SWFBUD Meets With County Commissioner Mark Sharpe About Keeping The Parks Open 7 Days A Week

This afternoon, I, along with Carrollwood Bicycle Emporium owner Brian Eckman and Oliver's Cycle Sports owner Randy Myhre, met with Hillsborough County Commissioner Marke Sharpe to discuss ways to keep the county's parks open seven days a week. Sharpe invited SWFBUD to his office after Brian and I spoke at a county budget public hearing last month. The county's proposed budget calls for the county's parks to be closed two days a week.

Commissioner Sharpe said he is a strong advocate of cycling and will work to keep the parks open seven days a week.

Here is Brian and Randy talking with Commissioner Sharpe, who is seated in the center.


I got a big kick out of this. As a former government news reporter who worked at newspapers around the country for more than 20 years, I covered thousands of meetings at all levels of governments and have visited literally hundreds of government buildings around the country.

I have never seen a special structure built outside a government building just for smokers.

Except here in Hillsborough County, where a this bus-stop-like smoking covered area was built for $65,000 with your tax dollars. Thank you, Commissioner Jim Norman, who made it happen. You'll notice that my bike is locked at an uncovered bike rack.