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Hillsborough County commissioners approve stormwater contract changes, authorize CDBG‑DR firm talks and fund 48 paramedic positions
Summary
At its Nov. 5 meeting the Hillsborough County Board of County Commissioners approved two change orders for culvert work, authorized negotiations with two firms to implement CDBG‑DR disaster recovery funds, approved a naming‑rights agreement for a West Tampa arts center and funded 48 new paramedic/staff positions for a new peak rescue division.
TAMPA BAY — The Hillsborough County Board of County Commissioners on Nov. 5 approved several measures intended to speed stormwater repairs and disaster recovery, boost emergency medical capacity and support a new African‑American arts center, county communications staff said.
“Katie, with Hillsborough County Communications and Digital Media,” provided the meeting recap. She said the board approved two change orders for ongoing and as‑needed storm water culvert and construction services in eastern and western Hillsborough County to support a culvert renewal and replacement program for aging storm infrastructure.
Why it matters: County officials said culvert repairs are intended to protect people and property after an increase in emergency projects following recent hurricane seasons.
The board also selected and authorized negotiations with the top two firms it deemed best qualified to implement the county’s federally funded Community Development Block Grant Disaster Recovery (CDBG‑DR) program. “The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development allocated more than $79 million in CDBG‑DR funding to support long‑term recovery and address unmet needs in Hillsborough County,” Katie said. County officials said those funds are intended to support low‑ and moderate‑income residents in the most impacted and distressed areas.
Arts center and naming rights: Commissioners received an update on the African‑American Arts and Cultural Center, which the board approved in 2021 for a site on North Rome Avenue in West Tampa. According to the county recap, $16.25 million in public funding has been acquired toward the proposed $44.5 million, two‑story, 55,000‑square‑foot facility. Katie said a majority of the board approved a naming‑rights agreement to allow the nonprofit to enter donor agreements to raise about $16 million in private funds for construction and facility costs.
Emergency medical staffing: The board also approved funding for 48 new paramedic and staff positions to support a new 10‑unit peak rescue division within Hillsborough County Fire Rescue. The county reported a pilot peak‑unit program produced a marked improvement in response times, and the additional positions were approved to increase capacity for medical calls and transports.
Proclamations and public notices: The board declared Dec. 7 as the Gamma Theta Omega chapter of Alpha Kappa Alpha’s 85th anniversary day and declared November Lung Cancer Screening Awareness Month. The county encouraged early detection and funding for lung cancer research, noting in the recap that lung cancer is a leading cause of cancer death among men and women in the United States.
What’s next: The Board of County Commissioners’ next meeting is scheduled for Wednesday, Dec. 17 at 9:00 a.m. Meetings are available to watch live on YouTube; more information about county services is on hcfl.gov.
Note on sourcing: All quotes and summaries in this article are drawn from the county’s meeting recap presented by county communications staff during the Nov. 5 meeting.
