10/15/26 – Rays bonds, Peregrine’s return and Charter changes still unseen

Big week this week as council sit Thursday morning for a 99 item agenda. And while there’s 8 special events included in that list along with 7 second readings on land use cases that all passed unanimously on first reading, that still leaves a heavy agenda with some not so inconsequential implications.

Appointments

There have been recent discussions about the duration of board appointments so 2 appointments to the Hillsborough Area Regional Transit Authority (HART), one through June 12, 2029 and the other through November 2, 2029, and one appointment to the Tampa Housing Authority through October 14, 2030 might raise questions. Mayor Jane Castor is proposing to name Robin Lockett and Sandra Murman to the HART board and Janet Cruz Rifkin to the housing authority board. If those names don’t sound familiar, Lockett is a long time community activist. She’s also been a Tampa City Council and state representative candidate. Murman is a former Hillsborough County Commissioner and Cruz Rifkin is a former state representative and most recently ran for Tampa City Council with an endorsement from the mayor. She’s also the mother of Mayor Castor’s partner Ana Cruz.

Consent Agenda

Reminder, unless a council member requests an item to be pulled, items on the consent agenda do not get a discussion and are voted on as a block through voice vote.

• Item 11 — $250,000 state grant from the Florida Department of Law Enforcement for a TPD drone detection system, to “deploy drone detection systems to enhance airspace security and support integration with the Real-Time Crime Center.”
• Item 18 — Tree Trust Fund contribution fee goes from $300 to $475 per required tree, replacing the figure a 2001 resolution set. Second reading for changes to the ordinance is also on the agenda.
• Item 43 — final change order closing out the Lower Peninsula Stormwater Improvements design-build with Kimmins Contracting: $1,886,910.73 comes off the contract and the final payment is $10,000. Unclear if these funds are already accounted for in the South Howard Project or if they could be appropriated for another project.
• Item 45 — a new research and technical assistance agreement with USF, open to any City department on a work-order basis. Each work order is capped at $250,000, paid by requisition from the department using it, with no overall ceiling stated.
• Item 51 — establishes the Auditor Selection Committee state law requires before the City picks its external auditor, chaired by Council Member Bill Carlson with three outside finance officers from the Sports Authority, HART and the Sheriff’s Office.

Community Development Block Grant - Disaster Recovery

Noting these because of the total. Just under $74 million across the three agreements. Hillsborough County holds the HUD grant, the city signs on as subrecipient.

• Item 62 — the City’s CDBG-DR project list for Hurricanes Helene and Milton. Primarily stormwater pump stations throughout the city plus the public safety facility upgrades.
• Item 63 — $1,155,000 fire station improvements.
• Item 64 — $4,788,000 for a police district facility.
• Item 65 — $68,040,000 for wastewater pump station rehabilitation and improvements.

Budget

Last week I noted that council had canceled the special call meeting scheduled for this Tuesday to follow up on the budget until after the November vote on Amendment 3. Apparently that didn’t mean the last minute changes council voted on would wait. Two consent agenda items: Item 55 allocates $4,122,523 from reserves, however much that is, to 11 projects council earmarked at the final budget hearing. Item 59 moves $2 million in Community Investment Tax funds to projects in Sulphur Springs.

Public Hearings

• Item 71 — sets a November 19, 1:30 p.m. hearing on opting out of the Live Local Act’s 75% property tax exemption for multifamily units serving households at 80% to 120% of area median income.
• Item 73 — second reading of the Tree Trust Fund ordinance. Unanimous on first reading.
• Item 85 — first reading of a Sec. 22-308 amendment declaring “trees, shrubbery, etc., obstructing vision of drivers of motor vehicles” a code violation.

Downtown Parking

Item 50 is a new arena parking agreement with Tampa Bay Arena, LLC, replacing the 1995 deal that expires February 5, 2027. The Lightning keep 900 spaces in the Pam Iorio garage on event nights, 600 of them for season ticket holders, and pay the city 30% of net advance sales starting July 2027, rising to 40% in 2032 and 50% in 2037. The city pays the team 30% of day-of drive-up revenue and rents them 500 Fort Brooke garage spaces for $240,000 a year, up 4% annually. Runs through June 2043 with the arena lease. Mobility asked for it to go under Staff Reports, so expect discussion.

Peregrine - TPD Data Hub & Sharing

I looked into items 87 - item 89 when it first appeared on the agenda and noted what a lot of state law enforcement agencies were saying about why they were obtaining the service. Council had a few questions of their own and delayed the item.

It’s back and this time it includes the contract so I dug a little deeper and read a few more memos. Sure, it’s a data integration platform. A platform designed for data sharing and 3rd party integrations. Acting Chief Brett Owen was pretty clear on its purpose, “in order to standardize and share law enforcement information across state law enforcement agencies, Tampa Police Department needs to utilize Peregrine platform for its data integration and sharing solution.”

Ironically, nothing about Ybor, which is is supposed to be the focus of the funding grant. Ybor City safety and “community engagement.”

Rays Bonding

When I started breaking this down I quickly realized it was going to take more than what would fit in a 99 item agenda review. Item 90 is where the rubber meets the road in funding the Rays as the city moves forward with the intention to borrow the $80 million through non-ad valorem bonds. And while the signed agreement says the city’s share of the stadium district’s property taxes will “repay” it, the bond resolution says property taxes can’t pay the bonds. And depending on how the surrounding mixed-use is developed, that may never cover the cost.

Parks

Item 94 is a resolution approving $7 million for Parks and Rec for the Installation, Repair, and Replacement of Parks Site Furnishings, Playground Equipment and Surfacing. Which sounds great, but…it’s really $3.5 million a year for 2 years with renewal options. It doesn’t specify which parks or projects. By requisition. Also, there’s a caveat that the funds can be shared with Logistics and Asset Management.

Charter

Finally, at 1:30 p.m. when council return from their lunch break, they will be addressing final revisions to the Charter amendments they have been contemplating. As I’ve written before, I was hoping to see the draft language of the proposed changes before making comment. Consider me highly disappointed to see nothing in Onbase for this item again.

Meanwhile, Bobby Creighton continues his series, this week taking a look at the history of the Tampa City Council Attorney. Let me just say I’m a huge fan of council’s attorney Martin Shelby. I learn something from him every week.

As to the rest, I think Charter Review Advisory Commission member (and city council candidate) Garrett Greco captured some of my thoughts in an interview with TBBW.

“I sort of wish Council would have at least talked for a few minutes each about their thoughts…I don’t know that Council has necessarily considered the work,” Greco said. “I think they kind of know what they were going to do with or without whatever our recommendation was — rightfully so, as Council has that express authority in the charter.”

I’ll go further to say I think they have rushed through the recommendations and proposed changes. I believe there needs to be a clear understanding of what they can change between first and second reading. This isn’t the budget where they can half-ass it at a workshop and then do last minute changes during final reading. Details matter.