Commissioner Murman quoted in this Tampa Tribune article on homeless services:

Politics

Hillsborough to finance 75-bed shelter for homeless

By Mike Salinero | Tribune Staff
Published: October 22, 2014   |   Updated: October 23, 2014 at 06:08 AM

TAMPA — The chilly winds of winter add another degree of misery to the lives of Hillsborough County’s homeless population.

But that misery will be allayed for some families and individuals this winter thanks to a new Community Housing Solutions Center financed by county government. The county put out a call for bids Wednesday for a 75-bed center, which will be run by a non-governmental organization.

The center will provide short-term housing _ an average of six months _ along with case management services to help the residents get on their feet financially and find permanent housing. The project marks the latest step in a long-term commitment by county leaders to significantly reduce the number of people living outside.

“We want to solve the problem, not put a Band-Aid on it,” said County Commissioner Sandy Murman, a long-time advocate for homeless services. “It’s up to our staff and the people we contract with to make sure they do these services so we can really fix the problem.”

The county has budgeted $1.6 million a year for housing the homeless, said John Hollingshead, county division director for procurement. That figure is in addition to $2.3 million that county commissioners appropriated earlier this year for two-year contracts with three non-profit organizations _ Metropolitan Ministries, Salvation Army and the Agency for Community Treatment Services. The non-profits provide emergency services to homeless families, individuals and clients with mental or substance abuse problems.

And, in a project spearheaded by Murman last year, the county partnered with local business leaders to build Cypress Landings, an apartment building in north Tampa that provides permanent housing and a host of services to the chronically homeless.

The Housing Solutions Center now out for bid was supposed to be located in a former work release center owned by the Sheriff’s Office on Orient Road. Murman said the county postponed using the sheriff’s center when the county Environmental Protection Commission found a leaking fuel tank nearby. The housing center in the sheriff’s building was going to have 180 beds.

“When the jail problem is rectified, hopefully we’ll have enough money to do both projects,” Murman said. “We may have to have a smaller project at the jail with not as many beds.”

The new center will have 24-hours-a-day, seven-days-a-week access. It will include basic services such as food, showers, personal storage, laundry, security and supervision.

Bids will be accepted until Nov. 5, Hollingshead said. The county commission will likely approve the deal at its December meeting.

“My understanding is they want to get it to the first board meeting in December because the cold weather will be occurring,” Hollingshead said.

msalinero@tampatrib.com

Commissioner Murman quoted in this Tampa Bay Times article on the Streetcar:

Tampa Port Authority votes to delay trolley subsidy

Jamal Thalji, Times Staff Writer

Tuesday, October 21, 2014 12:47pm

TAMPA — The Tampa Port Authority voted Tuesday to delay paying a six-figure subsidy to the city’s struggling trolley until its nonprofit operator, Tampa Historic Streetcar Inc., shows the board a new business plan to turn around the streetcar system.

The streetcar’s current $1.6 million operating budget is not dependent on port funding. The port gave the trolley $100,000 in 2012.

But this time Hillsborough County Commissioner Sandra Murman, who sits on the port’s governing board, wants the streetcar’s board to hire a consultant to look at ways to improve its operations before she votes to give it any more money. She also wants the streetcar people to work with the port as it develops a master plan for its downtown holdings in the Channel District and the Channelside Bay Plaza outdoor mall.

“I think it’s time for an expert to tell us how to do this,” Murman said.

The trolley suffers from low ridership and low revenue, limiting the cars to 20 minutes between stops. But transit times can’t be improved until the streetcar gets better funding, a conundrum local officials have yet to solve.

Tampa Mayor Bob Buckhorn agreed with Murman but also told the board it can’t give up on the trolley yet.

For one thing, the area is still on the hook for the federal subsidy that helped build the trolley line. If the trolley were to fold, the city and the county bus authority would have to repay millions of dollars. Buckhorn also pointed out that the trolley’s fortunes should improve as downtown Tampa does. The mayor said Tampa Bay Lightning owner Jeff Vinik’s recent purchase of Channelside, his plans to develop 24 empty acres around the Amalie Arena, his bid to bring the University of South Florida’s new medical school to his land, and several new residential construction projects all promise to radically redevelop downtown Tampa.

They need to keep the trolley going, the mayor said, because one day downtown will be able to support it.

“Whether it works now or not is really not important,” Buckhorn said, “in context of what’s coming.”

Commissioner Murman quoted in this editorial in the Tampa Tribune regarding government collaboration:

Editorials

Editorial: A unique collaboration to keep the clean water flowing

Published: October 18, 2014

Having clean water flow into our homes and businesses every day for a relatively minor cost is something we all take for granted.

But behind the scenes are thousands of government workers employing biology, chemistry, engineering and computer skills to make sure the water in Hillsborough County is safe for consumption.

The work is essential but not something young students think about turning into a career.

Changing that mindset is the focus of a new collaboration among the Hillsborough County school district and utility officials with the city of Tampa and Hillsborough County’s government. The idea is to educate students about the importance of water in Florida and the work that government utilities do to ensure this critical resource remains clean, available and affordable as the state continues to grow.

Helped by city and county officials, the school district is creating a curriculum for students that will offer certification in water treatment skills along with field trips and internships.

“It’s something no other school district has,” says Tampa City Council member Charlie Miranda, who is partnering with County Commissioner Sandra Murman, city of Tampa public works Administrator Brad Baird and county utilities Director George Cassady to drive the initiative.

Nearly 2,000 jobs are dedicated to bringing clean water into our homes in Tampa and the unincorporated parts of the county. But the workforce is aging, and few new graduates know to consider water treatment plants as a career choice. Baird and Cassady expect about 40 percent of their workforce to retire over the next five to 10 years.

Opportunities are there for high school students who might not want to pursue a college degree. “These are good-paying jobs,” Murman says. She says the work can keep young people from leaving Hillsborough to start their careers elsewhere.

Hillsborough County Public Schools Superintendent MaryEllen Elia has been working on a curriculum that can alert students to the potential and give them the skills to attain the certification. Students in elementary and middle schools will be exposed to the importance of conservation and sustainability practices. High school students can get hands-on work at the facilities and be prepared to enter the workforce upon graduation.

Advances in technology have changed the ways water is treated. “This is not your grandfather’s treatment plant,” Cassady says. “These are respectable careers.”

Water policy is expected to be the focus of state lawmakers when they meet for their annual session next year. It is critical the state safeguards its water sources and cleans up those that are being polluted. With Amendment 1 on the November ballot, voters will have a chance to ensure the state dedicates sufficient dollars to land and water conservation efforts annually.

We may not give a second thought to what happens behind the faucets in our homes. But it’s critical that government does and that it employs a workforce that can deliver the goods. This unique collaboration is an excellent example of three government agencies joining together for the common good.

Commissioner Murman quoted in this Tampa Tribune article on CUPS:

Central Tampa News

Group seeks to link commerce and the community

By LENORA LAKE
Special Correspondent
Published: October 15, 2014

A grass-roots organization is pulling together residents and businesses in the Channelside area and its surroundings.

Known as Channel District Urban Professionals Society, or CUPS, the group started about two months ago. Its first event, Channel District Connect, was a melding of 100 attendees who all learned more about the group’s plan. They also had a chance to talk with business and political leaders during the Oct. 4 event held at BoConcepts, a furniture and design store.

Sid Khurrum Hasan, co-founder of the group, said its purpose is “to make the Channel District a place where we live, work and play by connecting commerce and the community.”

Lauren Campbell, also a co-founder, said the area had the reputation as an “entertainment district,” but now there are more residents and businesses in the area. She said there are 3,500 households in the area now.

“This neighborhood was empty and developers threw money at it,” she said. “We want new businesses and residents to come here and feel welcome.”

Tampa Mayor Bob Buckhorn spoke at the gathering.

“This is the most exciting time in Tampa — especially for the urban core,” he said. “You literally can feel the energy in the city.”

The area is seeing a boom with new high rises under construction and numerous plans in the works, including a new hotel, as well as other developments involving Tampa Bay Lightning owner Jeff Vinik and an investment firm controlled by Microsoft founder Bill Gates. Vinik also just closed a deal buying the Tampa Waterside Marriott Hotel and Marina.

“This is the heart and soul of the city,” Buckhorn said. “The millennials don’t want to live in the burbs.”

Hillsborough County Commissioner Sandra Murman commended CUPS for its work in recognizing the need for an organization and for hosting the gathering.

“We’ve got residents walking the neighborhoods, coffee shops and people moving in,” she said.

However, some businesses still have not been able to survive. Le Mouton Noir Bakehouse closed its doors on Sept. 29, after almost two years in the area.

For information about CUPS, see www.facebook.com/groups/CUP Society/.

Commissioner Murman quoted in this Tampa Tribune article on Doggone Holistic:

South Shore News

Folks flock to Doggone Holistic to keep their pets healthy

BY ELAINE SPEER
Special Correspondent
Published: October 8, 2014

LITHIA – For most dog and cat owners, pets are part of the family. Their full-time jobs are providing unconditional love, endless loyalty and even security.

In return pets ask very little – maybe a ball toss, a walk around the block or a scratch behind the ears – and a healthy diet. But most pet owners are unaware of what type of food to buy, and they know even less about what’s in them.

Kim Tom and her husband, Chris, are co-owners of Dog Gone Holistic, a specialty pet store at 5620 FishHawk Crossing Blvd., Lithia. They’ve been serving – and educating – pet owners across the Tampa area for more than six years.

“The foods and treats we sell are all natural and contain no by-products, chemicals, preservatives or cancer-causing ingredients,” she said. “We are selective in what we put on the shelves – only the ‘best of the best.’”

The store carries 100-percent natural foods free of wheat, corn or soy; treats and chews; supplements; flea control products and pet accessories – even a wide selection of Halloween costumes. Many of the items it stocks help pet owners manage some of their pet’s health conditions, like itchy skin, chronic yeast and ear infections, excess weight or shedding, dry coat and diabetes. Tom says she gets daily proof from customers that pet ailments can be resolved with a holistic diet.

Kristine McCreery drives from Brandon to FishHawk almost weekly. She started feeding natural grain-free dog food to one of her dogs with severe allergies and says she wouldn’t go anyplace else for the needs of her two boxers and eight cats.

“The staff is so knowledgeable,” she said. “I love that I don’t have to do extensive research, they do it for me.”

Hillsborough County Commissioner Sandy Murman drives from South Tampa with her 5-year-old golden retriever, Rocky Top.

“I love Dog Gone Holistic because it offers grain-free, wholesome and natural dog food choices to keep my precious dog healthy and happy,” Murman said. “I can get his teeth cleaned, and they have a beautiful bathing area for dogs.”

Pets are benefiting from their owners’ commitment to a healthier lifestyle, Tom said.

“People are just eating better and want to take care of their pets too,” she said. “A lot of times, pets eat better than their owners!”

Dog Gone Holistic is open 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. weekdays and 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturdays.

For additional information, call (813) 651-0842 or visit www.doggoneholistic.biz.

Freelance writer Elaine Speer can be reached at elaine@elainespeer.com.

Commissioner Murman quoted in this Tampa Tribune article on Mosaic in Hillsborough:

Business News

Mosaic near mining out Hillsborough

By Yvette C. Hammett | Tribune Staff
Published: September 28, 2014

Mosaic’s monstrous draglines will be excavating phosphate from Hillsborough County’s rural landscape for only five to seven more years.

As the phosphate giant completes mining on about 4,000 acres in the Fort Lonesome area in the far southeast corner of the county, it is preparing to move its mining operations south into Manatee, DeSoto and Hardee counties, where it already has some active phosphate pits.

Although mining will end here, Mosaic is not abandoning Hillsborough. Its massive footprint at Port Tampa Bay, where it processes, then exports its products, will stay put. Its multimillion- dollar impact on the local economy will remain, company officials say.

There’s also, however, the little matter of some 61,000 acres the company still owns in Hillsborough County. Mosaic, one of the 10 largest landowners in the state, has turned much of its reclaimed mining lands over to the county for use as public recreation areas over the past 50 years.

The next 50 years are likely to look different, as mining ceases and residential, agricultural and other types of land development replace it.

Mosaic has 4,000 employees in the state and more than half of them live and work in Hillsborough County, said Richard Ghent, Mosaic’s senior manager of public relations. According to an economic report on Port Tampa Bay, phosphate fertilizer production there accounts for 6,800 jobs. It is the No. 1 export from the port. The production of phosphate-based fertilizer accounts for 12 million tons, or 35 percent of cargo coming through Port Tampa Bay.

“The movement of phosphate rock and fertilizer products creates the largest number of direct jobs …,” according to an economic report Port Tampa Bay commissioned in 2013.

With the recent acquisition of CF Industries’ phosphate business, with operations including in Plant City, Mosaic is even larger than when that report was written. It is now the only phosphate company in the region.

❖ ❖ ❖

“It’s really important that people understand that mining is tied to processing of the rock and to port activity,” Ghent said. “Even though we won’t necessarily be mining in Hillsborough County, you’d still have the facilities for processing the rock mined in other counties and Port Tampa Bay facilities” from where the processed rock is shipped. “Other business activity will go on here, as well.”

“This movement of phosphate rock and fertilizer products by port shippers and consignees such as Mosaic … creates about 43,500 jobs generating … over $10.6 billion in total economic value to the region,” according to the port study.

Mosaic built a new headquarters building in Circa FishHawk just four years ago because of its central location to various arms of the company. Much of its operations are in Polk County.

In Hillsborough, its Big Bend facility is a warehouse for phosphate and finished fertilizer products and includes a new 100,000-ton warehouse. In Riverview, the company has a 90-year-old concentrate plant for fertilizer manufacturing and an anhydrous ammonia terminal at Port Sutton, where it receives ships from Louisiana and elsewhere, then transfers the anhydrous ammonia, via pipeline, to facilities at Riverview, New Wales near the Hillsborough-Polk line and to Bartow.

The Tampa Marine Terminal, part of the CF Industries acquisition, is a 100,000-ton dry fertilizer warehouse, where product is stored, then shipped to various global locations and across the Gulf of Mexico and up the Mississippi River. The Hooker’s Point Ammonia Terminal also pipes anhydrous ammonia to various locations.

The Plant City facility, acquired with CF Industries operations, is a fertilizer plant on the northern border of the Hillsborough-Pasco Line.

❖ ❖ ❖

What the company will do with its former phosphate pits, some reclaimed, some still being reclaimed, remains to be seen. Mosaic’s lands are designated in the Hillsborough County Comprehensive Plan as rural, which allows for residential, agricultural industrial uses and mining.

Company officials say Mosaic has not yet laid out a plan for its reclaimed land here.

But because the company is shifting away from active mining here, it is asking the county to reflect that in writing as part of the update to the comp plan, a blueprint for future growth. That wording change will likely go to the county commission next summer, said Pedro Parra, the planning commission’s principal planner.

The company already has the ability to develop its land in five-, 10- and 20-acre home tracts or for agricultural uses. If, in the future, the county extends its Urban Service Area, the area where water and sewer lines can be installed, the company could apply for higher densities, just like any other landowner, Parra said.

Company officials say they are already working with Hillsborough County to ensure the phosphate company’s future land plans don’t conflict with what surrounding communities want.

“We coordinate very closely with the county agencies,” said Bob Nelson, Mosaic senior manager, public relations. “We’ve got a responsibility to reclaim every acre” mined. “We do look at whether there is an opportunity to put the land back into an environmental status or an opportunity for future development or agricultural uses, or for business development.”

❖ ❖ ❖

Realtor Gary Kaukonen of Keller Williams Realty Inc., who oversees about 100 brokers in Apollo Beach and Sun City Center, said the South Shore area is the only area with a lot of land available for development. He sees development of Mosaic’s land there as a plus for the community.

“If anybody wants large parcels, they just aren’t available anywhere else,” Kaukonen said. “We used to be tomato fields. Once they start doing that transition, we’re excited to have our office here. We’re right in the middle of the mix for future growth. We are only 25 minutes from downtown Tampa and not far from Sarasota, so it puts us in a great location. It’s going to be a huge boon for the area.

“Yes, Mosaic will have to work with the community but I don’t know that you will have much community outrage, because it will be a benefit,” he said.

“Mosaic has stayed involved in the community plans” as people in areas like Riverview and Balm have decided how they want their enclaves to look in the future, said Christine Smith, community relations manager for Mosaic. “We are taking a big picture look at where we want to be in 20 years.”

The potential is great and something the county will be exploring along with Mosaic, said County Commissioner Sandy Murman, whose district encompasses South Shore.

“I and (County Administrator) Mike Merrill are working to schedule a meeting with Mosaic. “We are in such a great position with having so much developable land available. It’s going to bring so many companies that will be interested in locating here and bringing jobs. We were with some site locators the other night and talking about what it takes to get manufacturers to come.

“We want to protect rural areas and agriculture at all costs and right now, there is no discussion of moving the Urban Service Area,” Murman said. “We did have a discussion about it with the Economic Prosperity Committee, but agree it would be premature to expand the Urban Service Area without a strategic plan, so the public can understand the impact.”

❖ ❖ ❖

But, she said, there may be future opportunities for public-private partnerships, where, perhaps, Mosaic could retain title to some of its land, but open it up to business or residential development.

“Just having the property available is a big plus,” she said. With 370,000 more people projected to live her in the next 20 years, we’re going to have to stay on top of where we can put water plants and all kinds of things.”

As the company’s footprint expands, it has applied to the state or plans to apply to mine on about 51,000 acres in the Manatee, Hardee and DeSoto counties. So, it will still require a skilled labor force to move operations forward, Nelson said.

Mosaic is forming a new program, working with Polk County schools, to recruit replacements for baby boomers expected to leave the company work force over the next decade.

The company is partnering with Florida’s newest university, Florida Polytechnic in Lakeland, to offer curriculum development and provide opportunities for students majoring in electrical engineering, mechanical engineering, logistics and supply chain to participate in co-op and intern programs.

Polk State College’s Clear Springs Advanced Technology Center, which opened in January, received $75,000 from Mosaic to benefit the center’s high-tech degree program, including supply chain management and information technology.

“Mosaic, like other companies, is becoming more aggressive in our recruiting efforts,” Nelson said. “We are putting more effort into developing and training our existing employees and workforce planning has become a major focus for our human resources team.”

yhammett@tampatrib.com

Commissioner Murman quoted in this Tampa Bay Times article on Governor’s visit to Tampa:

Scott makes appeal to women voters at Tampa campaign stop

JODIE TILLMANTampa Bay Times

Tuesday, September 16, 2014 5:53pm

TAMPA — With polls showing women favor his Democratic opponent Charlie Crist, Gov. Rick Scott and his backers urged a mostly female gathering Tuesday to flip the gender gap to his advantage.

Women business and political leaders from the Tampa Bay area surrounded Scott and his wife, Ann, on a campaign stop at the Laser Spine Institute. Speakers emphasized Scott’s record on education and aid to small businesses as the type of pocketbook issues around which women can rally.

“There are more women-owned small businesses in Florida than anywhere else in the southeast,” said Hillsborough County Commissioner Sandy Murman, a Republican. “This is a no-brainer. Rick’s going to win.”

Kim DeBosier, president of Bayside Engineering in Tampa, said Scott’s support for increasing investment in the science, technology, engineering and math curriculum (STEM) is a way to lure more women into her industry. “The governor gets that,” she said.

Crist’s campaign has emphasized his support for equal pay and abortion rights. Scott avoided those issues Tuesday. He portrayed Crist as someone who can’t accomplish much.

“Charlie is a good talker. He can talk about anything,” said Scott. “But nothing happens.”

Debbie Cox-Roush, a Hillsborough Republican activist, told the gathering that women make up 53 percent of the electorate. “Fifty-three percent. Don’t forget that number,” she said.

Before the Scotts arrived, a campaign worker assembled the women around the podium, handed out handmade signs that included such sentiments as “We love Ann” and had the crowd practice its “Let’s Get to Work” chant, which is Scott’s slogan.

Laser Spine Institute, which quoted Scott in a recent news release announcing its expansion plans, donated $50,000 to Scott’s “Let’s Get to Work” re-election committee this cycle. The company also contributed $25,000 to the Republican Party of Florida in June.

Contact Jodie Tillman at jtillman@tampabay.com. Follow @jtillmantimes.

Commissioner Murman quoted in this Observer article on the South County Job Fair:

Sep 9, 2014

Commissioner Sandra Murman’s South County Job Fair To Return To HCC

By Tamas Mondovics

Hillsborough County Commissioner Sandy Murman, in association with CareerSource Tampa Bay and Hillsborough Community College (HCC), will be hosting a South County Job Fair next month in hopes of giving residents another shot at landing a job in a tough economy.

“With the challenges that we have been facing in the past few years, the most important thing that we can do in County Government is to help our unemployed or under employed citizens to find jobs,” Murman said while promoting the free event appropriately called South County Job Fair 2014.

Employers are encouraged to participate at the free event scheduled for Friday October 3 from 8:30 a.m.-12 Noon at the HCC SouthShore Campus located at 551 24th Street N.E., in Ruskin.

More than 40 employers and vendors participated last year, some of whom interviewed potential employees on the spot, while others provided online links to jobs.

In a recent press release promoting the upcoming event, Murman’s staff emphasized that the Florida Home Partnership and the Hillsborough County Division of Elections (Voter Registration) were also present at the last event highlighting their community programs.

The release pointed to a survey taken by CareerSource Tampa Bay, which asked for feedback on the event, and said that 85 percent of the employers and vendors who completed the survey rated the South County Job Fair as excellent or outstanding.

Businesses attending the event included a number of major government and private entities such as the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office, County Fire Rescue, Hillsborough County Public Schools Mosaic,  Lowe’s as well as Home Depot, just to name a few.

“When more people are working, more people are saving and spending money at local businesses, and the economy continues to improve,” said Murman.

County officials said that the South County venue for the event is specifically chosen as it remains one of the hardest hit in Murman’s district.

“It’s still critical that we get people back to work,” Murman said

For more information, call  930-7868 or e-mail robinsond@careersourcetam pabay.com.

Commissioner Murman quoted in this Tampa Tribune article on violence prevention:

Politics

Hillsborough OKs funding for anti-violence plan

By Mike Salinero | Tribune Staff
Published: September 4, 2014   |   

TAMPA — It could take three or four years to see positive results from a violence-prevention plan that Hillsborough County commissioners approved Thursday.

Commissioners unanimously approved the multi-faceted plan that will cost roughly $1.9 million over five years. The county government’s contribution will be $1.26 million with other government agencies contributing money or in-kind services.

Though voting for approval, two commissioners expressed concerns that a strategic plan for curbing violence took a year to develop and now must be implemented over five years. The plan was written by the county’s Violence Prevention Collaborative, made up of 80 representatives from law enforcement, judiciary, school system and other governement agencies.

A key component of the plan was a youth survey on violence that identified areas that need help, such as social work, community organizing and education.

Commissioner Les Miller, whose district includes many of the “hot spots” identified in the youth survey, said he wanted to see more urgency and less studying.

“One of the things I hear is, ‘Please don’t study us. We’ve been studied enough,’ ” Miller said, referring to residents in his district.

Commissioner Sandy Murman said the survey included facts she already knew about what areas in her south Hillsborough district need help.

“I know we’re establishing infrastructure for the violence collaborative,” Murman said. “But how does that relate to actual service to get these (violence) numbers down. How do we do that?”

Commissioner Kevin Beckner and Annie Lyles of The Prevention Institute told the board it will take time to build the necessary framework and financial support needed to show measurable results in terms of violence reduction.

It was Beckner who created the Violence Prevention Collaborative last summer. Lyles was hired as a consultant to shepherd the collaborative’s work, which resulted in a strategic plan.

Speaking by a video stream from California, Lyles said the board must hire a coordinator whose job it will be to develop widespread community support, especially from the business sector and foundations that can help with funding. The coordinator will also weave together a network of community and neighborhood organizations that will work to change a culture of violence.

Beckner said there is no “magic wand” that can instantly turn on a comprehensive anti-violence program in a county of 1.2 million people.

“It’s not about any individual service,” Beckner said. “It’s about changing a culture … a culture that’s been breeding violence. Those things are very complicated.”

The broad-based plan that Beckner and other collaborative members rolled out Aug. 25, calls for services that strengthen families and build cohesiveness in run-down neighborhoods. Schools would play an important role by providing a safe haven for community meetings, social networking and mentoring programs.