Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Public Participation topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Resident criticizes board remarks as Public Participation Plan update is approved
Summary
Hillsborough County TPO approved its 2025 Public Participation Plan update as part of the consent agenda while a public commenter said a board member amaged trust by dismissing neighborhood objections to a proposed highway expansion.
The Hillsborough County Transportation Planning Organization on Tuesday approved its 2025 Public Participation Plan update as part of a consent agenda that the board adopted unanimously. The move came after a public speaker said a previous board remark undermined the TPO—s stated goal of maximizing public input.
Rick Fernandez, president of the Tampa Heights Civic Association, told the TPO that a June comment he quoted from the dais about Florida Department of Transportation plans to expand I-275 north of Hillsborough Avenue had damaged the board—s reputation and discouraged resident participation. "By uttering the quiet part out loud, this member has done damage to the reputation of the board, and undermine[d] the stated goal of the PPP," Fernandez said. "None of us felt we had been part of a collaborative process as we left the chamber in June."
The Public Participation Plan (PPP) outlines how the TPO seeks to inform and engage the public on transportation planning. The PPP update was brought to the board as part of the consent agenda and recommended by the Citizens Advisory Committee, which the committee voted unanimously to support. At the meeting, Board Member Hurtak thanked staff for broadening outreach options in the PPP.
The board approved the consent agenda by voice vote after a motion to adopt it; Council Member Clendenin moved and Board Member Gray seconded the motion. No separate roll call was taken for the PPP item because it was included in the consent agenda, which passed without objection.
Fernandez explicitly said his comments were directed at the board and not at TPO staff. He told the board he had expected an acknowledgment of the June incident and said he saw no record of any board statement in the minutes. The TPO did not offer a public response to Fernandez—s characterization during the meeting.
The PPP update is intended to guide how the TPO solicits comments and conducts outreach for upcoming planning efforts, and CAC and TAC reviews referenced the plan before its placement on the consent agenda. The TPO packet and committee reports note public feedback received online and via email about several regional projects.
Board members did not take further action in response to Fernandez—s comments at this meeting. The TPO did not identify any formal complaint filed against staff in the transcript of this session.
