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Commission approves tri-party agreements to return transportation surtax funds; $17.13 million for Plant City, sheriff and Zoo Tampa
Summary
The board approved three tri-party agreements with FDOT and local recipients to distribute returned transportation surtax funds, with an aggregate amount listed in staff materials and the county receiving $208 million for resurfacing and other projects across tiers.
Hillsborough County commissioners voted 7-0 on March 5 to approve and execute three tri-party agreements with the Florida Department of Transportation and local recipients to distribute returned transportation surtax funds.
The agreements covered funds to Plant City, the Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office and Lowry Park Zoological Society (ZooTampa), part of a larger distribution plan approved by the state legislature following a state supreme court decision that affected surtax collections. Kim Beyer, assistant county administrator, told the board the aggregate amount in the corrected backup materials is $17,131,189 for those tri-party agreements; the county will receive a larger portion of returned surtax dollars to complete tiered resurfacing projects.
Staff said the county will receive approximately $208,000,000 to complete 77 projects (56 tier 1 and 21 tier 2). The agreements identify project lists and include an expiration date of June 30, 2030. As part of the agreements the county will handle monthly reporting for all recipients.
Commissioners asked about timelines and coordination with existing stormwater and capital projects. Engineering director Josh Belotti said neighborhood/local road projects could begin within the first year using existing work-order contracts while major road design and procurement proceed over subsequent years. He said staff will use design consultants to provide supplemental project management given limited county project-management capacity.
Commissioners expressed concern about meeting the legislatively dictated completion deadline and the potential for cost increases. Several asked staff to coordinate scheduling to avoid resurfacing roads and then later having to reopen them for stormwater or other capital improvements.
The board approved the agreements unanimously, and staff said the county will return to the board in April with the remaining FDOT agreements for the City of Tampa and Temple Terrace, and for the county's own agreement.
Ending: Commissioners approved the tri-party agreements and asked staff to prioritize coordination, sequencing and reporting to meet project deadlines and avoid rework.
