Category: New Tampa

Tampa’s K-Bar Ranch Park: Here’s What Happens Next

Introduction by Gary Nager

Story by Joel Provenzano

*The Oct. 15 community meeting at Cross Creek Recreation Center attracted about 50 people, who were the first local residents to give their input into the design of the city’s K-Bar Ranch Park.*

The City of Tampa has now given local residents their first real opportunity to provide input as to what facilities they would like to see included in the 56-acre city park in K-Bar Ranch that is now in its design phase.

Only about 50 local residents attended the city’s first public input meeting at the Cross Creek Recreation Center on Oct. 15. At our press time, however, a total of close to 300 people had submitted their input surveys by the Oct. 23 deadline announced by the city at the Oct. 15 meeting in this initial public input opportunity to help influence the park’s design.

But, according to Janelle McGregor, the city’s director of community engagement and partnerships, the design process is far from over.

“RVi (the Texas-based landscape planning company hired by the city) is now putting together and analyzing all of the date we’ve received,” McGregor says. “And, within 30-45 days, we will schedule a second public meeting where the initial design concepts — based in part on the most popular facilities and amenities requested in those 290+ surveys (as well as contractor Skanska USA and RVi’s own input into what will ‘work’ the best in the available space), will be presented. The public will then have another opportunity, beginning at that meeting, to give input regarding RVi’s preliminary design concepts for the park.”

As you travel south from K-Bar Ranch Pkwy., along Paddock View Dr. and through the roundabout at Mistflower Ln., you eventually come to a dead end at a wide-open space.

There’s no sign yet to tell you what’s coming there — no rendering, no builder’s name, nothing. Just six red markers delineating the end of the pavement.

*This Google Earth map shows the location in K-Bar Ranch of the City of Tampa’s future 56-acre park, which is now in its design phase.*

What lies beyond the road is stunning: a beautiful, sprawling, pristine meadow. About 56.4 acres of it, to be exact.

Some nearby residents may have assumed that, since the land was so nice and flat, Paddock View Dr. would eventually dead-end into another phase of K-Bar Ranch’s many residential rooftops. After all, there’s enough room here for approximately 150 new homes.

But, that assumption would be wrong.

The meadow is owned by the City of Tampa, and it’s planned to become its next big city park. The land was part of the 2,500-acre K-Bar cattle ranch and was dedicated to the city in December 2016 as part of K-Bar’s development agreement.

Now, nearly a decade later, the city is making good on its promise to provide a public park for the entire New Tampa community.

If all goes according to plan, K-Bar Ranch Park (working title) could become the City of Tampa’s fourth-largest public park and one of the largest in New Tampa.

To put the size of the future park into perspective for nearby residents:

• Planned K-Bar Ranch Park (City of Tampa): 56.4 acres

• Branchton Park (Hillsborough County): 43.5 acres

• Cross Creek Recreation Center (Hillsborough County): 12.5 acres

• Eber Park (Hillsborough County): 10 acres

This is a basic concept map (that we’ve shown before) provided by the city that shows where facilities could be located in the available space, as well as how vehicle access to the park will be provided from the communities inside K-Bar Ranch.

That’s right: it will be a huge public city park, about half the size of Al Lopez Park (located north of Raymond James Stadium), tucked between the residential neighborhoods of K-Bar Ranch.

That might sound a little strange, but when you see the property in person, it makes complete sense.

It’s gorgeous. Bordered by a roughly seven-acre lake to the north, cypress conservation land to the east and oak hammocks along the other sides, it really is the perfect setting for a park.

The City of Tampa has an amazing opportunity here. A talented landscape architect could really have a field day (pun intended) tying the park into its natural surroundings.

And, the city has already started improving the property prior to any park facilities, as it planted about 6,800 mostly pine saplings last December and another 3,500 oak saplings last month on the former borrow pit that will surely grow to give the park’s southern edge a more beautiful look when those saplings reach full maturity in a few years.

Not Just For K-Bar Ranch Residents

First, an important distinction: Although it’s being referred to as “K-Bar Ranch Park,” the name reflects its location. The park is not a private amenity for the K-Bar Ranch neighborhood. The City of Tampa will operate and maintain the park, making it open to the general public, rather than exclusively available to K-Bar residents.

In fact, thanks to the recent Meadow Pointe Blvd. extension to K-Bar Ranch Pkwy., the park also will be only minutes away from many Wesley Chapel residents.

And, the name itself isn’t necessarily permanent, either. K-Bar Ranch Park, sometimes shortened to K-Bar Park, is currently a working project name being used during the design and planning phases.

The city has selected a design-build approach for the project, with Skanska USA Building leading the effort. The company has been involved in several notable Tampa Bay-area park projects, including Coachman Park in Clearwater, the iconic St. Pete Pier, and Julian B. Lane Riverfront Park in downtown Tampa.

The city has also made it clear that preserving the area’s natural character is indeed part of the vision for the park.

In its project announcement, Tampa described the proposed park as an opportunity to provide both active and passive recreation while preserving the area’s natural beauty.

District 7 Tampa City Councilman Luis Viera, who fought hard to include funding for the park in the city’s budget, says, “The 56-acre K-Bar Ranch Park site will be a generational gem in New Tampa.”

That’s a big promise, but the property certainly provides a compelling canvas on which to paint that future gem.

And unlike a project where a developer arrives with a predetermined collection of amenities, this one is beginning with a community conversation about what the park should actually become.

Residents Have Their First Say

As we’ve reminded readers on our Facebook page, the City of Tampa launched a survey (which closed on Oct. 23rd) inviting residents to weigh in on what they’d like to see at the new park.

Suggestions ranged from traditional playgrounds and trails to a dog park, cricket facilities and even a splash pad.

To kick off that public participation process, Councilman Viera, Tampa Parks & Recreation director Ted Fowler and members of the Skanska USA Building and RVi landscape project teams hosted an evening community meeting on Oct. 15 at the Cross Creek Recreation Center.

The meeting was an important first step, but it wasn’t a presentation of a finished park design. In fact, the design work had not yet begun.

Instead, the city and its design-build team wanted to hear from residents before deciding which amenities should make the cut.

Most of the 50 or so people in attendance submitted survey responses. Attendees could participate by scanning a QR code or visiting a website, with volunteers available to help.

The survey asked residents about their park habits, the amenities they value, and the features they’d most like to see incorporated into the new property. The results offered an early glimpse of what the community might want from its beautiful new backyard.

Trails, Nature & Room To Breathe

One of the clearest themes was a desire to get outdoors. Meeting attendees cited socializing, enjoying nature, taking children to playgrounds, walking dogs, bird watching and other outdoor activities as reasons they visit parks.

Nearby nature preserves and parks with playgrounds and sports facilities were among the destinations already popular with attendees.

Having a proper cricket pitch also was a proposal that came up during the meeting. Many of the people who first prodded Viera to get the park built going back almost all ten years he’s been in office (including back in 2024 when the park concept discussion was in its infancy) felt that a cricket pitch would serve New Tampa’s large Indian population well and would be a unique facility in Tampa’s city park system. Local resident Nagesh Nayak, who first pitched a cricket pitch to Viera almost a decade ago, and other cricket advocates were among those at the Oct. 15 meeting.

Survey participants also requested other recreation opportunities, scenery and practical amenities, such as picnic shelters and restrooms.

One particularly interesting concern was the desire for quiet and less-crowded spaces. In a rapidly developing area where traffic and road noise can be difficult to escape, some in attendance said they wanted somewhere to enjoy the outdoors without feeling surrounded by the usual hustle and bustle.

Trails received the strongest response when attendees were asked what they’d most like to see at the park. Other suggestions included accessible playground equipment, shade, community gathering spaces and additional recreational amenities.

The design-build team also used visual exercises to gauge preferences for playground designs, trails, picnic areas and natural spaces, saying that the responses will help inform the initial concepts, although no final combination of features has been selected.

Parking, Lighting & Other Concerns

Residents in attendance also raised practical questions about how the park would affect surrounding neighborhoods.

Parking and traffic were among the main concerns, particularly the possibility of visitors parking on K-Bar’s residential streets during busy events. The project team said on-site parking would be provided and that the property could accommodate event parking, with the final arrangement to be determined during the park’s design.

As for lighting, the team said it would be coordinated with the city, with safety and accessibility balanced against limiting light spill into nearby homes. “Downlighting” (aimed down, instead of outwards) was discussed as one possible approach.

The city’s original project criteria called for Paddock View Dr. to provide the primary vehicular entrance, with secondary access from Mistflower Ln. intended mainly for maintenance and emergency vehicles. Whether that secondary entrance will also accommodate pedestrians remains another design question.

The team also indicated that the Tampa Police Department would be involved during the design phase to assess potential safety concerns, including blind spots. Park hours will ultimately be determined by the city, with sunrise to sunset discussed as the anticipated operating window. These details may not be as exciting as new playgrounds or trails, but they’re important to creating a park that works for visitors and neighbors alike.

The Budget & The Big Picture

*Then-District 7 Tampa City Councilman Luis Viera (left) and Skanska project executive Nader Sinno outline the steps as to how the design-build of the K-Bar Ranch Park will proceed.*

The city’s original Request for Qualifications (RFQ), issued in August 2025, provides useful context for understanding how the park will take shape. The document outlines a design-build project covering public participation, conceptual planning, engineering, permitting and construction.

It identifies expected features including multipurpose athletic fields, a playground, picnic facilities, trails, restrooms and parking, along with measures to preserve existing trees and enhance natural areas.

These are the city’s anticipated project components, not a guarantee that every feature will appear in the finished park. The final design must balance community feedback, site conditions, maintenance requirements and the city’s priorities.

The RFQ identifies a total project budget of $8.25 million, subject to verification during design and preconstruction. It also separately lists $7.5 million for the park’s construction, with $750,000 for the now-ongoing design services.

That budget also will play a significant role in determining which amenities ultimately make the cut. Athletic fields, lighting, restrooms, parking, landscaping and utilities all carry costs beyond their initial construction, while proposed improvements to natural areas must also be evaluated.

The RFQ directs the design-build team to develop at least three initial design concepts that reflect public input, city priorities and the available budget. The team must then refine the selected concept and adjust the design as necessary to meet cost requirements.

The initial document also establishes a project duration of no more than 42 months, although a start date had not yet been determined at that time. This is a maximum project-duration requirement, not a confirmed opening date.

In short, the city has a substantial piece of land and plenty of ideas to consider, but the challenge will be delivering the best possible park within the available funding.

What’s Next?

The city, RVi and Skanska are reviewing the survey responses and working with Tampa’s Parks & Recreation Dept. to begin developing conceptual plans. A second community meeting within the next 30-45 days is expected to give residents an opportunity to review those concepts and offer additional feedback before the project moves further into design, permitting and construction.

Residents should watch the city’s project webpage (see below) for updates and information about future opportunities to participate.

For now, the meadow at the end of Paddock View Dr. remains a wide-open space, and the community is being provided with its chance to help shape what comes next. The opportunity isn’t simply to add another park to a growing part of Tampa; it’s to create a public space that serves the community while preserving the natural character that makes this property so special.

McGeregor said the city expects the design process to be completed by late summer 2027, but without knowing what facilities will be included in the design, “we can’t speculate yet as to when the park’s construction will be completed.”

For more information about the K-Bar Ranch Park, visit Tampa.gov/k-barpark.

‘Dad Skool’ Providing Support — And Some Fun — For Local Fathers

*The Dad Skool group enjoyed a “Dads Not Working Happy Hour” at Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino on Sept. 15.*

Jason Centeno saw a problem impacting local fathers. Under the relentless grind of work and parenting, he saw many fathers who let their mental and physical health slip, while others simply lost the time to build meaningful friendships. As a retired firefighter originally from Philadelphia and a father of six himself, Jason knew these challenges all too well.

“Fathers work, fathers provide,” he said at the Dad Skool’s Sept. 4 get-together at the Grand Oak Clubhouse in Jason’s Live Oak Preserve neighborhood off Bruce B. Downs Blvd. “They put themselves last. They have a lot of energy, but they don’t have a lot of renewal of that energy. Dads will pull up to their houses after work and sit in their cars and wait before they go in to collect themselves because they know they’re about to go into their second jobs.”

Jason started wondering, “What is there for dads? How do they get their batteries recharged?”

This inspired him a few years ago to begin reaching out to his neighboring dads in Live Oak Preserve, pitching the idea of doing a big street party in his cul-de-sac the day before Father’s Day. He put up water slides and had some party games so dads could blow off steam. This started a tradition in the neighborhood that eventually materialized into a larger Father’s Day event this year — with more than 300 people attending.

After the success of those events, Jason realized that dads needed more than just an annual party — they needed a dedicated community that would allow them to connect and share stories, swap advice and access real resources.

Jason says that this idea had already been smoldering in his mind, but the real spark came when his friend Michael Paskas called him up one day to attend a preview screening of the movie “Nobody 2.” Michael had already been running similar gatherings with dads in other parts of the Tampa Bay area and wanted to bounce ideas off of Jason about how they could formalize a “Dad Community” that they both believed the area desperately needed.

*Jason Centeno, the New Tampa resident who founded the “Dad Skool” group, explains Hugh the crash dummy’s role to the group at the Sept. 4 Dads Next Door Club meeting at Live Oak Preserve.*

This first “bro date,” as Jason describes it, served as the catalyst to launch “Dad Skool” in April 2026. The organization that started from just a handful of guys in the Live Oak neighborhood now boasts a membership of nearly 120 dads from New Tampa and Wesley Chapel, and has hosted a number of events, including their “Dad Next Door Club” monthly meetups, a movie night for dads and their families and a Labor Day BBQ.

“I’m gonna treat this like the (2003) movie ‘Old School’ (starring Will Ferrell, Luke Wilson and Vince Vaughn),” Jason says. “That movie was kinda the inspiration for all this. I’m just going to try to do all that for dads. I look at it like, what would it look like if we had a ‘fraternity’ of fatherhood?”

And, like any college fraternity, Jason says that while from the outside, it may look like it’s just a bunch of guys having fun and partying, he says Dad Skool is really much more than that.

“I say it’s a party in the front, business in the back,” Jason says, adding that he views it as a critical way for dads to meet up with other dads who are dealing with the same stressors — work, finances, marriage and kids — to give them all an outlet to vent and get advice from other dads.

This reporter had the opportunity to attend the Sept. 4 “Dad Next Door Club” event at Live Oak Preserve.

Guys started to trickle in with their beverage of choice while Jason was stacking up pizzas on a counter. Comedian Dave Chappelle was on the TV and a poker table was set up. In a corner, sitting in a chair, was a crash test dummy named Hugh with the words “You Here” on his chest.

“[Hugh] is the stand-in for every person who doesn’t show up to one of our events,” Jason explained. “If you missed it, it could have been you. So, Hugh is sitting there, taking these drinks in your honor.”

As the room filled up, Jason got everyone around to ask the roughly 15 dads in attendance about their “wins” this week. One dad announced a new business he had just started. Another joked that he won $300 in Las Vegas. Another announced he was being deployed the next day, prompting a round of applause and support for his safe return home.

Jason then gave the floor to Miguel DeLeon, the founder of the Dads Figure It Out Foundation (which we reported about last issue), to talk about his Game Day Experience program that seeks to help families facing financial or other life challenges experience a sporting event.

Jason even congratulated me about being a new dad myself to a five-month-old. The “party in the front, business in the back” moniker was on full display as these dads joked around, highlighted their successes and gave each other actual advice regarding issues many of them are facing.

“This is very simple,” said Jay Colley, Jason’s neighbor and one of the earliest supporters of Dad Skool. “It’s a community for dads, in a world where there aren’t enough (supportive) communities for us.”

Jason believes that his mission to connect dads can be expanded and replicated throughout Tampa Bay. He says he’s not interested in getting any credit — he just wants to put the focus on his fellow dads and help them connect and build relationships in their respective parenting journeys.

“I’m just putting together people with other people,” he says. “Similar to P.T. Barnum, I’m just the ringmaster and these guys are the show.” He adds that he hopes as this program grows, it can expand to reach more dads and provide additional resources, such as financial support to help uplift men who are homeless.

If you’re a dad interested in learning more about Dad Skool, visit DadSkool.org or find the group on Instagram or Facebook @dadsoftampaskool.

Dad Next Door Club Dad Skool Dads Figure It Out Foundation Fathers Jason Centeno Miguel DeLeon New Tampa Wesley Chapel

Luis Viera Column — Thank You For Ten Wonderful Years As Your City Councilman!

By Luis Viera

District 7, Tampa City Council

*Tampa City Councilman Luis Viera (Photo by Charmaine George)*

I always love to update my constituents on what is happening in the City of Tampa, especially in New Tampa’s District 7.

Saying Goodbye To District 7

Speaking of my district, I only have a few more weeks as your Tampa City Councilman.

I began this journey in Nov. 2016 and it will end at midnight on November 2. The October 22 City Council meeting will be my last. After that, I will no longer be your Councilman.

Words can not express my heartfelt gratitude for the welcome and the many life experiences I have gotten from District 7.

I think of so many meaningful moments — not those on camera or on a stage, but little things. I think of the New Tampa immigrant families who are part of the American Dream – families from India, Syria, Venezuela, etc. Every time I meet one, I ask them about their journey to America and it touches me.

I think of the pain every time I talked to a North Tampa family that got flooded after Hurricane Milton in 2024, and the little caustic details of their stories.

I think of my first Town Hall in Tampa Palms, where I met my now good friends Tracy and Steve Falkowitz. I think of getting to know New Tampa residents like Auschwitz survivor Nat Ross, decorated combat World War II veteran and Buffalo Soldier Roy Caldwood and General Remo Butler — the first Black officer in the Special Forces to become Brigadier General.

Perhaps the biggest part of public office is sharing from your heart and seeing people that society does not see, but that you see because of your own experience. For me, that always has been people with disabilities. No experience better defined my life growing up because of my brother Juan. I grew up going to Special Olympics and special education ministry meetings and to special needs dances where people danced to Village People songs. I also grew up seeing parents working harder than anyone should have to and feeling that they and their kids were not seen. Working in this space has meant a lot.

So, I write to say thank you, District 7, from my heart. I also have some final updates for the people of New Tampa, where I live.

K-Bar Ranch

Last year, I secured about $750,000 in the City of Tampa’s budget to design the nearly-60- acre K-Bar Ranch park. This year, I secured in the Capital Improvement Program (CIP) about $8 million for construction of this park, which should begin construction in 2028.

There will be community input to help with the design of the park. Your first opportunity to share your opinions about the facilities you feel should be included in this park will be held on Thursday, October 15, during a community meeting. As of the writing of this column, we do not have a location yet for that meeting, but one will be provided soon (and I’m sure the Neighborhood News will post online about it as soon as the location and the time of that meeting are announced). Feel free to email me at luis.viera@tampagov.net for questions.

North of Cross Creek Blvd., there are no city parks. This investment — part of almost $20 million in 33647 parks funding I helped secure since 2016 — remedies this for you.

Remaining New Tampa Priorities

There are things I am still working on in my final weeks on City Council that I still want. I am working on getting the funds necessary to repave the rest of Tampa Palms Blvd. in our budget. I also am working with the Rays for inclusion of funds for a New Tampa Police substation presence in the “Community Benefits & Legacy Plan” between the team, Hillsborough County and the City of Tampa. And, frustration over Morris Bridge Rd. (a county road) is something I, like you, feel and experience, although I don’t know how or when this roadway will be improved.

Improved emergency and fire rescue times for K-Bar Ranch remains my biggest frustration. Yes, I have secured three new City of Tampa Fire Rescue Dept. (TFR) stations for New and North Tampa since I assumed office.

But, I still want a fire station dedicated for K-Bar Ranch. Unfortunately, we currently do not have the necessary buy-in for this from downtown. But, within 45 days or so, the “cut through” from Morris Bridge Rd. into K-Bar Ranch should be opening, which will significantly reduce K-Bar and Easton Park response times from TFR Station No. 22 on Cross Creek Blvd. near Morris Bridge Rd. This is a good step for now — but a station located in K-Bar is still needed — and hopefully, inevitable.

District 7 2027 City Council Race

New Tampa is the Alaska of Tampa. When you represent this area on City Council, you have to fight harder, bang the podium a little harder and talk a little louder. And, New Tampa still needs a fighter. We have good people who have filed to run for this office who are already working hard — putting in the hard work.

Although my fellow City Council members will choose someone to fill my seat for the four+ months between when I leave office in November and the City of Tampa’s Municipal Election in March of 2027, when you will help elect a replacement for me, I hope you will choose the candidate you believe is sincere and will work hard for you. Pick someone who has been putting in the hard work to earn your trust — not only the trust of other politicians.

Thanks as always, New Tampa.

k-bar ranch Luis Viera New Tampa Tampa City Council

Ybor City Street Renamed In Honor Of New Tampa’s Morris Lopez’s Grandfather

Longtime New Tampa resident Morris Lopez III has spent 40 years building a career in public service, currently as a Division Chief with the Hillsborough County Fire Department.

While that service alone is noteworthy and admirable, the legacy of Morris’ grandfather Morris — who “walked the beat” as a Tampa Police Officer in Ybor City in the 1940s after serving in the Navy in World War II — is part of why Morris III chose to serve as well.

Unfortunately, Morris I’s service with TPD lasted only about two years, as he was shot and killed shielding and saving the life of a newspaper boy in 1949 during a drive-by shooting at 7th Ave. and 16th St. Eyewitnesses said that Ofc. Lopez was already falling to the ground when he pushed the paperboy out of the path of the gunfire. Long before the days of DNA evidence, the case remains unsolved and no suspects were ever identified, as the car sped away following the shooting.

*(L.-r.) Cherish, Rodney, Stephanie, Stevie, Robbie & Morris Lopez*

On Sept. 28, 77 years after that tragedy, Morris III and most of his family — including his wife Yvette, their daughter Courtney, Morris’ brothers Robbie and Rodney and a host of aunts, uncles and cousins — were all on hand at a ceremony honoring Morris I with a sign renaming the corner of Centennial Park (along 19th St. and E. 8th Ave.) in Ybor City after the fallen hero: “Office Morris Lopez Av.”

Dist. 7 Tampa City Councilman & New Tampa resident Luis Viera, who pushed the city to honor Ofc. Lopez, said that Morris I was deserving of such an honor “and should be remembered as one of Tampa’s great heroes.”

Viera then introduced Tampa Mayor Jane Castor, who had a long career as a TPD Officer, including serving as TPD’s Chief. Mayor Castor said, “All of us, as first responders, take an oath to protect and serve…and law enforcement officers and firefighters across the country sacrifice their lives in the line of duty every single day.

“And, as a community…we can never forget the impact those first responders, including Officer Lopez, had on their communities and on their families and friends.”

She also thanked Viera for making sure that there is “a permanent reminder of Ofc. Lopez’s sacrifice, so that people who drive by that sign can ask, ‘Who was Officer Morris Lopez and what did he do?’ And we should all be able to answer that question with pride.”

Viera’s fellow City Councilman Guido Maniscalco said, “Today, we know that the name Morris Lopez will not be forgotten. I’m so glad we were able to do this small token of appreciation for the [Lopez] family, so that his name will live on.”

Next up was Cindy Roberts, whose husband, TPD Cpl. Mike Roberts, gave his all for the city back in 2009. Viera said, “Cindy does a lot of good work with an organization called ‘Concerns of Police Survivors,’ that advocates for surviving family members of officers that gave all in the line of duty.”

“I have the solemn honor of walking with the families of all of our lost officers as they go through their grief journey,” Roberts said. “But today, as we reveal this road dedication for Officer Morris Lopez, we assure that his sacrifice is met with an unending remembrance and community support.”

Then, Chief Morris Lopez III said that although he never met his grandfather, “I heard the stories about him and the pride his name carried, and that made me want to [serve]…and I have served this community for 40 years.

“A street sign can not repay [our] loss. Nothing can. But, a city can say that a life of service mattered. He gave his life for this city and today, the city gives something back. For our family, seeing his name here in Ybor City, it connects our children and our grandchildren to the man whose life helped shape theirs. It tells them that courage, duty and service can travel across generations.

“I hope that everyone who passes this street remembers more than a name. Remember the men and women who put on a uniform and accept responsibility for people they may never know. And remember the families they leave behind.” — GN; all photos provided by Morris Lopez & Luis Viera

jane castor Luis Viera Morris Lopez New Tampa Officer Morris Lopez Ybor

Tampa’s Charter Review Committee Has Something Monumental For New Tampa

Guest Editorial by ALAN COHN

Every 8–12 years, the Tampa City Council and Mayor form a Charter Review Advisory Commission to review and update the city’s governing charter — the document that defines how our city government operates.

District 7 City Councilman Luis Viera appointed me to represent New Tampa on that commission.

His only instruction to me was simple: Use your best judgment and do a good job.

I took that responsibility seriously.

And I’m proud to say we did something monumental.

We made Tampa’s city government more accountable, more transparent and more responsive to the people it serves.

People have every right to question government. In fact, they should.

That’s why I helped champion the creation of Tampa’s first-ever Inspector General.

The Inspector General (IG) will have the independence to investigate allegations of (governmental) corruption and wrongdoing without political interference or favor. The IG will be selected by a distinguished panel that includes the State Attorney, Public Defender, Chief Judge of the 13th Judicial Circuit, Mayor, City Council and others.

Why does that matter?

Because while the City Council has the authority to investigate allegations of wrongdoing, it has no dedicated budget to conduct those investigations. And, when elected officials investigate elected officials, there can always be questions about political motivation.

The Inspector General changes that.

It puts an independent watchdog inside Tampa’s system of government whose job it is to follow the facts and protect the public interest.

Only a handful of cities in Florida — including Doral and Jacksonville — have an Inspector General. Tampa is about to join them.

*Alan Cohn (front left) sits on Tampa’s Charter Review Advisory Commission, which is helping the city update its charter & creating an independent Inspector General position.* ***(Photo provided by Alan Cohn)***

But, we didn’t stop there.

We also delivered a major win for the residents of New Tampa.

For years, Councilman Viera has fought to secure funding for parks, playgrounds, infrastructure and other projects our community needs.

But, getting funding approved doesn’t necessarily mean a project gets built.

Too often, residents are left wondering: What happened to that project? When will it be completed? Why is it delayed?

That’s changing.

We’ve created a new transparency system requiring the city to provide an annual progress report on major capital improvement projects — including their current status, delays or problems and anticipated completion dates.

If taxpayers are funding it, they deserve to know what’s happening with it.

That’s what good government looks like.

We made other important changes as well, and I look forward to sharing more about them soon.

The final changes to the city charter have now been approved and sent to the City Council and Mayor. They will ultimately go before Tampa voters next spring.

I’m especially grateful to Councilman Viera for choosing me, trusting me and giving me the opportunity to fight for the people of New Tampa.

He asked me to use my best judgment and do a good job.

And I think we did.

And, this is exactly the kind of government I believe Tampa deserves: independent, transparent, accountable, and always working for the people.

Alan Cohn is New Tampa’s appointed representative on Tampa’s Charter Review Advisory Commission and a candidate for Tampa City Council, District 7

Alan Cohn Charter Review Advisory Commission New Tampa Tampa’s Charter Review Committee