Remarks by René Flowers
91 remarks on the record, newest first · Page 2 of 4
- Play at 3:26:22
“Chair, Chris, for the sheriff's contract with PI, is that for the officers that are there for security, or is that the officers that are there for security plus the hanger for his helicopter?”
Board of County Commissioners · Sep 10, 2026
- Play at 3:52:29
“So that would fund ongoing. I think what Commissioner Scott is referring to is the $667,000.”
Board of County Commissioners · Sep 10, 2026
- Play at 3:55:59
“that would save us an additional hundred thousand dollars next year but i do want to have some further discussion with her about that and can bring that forward at our next meeting so commissioner flowers thank you mr chair so i am going to appeal to the better angels that sing because um the discussions that we've had going forward um up until tonight unless i misread the discussions we were only really talking about not awarding the full 1.17, but staying with the 667,000 and change, staying with that for this year, and it wouldn't be anymore after that. As I shared in our last meeting, it…”
Board of County Commissioners · Sep 10, 2026
- Play at 4:10:35
“There you go. I think if those organizations knew that this conversation was going to happen, they would have been here tonight. Absolutely. It wasn't really on the table.”
Board of County Commissioners · Sep 10, 2026
- Play at 4:18:19
“It was Jamie Bennett that led the homeless. It was. Jamie Bennett led the homeless.”
Board of County Commissioners · Sep 10, 2026
- Play at 4:24:20
“And that was where I was going to come to when it was my turn to ask if that was a possibility. Because I know, like I said, I know that around this table we have had the discussion about phasing out social action funding. But in doing it that way, it would give those organizations time to reconfigure their capacity for services and if they need to look at scaling back or whatever you know the situation would be because it wouldn't just be pinellas county government if amendment three passes next year it's not going to be just pinellas county it's going to be all the municipalities everybody…”
Board of County Commissioners · Sep 10, 2026
- Play at 4:29:15
“I think 57.2 if my math is right, but I could be off. Last year I was right on the button. You have a doctorate.”
Board of County Commissioners · Sep 10, 2026
- Play at 4:29:40
“But I'll pass the tray if you want me to.”
Board of County Commissioners · Sep 10, 2026
- Play at 4:33:36
“The good thing about bonds as well is when the interest rate goes down, you can always do a refinancing of those bonds and pay a lower interest rate so that when you're making that payment, whatever that is, you're actually paying the loan off sooner rather than later when your interest rate's reduced. With bonds, you can go back to the market on that.”
Board of County Commissioners · Sep 10, 2026
- Play at 4:34:21
“All right, we're going to take a... Before he calculates, I just want to make sure you guys know that I really appreciate your suggestions and your thoughts and your reconsideration. We're getting there. People who aren't here certainly appreciate the voices.”
Board of County Commissioners · Sep 10, 2026
- Play at 10:55
“So what does that mean for you're saying we're seeing a reduction or not an increase in patient service requests? What are the numbers up there?”
Board of County Commissioners · Sep 3, 2026
- Play at 11:42
“I'll consider it, but I will say Tarpon is a nice little distance away from Clearwater, especially when you're talking about people that don't have transportation. I understand. How many patients are we serving up there? You may not have this because you probably didn't know I was going to ask the question because I just got this myself.”
Board of County Commissioners · Sep 3, 2026
- Play at 13:40
“So you may not know the answer to this question. What were we doing as it relates to marketing and communicating information? to the public that this facility even existed and could provide services.”
Board of County Commissioners · Sep 3, 2026
- Play at 14:07
“Thank you so much for answering those questions. I will consider this as, you know, which is the request. But we all know the minute you close this down, people are going to come out of the woodwork.”
Board of County Commissioners · Sep 3, 2026
- Play at 50:47
“Thank you, Mr. Chair. Thank you very much, Barry and Chris and staff for bringing this information forward. Kelly, I bet she feels like she's on name that tune today. For the docks and davits or any dog reconstruction, were there any new rules that came out for construction and maintenance of those as it relates to Hurricane Talena Milton because of the severe damage and just like they are requiring how homes to be built up and above. Were there any new requirements added to the installation and maintenance of docs when it comes to the permitting piece?”
Board of County Commissioners · Sep 3, 2026
- Play at 51:58
“Okay, that was my point. And so thank you. That was for you. Thank you very much. I appreciate it. Barry, for the personnel lapse, I get it that we do have ebbs and flows within personnel within a year. So there may be fewer dollars needed to cover personnel costs. So when you have your... when you have your exercise for the different departments to do the internal reductions of 3% and if a department fills that position, how will that be addressed going forward for the next fiscal year?”
Board of County Commissioners · Sep 3, 2026
- Play at 53:17
“Okay, and so that has no effect on the 50-plus kind of positions that you presented to us?”
Board of County Commissioners · Sep 3, 2026
- Play at 53:54
“Okay, and then For the the general fund because when we talk about which I support reducing the dollar value that we pay for, um, any type of, um, possible study, you know, so we're saying if we, uh, have to have another study that comes on board because we need sometimes that match to go with other funds. And of course we sometimes can't move forward on projects until we have the study for the data to show that we can move forward. We have a lot of things that may potentially have to come out of the general fund And so do you feel comfortable with some of the things that we're reducing but…”
Board of County Commissioners · Sep 3, 2026
- Play at 56:04
“Okay. And then if my memory serves me correct, when Commissioner Scott first came on board, we had a lot of good discussion about the transportation gas tax and what that would be used for and whether or not we could lobby our legislative delegation in that regard. And I think it may have been on our, I'm going to call it our elevator wish list list. Yes. So are we looking at maybe, well, I guess that would be to my colleagues, really. Are we looking at trying to maybe push that again? Because I think that would help us a lot in that area when we're talking about the different services that…”
Board of County Commissioners · Sep 3, 2026
- Play at 1:00:15
“And then my last piece is it is so expensive. Stormwater sewer projects and rope and bridge repairs. Those are the two largest, greatest financial costs. I think that any local government has and not just the cost, but also time and inconvenience. because we're digging up roads or whatever. And so we're having to reroute people and whatnot. So I know that we try to use pen and money for a lot of projects that we can use pen and money for. And then in other areas, we apply for grant funds to try to help with that. I'm not sure how that's going to pan out, you know, going forward, whether it's…”
Board of County Commissioners · Sep 3, 2026
- Play at 1:03:18
“If you would like to do it a different way, I can wait.”
Board of County Commissioners · Sep 3, 2026
- Play at 1:03:24
“I'll do that. So that's all I have for my top row.”
Board of County Commissioners · Sep 3, 2026
- Play at 1:03:28
“For my yellow and gold. That's all I have.”
Board of County Commissioners · Sep 3, 2026
- Play at 1:23:47
“Sorry, Commissioner. That's OK. That's OK. So I meant to say something last time we had this discussion and I forgot. I actually had a chance to work with Bob Dillinger when he created. the fund out of the public defender's office. That fund was created because there were a number of people that were being arrested for substance abuse issues, didn't have money for legal representation. And perhaps the crime that they committed wasn't a felony, but a misdemeanor or a low degree felony. And the state and the public defender's office felt like putting the person into rehab would be a good…”
Board of County Commissioners · Sep 3, 2026
- Play at 1:32:52
“Yeah, and like I said, I could take you to some of those spots because they're very fearful that, you know, you're elected official, you're going to tell them, you know, I'm not going to report you. You're doing the best you can, but what services can we give? And it's hurtful when even I'm calling on their behalf. And like Karen said, the Urban League gets a pot of money. And they have people that call and they're quote unquote on the wait list and they have to provide documentation. But that money goes quickly. You have POC that have the ability to help seniors. That money goes, it just…”
Board of County Commissioners · Sep 3, 2026