HI. I'M LYNN GRAY, CHAIR OF THE HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY SCHOOL BOARD. I WANT TO WELCOME YOU TO HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS. WE SERVE MORE THAN 200,000 STUDENTS. THAT INCLUDES CHILDREN IN PRESCHOOL THROUGH OUR ADULTS IN OUR WORKFORCE PROGRAM. HI. I'M DR. STACY HAHN, THE BOARD VICE-CHAIR. OUR DISTRICT IS THE 7th LARGEST IN AMERICA, AND OUR TEAM IS MADE UP OF MORE THAN 24,000 PEOPLE WORKING AT NEARLY 250 SITES ACROSS THE COUNTY. WE ARE DIVERSE AND DEDICATED. OUR BOARD MEETINGS ARE HELD IN OUR BOARD AUDITORIUM ON SELECT TUESDAYS AT 4 P.M. THE BEST WAY TO SERVE OUR STUDENTS AND OUR COMMUNITY IS TO INVOLVE YOU, THE PUBLIC, IN WHAT WE DO. YOU ARE WELCOME TO E-MAIL OR MEET WITH ANY OF OUR BOARD MEMBERS AND FOLLOW OUR DISTRICT ON SOCIAL MEDIA. BOARD MEETINGS ARE COVERED LIVE BY HILLSBOROUGH SCHOOLS TV, ON SPECTRUM CABLE CHANNEL 635 AND FRONTIER CABLE CHANNEL 32.
MEETINGS ARE STREAMED ON OUR WEBSITE AT HillsboroughSchools.org. CLOSED CAPTIONING IS PROVIDED ON ALL BROADCASTS AND PAST MEETINGS ARE AVAILABLE IN OUR ONLINE ARCHIVES. WE ARE INTERESTED IN WHAT THE PUBLIC HAS TO SAY. WE'LL INCLUDE TIME FOR AUDIENCE COMMENTS BEFORE WE ADDRESS OUR BUSINESS ITEMS. OUR AGENDA AND ANY SUPPORTING MATERIALS CAN BE VIEWED ONLINE IN ADVANCE. THEY ARE POSTED SEVEN DAYS BEFORE EACH MEETING ON OUR WEBSITE AT HillsboroughSchools.org. OUR VISION IS PREPARING STUDENTS FOR LIFE, AND THAT MEANS ALL STUDENTS, EVERY DAY. TODOS LOS ESTUDIANTES, TODOS LOS DIAS. THANK YOU FOR YOUR INTEREST IN EDUCATION. WITH YOUR HELP, WE'RE MAKING DECISIONS THAT SHAPE OUR COMMUNITY'S FUTURE. Lynn Gray: THE BOARD MEETING OF OCTOBER 19, 2021 IS CALLED TO ORDER.
MEMBER HAHN, WILL YOU NOW LEAD US IN A MOMENT OF SILENCE FOLLOWED BY THE PLEDGE. Stacy Hahn: THANK YOU, CHAIRMAN GRAY. DEAR GOD, AS WE GATHER IN THIS PLACE, MAY YOU SHOWER YOUR BLESSINGS UPON EACH OF US AND PREPARE OUR HEARTS FOR THE THINGS THAT WILL BE DISCUSSED. HELP US TO BE A BLESSING IN THE WAY WE SPEAK AND ACT AND MAY WE SPEAK WITH HUMILITY WHEN PRESENTING OUR IDEAS. HELP US TO ADMIT OUR MISTAKES AND BE WILLING TO ACT UPON THE SOLUTIONS PEOPLE GIVE US AND MAY YOUR GLORY AND PEACE FILL THIS MEETING. AMEN. PLEASE STAND FOR THE PLEDGE.
[PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE] Lynn Gray: THANK YOU. WE HAVE THREE WITHDRAWN ITEMS TODAY. 6.02, PURCHASE AGREEMENT BETWEEN HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS AND PRESENCELEARNING FOR TELETHERAPY COUNSELING SERVICES TO ADDRESS STUDENTS IN NEED OF INTENSIVE MENTAL HEALTH AND BEHAVIORAL INTERVENTION SUPPORT. SECONDLY, 6.11R1 PIGGYBACK TEMPORARY STAFFING SERVICES. THIRD, 11.02, FLORIDA SCHOOL BOARD ASSOCIATION RESOLUTION: ENSURING THAT VIEWS ARE HEARD AND EXCHANGED IN A SAFE ENVIRONMENT. I NEED A MOTION AND SECOND TO ADOPT THE AGENDA.
I HAVE A MOTION BY MEMBER COMBS AND I HAVE A SECOND BY MEMBER WASHINGTON. WILL THERE BE ANY DISCUSSION? SEEING NONE, PLEASE VOTE WHEN YOUR LIGHTS ARE ON. ONE MORE TIME. IT IS UNANIMOUS AND ALL BOARD MEMBERS HAVE CONSENTED. THANK YOU.
THANK YOU, MEMBER HAHN, FOR GETTING EVERYTHING TECHNOLOGICALLY ORIENTATED. LET THE RECORD REFLECT THAT ALL BOARD MEMBERS ARE PRESENT, AND THEY ARE IN PERSON. PRECAUTIONARY MEASURES, WE ARE LIMITING ATTENDANCE TO 50 AT THIS TIME, AND WE ARE PRACTICING SOCIAL DISTANCING AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE. SO WE ASK THAT GUESTS IN THE BOARDROOM KEEP ONE CHAIR OPEN BETWEEN FAMILIES.
AS A REMINDER, WE ARE A NONPARTISAN BOARD WHO BELIEVE ALL CHILDREN CAN BE EMPOWERED TO LEARN TO SUCCEED AND OUR DECISIONS WILL BE MADE WITH THAT UNDERSTANDING TO PAVE THE WAY FOR EFFICIENT AND EFFECTIVE AGENDA STATEMENTS AND/OR QUESTIONS, BOARD MEMBERS WILL HAVE THREE MINUTES TO SPEAK WITH 30 SECONDS FOR FINAL THOUGHTS. AFTERWARD, THE SUPERINTENDENT CAN RESPOND. IF YOU HAVE FURTHER QUESTIONS, YOU'RE ASKED TO GET BACK IN THE QUEUE.
BOARD GUIDELINES, MEMBER HAHN, WILL YOU NOW READ THE BOARD GUIDELINES? Stacy Hahn: AS WE BEGIN THIS AFTERNOON'S MEETING, LET ME QUICKLY REVIEW THE FORMAT OF OUR SCHOOL BOARD MEETINGS. PLEASE SILENCE ALL ELECTRONIC DEVICES. THERE ARE SPEAKERS IN THE ROOM BEHIND ME THAT ALLOW BOARD MEMBERS TO HEAR THE MEETING UPON STEPPING AWAY FROM THE DAIS. AND THIS MEETING CAN BE VIEWED WITH CLOSED CAPTIONING ON THE LIVE WEBCAST, ON CABLE TV, AND ON VIDEO MONITORS HERE IN THE AUDITORIUM. IT CAN ALSO BE VIEWED WITH CLOSED CAPTIONING IN THE ONLINE VIDEO ARCHIVES.
Lynn Gray: THANK YOU, MEMBER HAHN. WE HAVE TWO ITEMS SCHEDULED FOR TIME CERTAIN. WE HAVE A 5:01 P.M. PUBLIC HEARING ON THE ADOPTION OF REVISED POLICIES. AND SECONDLY, WE HAVE A 6 P.M. EMPLOYEE INPUT OPPORTUNITY. PUBLIC COMMENT: THE BOARD WELCOMES COMMENTS FROM CITIZENS AND VALUES YOUR INPUT TO THE BOARD. IN ORDER TO PROVIDE THE MOST COMPREHENSIVE RESPONSE TO YOUR COMMENTS, OUR STAFF WILL FOLLOW UP WITH YOU AND WILL KEEP OUR BOARD INFORMED ABOUT THE RESPONSES. OUR SCHOOL BOARD RESPECTS THE PUBLIC'S RIGHT TO SPEAK TO THE BOARD, AND WE APPRECIATE YOU TAKING YOUR TIME TO BE HERE. HOWEVER, IT IS REQUESTED WHEN YOU ADDRESS THE BOARD COMMENTS, YOUR COMMENTS ARE NOT DIRECTED PERSONALLY AGAINST A BOARD MEMBER OR A STAFF MEMBER BUT RATHER DIRECTED AT THE ISSUES. ANY BEHAVIOR INTENDED TO INTERRUPT THE ORDERLY CONDUCT OF THIS MEETING WILL NOT BE ALLOWED. OUR CIVILITY POLICY IS IN PLACE.
WHEN ADDRESSING THE BOARD, PLEASE STATE YOUR FULL NAME AND SPEAK CLEARLY INTO THE MICROPHONE. AS A REMINDER OF OUR WAY OF WORK, WE HAVE ALLOTTED 45 MINUTES FOR PUBLIC COMMENTS. THIS AFTERNOON, EACH SPEAKER WILL HAVE TWO MINUTES. WHEN THERE ARE 30 SECONDS LEFT, YOU WILL SEE A YELLOW LIGHT ON THE LECTERN. A RED LIGHT AND A CHIME WILL INDICATE WHEN YOUR TIME IS UP. AND AT THIS TIME, I WILL NOW CALL THE FIRST FIVE SPEAKERS. PAULA CASTAÑO, DEMARRIS ALLEN BRIDGES, MARK KLUTHO, KELLY CARLING AND CATO CARLING. AND GOOD AFTERNOON. GOOD AFTERNOON. IS THE MIKE ON? YES. PAULA CASTAÑO. I'VE SHOWN UP AT ALMOST EVERY MEETING SINCE THE SPRING. I DON'T DO IT FOR MY FAMILY. I HAVE NO POLITICAL ASPIRATIONS. I'M HERE BEING THE VOICE FOR THOUSANDS OF HILLSBOROUGH PUBLIC SCHOOL ADVOCATES WHO CANNOT MAKE THE MEETING OR FOR THOSE WHO FEAR RETRIBUTION. PUBLIC EDUCATION IS A NONPARTISAN ISSUE.
WE TO INCLUDE ALL OF US, ADDISON, YOU, TOO, SHOULD BE FIGHTING TO SUSTAIN OUR TRADITIONAL PUBLIC SCHOOLS, PARTICULARLY THE TITLE I AND TRANSFORMATION SCHOOLS AND HOLDING TALLAHASSEE RESPONSIBLE TO FULLY FUND ALL OF OUR FLORIDA SCHOOLS AND NOT ACCEPT A RANK OF 44 OR 46. THIS MORNING, I THINK THE COMMUNITY SCHOOLS WORKSHOP SHOWED SOMEONE VALUES OUR SCHOOLS. I HEARD THREE OF YOU REFERENCE MONEY. I AM FISCALLY CONSERVATIVE. I GREW UP POOR. WE SURVIVED ON $45 FOR TWO WEEKS. I RECEIVED CLOTHES AND FOOD FROM OTHERS. YOU MUST BE INTENTIONAL WITH YOUR SPENDING. HIRE AN OUTSIDE AGENCY WITH A 28% MARKUP TO GET MORE BUS DRIVERS AND CUSTODIANS? NO. COMMUNITY SCHOOLS ARE AN INVESTMENT FOR OUR FUTURE. EVERY DOLLAR SPENT IS $15 IN BENEFITS. HPSA WAS ACCEPTED INTO A COALITION OF COMMUNITY SCHOOLS WITH 45 OTHER CITIES. WE WILL RECEIVE OVER $70,000 IN GRANT MONEY. THEN YOU HAVE ARP MONEY.
YOU HAVE FEDERAL GRANTS. SHOW YOU VALUE OUR STUDENTS, OUR FAMILIES, NOT YOUR NEXT POLITICAL MOVE. PLEASE RESTART THE IN-PERSON STEERING COMMITTEE. THANK YOU FOR LISTENING. THANK YOU FOR LIFTING UP OUR STUDENTS. Lynn Gray: THANK YOU. NEXT WILL BE MS. BRIDGES, MARK KLUTHO, KELLY CARLING AND CATO CARLING. AND GOOD AFTERNOON. GOOD AFTERNOON. AS MANY OF YOU KNOW, MY OLDEST CHILD DECIDED TO GRADUATE EARLY AND MOVE 6,199 MILES AWAY. AND THIS PAST WEEK WE WERE TALKING ABOUT SOME OF THE CHALLENGES THAT COME ALONG WITH MOVING ACROSS THE COUNTRY, GOING TO COLLEGE ONLINE, AND LIVING IN A PLACE WHERE YOU DON'T HAVE A FULL UNDERSTANDING OF THE LANGUAGE. WE STARTED TALKING ABOUT HIS COPING SKILLS. ONE OF THE THINGS HE SAID IS HE KEPT TURNING BACK TO THIS BOOK. NOW, THIS MAY LOOK LIKE A SIMPLE DR. SEUSS BOOK, BUT WHAT IS SIGNIFICANT ABOUT IT -- THIS IS MY OTHER SON BECAUSE I DIDN'T FLY TO RUSSIA THIS MORNING -- ALL OF HIS TEACHERS THROUGHOUT THE YEARS, ALL OF HIS PRINCIPALS, ASSISTANT PRINCIPALS HAVE SIGNED IT AND WRITTEN A SPECIAL NOTE FOR HIM TO ENCOURAGE HIM ALONG THE WAY.
WHY THIS IS SIGNIFICANT, BECAUSE HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS LAID A FIRM FOUNDATION FOR MY SON TO BE SUCCESSFUL NO MATTER WHERE HE IS, NO MATTER WHERE HE CHOSE TO GO. AND THAT'S ONE OF THE REASONS I LOVE THE WORK OF COMMUNITY SCHOOLS. ALTHOUGH MY CHILDREN DIDN'T ATTEND A COMMUNITY SCHOOL, THEY CLEARLY ATTENDED SCHOOLS THAT VALUED THE FOUR PILLARS AND ORGANICALLY THOSE PILLARS WERE OCCURRING IN SOME FASHION IN THE SCHOOLS THROUGHOUT THEIR LIFE. NOW, WHAT I'M HOPING IS THAT YOU WILL INVEST IN ALL OF OUR KIDS' FUTURES, INVEST IN THEM LIKE MY CHILD WAS INVESTED IN SO THEY CAN LOOK BACK AND SAY THAT MY TIME IN HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS MADE ME THE SUCCESSFUL ADULT THAT I AM, THAT MY TIME HERE TRULY PREPARED ME FOR LIFE. THANK YOU. Lynn Gray: THANK YOU. NEXT, MARK KLUTHO. MARK KLUTHO, LARGO. 703 -- 7.03, YOU DON'T HAVE A FIGURE NEXT TO THIS.
OVER THERE IN PINELLAS COUNTY, ALL OF THEIR AGENDA ITEMS LIKE THIS WOULD HAVE A FIGURE, A NUMBER. YOU SHOULD HAVE AN AMOUNT. ON THE DOOR COMING IN HERE, IT SAYS EVERYBODY IS SUPPOSED TO BE WEARING A MASK. ARE YOU TOO GOOD FOR THAT? WHAT'S WRONG WITH YOU PEOPLE? HERE'S THE HEADLINE. CARBON DIOXIDE LEVELS AT THE HIGHEST LEVELS IN 4 MILLION YEARS. HOTTER FUTURE IS NOW INEVITABLE, U.N. REPORT SAYS. JULY WAS THE EARTH'S HOTTEST MONTH ON RECORD, NOAA SAYS. THIS HERE, REPORT FLOODING PUTS U.S. INFRASTRUCTURE AT RISK AND FOR THIS AREA, IN THIS ARTICLE. THAT MEANS HILLSBOROUGH SCHOOLS AND THEN IT TALKS ABOUT IN THE ST. PETE TIMES, THE 1921 HURRICANE AND SAYS, TAMPA BAY IS NOT PREPARED FOR SOMETHING LIKE THAT TO HAPPEN AGAIN. GETTING TO THE MASK. HERE'S MY IMMUNIZATION RECORD SMALL POX, TYPHOID, TETANUS VACCINE, CHOLERA VACCINE, YELLOW FEVER, POLIO, PLAGUE, AND MULTIPLE TIMES.
GET THE VACCINE. Lynn Gray: THANK YOU. OUR NEXT SPEAKERS. OUR NEXT SPEAKERS, KELLY AND CATO. AND GOOD AFTERNOON. GOOD EVENING, BOARD MEMBERS. SUPERINTENDENT DAVIS, I'M COMPLYING WITH THE MASK MANDATE. SOME OF YOU MAY BE FAMILIAR WITH THE NETFLIX SERIES DRAMA DEPICTING DYSTOPIAN FUTURE, AND ALL OF THESE COVID SAFETY MEASURES ARE REMINISCENT OF SQUID GAME. EVERYBODY IS RUNNING AROUND TRYING FRANTICALLY TO KEEP UP WITH ALL OF THE NEW RULES THAT ARE CHANGING ALL THE TIME. AND ALL THE WHILE, SACRIFICING A LIFE THAT THEY ONCE NEW FOR A DANGEROUS BARGAIN WITH THE RULING CLASS. MY NAME IS KELLY CARLING. I'M A GRADUATE OF HARVARD UNIVERSITY, AND I'M A FULL-TIME STAY-AT-HOME MOM OF FOUR CHILDREN ATTENDING HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS. READ MY LIPS. NO MORE MANDATES. IT WOULD BE NICE IF YOU MADE EYE CONTACT ONCE IN A WHILE INSTEAD OF JUST ARGUING WITH PEOPLE ON Facebook. HOW WOULD YOU LIKE TO HAVE YOUR CHILD FORCIBLY INJECTED WITH A FOREIGN SUBSTANCE, TO HAVE YOUR GRANDCHILD, HER LOCATION MONITORED.
YOUR DAUGHTER'S VITALS TRACKED AND BEAMED TO A CENTRALIZED COMPUTER DATABASE MONITORED BY THE GOVERNMENT. THIS IS NOT A FANTASY. THIS IS A REALITY ON COLLEGES ACROSS CAMPUS. UCS, SYRACUSE, RUTGERS, AND IF THIS DISTURBS YOU AND IT SHOULD, I ENCOURAGE ALL OF YOU LISTENING TO JOIN ME, KELLY CARLING, AND THE MOMS FOR LIBERTY, HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY ON Facebook AND HELP ME FIGHT BACK AGAINST THE NEW FACE OF EVIL. THANK YOU. Lynn Gray: MASTER CATO. HELLO. MY NAME IS CATO CARL. I'M EIGHT YEARS OLD AND I GO TO MABRY ELEMENTARY SCHOOL. ONE OF THE FIRST THINGS STUDENTS LEARN ABOUT IS THE ETHICS OF MEDICAL TREATMENT. THE MASK MANDATE VIOLATES THE FIRST RULE OF MEDICAL ETHICS, AUTONOMY. THIS MEANS RESPECT A PERSON'S FREEDOM TO CHOOSE WHAT'S RIGHT FOR THEM. THE MASK MANDATE ALSO VIOLATES THE SECOND CODE OF ETHICS, DO NO HARM. THE MASK MANDATE -- THE MASK CAN GET YOU SICK BECAUSE SPIT IN THEM AND THEY GET DIRTY.
THE THIRD IS BENEVOLENCE. ALL CHOICES FOR THE PATIENT ARE MADE WITH THE GOAL TO DO GOOD. WHEN I WAS PRACTICING HOW TO SAY THE WORD BENEFICENCE I HAD TO SEE MY MOM'S LIPS CLEARLY TO LEARN HOW TO SAY IT CORRECTLY, WHICH WOULDN'T HAVE BEEN POSSIBLE IF SHE HAD BEEN WEARING A MASK. THE MASK MANDATE VIOLATES IT BY FAILING TO PROVE ANY BENEFIT. ONLY N-95 MASK WORKS, AND ONLY JUST A LITTLE BIT. AND NO ONE WANTS TO WEAR IT BECAUSE IT'S SO HOT. WE ALL KNOW WHAT YOU'RE THINKING. YOU'RE GOING TO FORCE US TO GET THE VACCINE NEXT. YOU CAN'T DO THAT BECAUSE THAT WOULD BE VIOLATING HB 241, PARENTS BILL OF RIGHTS. PLEASE DON'T MAKE ANY MORE MANDATES EVEN THOUGH THAT IS WRONG TO VIOLATE ETHICS. AND I AM ONLY EIGHT. THANK YOU. Lynn Gray: THANK YOU, SWEETHEART. NEXT WE'RE GOING TO HEAR FROM TINA, JULIA, JESSICA, PRISCILLA AND ALLISON.
GOOD AFTERNOON. GOOD AFTERNOON. HI. MY NAME IS TINA TIRCHIANO. THIS IS MY SON ROCCO AND ROSARIO. I WAS TAUGHT WHEN I WAS LEARNING SOMETHING NEW TO WATCH AND LEARN FROM SOMEONE WHO WAS ALREADY DOING IT WELL. IF YOU WANT TO BE A GREAT LEADER, GET COUNSEL FROM OTHER LEADERS. YOU BECOME BETTER WHEN YOU ARE WILLING TO LEARN FROM OTHERS. DO YOU KNOW WHY SO MANY PEOPLE ARE MOVING TO FLORIDA? IT'S BECAUSE THEY SAW YOU MAKE GOOD DECISIONS DURING COVID. WHEN SCHOOLS REOPENED AND THEY SAW BUSINESSES HAD SUPPORT FROM THEIR LOCAL COMMUNITIES AND PEOPLE WERE EMPLOYED. CITIZENS SUPPORT THEIR STATE AND LOCAL GOVERNMENTS WHEN THEY HAVE GOOD LEADERS. UNFORTUNATELY, NOW THIS IS WHAT I HEAR FROM MY FELLOW NORTHERNERS, AND THIS IS TRUE. WOW, HILLSBOROUGH IS BACK ON THE NEWS AGAIN. THEY STILL CAN'T FIGURE IT OUT. IT'S A JOKE. NOT EVERYONE CAN BE A LEADER BECAUSE YOU HAVE TO MAKE HARD CHOICES.
YOU MADE YOUR CHOICE ALREADY BY REMOVING THE MANDATORY MASK MANDATE. WE SHOULD NOT BE TALKING ABOUT THIS STILL. THIS IS BAD LEADERSHIP. YOU KNOW IT IS UNCONSTITUTIONAL TO FORCE PEOPLE TO VACCINATE AND THEN TRY TO MANDATORY MASK THEM BECAUSE THEY DON'T. YOUR DECISIONS HAVE BEEN A MOVING TARGET. PEOPLE DON'T WANT TO FOLLOW LEADERS THAT CAN'T FOLLOW THROUGH ON THEIR DECISIONS. I AM ASKING YOU TO NOT BE THOSE TYPES OF LEADERS. WE WANT TO SUPPORT YOU. WE WANT TO KNOW THAT YOU ARE MAKING CONCRETE DECISIONS, AND WE WANT TO RALLY BEHIND YOU. WE WANT TO BE THERE FOR THE OTHER IMPORTANT DECISIONS THAT YOU NEED TO MAKE. THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR LISTENING AND HEARING US. Lynn Gray: THANK YOU. THANK YOU. Lynn Gray: JULIA. AND GOOD AFTERNOON. GOOD AFTERNOON. I'M ACTUALLY ONE OF THOSE FELLOW NORTHERNERS. I MOVED FROM TYRANNICAL CHICAGO IN MARCH OF THIS YEAR.
I'M HISPANIC, A PHARMACIST AND MOTHER OF THREE. I'M A MOTHER FIRST. I WAS HERE ABOUT A MONTH AGO. MY KINDERGARTEN SON HAD A MEDICAL EXEMPTION AND I PULLED HIM OUT OF THE PUBLIC SCHOOL HE WAS AT IN YOUR COUNTY BECAUSE OF THE MANDATE. IT SURPRISED ME AND I PULLED HIM OUT AND I'M HOMESCHOOLING HIM. I HAVE EVERY INTENTION TO REENROLL HIM NEXT YEAR, AND I WANT TO ONCE THERE IS MORE CONSISTENCY AND LESS IMPOSITION. MASKS HAVE BEEN AROUND FOR DECADES AND THERE'S NO SUDDEN NEW REVELATION OF THEIR EFFICACY FOR THE PUBLIC TO USE IN PREVENTING THE SPREAD OF COMMUNICABLE DISEASES. THERE'S NOT. WE DON'T NEED AN OPT-OUT. WE DON'T KNOW WHAT YOU'LL BE DOING WITH VACCINES EITHER. OUR TRUST HAS BEEN BROKEN NATIONWIDE. WE UNDERSTAND THAT THERE ARE POWERS THAT BE THAT ARE INFLUENCING YOUR DECISION-MAKING, BUT SINCE YOU ARE ELECTED OFFICIALS TO REPRESENT US AND WE KNOW AND REALIZE THIS, WE WILL CONTINUE TO BE CIVILLY ENGAGED HERE AND IN MANY OTHER WAYS.