Winding down Tampa Monitor So long and thanks for all the fish.

the period on Friday's announcement.

I'll write more soon, but I've made the difficult decision to wind down Tampa Monitor. I'll continue to keep up with the meeting archives and maps; the site won't go anywhere, but there won't be regular writing or the weekly agenda preview.

Jackson House restoration facing steeper funding hurdle as Vinik donation is in question Thursday, staff are providing an update on the project to the CRA Board that will among other things highlight the funding shortfall restoration project is facing.

An update on the Jackson House this week will highlight funding shortfalls in part due to the $1 million Vinik donation being reduced 75%

4/9/26 – Drew Park CRA district & the stadium sized elephant in the room. The vote is only for a minor increase in cost to an ongoing study but it's hard to avoid the broader discussion about the neighborhood.

Drew Park CRA district & the stadium sized elephant in the room

all public discussion has been focused on the use of Community Investment Tax but how the CRA plays into the equation, not so much

A blonde woman, Jane Castor, in a blue blazer with white shirt sitting at a table one hand resting on her chin as she's turned looking at a man, Bill Carlson, in a dark blazer wearing a white shirt speaks into a microphone. Both are sitting at a wooden table.

This photo from the city social media is going to come in handy at some point this next 12 months.

Tampa City Council to discuss Rome Yard changes, and $21.7 million to help relocation of police facilities Conceptual rendering of a proposed Tampa Police Department annex on Howard Avenue in Tampa, Florida. Tampa City Council meets this week for single regular

Tampa City Council to discuss Rome Yard changes, and $21.7 million to help relocation of police facilities
www.cltampa.com/news/tampa-c...

It's in the "Listen on Demand" section. 3-27-26.

So if growth isn't 4.5%, or 3% or even meets the projected revenue, the county/city would face the shortfall in funding what the CIT was supposed to fund, not the Rays. The Rays would get their money no matter what.

Basically, setting aside IF the CIT can be used for a stadium, the county estimated 3% growth in the CIT year-over-year. The Rays are saying, no, it's going to be closer to 4.5%. And since you weren't expecting that extra 1.5%, we'll take it. Except we want it off the top.

The Skinny An hour-long news radio show airing Fridays from 11 am. Ben Montgomery plus CL's Ray Roa, with appearances from guests who'll discuss the news of the week.

And if you're interested in what the CIT part of the discussion is around the Rays stadium, I recommend the second half of The Skinny from last Friday on WMNF. Patrick Manteiga, publisher of La Gaceta and Tampa Sports Authority Board chair lays it out www.wmnf.org/events/the-s...

How long the public will have to see it before there's a vote seems up in the air.

So there are or aren't "negotiations" going on. The TSA Board Chair characterized it more like the Rays said here's the plan and city and county are just trying to figure out if they can make the numbers work. Clendenin thinks there will be a "final" plan in 7-10 days.

Carlson has been a strong advocate for a more independent CRA separate from the mayor and city staff. That CRA staff are only city employees in a technical sense for HR reasons but they report to the CRA Director who reports to the board.

In theory.

I've also asked who is negotiating on behalf of the CRA. Clendenin told me "CRA staff and city staff work closely together, they're city employees." Which is the opposite of what the CRA Board has positioned the last several years, especially Council member Bill Carlson.

Which opens up the entire CRA agreement. Some want East Tampa to extend as well. Others have discussed sunsetting downtown and Channelside. Could this open up the opportunity to negotiate with the county from a position of strength? Will the county still want 20% from the districts?

Beyond the CIT tax discussions it sounds like the Drew Park CRA district is going to play a role. Clendenin has stated the ROI for the city is going to be the redevelopment of the district through the stadium. The district is set to sunset in 2034. Amending that requires approval of the county.

or some union negotiation (Clendenin has referenced his union experience often in the past). I reached out to the admin and asked if they felt the same way and was told they don't have all the cards to put on the table. Information is still being gathered.

as grandstanding in asking for details and all documents to be released. His stated position is that it's completely acceptable for "Nowhere does anybody show their hand in the middle of a good faith negotiation." The Tampa Monitor disagrees. These aren't private negotiations between two companies

Turns out, he secretly motioned for the meeting as a place holder for a potential vote on a Rays deal. Since, he's been very outspoken in support of the project despite any details other than big numbers the Rays PR team have been throwing around. He's also called out County Commissioner Wostal

The Tampa Monitor has been *monitoring* (pun intended) the Rays baseball stadium discussions but have waited to write anything until it reaches council's agenda. Last week Council Chair Alan Clendenin moved to cancel a special call meeting he'd motioned for previously to "catch up". 🧵

4/2/26 – Details on TPD Howard Ave Annex and Rome Yard back on agenda Staff to present details and budget implications for the $21 million construction costs prior to April 16 vote. Rome Yard developer requesting another timeline change.

Brief, by council standards, agenda this week with city offices closed Friday. Two big items get previewed for a future vote and Rome Yard asks for another timeline extension.

Per a press release from TPD public information office.

City of Tampa Police Chief Lee Bercaw terminated Deputy Police Chief Ruth Cate. She was provided opportunity to retire but declined with allegations of retaliation and has retained legal counsel. She was “terminated from her position for failing to meet the expectations required for the role.”

Proud to be part of the Tampa Bay Journalism Project and be able to contribute to paywall free news.

3/26/26 – Guns, a robotic dog and 10s of millions in spending Trying to make sense of all the dollar signs on this weeks agenda.

Did my best to make sense of all the dollar signs on the agenda this week.

Not all of it is spending, but some big decisions for council members this week.

^heels. I could delete it but own your typos.

TPD request $2 million for new service weapons and a robot dog The purchase of the Glock 45 9mm pistols comes on the heals of the Florida Legislature failing to pass a bill providing for immunity to gun manufacturers. Sig Sauer, the manufacturer of TPD's current ...

The purchase of the Glock 45 9mm pistols comes on the heals of the Florida Legislature failing to pass a bill providing for immunity to gun manufacturers. Sig Sauer, the manufacturer of TPD’s current service weapon lobbied on behalf of the bill.

For now it's just 2026 meetings but as time and budget allow the goal is to backfill past meetings.
Feedback welcome.

Screenshot of a single meeting page showing video on left, transcript on right with search field.

I wrote a little about it last week and have referenced it many times and now it's live.
Searchable transcripts with timestamps synced to video and a fly-out of the agenda so everything you need to review and research past meetings on one screen.

meetings.tampamonitor.com

3/19/26 – Spring Break & Sunshine Week Council is off for Spring Break, but a small update on a project Tampa Monitor has been working on behind the scenes with a closing rant.

Council is on Spring Break this week so instead an update on a project TM has been working on along with a little rant.