Page 4 - 5-1-15 Friday's Edition

Local
Proposal To Change County Commission Districts Goes To Charter Review Board
BY LEON B. CREWS Sentinel Staff Writer
On Tuesday, May 5th on the second floor of the County Center, the Hillsborough County Charter Review Board will be discussing a proposal to change the County Com- mission Districts. The meeting will be held from 6 p. m. until 8 p. m.
At the request of the County Commissioners, the CRB will discuss and take pub- lic comment on a proposal to change the structure of the Board.
CRB member Gerald White said there are 300,000 Hispanic citizens living in Hillsborough County, so they are trying to organize the dis- tricts so there will be a His- panic representative on the Board.
“When the Commissioners met to discuss the issue, noth- ing was resolved. That’s when Commissioner Les Miller suggested the CRB take over the issue.
“The Commissioners couldn’t agree how to realign the districts with a single
COUNTY COMMISSIONER LES MILLER
member district.”
White said they are debat-
ing the best way to resolve this issue, and it will take 10 of the 14 CRB members to get the issue on the ballot for the 2016 elections.
“Under the current system, each citizen can vote for the majority of the Board. My po- sition is to expand the Board to 9 seats. I think that would bring the Commissioners closer to the people. I’d like to see 5-single member districts and 4 countywide.
“We have two large minor- ity populations in Hillsbor- ough County, and I’d never
GERALD WHITE County Review Board Member
move to do anything that would hurt the African Amer- ican population.”
White said the issue is the Hispanic population covers very area of the county, and going to a 5-single member di- rect plan would make each district smaller.
“I know the Commission- ers aren’t in favor of expand- ing the Board, but a change will have to be made, and everyone is not going to be happy.”
Commissioner Miller
said he’s presented a proposal to change the districts on three previous occasions, and has
been voted down each time by his colleagues.
“My colleagues in the past just weren’t interested in ap- proving this. Former Com- missioner Jan Platt was the first person to raise the issue, and that was almost 30 years ago.
“The county’s population has grown, and right now we individually represent more than 300,000 people.”
Comm. Miller said other counties have all single mem- ber districts and no at-large seats, and he feels the best sce- nario would be 5-single mem- ber districts and 2 at large.
“If we went to 5 single member districts, we’d give up something, but it would be al- right.
“I’m not in favor of expand- ing county government. There’s no way two additional seats will be added. I think with the 5-single member dis- tricts, we will have a Hispanic representative on the Board.
Comm. Miller said the last African American to win an at large seat in county gov- ernment was the late Rev. A. Leon Lowry, and even that was a close race.
“I know some changes are going to happen, but not right now. If this gets past the CRB and then comes back to us, the people will decide and in 2018, Comm. Ken Hagan’s seat would become one of the at- large seats. If the process runs its course, it could appear on the 2016 ballot.”
Reunion Announcement
Sun City And Bethune All Class Reunion
The Sun City and Bethune All Class Reunion will be held July 17-19, 2015. Former students and teachers are requested to contact one of the committee members listed to receive ad- ditional information.
Alberta Harris (813) 237-2630; Emma Freeman (813) 634-6276; or Christine Young (813) 215-3660.
HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY CIVIL SERVICE New Employment Opportunities
Base Job Title Salary
ANIMAL CARE ASSISTANT COMMUNITY PLANNER II ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENTIST II
$19,905.60 - $31,595.20/YEAR $38,168.00 - $60,590.40/YEAR
$40,768.00 - $64,708.80/YEAR
ENVIRONMENTAL SPECIALIST I (HOUSEHOLD HAZARDOUS WASTE)
$31,512.00 - $50,044.80/YEAR
INSPECTOR I (MECHANICAL)
$35,838.40 - $56,888.00/YEAR
OFFICE ASSISTANT (RECORDS MANAGEMENT) $24,876.80 - $39,499.20/YEAR
OFFICE ASSISTANT II $27,851.20- $44,158.40/YEAR
PORT SECURITY OFFICER (NON-STANDARD HOURS) $31,574.40 - $51,251.20/YEAR
PROJECT MANAGER I (REPAIR & PRESERVATION) $46,238.40- $73,424.00/YEAR
SENIOR CHILD CARE SPECIALIST
(NON-STANDARD HOURS)
$31,512.00- $50,044.80/YEAR
See our web site at http://www.hccsb.org or visit our office at: 601 E. Kennedy Boulevard, 17th Floor. Tampa, FL. Prefer- ence in initial apt. will be given to eligible vets & eli- gible spouses of vets.
AA/EEO Employer
PAGE 4-A FLORIDA SENTINEL BULLETIN PUBLISHED EVERY TUESDAY AND FRIDAY FRIDAY, MAY 1, 2015