Descriptions of Departments

ARTS AND CULTURAL AFFAIRS (homepage)

The Department of Arts and Cultural Affairs provides oversight to the Tampa Museum of Art and the Public Art Program.  The Department acts as  a liaison department to all arts and cultural facilities and activities in the City of Tampa, and represents the Mayor or City on many boards and committees and assists or directs special projects.  The department’s involvement in these boards and activities includes strategic planning, budget oversight, facility needs, fundraising, advocacy, grant proposals, special events, operations, board development, marketing and program development so that opportunities for collaboration are identified and maximized. Project management for the Cultural Arts District in Downtown Tampa, (project began in FY 00) is another responsibility of the department.

Museum of Art

The Tampa Museum of Art is jointly operated by the City of Tampa and the Tampa Museum of Art, Inc., a non-profit organization. The City's primary responsibilities are in the area of administrative, financial and facilities operations. Programs, exhibitions, acquisitions and related personnel are funded by the Tampa Museum of Art, Inc. The primary goal of the Tampa Museum of Art is to collect, preserve, display and interpret works of art for the public's enjoyment. The Museum also promotes knowledge and educational programs to encourage the development and appreciation of the fine arts for the broadest possible audience. The Museum is organized into the following functional areas:

Administration links the departments, the Museum Board and the community and functions as a City liaison. It provides programmatic, budgetary and policy guidelines in meeting the Museum's responsibilities for daily operations and maintenance.

The Curatorial division plans and executes an exhibition schedule of 7 concurrent exhibits in 7 major gallery areas totaling approximately 26 per year. Transportation insurance, publications, registration and scholarly research are additional areas covered. The permanent collection continues to grow through the generosity of donors and the Museum's commitment to acquiring significant pieces in the areas of Antiquities, American Art and Photography.

Education programming is formulated to interpret exhibitions and provide additional dimensions to their appreciation. Included are media kits, staff-generated interpretive exhibits, publications, tours, a museum guide program, films, lectures, and concerts.,

The Development Division is the fund-raising arm of the Tampa Museum of Art, Inc. Its primary responsibility is to provide a financial and membership base through its coordination of general membership, corporate membership, public relations, volunteers, special fund-raisers, and celebrations.

The Division of Exhibit Preparation and Maintenance is responsible for communicating the curatorial intent, while providing a suitable background for viewing the art objects.

Tampa Public Art

The mission of the Tampa Public Art Program is to

• oversee the City's Public Art Collection
• enhance the physical environment of Tampa with artworks of the highest level of quality and suitability for the site
• serve as the coordinating body for all public art and memorial projects on City property
• build partnerships with the private sector, non-profit and community groups that connect the Tampa Public Art Program's projects to the life of the City
• encourage participation by artists based in the City and the Tampa Bay region
• serve as an active source of information about Public Art.

CABLE COMMUNICATIONS (homepage)

The role of the Office of Cable Communication is twofold. The first mission is to assure that the residents of Tampa are provided reliable cable television service that meets industry technical standards. The second mission is to provide cable viewers quality programming covering a broad range of government information at minimal cost, while maintaining programming with a high level of integrity through neutrality.

The department's responsibilities include:

• Enforcing applicable federal, state, and local regulations and ordinances.
• Enforcing provisions of the cable franchise agreements.
• Monitoring cable construction and certifying acceptable performance levels.
• Investigating citizen complaints.
• Insuring the integrity of the activated cable system.
• Expediting City departments' telecommunication requirements via the cable communication system.
• Monitoring the development of public and educational access programming to the community.
• Directing the development of government access programming (CTTV) to the residents of Tampa.
• Developing and implementing the institutional network to support interactive data transmission by City departments and other local governmental agencies over the cable communication system.

CHIEF OF STAFF (homepage)

The Chief of Staff is responsible for oversight and direction of several City departments including: Communications, Intergovernmental Relations, Purchasing, Strategic Planning & Technology, and Human Resources.

CITY ATTORNEY'S OFFICE (homepage)

The City Attorney is responsible for the legal activities of the City. The duties and responsibilities of the City Attorney are enumerated in the Revised Charter of the City of Tampa.

The City Attorney's Office provides legal advice and assistance to the Mayor, City Council and committees, department heads, officers and boards of the City. The following are examples of matters handled by the Legal Department: real property, federal and state grants and programs, unemployment compensation, authorities, and revenue and finance. Bonds, deeded obligations, contracts, leases, covenants, agreements and other legal documents which may be required by ordinance or by order of the Mayor or City Council are drafted by the Legal Department. The Legal Department defends the City's interest before courts and boards.

CITY CLERK (homepage)

The proceedings of every City Council meeting are recorded by the Documentation of City Records Division of the City Clerk's Office. This Division is also responsible for preparing City Council agendas; indexing local laws, ordinances, resolutions, agreements, and deeds; updating and distributing supplements to the City Code; and maintaining current appointments to City boards and committees, City and State financial disclosure statements and executive orders. The publication of legal notices, recording of official documents with appropriate agencies, and indexing of City cemetery burials is also the responsibility of this division.

The Support Services to the Boards Division provides support to the General Employees Pension Fund, the Community Redevelopment Agency, and the following boards: the Civil Service Board, Sign Variance Review Board, Drug Nuisance Abatement Board, and the Board of Ethics.

The Code Enforcement Board (CEB) Division is the administrative staff for the board and records all CEB board meetings: keeps official files; distributes legal notices of code violations; prepares and files liens for non-compliance, and keeps the board and departments informed of board actions.

The Archives and Records Service Division has responsibility for the management of the public records of the City of Tampa in accordance with State statutes and local ordinances. It manages the program to inventory and schedule, microfilm, store, and finally dispose of or archive City records in all formats.

CITY COUNCIL (homepage)

City Council is the legislative branch of City government and operates in accordance with the provisions of the 1974 Revised Charter of the City of Tampa. It is responsible for enacting ordinances and resolutions that the Mayor of Tampa administers as chief executive officer.

Seven Council members are elected by the voters of Tampa to serve for a term of four years. Council members for Districts #1, #2, and #3 are elected at-large and those from Districts #4 through #7 are elected in individual districts. The term of office for the current Council members will expire on March 31, 2007.

Meetings are held in the Council Chamber on the third floor of City Hall on Thursdays at 9:00 a.m. to enact legislation pertaining to general City business. On the second Thursday of each month at 6:30 p.m., the City Council holds public hearings on land rezoning. Alcoholic beverage zonings are held the third Thursday of every month at 10:00 a.m. Other special meetings are scheduled from time to time as the need arises.

Council members also serve individually as members of various boards, such as the Public Transportation Commission, the Metropolitan Planning Organization, the Tampa Sports Authority, the Hillsborough River Technical Advisory Council to the Interlocal Planning Board, Tampa Bay Performing Arts Center Executive Committee of the Board of Trustees, the Tampa Bay Regional Planning Council, Hillsborough County Youth Council, Hillsborough Constituency for Children, Council of Governments, Public Art Committee, and the Florida Aquarium.

CLEAN CITY (homepage)

The mission of the Clean City Division is to provide a comprehensive approach through education, enforcement, and maintenance to reduce litter, illegal dumping and create a cleaner city environment.

CODE ENFORCEMENT AND BUSINESS TAX (homepage)

The Department of Code Enforcement and Business Tax is the City of Tampa entity responsible for enforcing Chapters 19 and 27 of the City of Tampa Code.  Infractions include, but are not limited to: zoning violations, overgrown lots or yards, inoperative vehicles, maintenance of structures, noise control, illegal signs, public nuisances, and anything else that may affect the quality of life within the boundaries of the city.  Additionally, Code Enforcement is responsible for enforcing Articles II and IV of Chapter 14 and relevant sections in Chapter 3 dealing with noise and security provision in Ybor City, Channelside, and the Central Business District.

Code Enforcement responds to complaints from citizens, peer to peer groups, and other agencies.  Systematic inspections are also performed throughout the city in an effort to keep developing situations from becoming worse.  

Code Enforcement also regulates rental properties throughout the city by certifying that landlords comply with the Florida State Minimum Housing Standards.  If they do meet these criteria, they are issued a Rental Certificate (Business License) that must be renewed annually.  Inspections performed by this division verify that rental properties do meet the state criteria before the Rental Certificate is issued.

The Business Tax Division is responsible for the administration, issuance and enforcement of business tax receipts. Additionally, its personnel inspect wreckers, survey establishments selling alcoholic beverages, and maintain the City's rental certificate files.

COMMUNITY AFFAIRS (homepage)

The Community Affairs Department is responsible for the planning, administration and coordination of programs, projects and activities that are designed to promote and maintain good relations among citizens of Tampa.  The department investigates discrimination complaints in housing, employment, public accommodations, and any other alleged unfair practices.  It also conducts Police/Community Relations workshops, Tampa/Hillsborough County Youth Council meetings, Mayor's Youth Advisory Group activities, Community Development Block Grant advisory committee and civic association meetings, Vision and Dental screening and referrals, and related outreach activities.

CONTRACT ADMINISTRATION (homepage)

The Contract Administration Department manages the preparation of City contract documents for professional and construction services and provides architectural design, civil drafting and construction inspection services for capital improvement projects. The Building Maintenance Section performs routine maintenance for more than 500 City facilities. This includes painting, roof repair and replacement, interior repairs, HVAC, mechanical, electrical and plumbing work.

CONVENTION CENTER AND TOURISM (homepage)

The major activity of the Convention Center and Tourism Department is to stimulate the local economy by providing a venue for national, regional and international conventions, trade shows and conferences that will bring the maximum number of out-of-town visitors to the area. Convention delegates, exhibitors and show managers spend money throughout the Tampa/Hillsborough County area, creating a positive economic impact.

The Convention Facilities Department is responsible for the City's operation and maintenance of the Tampa Convention Center. The 600,000 square foot Tampa Convention Center consists of a 200,000 square foot main exhibit hall, a 36,000 square foot ballroom, a 90,000 square foot lobby and 36 meeting rooms.

The Department is organized into five divisions consisting of the following: Administrative and Fiscal, Sales and Marketing, Engineering Operational Maintenance, and Convention Services. Convention staff concentrates on the marketing, promotion and administration of the Convention Center while services provided to show promoters are handled primarily through contractual arrangements.

In addition, the Convention Facilities Department administers the International Trade Fair program, which promotes the Tampa Bay region as a site for international trade fairs, conferences and symposiums.
 

ECONOMIC AND URBAN DEVELOPMENT (homepage)

The Economic and Urban Development Administrator reports directly to the Mayor and is responsible for the oversight of the Tampa Convention Center and Community Redevelopment Areas.

The mission of Economic and Urban Development is to maximize the quality, pace and beneficial economic impact of Tampa’s key strategic community revitalization initiatives.  The department oversees all (eight as of 2005) of the City’s Community Redevelopment Areas.  The department will plan and execute strategic public investments, regulatory actions and incentive programs that create widespread sustained private investment in the redevelopment areas thereby improving quality of life, community aesthetics and environmental health.

FIRE AND POLICE PENSION (homepage)

The Fire and Police Pension Fund is administered by a nine (9) member Board of Trustees who have appointed a full time Plan Administrator and administrative staff to conduct the daily operations for the effective and efficient administration of the pension plan. The Board of Trustees is responsible for the proper operation of the pension system in compliance with state and federal laws, the Internal Revenue Code, and making the provisions of the pension contract/act effective. Services provided by the Fire and Police Pension staff include processing approximately $3.2 million in monthly pension benefits to 1500+ retired firefighters, police officers, surviving spouses, minor children and DROP participants, including longevity, disability and death pension benefits; administering the Deferred Retirement Option Program (DROP); maintaining all active and retired firefighter and police officer confidential pension and medical files; processing line of duty and non-line of duty disability applications; coordinating health and life insurance enrollment and changes for retirees and beneficiaries; and responding to requests for service and information from the public and approximately 1450 active and 1500 retired firefighters and police officers or beneficiaries.

FIRE RESCUE (homepage)

The Fire Rescue Department provides essential service in the areas of fire prevention, fire protection, and emergency medical care. The department is comprised of the Operations, Rescue, Communications, Prevention, and Administrative Divisions.

Firefighters in the Operations division are assigned to twenty-one fire stations throughout the City. They are primarily responsible for first response to all emergency scenes and fire suppression. They are responsible for advanced life support services at emergencies, and fire prevention and safety activities.  Rescue transport personnel are assigned to eleven (11) rescue vehicles based at fire stations throughout the City. They provide basic life support and advanced life support medical care and transportation of the seriously ill and injured.  They also provide fire suppression support for the Operations division.

The Communications section receives calls for service, using the Police/Fire 911 system and dispatches the appropriate personnel and equipment. Fire prevention personnel conduct inspections, fire safety and loss management programs. The functions of personnel, supply, quality management, public education, and training are performed by Administrative division.

GROWTH MANAGEMENT AND DEVELOPMENT SERVICES (homepage)

The Department of Business and Housing Development administers housing and development standards for Tampa. Its primary function involves coordinating land development through intergovernmental action and the review and modification of building plans and code requirements. It accomplishes this objective by administering, issuing and enforcing the City's codes.

Because continued improvement of residential living standards and the overall aesthetic appearance of the City are administrative priorities, the department channels much of its effort to the careful enforcement of the City's housing and environmental standards and its administration of sign and zoning codes. The department closely coordinates with civic associations concerning local development and code enforcement. This coordination has been especially beneficial with respect to decreasing the number of substandard structures and property maintenance problems.

Department personnel prepare and provide the maps, charts, legal descriptions and drawings necessary for all real property studies, acquisitions, dedications and dispositions. Additionally, department personnel coordinate the posting of announcements for City Council hearings on petitioner action.

Finally, Business and Housing Development personnel are responsible for the purchase, lease, management and sale of real property and facilities and the administration of activities supported by the Community Development Block Grant, other housing grants and Challenge Fund Loan Programs.

The Construction Service Center provides a single location for acquiring electrical, building, plumbing, zoning and mechanical permits. Personnel from the Parks (7), Public Works (3), Stormwater (8), Sewer (3), Water (2) and Solid Waste (1) departments are assigned to the Service Center for permits issuance tasks related to requirements of those departments. Twenty-four positions and their costs, $791,944, are budgeted in the various departments identified.

Tampa Bay Black Business Investment Corporation (TBBBIC) provides technical and financial assistance to minority and economically disadvantaged entrepreneurs.

Ybor City Development Corporation (YCDC) is the City’s primary vehicle for planning, promoting development, and assisting with the redevelopment of Ybor City through public and private sector offices.

HUMAN RESOURCES (homepage)

The Director of Human Resources is responsible for the divisions of Employee Relations, Employment Services, and Risk Management and Central Services. Duties of those divisions are as follows:

Employee Relations negotiates and administers collective bargaining agreements; administers disciplinary actions and labor grievance procedures. The division is responsible for salary and benefits processing, affirmative action, unemployment compensation, Equal Employment Opportunity and Americans with Disabilities Act compliance, employee training and tuition reimbursement. The Central Records Processing section is responsible for all employee data transactions on the Human Resource Management System including pay increases, benefit enrollment and changes, and other data; life insurance claims, new employee orientation, pre-employment medical exams, City-wide personnel file maintenance and other related functions.

Employment Services performs the personnel hiring and testing function and maintains the City's comprehensive classification plan covering approximately 600 classes of work. This division also monitors the performance evaluation process, coordinates the administration of valid medical standards, and conducts job analysis research for developing valid selection procedures.

Risk Management and Central Services includes several sections.   The Publications section is responsible for graphic design and mail services as well as coordination of contractual copying, printing and forms inventory services for the City. This section is also responsible for the coordination of the convenience copier program. Self Insurance is comprised of Risk and Insurance Administration, Claims and Safety.  The Risk and Insurance Administration section directs the Claims and Safety sections and manages both contractual and self-funded insurance programs. Responsibilities include the administration of workers' compensation, benefit and claims programs, general liability, property damage, health coverage and long term disability insurance; life and accidental death and dismemberment insurance programs. The Claims section investigates and adjusts all general liability and property damage claims filed against the City, as well as property damage losses to the City.  Following state and federal guidelines, the Safety section provides technical assistance in the area of loss prevention to all City departments. This is accomplished through training activities, facility inspections, accident investigations, health screenings and other efforts to identify and control hazards.

INTERGOVERNMENTAL RELATIONS (homepage)

Intergovernmental Relations presents the City's position with respect to regulations and legislation, and promotes its interests with the state and federal government and their agencies.

INTERNAL AUDIT (homepage)

The Internal Audit Department provides management with an independent appraisal of major areas of City activities in order to reduce potential risk and loss to the City. The Department reviews entities and functions for adequacy of controls, legal and contractual compliance and good business practice.

The Department is responsible for performing audits as outlined in its agenda. Emphasis is on recurring audits of high risk and high dollar areas, and special requests from the Mayor and City departments. Total direct audit hours for the department is 9,000 annually.

MAYOR (homepage)

The Mayor's Office provides services required of the executive branch of City government including administrative functions and public relations.   The department is responsible for providing direction to department heads, administering ordinances and resolutions of City Council, meeting the public and providing information on matters of community concern.  The Mayor, as Chief Executive Officer, provides guidance and executive approval of the annual budget and long range planning for the City.

MINORITY BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT (homepage)

The Minority Business Development program facilitates contract opportunities in construction, professional services and goods, and non-professional services for women and minority business firms that are certified to do business with the City of Tampa.

NEIGHBORHOOD AND COMMUNITY RELATIONS (homepage)

The Neighborhood & Community Relations Office serves as the link between the Mayor, the City of Tampa Departments and the citizens of Tampa by being the official community outreach office for the City of Tampa. The mission of the Neighborhood & Community Relations Office is to bring government closer to the people by serving as the liaison between the government and community to help Tampa thrive and shine.

The Neighborhood & Community Relations Office is available to address inquiries made by phone or in person regarding questions, complaints, problems, requests, suggestions or compliments about City of Tampa services. We are not in a position to fix or solve problems but to provide the citizens information and submit their concerns or suggestions to the Customer Service Center or forward to the appropriate department. We are the sounding board to the citizens. The office is also available to aid citizens with the development of existing and new neighborhood and civic associations. Staff attends neighborhood meetings, assist with special community projects and serves as a resource location for both residential and business interests.

In addition to community outreach, the Neighborhood & Community Relations Office has a strong emphasis on communications with the citizens through the “Neighborhood News” newsletter distributed in the City of Tampa water bills, Spotlight Tampa television show, Mayor Town Hall Meetings and various community projects and events. Collectively, the Neighborhood & Community Relations Office serves on numerous civic committees and boards.

PARKS AND RECREATION (homepage)

The Tampa Parks and Recreation Department manages, maintains and operates all the park and recreational facilities of the city, and develops and implements programs for cultural and recreational activities.  Tampa’s parks system consists of 2,286 acres of parkland including 165 parks covering acres, 79 playgrounds, 194 racquet and multi-purpose courts, 107 ball fields, 19 community centers, 14 pools, five art studios, four cemeteries, two marinas, and 60 miles of multi-purpose trails.   

The Office of Special Events was established as a division of the Tampa Parks and Recreation Department to assist event organizers with the planning and coordinating events that occur on public property.

Another division of the department is the Mayor’s Youth Corp. The Mayor’s Youth Corp provides young people with a voice, helps them be more involved in decisions that affect their lives, and strives to advance their participation in society and civic life.   

POLICE (homepage)

The Tampa Police Department is responsible for ensuring the protection, safety, and welfare of city residents and visitors; providing protection of property; and preventing crime. To accomplish these goals, the Tampa Police Department is organized as follows:

The Headquarters Division oversees the operations of the Uniform Services and Criminal Investigations/Administrative Divisions and is responsible for department-wide fiscal, planning, and training functions. In addition, the Internal Affairs Bureau reports directly to this Division regarding investigations of misconduct by department employees.

Uniform Services consists of Uniform Districts I, II, III and the Special Operations Group.

The Uniform Districts primary role is to respond to calls from citizens for police service and act to deter crime and apprehend criminals.

The Special Operations Group is comprised of several units that perform specific law enforcement functions or provide support to the other divisions. These activities include providing traffic enforcement; special events planning and traffic/crowd control; patrolling City parks; providing school resource programs; and enforcing state/local environmental laws and ordinances.

Criminal Investigations/Administration consists of the Criminal Investigations and Administration Divisions.

The Criminal Investigations Division is comprised of Narcotics Bureau and the Major Crimes Bureau. The Major Crimes Bureau is responsible for investigating all crimes of a violent nature and such crimes as burglaries, auto theft and fraud as well as enforcing the city's pawn broker laws. The Narcotics Bureau main responsibility is the enforcement of federal, state and local drug laws. Also, this bureau oversees the Marine/Air Patrol unit whose tasks include rescue, salvage, body recovery, dive operations and deterrent patrol and surveillance.

The Administrative Division consists of the Support Services Bureau and the Administrative Bureau. The Administrative Bureau is responsible for recruiting and hiring of all new personnel and administration of the Department's community affairs programs. The Support Services Bureau maintains police reports, criminal arrest records; evidence and property records; and provides identification forensic expertise, and logistical support for the Department's computer environment and storage facilities.

PUBLIC AFFAIRS (homepage)

Public Affairs develops and implements communication and public relations strategies to effectively market the city’s initiatives, services and information. Public Affairs develops print publications and collateral marketing materials. Other areas of focus include media relations; special video productions; city announcements and ceremonies; and special projects.

PUBLIC WORKS (homepage)

The Public Works Department provides a variety of services directly to citizens, such as the maintenance of public streets, traffic signals, and buildings, and provides services to other city departments; i.e. the coordination of city-wide public facility contract construction, vehicle maintenance and communication equipment. The five major divisions of the Department are:

The Administrative and Fiscal Division provides management accounting services, management analysis, payroll and personnel services for the department's 443 employees. The Public Works Director and the Emergency Coordinator manage the coordination and planning of emergency/disaster response by City staff.

The Transportation Division installs and maintains 8,800 traffic signs, 536 computerized traffic signals, maintains 1,422 miles of streets and provides planning, surveying, design, construction supervision, and operation of the City's transportation system. The Electronics Section acquires, replaces, installs and maintains the City's electronic communications equipment and eleven communications towers.

The Fleet Maintenance Division is responsible for the maintenance, repair, and fueling of the City’s 2,000+ vehicles/equipment; as well as replacement analysis, acquisition and disposal.

The Parking Division is responsible for the development of policies to serve the parking demand of the central business district and adjacent commercial areas. Parking maintains and manages eight garages and 34 off-street lots (12,850 spaces) and the enforcement of parking regulations for over 3,700 on-street spaces.

PURCHASING (homepage)

The Purchasing Department, as provided for in the City Charter, is responsible for all aspects of the City's centralized procurement process. Its objective is to acquire needed goods and services as efficiently and as inexpensively as possible, while assuring fair and equal opportunity to all qualified vendors. The Purchasing Department's primary function is to assist other City Departments in their procurement efforts, securing materials and services which meet necessary standards. Concurrently, the Purchasing Department monitors all procurement to ascertain compliance with applicable laws.

Department personnel prepare the City's procurement program; establish standards for quality assurance; purchase products and services; and administer contracts. Staff prepare specifications and schedule purchases; develop advantageous contractual terms; solicit and evaluate bids; award and administer contracts; place legal advertisements; prepare contract documents; maintain procurement records for all City departments; and formulate policy for the disposition of excess and/or obsolete material. Additionally, the department performs specialized specification writing functions for acquisition of all automotive vehicles, heavy equipment and related service contracts.

The Inventory and Stores Division manages Tampa's Perpetual Inventory System by establishing economic order quantities and uniform inventory procedures. The major function of this division is inventory storage and control of supply operations at 12 locations.  Personnel from Fire (2), Parks (1), Public Works (4), Sewer (4), Water (8), Solid Waste (1), and Fleet Maintenance (10), departments are assigned to Purchasing for the inventory function.

Functioning as a major business office of the City with the vendor community, the Purchasing Department strives to promote goodwill through sound business practices and efficient operations while providing the greatest value for the tax dollar.

REVENUE AND FINANCE (homepage)

The Department of Revenue and Finance is responsible for managing the City's financial matters. Primary functions include: administration, budgeting, planning, accounting, investment, licensing, utility accounting, pension, and grant administration. These functions are divided among the following four divisions:

Accounting Division - Administers the general ledger; processes payroll records; maintains accounts receivable and payable; controls reimbursements and interdepartmental billings; and is responsible for investing City funds as well as negotiating bond issues. Additionally its personnel are responsible for balancing utility accounts; providing property control and central cashiering services; producing financial reports: and administering the City's pension fund.

Administration Division - The Director coordinates and directs all functions of the Department.

Budget Division - Prepares revenue and expenditures projections, budget instructions and target budgets. The division controls expenditures within approved appropriations, prepares budget resolutions, adjustments, budget-related briefings and summaries, and administers the Community Development Block Grant program.

Utility Accounting Division - Is responsible for reading over 126,000 water meters bimonthly, and preparing and mailing consolidated water, sewer, and solid waste utility bills to all customers monthly. The Division handles all requests for service turn-ons, turn-offs, and transfers in the City's 110 square mile service area. A customer service section responds to all customer billing inquiries and a credit section performs delinquent account collection activities. Estimated FY99 billings are $140 million.  To start or stop utility service, or if you have a question about your current utility bill, please call us at (813) 274-8811.  You may also reach us using the Customer Service Center.

SOLID WASTE (homepage)

The Solid Waste Department is responsible for refuse collection and disposal for over 80,000 residential and commercial City customers. Its goal is to provide efficient and environmentally safe solid waste collection and disposal.

More than 360,000 tons of solid waste is processed annually. Eighty-eight percent is received at the McKay Bay Refuse to Energy Facility (RTE) where processable waste is separated and then burned to produce electricity. Nine percent of the current waste stream is recycled either through City of Tampa Recycling Programs or private ventures. The remaining three percent is sent to the County landfill.

The Solid Waste Department is composed of four divisions and has been assigned a staff of 176. These divisions include:

Collection - Provides residential and commercial collection services, and collection services in support of special events and community clean-ups.

Disposal - Operates two free brush sites, the Manhattan Brush Site and McKay Bay RTE Transfer Station. This office is responsible for addressing environmental concerns from the public and City departments, monitoring the McKay Bay RTE complex, and planning for long term solid waste disposal.

Recycling - This unit is responsible for implementing the City's Comprehensive Recycling Program, which includes curbside and multi-family recycling, buy-back centers, drop-off sites, yard waste, office paper and commercial recycling programs.

Administration - Provides financial, personnel, public service, code enforcement, and management support to the entire department.

STORMWATER (homepage)

The goal of the Stormwater Department is to alleviate flooding of structures, private property, streets, and rights-of-way. Stormwater personnel are responsible for the planning, design, construction, operation, and maintenance of Tampa's stormwater system. This system includes 365 miles of stormwater mains, 180 miles of ditches, and 90 retention ponds.

TECHNOLOGY AND INNOVATION (homepage)

Ensures that the City Departments and residents have easy access and working knowledge of a range of information that is needed in their daily activities. Through the development of the Geographical Information System (GIS) for storing and retrieving map information, the development and maintenance of the Department’s web pages, and the use and expansion of the Internet for the delivery and easy access of information. Through the Internet link, the City is able to provide residents and City Departments with reliable and timely information that can help them provide better services to the citizens of the City of Tampa.

The Technology and Innovation Department is responsible for the support of all mainframe computers, wide (WAN) and local (LAN) area networks, personal computers and all end user workstations located throughout the City. Other T&I services include developing new information systems, enhancing existing systems, software installation and advising departments regarding their computer and software needs.

T&I supports a city-wide network of computer systems which include a main frame computer, nine midrange computers, and 25 local area networks.

T&I provides mainframe support via the IBM mainframe computer and six mid-sized computer systems. Each data center is responsible for planning, application processing, network management and application development and maintenance.

The IBM mainframe computer is the largest and supports the majority of the City's administrative applications. The nine mid-sized computer networks support various tasks that include:

Computer aided dispatch and records management for the Police and Fire Departments.

Event booking and scheduling for the Tampa Convention Center.

Engineering and workload management applications for the Water, Sewer, and Public Works Departments.

Vehicle records management, inventory control and workload management for Fleet Maintenance.

T&I provides end user workstation support through the IBM Network Support Staff for approximately 1,550 microcomputers and 2,700 microcomputer users. IBM Support Staff provides such services as education scheduling, problem resolution, technical support, product demonstrations, and consultations.

Recent technological developments have made departmental computing a practical and financial alternative to expanding the City's mainframe computer. These developments along with connectivity among the IBM system, the mini-computer systems, LAN networks, and stand-alone microcomputers are essential to continue meeting the City's demand for services with the resources available.

WASTEWATER (homepage)

The Department's goal is to provide complete and cost-effective service and to respond rapidly to expanding service requirements.

Department personnel collect, treat, and dispose of more than 50 million gallons of wastewater per day from over 98,000 customers in Tampa and its immediate suburbs. Sanitary treatment requires the careful removal of pollutants and pathogens from wastewater in a manner consistent with Federal, state, and local regulations so that the end product can be returned to the environment for natural recycling.

The Wastewater Department has four primary divisions:

Administration and Engineering - Provides financial, design engineering, information systems, contract monitoring, planning, customer service, and management support to the department.

Advanced Wastewater Treatment Plant - Operates and maintains the City's 98 million gallon advanced wastewater treatment plant and 192 pumping stations.

Wastewater Collection - Charged with the construction, maintenance, repair, and replacement of wastewater pipelines.

WATER (homepage)

Tampa's Water Department supplies approximately 80 million gallons of fully treated potable water daily to more than 110,600 single-family residences and nearly 105,000 apartment residential units in Tampa and portions of Hillsborough County. The Water Department's mission is to provide high-quality potable water in sufficient quantity while enhancing customer service and ensuring environmental stewardship through innovative and efficient operation and interactive community outreach.

The primary source for untreated water is the Hillsborough River Reservoir. Purification occurs at treatment plants located on the Hillsborough River and at the Morris Bridge Wellfield. Additional resources include more than 2,300 miles of mains (ranging in size from 2 inches to 54 inches in diameter), nearly 12,000 fire hydrants, and 30,000 valves.

The Department is operated and maintained by a staff of 270 assigned to five divisions:

Production - Operates and maintains the treatment plants, reservoir, wellfield, repumping stations, and the ground and elevated storage tanks. Additionally, the division is responsible for water quality assurance.

Distribution - Maintains the flow system which includes all water mains, valves, fire hydrants, and meters. Insures backflow prevention.

Engineering - Provides design support to the Department and undertakes special studies. Additionally, personnel monitor the performance of contract engineers and water main installation contractors.

Administration - Provides financial, personnel customer service, and management support to the Department.

Consumer Affairs - Focuses on all aspects of customer service, water conservation, consumer awareness and customer education.