June 29--TAMPA -- The Republican National Convention is only two months away, and the Tampa City Council was busy Thursday getting ready.
The council signed off on more money for police officers, created a pair of viewing areas where protesters can congregate and approved some people-powered propulsion.
Council members approved $24.8 million to hire 3,500 police officers from elsewhere in the state to handle crowd control during the RNC on Aug. 27 to 30.
More than 60 Florida communities have been asked to provide officers to supplement members of the Tampa Police Department and Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office.
The money to pay for patrols includes $4 million to cover overtime for local officers. The city will be reimbursed by the $50 million grant the Department of Justice has set aside to cover security costs for the convention.
The council also approved the use of people-powered pedibuses downtown, Ybor City and Channelside Entertainment District during the convention.
The pedibuses are part of a program sponsored by Humana. They'll operate on set courses starting Aug. 24, three days before the convention begins, offering delegates and others transport around town.
Council members also approved the creation of two public viewing areas where protesters will be able to gather near the RNC venues.
The viewing areas will lie north of East Brorein Street on either side of South Nebraska Avenue outside the possible security perimeter to be set by the Secret Service. The footprint of that security perimeter will be announced later next month.
The public viewing areas use several parking lots in an otherwise industrial area between downtown and Channelside. However, in the heart of the viewing area sits a cluster of seven residential buildings, much to the concern of landowner Eric Diaz. He asked the city for help to ensure his buildings and tenants won't be harmed by the groups using the 24-hour viewing areas.
City Attorney Jim Shimberg said his office reached an agreement with Diaz but didn't elaborate. Diaz left the meeting without comment on his talk with Shimberg.
Copyright 2012 - Tampa Tribune, Fla.
