Page 4 - Florida Sentinel 3-18-16 Edition

Local
Go Hillsborough Investigation Completed
BY LEON B. CREWS Sentinel Staff Writer
The Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office (HCSO) and the State Attorney’s Office (SAO) have announced that their investigation of the Go Hillsborough initiative has been completed.
On September 21, 2015, the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office received a written request for investiga- tion from County Adminis- trator, Mike Merrill.
Merrill requested HCSO examine the procurement of professional consulting serv- ices for transportation engi- neering and public outreach, and the award of the contract of those services to Parsons Brinckerhoff (PB) and sub- contractors selected by PB, specifically Beth Leytham and The Leytham Group.
HCSO initiated a criminal investigation.
A total of 38 interviews were conducted, along with thousands of documents and other materials.
HCSO’s conclusion was that their investigators found no evidence to support alle- gations the selection of PB was influenced improperly in any manner.
HCSO investigators re- viewed several State Statutes and determined there was no
COUNTY COMMISSION CHAIR LES MILLER “Let The Voters Decide”
evidence to support criminal wrongdoing. However inves- tigators identified evidence to support non-criminal in- fractions were unknowingly committed by Commis- sioner Sandy Murman for failing to preserve public records on two occasions.
On January 29 2016, the State Attorney’s Office (SAO) began a review of the investi- gation and the conclusions reached by HCSO.
They concluded their re- view and concurred with the findings of the HCSO.
However, they did con- clude that Commissioner Murman violated Public Records laws. The SAO be- lieved the most appropriate sanction for Commis- sioner Murman is to at- tend a training session on the
requirement of Florida’s public records law. This training session is to be com- pleted by Commissioner Murman within 180 days.
The SAO has made the strong recommendation that all County Commissioners and their staff attend training to ensure compliance with public record laws.
County Commission Chair, Les Miller, said he never thought there was any wrongdoing.
“Looking at what our au- ditor told us, we did nothing wrong, including the actions taken by our procurement department. Now, it’s time for us to vote to see if the people will decide whether or not they want the half-cent tax to improve our trans- portation needs.
“I was initially told the in- vestigation would be com- pleted in January or February, and I became con- cerned.”
Comm. Chair Miller
said the question now is will there be enough votes to get it passed.
“Three Commissioners have already said they won’t approve it. We have a $9 bil- lion transportation deficit, and all I ask is to allow the voters to decide what they want.”
City Council Says ‘No’ To Proposed Treatment Facility
BY LEON B. CREWS Sentinel Staff Writer
With Tampa Heights being ground zero for home- less people and homeless services, the residents felt there was a need to put a stop to any more facilities opening up.
Last Thursday, the City
Council listened to represen-
tatives from Florida Mental
Health and Mental Health
Centers, request a special This is the building on Central Av- use permit for a building at enue requested to be turned into res-
2015 North Central Avenue. idential facility. The building, between
Palm Avenue and Central Avenue, has been used in the past as a facility to help people, but it has been empty for the past few years.
Council Chair, Frank Reddick, said they listened to the proposal by the group from the two facilities, and decided what they had in mind was not appropriate for that community.
“They want a 45-bed, treatment facility that would house the patients on site.
“We listened carefully to what they were proposing, and when we asked questions, their answers were vague. That’s why we voted unanimously to vote against the request for a special use permit.”
Some of the residents in attendance requested a copy of a study that shows Tampa Heights is not an area where these fa- cilities are needed.
“The mental health representatives told us the patients would be confined to that facility, but we had some security concerns.
“I just couldn’t see how you would stop the patients from com- ing and going. People with those kind of problems don’t need to be wandering around a nice community like Tampa Heights.
“The building is currently vacant and needs to be brought up to code. It is too close to houses, and there’s a residential facility across the street from the building.”
Council Chair Reddick said there are already plenty of centers in that area that offer services to homeless people and others.
“We agreed with the residents that enough is enough.”
PAGE 4-A FLORIDA SENTINEL BULLETIN PUBLISHED EVERY TUESDAY AND FRIDAY FRIDAY, MARCH 18, 2016