.
All in favor let it be known by saying aye.
Opposed, no.
Motion passes and it is unanimous.
Thank you so much for that presentation.
We will now adjourn as Orange County International Drive
Community Redevelopment Agency Governing board
and reconvene as the Board of County Commissioners.
At this time we are going to invite Mr. Mark tester
the Executive Director from our convention center
and Mr. Ray walls the deputy director.
They're going to come forward to present the next item.
>> Thank you, mayor and commissioners.
Great to be here.
Honored to present the budget on the Convention Center.
We are going to be reviewing much as all
the other departments have and I won't really
be a labor that as you've seen this
a number of different times.
The one big difference with us is
being not part of the general fund.
Being an enterprise unit of the convention center.
When you see revenue that is going up that is good.
So the other stresses in the general fund
are much different from where they are with us.
But I will review our organizational chart.
We have a five member executive team
that has remained consistent with us.
We'll be hearing from Ray Walls with TT in a minute.
Deputy Director.
I want to recognize Terry Devitt our longest
director with the convention Center
not only helping us build project five A
but was the chairman of the biggest United Way campaign
as a chairman in this last year so thanks Terry
for your leadership.
Our sales and managerial thing remains steady
but we have Heather Peoples has been promoted
as one of our new managers with our management team
with the Convention Center.
And so we are now going to review
the revenue that is generated through our facilities.
Again this is just the revenue generated through our four walls
if you will and not anything related
to TDT, which we will review.
This shows that our business continues to be strong.
We are proposing an increase of $10.3 million
in total revenue generated through our facilities
and for the first time asking for a budget of over $100
million.
We really look as a philosophy based on the events
that we book.
We are out competing for events around the country.
We are looking together them, really
looking 5 to 6 years in advance to put there and have
a great flexibility.
So a lot of variables coming when
we develop a budget on how well they actually will come through.
I bring that up because currently
the budget that we have for this fiscal year 26, the events
are coming incredibly strong.
We are seeing incredible growth and I
think that will continue into next year so really
all of optimism with how well our events do
once they get on site.
Getting a lot of variables depending
on where they are with economies or tariffs
or other things is when they travel
but what we've been seeing this year
is really show after show incredible.
Incredible how we are really responsible and wary
of our expenses.
As you will note, the increase to 7.9% so expenses
are being outpaced by revenue.
We are asking for $118 million revenue budget
and again depending on how events work out
being a worst case scenario with actually trying
to spend much less than that we are requesting ten
additional new FTEs and they will all be hourly employees
to help service our events.
Certainly we are seeing events that are longer,
not only in length but longer.
Certainly amateur athletics run longer and late.
We need people to help service those events
and of course our facilities are aging
and we need to service and maintain them
so of the ten events you will see
we are asking two more for our incredibly busy parking unit.
Six total insecurity with four security reps
and two console operators to keep everyone safe and two
people in trades to help maintain the facility
with an incredibly busy year.
One of the things that I've been reflective on now that we
are here in fiscal 26, some six years from when we were in COVID
I just remember this budget presentation in October
or this time in 2020 was much different than we are right now
and to be sitting here where we are in a fiscal year
that we are currently going through
is an incredibly proud moment not only for us
but for the department and I just
want to thank all of the incredible support
that we've gotten through that time.
One of the things that I think we can answer now in 2026
is after COVID the question was would
face to face events come back?
Would they be relevant with the change on how people are meeting
and that has been answered certainly
this past fiscal year that yes.
Face to face events remain very important.
They are different.
I could go on for a long time on the trends.
They are younger.
They are more female but the fact of the matter
is that 40% of our trade shows and convention that market
is incredibly healthy for us.
Amateur athletics have continued to boom.
Has continued to be strong so I think the answer to the question
is that events have come back and secondly the answer has been
how are we going to react as a community?
Are we going to come back from where we were in COVID?
What decisions and I think I think some of the decisions
we made 5 or 6 years ago during COVID
have helped us ensure that we continue to grow our calendar.
That is certainly what we have seen in 2026.
As you will note in this fiscal year,
we are proposing an operating deficit
and will continue to probably make
that a strategy that there will be an operating deficit
but as we are trending this year, this fiscal year that we
are operating in and not the one we
are talking about for next year's fiscal year
but this one that we are in, there's
very likely not going to be an operating deficit.
Incredibly happy with where we are
to build this great calendar to have 2.3 million people coming
through this but showing up and doing well.
The events have really done well and we really
project next year to be also really strong in.
We also have some more dates locked off for the expansion
so the numbers will be a little bit stronger but overall
incredibly optimistic of where we are as a community out
competing for trade shows, conventions and special events
across the country.
Here is an example of some of the big events
we've got coming in.
I want to note that one of our great local events
will be expanding into the West building,
so using all of the North, South and going into the West building
so that's a great opportunity for them to continue to grow.
We have the National Automobile Dealers Association
for the first time in a long time if not forever coming
in February and bringing 25,000 people and then in May with
the return of the triennial Mega manufacturing event plastics
which runs every three years returning to us this may
so a very big event.
Certainly a lot of electric things
we will be utilizing and a good event for the facility.
A lot of optimism that revenues are increasing faster
than expenditures and events are longer and larger.
Certainly the amateur athletics but we
still have some inflationary pressures still persist
and we've got to keep working to make sure that we are spending
every dollar wisely.
We continue to do things that want
to make us a more efficient.
Our solar array in our north south building
is now operational and we are seeing savings from that.
We are also using AI to schedule more efficiently
and have an equipment tracking software that
utilizes Wi-Fi to help better take care of our equipment.
Chairs and things in the facility.
We continue to prioritize employee recognition
and satisfaction.
Thank you for your continued support on the 4% increase
that our employees will see.
We continue to meet quarterly with our employees for review
and for our awards and also for trainings.
We do that through our hospitality huddle this fall.
You see a Rosen School of --
UCF Rosen school of Hospitality is
going to publish a report they did this fall.
We have a number of plans and most
of the ones that I'm going to review
are multi-year plans that you have either
seen in last year's budget or will continue
to see over the next year but we have a total of $319 million.
230th that is for the Grand Concourse budget five a that we
currently have underway and then 89.4 for the current north south
and west buildings.
One of the major projects we have in a multi-year that we are
continuing to work through as we have availability
is the renovation on the North South meeting rooms.
We will be spending a total of 15.7
in this next year's fiscal budget on that project.
Another multi-year project is to renovate all of our food courts
and restaurants in our North South building
and we will be spending 5.4 in our next year fiscal capital
improvement budget.
Next is a project we recently had approved
that will be also multi-year as we have availability
is for the renovation of the 79 restrooms in our North South
building with 7.8 million for next year.
Another one we have been doing will happen for years to come
and years before is our escalator
as we replace escalators and elevators in both buildings
and we will be spending 6.1.
Of course we will be doing work as availability is there for us.
Our major CIP project is the Grand Concourse.
You all recall that you approved our guaranteed maximum
price for construction in March and we began construction
in earnest in April.
They are doing piles as we speak and the foundations are
scheduled to be completed this fall,
and we remain on budget and on schedule.
In summary again just things are positive.
We continue to work hard in renovating our building
and consignment with the opening of the Grand Concourse lobby.
Now we will turn it over to Ray Walls.
>> Thanks Mark and thanks commissioners chair McNamara.
County administrator.
Controller.
It's good to be here today to talk to you
about a subject that hasn't gotten much discussion lately.
Tourist Development tax.
I'll try to be swift like my friend Tim Armstrong was today
but just quickly in terms of background for the public who
are watching in case they're not aware,
the tourist development tax is authorized
by Florida Statute 125.0104.
It is a tax on short term rentals of six months or less
and its uses are limited in that statute with few exceptions
those related purposes you see on the screen.
Convention Centers.
Tourism promotion.
Sporting and Arts and other uses that attract visitors
to the county.
Orange County's Levy is 6%.
It was enacted by voters back in 1978 at 2%
and it has been increased four times since then by this board.
There is just as a preemptive answer
to the question, a prohibition on general revenues
being used at all for the Convention Center.
So no property tax no sales tax.
Nothing of that kind can actually
go toward the operation of the convention center
so I just wanted to mention that while we were on that slide.
The Orange County uses of the tourist development tax
are split between the six pennies in different ways.
Those first four pennies are governed
by the tourist development plan as suggested by law
or required by law.
The convention Center Operations,
it's dead end capital.
The city venues tourism promotion arts and film
are all included in those first four pennies.
The fifth cent is used just for debt payments
and the sixth penny is split by ordinance.
50% for tourism promotion and 50% for the Kia Center debt
and renovations that were recently approved.
I do show this slide every year.
I tell you it is my favorite chart every year because it is.
When you look at this chart that we borrow from the Comptroller's
office that shows TDT collections over time
you can see the trajectory and growth of overnight visitation
in Orange County, and particularly
in the last 10 to 15 years the trajectory
has really shot up just to show how quickly things have gone
well here with a couple blips there obviously
during COVID and during the 2009 housing crash
but other than that, the revenue source has done well.
The other reason I like this chart
is that it is an indicator of other things
that are going on that you can't necessarily see from the chart
but it is a marker of all of the other things that are happening
in terms of economic impact and direct money
flowing into the county because everybody who pays this tourist
development tax also pays 6.5% sales tax on their room
stays when they come here whether they
are staying in a hotel or Airbnb or something like that.
So that is additional money coming in on top
of the money on this chart.
In addition to that all of the properties that those people
stay at pay property taxes and non homesteaded
property taxes so again hotels.
Airbnbs.
All of those property taxes are coming in
as a result of this overnight stay
so this chart tells a bigger story beyond just TDT.
I can go on and on about the economic impact
in terms of jobs and business and all those types of things
that this chart can indicate and talk about.
In terms of the revenue budget that we
are going to present for next year,
first let me talk about the fiscal year 26 TDT revenue
budget.
When I came and talked to you all last year in July
we set that budget at $360 million for this year.
In January this year we came back and moved that budget up
to 385 million.
Collections through May which the comptroller just
announced the other day we're at 291 million for the year so far.
That is 26 million or almost 10% ahead of last year's figures
and so if you do the math on that
and you know we didn't add any more to the next one.
Everything just comes in flat for the rest of the year
you know we would be well over $400 million for the year
and so in a few weeks you're going
to see a budget amendment come to you that actually increases
this year's budget to over 400 million
so quick moving revenue and doing quite well here
just because of increased visitation and increased
convention visitation and all the things going on
in our community.
It is all coming together and really
driving the visitation here and this TDT revenue ultimately.
Fiscal year 27 we are continuing our approach on budgeting
at 400 million.
We will monitor what happens and if we need to update it
we will come back and ask for your permission
to amend the budget and increase it.
Let me just quickly walk you through the proposed expenditure
budget for next year.
You will see it is at 628.9 million.
A large chunk of that -- let me preface this by saying
there's going to be some changes to this budget as well over
the next few weeks.
Both this year and next year.
Because we just closed on bonds for the 5A project and up
to this point we've been funding the 5A project with cash from
the TDT.
I want to make you aware of that because the number
you will see when you see the final budget in September
will be slightly different.
So the debt service budget is at 56.5 million.
That is stable currently with where it was last year.
Has that number stands now it includes mostly city venues.
Debt remaining in it.
It is set to mature in 2026 however as I mentioned
we just closed on 300 million of new bond funds for the five A
project so it's going to push that number up
just a little bit so I don't have the number saved in my mind
but it is 10 to 12 million that you will see go up in terms
of the debt service number next year
but included in that also was some refinancing
of some existing debt that actually lowered our interest
rate and will lower the bond payments on the existing debt.
So all of that will get Trued up here in the next few weeks.
In terms of the convention center expansion
Mark mentioned the uses there.
230 million for the convention center 5A project that's going
to revert to being paid for out of bonds pretty soon.
The remaining piece will be ongoing renovations
and small equipment purchases.
Things like computers and vehicles.
The visitor Orlando funding is going
to be set at a $115 million budget next year.
That is the 30% of TDT collections less than 5 million
for Arc grants that gets taken out of that.
Included is $10 million for sports incentive payments.
So the net visit Orlando funding for next year
for marketing purposes will be $105 million budget Paramount
the city venue's payment is going up to 60.3 million
next year.
27 million of that is the Camping World Stadium
payment for their renovation that was most recently approved
so the city issued that debt and the county
gives them money to make payments for that debt
and so that is what that 27 million
is and the other piece is the 33.3 million for the Kia Center
which is 50% of the sixth penny that I mentioned
which will go for renovations and the final payment
up there of the construction debt there.
The application review committee budget includes 20.1 million
and this is just the amount we anticipate
spending on existing grants that have been approved by the Board
and so that number may fluctuate up or down based
on what actually happens there.
The convention center operations.
This is the subsidy that Mark mentioned.
As you can see, we have 17.4 million budgeted for this year
and 16.2 million budgeted for next year and it says if needed.
There is a strong likelihood we won't need any of that money
this year.
As of the controller's May financial statement,
we were over $10 million to the positive so far this year
so we are going to work on keeping that number as
high as possible, but this budget obviously
reflects what would happen if we needed it.
The arts budget is 5% of the first four pennies
plus $2.5 million.
That is a fixed amount so that is all done by formula
and this is for cultural facilities grants that
get managed by United Arts.
The TDT is a conglomeration of several things. $10 million
of it is UCF Stadium renovations which is 10 million a year
until they reach $90 million.
About $750,000 of this will be operating funding
for the Greater Orlando Sports Commission and the remainder is
accounting for the sports incentive payments,
which could fluctuate up or down.
The History Center and other is $5 million next year.
Film incentive payments are $5 million.
This was recently approved for five years for 25 million.
This year was the first year.
Next year is the second year of the 5 million.
And just to end on talking about the reserves here,
this chart shows reserves over time since April of 2017.
You can see that we have added the stabilization
target that the Comptroller recommended of 300 million.
That is that top line permit that top yellow creamy line
we will call it.
But you can see that we are well above that line and today as
of the last financial statements,
we are sitting at about $430 million in reserves.
So healthy there.
In summary the TDT revenue budget
is coming in strong at 400 million.
We're going to continue to review that for possible updates
in January.
Obviously the expenditure budget covers
all required and approved expenditures
from the Board of County Commissioners
and reserves remain funded in excess
of targets per so Mark and I will
be available for any questions you might have.
>> All right.
We will move to the Q&A part here.
We are going to start with Commissioner Semrad.
>> Hi.
Thank you for the presentation.
Sorry, mayor.
You cut me a little off guard.
I'm a little discombobulated.
When is that I know we haven't been talking about TDT
but it's about to come because July 21st is the first TDT task
force meeting so it will kick up in the news.
We've been reviewing the convention center budget
and in 2025 in capital projects, you had like 356 million.
Did any of that go towards the convention center expansion?
Can you explain that?
Because I'm having a hard time understanding the operational
budget when you receive a TDT award for which was like a half
$1 billion how then it is also still --
because then it seems like you are getting a lot of TDT
because you are getting TDT into your capital budget
as well as into TDT in the amount of half a billion
so I'm having a hard time understanding the numbers.
>> Right.
So capital is not a factor in the operating subsidy piece.
That is separate because you're investing capital.
It becomes an asset and you have something for that investment.
In terms of the 2026 budget, it does include expansion money.
>> This was the 2025 one.
>> Yes.
Same.
And that goes back to what I mentioned.
We just issued the debt for the project.
That debt allows us to go back and reimburse ourselves
for money that has already been spent
since the beginning of the project
so there is going to be some accounting that happens
to move that money around.
>> I understand that but if you have that fluff in your budget
to spot yourself that cash in advance,
it seems like you've got too much money because the rest
of the departments don't have that type of cushion.
>> When the board approved the funding that then showed up
in the commissioner's budget.
It's there in the budget and then they go through.
It's showing the total amount.
They haven't gotten the total amount (Indistinct)
the bond issues and so forth but it's
just showing the total amount that in the time
the board approved $560 million it was not $560 million there.
So what you are seeing is just that total number.
You are not saying the money.
>> Okay.
I'll follow up with you Byron, just so I understand how
that all works.
I've asked each department head to talk
about how the property tax reform might
impact your operations.
Could you explain that?
>> We do rely on TDT, so as long as TDT remains strong we will
continue to do well.
>> Thank you Mark but I think you would agree that
your success depends on the police being able to respond,
fire being able to respond.
Emergency services.
Transportation links right?
Like all those macro environments.
>> We operate with the entire community certainly.
>> So all of those departments, they have indicated things like
the property tax reform can result in more slum and blight
in our community.
They've indicated that property tax reform can
impact the types of calls that the police would
be able to respond to.
It has indicated that it has impacts
in to our bridge maintenance where
they could collapse if they don't
get the proper maintenance.
We've talked about reduction to juvenile delinquency programs
and not being able to fund them resulting
in an increase in crime.
So I think that the property tax reform dramatically
impacts in the most negative sense, our macro economy.
Would you agree with that?
That that would impact on the success of your operations?
>> Certainly if any of those things happened that you
described it would certainly affect our ability (Indistinct).
>> It's so concerning because we are a tourism destination
and with that being said if property tax reform happens
and it is polling right now at about 64% in the state
of Florida and it is really concerning and we do have
a tourism economy and so many workers that depend on tourism
economy to work for them so they can feed their families
and house their families from .
So Mark, would you agree that if this goes forward
in all of the detrimental things that can happen to everything
that then maybe we should look at TDT reform
as well with property tax so we can
support those services to the benefit of our tourists and >>
would say our ability to collaborate
has helped us be super successful.
We have done that so well in our community
that if we continue to do that we should be okay.
But any of your issues that you mentioned
occur, that certainly could affect us.
Certainly could.
>> How would we then go about the process to open up that TDT
so that we could fund emergency services and transportation,
which are important pillars of infrastructure
for our destination?
How could we do that then?
>> I'm not an expert in tax.
I'm an expert in running a convention center.
>> Yeah.
I think is an industry partner we would really
need your support to make that happen
for people like from the convention center to say hey.
If this property tax reform happens
we have some pillars in our community
that need funding to support the tourism population
and we need to open up that TDT fund to actually help.
>> I think our community -- >> Let me just jump in here.
To our staff, remember they can only educate.
They cannot advocate so be careful about asking them
questions that puts them in a position where
they're advocating.
>> You're right, mayor.
I'm sorry, Mark.
>> His job today is to provide information.
>> I just think it's really important to emphasize that
our macro environment that is supported by all of these great
departments that we've heard from for the last 16 hours,
our tourism economy depends on every single one of them to be
functioning and flourishing and providing the best services
for not just our residents but the tourists as well and we are
in trouble if the property tax reform happens to support
our local tourism economy so I think it's just very important
to emphasize.
Thank you, Mayor.
>> All right.
Commissioner Scott.
>> Thank you for your presentation.
And the expansion of the Convention center
when we approved those funds you guys
had to do some value engineering.
Can you summarize what that was like
and how you did the cost cutting to be more efficient?
>> In project 5A there were a number of different areas we had
to work hard to stay on project.
It was a couple hundred different things.
123 different things that we reviewed,
both in materials to how they were constructed to other ways
that we could do that.
But we were ultimately able to do that and stay on budget.
We did not affect any of the programs of the things
that we want to execute are all involved in the project.
But we were smart with where we were spending the funds.
>> And you guys had to revise and I can't remember the name
so if I say this wrong, please forgive me.
I don't know if it was the portico or portico share?
>> There is a beautiful porch share and there was some
beautiful wood over one area and we determined that was $11
million and what we determined was we could just put the wood
over the area where the people were standing and leave the rest
stucco.
We would save millions of dollars
so that is millions of dollars.
First we were going to cut out the entire thing
but we figured out how we could do better and make
a great presentation when you arrive in this underneath area
but we are saving some money.
>> So basically you are able to look at what was needed
(Indistinct) millions of dollars in cost savings.
>> We looked at literally every area to find cost savings.
>> Alright.
Commissioner Uribe.
>> So if I could, I know my office has been trying to find
out what is the current balance of funds in the ARC account
because it's kind of been moved around to everybody because I
keep seeing 5 million allocated and I didn't know what is
the current balance?
It's 5 million a year so where are we at right now?
>> So, this is all a decision of the board.
Right?
If you go back to the original allocation of the ARC funding
all of that money was allocated.
However there were a couple projects that ended up
not moving forward so that was just over $1 million
worth of money that you could say is available as balance.
Visitor Orlando as part of their amended agreement
is now setting aside that $5 million
and actually it's coming off the top of the money (Indistinct)
the county is keeping that money aside in a reserve fund
if you will that holds that money for ARC purposes.
They've done that for a year now so
if you want to call it a balance, about $6 million
or so is available there for ARC.
Now the board can obviously allocate more money
from TDT for that purpose but that's a service of the board.
>> That was a huge impact for home builders.
Right?
I think I read it was like a $300 million economic impact
that we are going to feel and can you kind of walk us
through what happened?
>> In that particular deal number one is,
that event concurred that they were going to Las Vegas many
years ago.
Actually before I even arrived here in Orlando
they determined for a number of reasons.
Infrastructure was one of them, that they
were going to go to Las Vegas on an annual basis
and they were going to finish out their string of events
that they had with us that were in '21
and '22 were their last events so they made that decision
many years ago.
They canceled their 2021 event and they rebooked 2026
with us only because of that.
The decision was because of events that size,
there are some infrastructure limitations we have that Las
Vegas doesn't.
Our roads, we had to work really hard
to ensure that people were moving
and busses were moving in people had places to park.
It was not necessarily easy and in that particular case,
our hotels were incredibly occupied.
I heard of one hotel walking to the beach
so we were unbelievably occupied during that time
and Las Vegas has more hotel rooms.
But we have not had it on the books.
It was a one off this year.
There was a big spike in revenue.
It helped us make this year, but was not one that
was unexpected by any means.
We are doing well.
>> But that's a major blow because I mean that's a huge
conference.
That kind of revenue -- >> It was major probably for us
in 2018 or 2019 when we realized it and we started planning
around it.
So our fiscal years -- again, we don't have someone there
that's 120,000 people.
We may have two events that are at 40 or something like that.
You never want to lose but it was something that happened
a long long time >> Okay.
Well I think the big question though
is just being able to have the infrastructure to support.
If you want to go out and bid another major group,
do we have the capacity to host them?
It's one thing to say rooms but it's
another thing to say they can't get through here
because of traffic.
>> It was a big event.
It was a stressor event and we were successful so
with potentially return at some point?
Never say never.
They had to reduce some of their exhibits based to be here
in 2026 as Las Vegas is larger than us
so they did reduce a little bit to be here,
but you never say never.
We would certainly welcome the conversation.
>> Okay.
I mean but you said 120,000?
So we are not equipped to handle that kind of party?
>> 120,000 people entering the drive at one time and leaving
at one time, that's a lot.
That's a lot.
>> So we are not equipped?
>> Other modes of transportation would certainly help us. .
>> Okay good.
We all agree on that.
Thanks.
>> With the conversation at this point we do have the next item
that we have to address is the budget,
tentative budget and the Millages and I'm going to call
on the board regarding action on the tentative millages that have
been presented at this time.
Is there a motion?
>> So moved.
Scott.
>> Second Commissioner Uribe.
Now then we have a motion and a second.
All in favor let it be known by saying aye.
Opposed, no?
Motion passes and it is unanimous.
And now the second part of this is I will call on the board
regarding action on the budget consent agenda .
>> Mayor, are you going to the budget next?
Or the consent?
I just want to make sure.
When we get to the consent I need
to pull the Environmental protection fee adjustments
for future discussion.
I just want to make sure the clerk knows that.
>> Okay.
You want to do that now?
Are you asking for action on the consent agenda?
>> Yes.
>> Yeah.
We can go to that one and then come back
to the countywide budget.
We did the millage.
Correct?
Oh you did both.
Okay.
Mulligan budget together.
Okay.
So on the consent agenda, I would
like to request that we pull the environmental tax and fees
adjustment for future discussion.
>> So move requested action?
You will pull that and then we will bring it back.
All right.
>> Second.
>> We are voting on the consent agenda item minus the item he is
pulling at this point.
>> Move budget consent agenda with the revision of the removal
of the environmental Protection Fee adjustment.
>> Okay.
So we have a motion.
The second is Commissioner Gomez Cordero.
>> Can we have discussion?
>> Absolutely.
>> What does that mean for that being pulled?
I know there was one line item that was of concern
to Commissioner Uribe.
I want to make sure I understand because the rest of those fees
for the Environmental Protection Division
are important to be updated.
>> This included that entire section.
We need to be more prescriptive and active.
>> Yeah.
We can adopt the rest of those and pull the one line
if that's permissible because I don't
want to hold up the rest of the permitting update.
>> Just boat docks?
>> Yeah.
The issue is centered around the fees.
The building fees.
>> Just the boat docks.
There was other environmental there
>> Was your concern only with the boat docks,
Commissioner Uribe?
There was a laundry list of fees.
>> So you are saying you don't want for shoreline.
You want to pull all of this?
Okay.
I ask if there is consensus on that
because I disagree with her.
>> I would withdraw then Commissioner Uribe can do her
amended motion or you can.
>> I don't agree with that so I just want to make sure --
>> We can vote on the item and pull it and then have further
discussion if you want to do that because we will have
to come back to try to address that issue.
>> Mayor, do you guys just want to pull the last two items?
The two that says boat ramp permit and boat dock
construction?
>> No.
I think in the presentation there were multiple
where we were increasing by thousands of a percent.
>> There were other fees.
>> There were other fees that the way I interpreted what
Commissioner Uribe --
>> Because all of those are going up.
>> Her goal was to kind of have a discussion on those items.
>> Correct.
All those that are shown.
The first was just the boat docks.
What was shown was pulling everything that
is shown there on the slide.
>> On the fees.
Yeah.
That is what she wants to have a discussion about.
>> I am interested in updating these very far behind fees
for things that we have staff giving time for right now.
You literally heard the words pro Bono.
We can't do that.
We don't have the -- and so this is a catch up.
I understand you were saying it's a large catch up
but the problem is that we needed those fees.
>> I disagree.
You don't go from 182 to $489 without getting
the community involved.
We are a transparent government and if everyone is in agreeance
it's fine but to sit here and justify what they have not
done in the past them to do that on the residents right now
I think is very irresponsible as us not being transparent
with the community and so I'm not saying no.
I'm just saying that we need to have a real discussion, look
at what is going on in other counties
which I have the research
[Members speaking Mayor Demings: They have done all work.
>> It's not about doing the work.
It's about what transparency means.
>> It's all been public and transparent.
>> My residents have reached out to me and said this isn't right.
>> We can move it off if that is the wish of the board.
I just feel responsible for what we
know the cost is to the entire county.
>> If someone can afford a boat dock I'm sure they can afford
the fees.
>> That is not the way it goes and that is not fair of what is
happening and you still are transparent with us.
There's a difference between a $100,000 boat ramp and a $20,000
boat ramp.
[Members speaking concurrently] And I will tell you a month
or two months is not going to change this but what will change
is people trust in government and how we do this
and that is where this conversation comes from.
[Members speaking concurrently]
>> My residents do not feel well informed so me yes.
When residents reach out to me and say --
>> I asked to take the briefing when they offered it.
[Members speaking concurrently]
>> The public has this information but we can repeat it
if that's necessary.
>> Okay commissioners.
I could withdraw my motion.
Right?
I'm going to let Commissioner Semrad go.
>> I just wanted to remind everybody that we've already
voted on these fees so when this budget was done it was done
based off of a vote that we passed these.
>> They actually never came in front of us and they said
it's going to be included in the budget.
>> We presented to the board the boat fee.
The ramp impact fees.
We got a presentation.
I got briefed.
[Members speaking concurrently] It was a public hearing here
and I don't recall that we had any citizens that came.
>> Because everyone doesn't watch our website to do it
so just being transparent.
No one said it's not going to happen or how we do it.
It's about transparency and making sure the public is aware
and they come and they make sure.
If that ends up passing that's fine but I don't think a month
is going to throw this entire budget for the next fiscal year
off to do that.
>> When is your meeting?
>> My meeting is on Tuesday but the mayor has asked staff
to bring it before us.
>> When could we come back?
Timeline.
So she wants to have her meeting before we move forward so
[Members speaking >> What we will have to do
is we will have to get the majority of the board
to agree to do that.
If that doesn't happen today then
we're going to end up voting on this today.
But that's all I'm saying.
That's why we are having this general conversation.
I think that is the issue that Commissioner Wilson is
trying to point out.
Am I correct Commissioner Wilson?
I'm not trying to put words in your mouth
but I'm trying to understand.
>> Because when I tried to discuss it during you were
the one that kindly said let's pull this and have it come back
later with more information so that is what I went on because I
have my data.
I have the corresponding county's.
I have all of that here.
>> Okay.
But we can't get there if we don't have the general board.
>> I'm not saying no.
I'm just saying allow this to be and go with that
and if it ends up being here that's fine.
It's not going to make or break us.
It's the next fiscal year.
[Members speaking concurrently]
>> I'm splitting the baby here.
I support you and where you are but I
support her right to be able to bring it to her constituents
first.
>> Let's spin the scenarios because what if she comes back
and says the community didn't approve of this.
>> Well then they have a right to come out and advocate right
to you guys and do all that.
>> But I'm trying to understand from a budget perspective how
does that impact our budget?
>> There will need to be action one way or another
on the environmental protection fees.
We could bring those back on the consent agenda as soon as --
the request was to allow for a town hall meeting then come back
so if your town hall meeting is within the next I think you said
Tuesday?
Then August depending upon that kind of goes back
to Commissioner Semrad if the deal is okay are you all allow
that to happen then August 4th it could be on the consent
agenda for those fees.
Now what happens if the Commissioner still wants
to have a discussion about it?
I guess she could still pull it from the consent agenda
and the board could have that discussion August 4th.
>> Okay.
That sounds good.
>> I interpreted it when we were having this conversation before
that the board was generally supportive of the position that
Commissioner Uribe was taking at that time.
If the board was not supportive of that, that is a misread
and she doesn't have the overwhelming support
of the board.
>> She has three commissioners from what I can tell.
>> And I do want to say when I did meet with staff I wanted
to actually have this be a discussion for us but they said
it's going to come up on the budget so I thought discussion
would happen and then wanting to get the community.
It's just my residents have written us very upset
that we are taking 20 years of doing it boom right now
and it is unfair to the community
and they get Commissioner Scott is saying well
you know if you have a book doc it's not that's not
how we answer people.
Just because you can it's okay?
That's not how we do things.
I mean you've got to give people their right to their voice
and to be able to speak.
>> So let me just be real clear here.
How many of you I'm going to ask members of the board,
if you are prepared to move forward today as is
as presented by staff today, of you that you would say yes?
Yes.
Commissioner Uribe?
Commissioner Gomez Cordero?
Commissioner Semrad?
>> I'm so sorry.
Can you repeat the question?
>> If you are prepared to move forward today with the fees that
are presented by the board this morning, who would say yes?
If you are not prepared to move forward
and you think these fees need to change,
and that is the position that Commissioner Uribe has taken
are you >> Understood and my answer
is that yes I was prepared and I can say when we did this post
to inform people,
we did hear some things back from the community
and we did do ample research and also
reached out to EPD to further understand how just upside down
we were and because I am a strong believer that everybody
should pay their fair share and no citizen who can't afford
to have a boat have a dock and live on a lake
is subsidizing the cost and the fee of somebody who can't, yes.
I firmly support
[Members speaking concurrently] >> That's not fair (Indistinct)
.
>> Commissioner Scott.
>> Mayor, as I said before I'm good with the fees.
However if the commissioner wants an opportunity
to bring it to the community I feel like she
should have that opportunity.
>> Okay.
So you are a no today?
>> If I could mayor what I was trying to say earlier
because this is where I have an issue and this is where we
continue to wonder why the state comes in and says to us Orange
County, this is why you can't control your own government
because when it costs you $60 in the city of Orlando but it costs
you $1,800 in Orange County oh well you know.
And then you wonder why they do this and why.
And when I did have my briefing with staff,
no other commission was willing to update but then I'm
also told they take applications that are incomplete
and that they spend hours on incomplete because technology
wise, we haven't gotten a system that
says if you have an incomplete application we're not going
to spend six hours of staff reviewing it
and that is what you are basing your increase because we have
an incompetency of an entry level of submitting
an application is very not how government is supposed to work.
And that is when you look at Lake you look at orange
you look at Seminole you look at City of Orlando city of alpaca
this is you wonder why people want
to annex out of Orange County.
>> Okay.
I'm going to tell you the position
I will go with the majority at this point
and that is to move forward with it okay?
So that means that the overwhelming consensus
of the body at this point is to move forward,
Commissioner Uribe.
Earlier I did not get the sense that there was consensus there.
It's clear to me that the consensus is there so to try
to advance this along .
I thought the board wanted to get more information
before making a decision.
That is not what I just heard.
So with that, we're going to take this item.
>> I think commissioner Scott made a motion.
>> I made the motion based on budget guidance.
It has been seconded.
We can move forward with the vote
if that is what you are saying, Byron.
>> I think the motion however was contemplating that this item
-- >> Additional information to be brought back.
>> So that motion is not what I'm hearing the board wants
to do.
The majority of the board wants to move forward.
So you know, if you don't amend the motion that motion is likely
going to fail.
>> I withdraw my motion.
>> Okay.
Commissioner Scott wants to withdraw his motion.
And who is the seconder on the motion?
Are you good with the withdraw?
Okay.
She's good with the withdraw so we don't have
a motion on the floor anymore.
So I entertain another motion.
>> I make a motion for approval of the budget consent agenda.
>> Second.
>> In its entirety, inclusive of this fee update?
>> In its entirety as presented.
>> I have a point of procedure question.
So consent agenda we have four sub items under one large item.
Could we take those as separate votes?
>> Yes you could.
>> Mayor, I would like to take those as separate votes if you
don't mind.
I'm just asking.
The reason why I'm saying that is
because obviously we are talking about things
larger than the vote.
I think it would be fair To give Commissioner
Uribe an opportunity to vote on the things
she is in support of as opposed to things that she is not
so I think it allows folks to know specifically what someone
is going to vote for and where their concerns lie as opposed
to (Indistinct) if Commissioner Semrad would
like to withdraw her motion.
>> I will withdraw my motion to make it an amendment.
>> So I will make another motion to approve --
>> He's getting the vote so she can vote on what she wants.
>> I can't hear what's going on down there but I believe what
I'm hearing -- you made a motion.
>> So no.
We have no motion on the floor.
>> You made a motion initially I think.
[Members speaking concurrently]
>> So Commissioner Wilson, I am humbly requesting that you
withdraw your motion to allow me to make a friendly amendment
that we vote those item at a time to allow Commissioner Uribe
to vote for the things that she supports and to not vote
for the things that she does not support.
We will still move forward.
It will just be separate votes.
>> Okay.
So what are you asking of me?
>> You can withdraw your motion or allow me to make a friendly
amendment.
>> I will amend my motion to allow the bifurcated vote
on the consent agenda.
>> So our first vote is going to be fire and rescue fees.
>> And I am okay with the friendly amendment
as the seconder.
>> I'm sorry.
The clerk is giving me an indication that this
may be difficult to track.
I'm going to withdraw the motion and allow someone else to make
the motion.
Thank you.
>> I move we approve the first item of the consent agenda
specifically the fire and Rescue Fee CPI indexing.
>> Second.
>> We have a second on the fire rescue piece.
All in favor let it be known by saying aye.
Opposed, no.
Motion is unanimous.
>> Move approval of the consent agenda building fees
and adjustments.
>> Second.
>> Seconded was that Commissioner Gomez Cordero?
Okay.
There's a second.
All in favor let it be known by saying aye.
Opposed, no.
>> Move approval of the consent agenda zoning fees
and adjustment.
>> Second.
>> Commissioner Wilson was the second there.
All in favor let it be known by saying aye.
Opposed, no.
Motion passes and it is unanimous.
>> Move approval of consent agenda item environmental
protection fees adjustments as written.
Or as proposed.
>> Second Wilson.
>> Seconder is Commissioner Wilson.
All in favor let it be known by saying aye.
Opposed, no.
Motion passes, 4-2.
>> Was it Scott and Uribe voting no?
>> Okay.
Was that the final one?
That was the final.
So I think with that, we have now
taken care of all the business today.
Commissioner Scott, you had mentioned something to me.
>> I have an informational item to share with the board based
on consultation with the Comptroller and his staff.
So, for the years that I have been in office
we have purchased twice, and most recently the Comptroller
wanted that to be a consent item.
Secondary to that, I purchased pizza
so you will see items on the consent
agenda and my conversations with the Comptroller staff, what
I told them is that public purpose is based
on the need in the district at the time
and as we've done through the Citizen Safety Task Force,
we know that investing in different programs
reduces the likelihood of someone being involved
in the criminal justice system.
It was less than $500 worth of pizza or something for the kids
at Tangelo Elementary and so that will be coming as a consent
item so you will see that but I'm putting on the record just
so you all are aware and I think -- does that cover everything?
>> Well, I think it's something if I might --
I guess I don't need to do that.
Do I?
I think that the county policy is the county policy
and that is what we have to follow,
so I think if the board wants to spend
money that isn't necessarily authorized under county policy
you either need to change the policy
or prove specific exceptions to it
like Commissioner Scott is proposing.
>> What was the problem that was identified by the comptroller?
That's not clear to me what happened.
>> What was the policy that was being violated?
>> I'm first of all going to ask Lori Bauer to come up here
but one item I just want to amplify is,
we are not talking about a $500 pizza party.
You're talking about $4,000 for pizza and toys for children,
which seems like a very nice cause to me but it is not
permitted under your policy.
So if you -- >> But what policy is that?
>> I don't know the number.
>> Okay because I was going to say I had it with a $22 postcard
that was submitted for volunteers that had been
participating at the end of the year and it was rejected as not
being public purpose.
I did have a conversation at the time
with somebody in your office and said I'm confused.
This was specifically a thank you
from them at the end of the year of volunteering and community
partners and I think there's a public purpose
to those partnerships.
So but I still even after that there was never a definitive
explanation to me about the public purpose and I know you
all have all heard from me about --
and I go to Florida Association of Counties.
I pay my own travel.
I always pay for my own hotel and my own meals
but I have to submit to travel forms.
[Members speaking concurrently]
>> I need to say this.
A couple of things.
Number one, we are happy to discuss any expenditure
any time as far as what's under the policy and what's not.
We offer training to you.
[Members speaking concurrently]
>> Hold on one second.
Because I hate to tell you I don't
know what you're talking about.
I don't know that it's appropriate during our budget
work session.
If this conversation is about a policy
that someone thinks needs to be changed,
I don't believe this is the appropriate time
to have that conversation.
We are missing too much information.
We don't have the details and I think
if we're going to change policy, we
should be giving ample notice to the public and other people
to perhaps have the opportunity to participate in that.
That hasn't happened because this is not on our agenda
so I just really don't think that this
is a appropriate when Commissioner Scott said we did
something.
What he had said.
I didn't do that.
We did not include me in that.
Okay?
And so I thought this was something that we had done,
and that is not the case so I believe
that it's not appropriate now.
I think that is something that if we want to change the policy,
Commissioner Scott can do a commissioner's report
or something to bring that before the body
at an appropriate time but I don't
think that is appropriate to add on today.
Is that fair?
>> I think it's very fair just to be clear.
I talked to Commissioner Scott a few moments ago
and said we would put it on the agenda for the specific items
come August, because that would seem to give everybody a chance
to look at it.
>> So what does that mean though?
We are going to have a consent agenda full of items
that (Indistinct)
>> He's talking about this expenditure.
>> But what expenditures are going to fall under that
category?
>> Somebody would have to present whatever that is if they
think the policies need to change and do a commission
as a report and do it the right way.
>> I received communication today from his staff and asked,
should I just share it as an informational item.
What I think would be appropriate
as you said I will do a commissioner's report.
When you do the consent agenda items
if you want to just do a memo to encapsulate
you guys's thoughts from the overwhelming thing
I was trying to communicate to the board is this.
Public purpose is subjective and based
on the needs of the district.
I have young people getting killed
at least every other month.
I talked to a parent last night whose son is dead
and the other son is a paraplegic
and their minds are gone because the young man who killed
them has been released, period.
Because they have no witnesses so the needs in my district
are different than each one of you all's and so
when we talk about public purpose
there is no one uniform public purpose
that will fit every district.
>> Okay.
So we need to do some work there.
All I'm saying is that is not today.
That's not today.
>> Can I say something though really quick because I do think
there's something really important about this within
the budget framework because we do submit our budgets.
We are trying so hard to.
I work really hard in my office.
The transparency piece.
The accountability piece.
The making sure that public purpose threads
through every single thing but it's
difficult to do when the structure doesn't
identify it that way.
Let me just give you an example and this is something
why I think it's important.
For any registration we do, so if I
go in county in my district to a community
legal services educational forum about housing,
I put a travel form in even if there's no expense for travel.
Now that is a budget issue.
>> Okay.
I get all of that but that was not
advertised as part of this conversation
that we were going to have today okay?
It's not a budget line item.
That is a policy decision.
[Members speaking >> That's fine.
>> This isn't the right time.
>> I understand no I understand but I just want to make sure
because it does fall into our district.
>> There's probably some other kind of ramifications here.
Today isn't the time for that.
That's all I'm saying.
I don't see that as consistent.
>> I just want to be clear because other commissioners have
submitted a commissioners report.
With respect to a commissioner's report given the schedule now
and given the things --
[Members speaking concurrently]
>> I just want to be clear.
I didn't want any other commissioner thinking
how is this going to jump in front of my?
>> Asking the question though since we're going to a new
budget you're talking about October.
Our budget kicks in October 1st.
Wouldn't it actually take priority knowing that --
[Members speaking >> This is not a budget item.
That's a policy issue.
It's a policy issue about how the Comptroller
interprets policy and then implements and executes
the policy.
That is what this is about.
That is something different than what we are doing today
so I'm going to -- we're not going to do this today.
Okay.
At some point in the future we can have that full conversation.
I don't like catching people off guard like that.
I don't think we have any other business,
based upon what we advertised we were going to do today
and so with that, we stand adjourned.