Page 12 - Florida Sentinel 1-8-16 Edition

Local
IN THE SPOTLIGHT
County Votes To Move Forward With Pilot Ferry Program Probe
LES MILLER, JR. Chairman, Hillsborough County Commissioners
BOB BUCKHORN Mayor of Tampa
BY IRIS B. HOLTON Sentinel City Editor
The idea of a ferry joining the cities of Tampa and St. Pe- tersburg became a step closer to reality. The Hillsborough County Commissioners lis- tened to a proposal to operate a ferry pilot program that would last 6 months. If the proposal surpasses all hurdles, it is expected to become oper-
RICK KRISEMAN Mayor of St. Petersburg
ational in October.
On Wednesday, members
of the Commission voted to ex- amine the feasibility of the ferry service. After viewing a powerpoint presentation and listening to St. Petersburg Mayor Rick Kriseman, Commissioners voted 5-1 to have staff complete a feasibil- ity study and bring the infor- mation back to them. A return date has not been determined.
Commissioner Stacy White voted against the measure.
Commission Chairman Les Miller, Jr., said the vote was for staff to return with in- formation pertaining to its fea- sibility. “There are a number of conditions that I have con- cerns with, including how it will benefit the people in my district and a guarantee to re- coup the $350,000 we are being asked to invest.”
Chairman Miller also pointed out that this ferry pilot program is not to be confused with one proposed to ferry res- idents from South Tampa to MacDill Air Force Base. He said if it becomes operational, there will be a docking area in Tampa near the Convention Center and one in St. Peters- burg.
Mayor Kriseman is re- questing that the City of Tampa, the City of St. Peters- burg, Pinellas County govern- ment and Hillsborough County government each ear- mark $350,000 for the pilot program.
Mayor Kriseman met with Mayor Buckhorn and proposed the idea to him on Tuesday. When contacted by the Sentinel, Mayor Buck- horn said, “I met with Mayor Kriseman and I am very sup- portive of the concept. I see the benefits, but I’m going to take my time, review all of the facts to see if it makes sense.”
ASHLEY
If there was ever a need for motivation to get in shape, take some tips from this week’s Spotlight fea- ture, Ashley. It’s obvious that fitness is a priority of this young lady, but that’s not all that’s going on. Ashley also aspires to be successful on every level, and at the same time inspire other women to work hard and stay in shape. Congratulations to Ashley as this week’s Spotlight feature.
PAGE 12-A FLORIDA SENTINEL BULLETIN PUBLISHED EVERY TUESDAY AND FRIDAY FRIDAY, JANUARY 8, 2016