Community Advantage Center Board Responds to Proposed Legislation on The Regent

The Brandon Community Advantage Center board, which operates The Regent community center on Watson Road in Riverview, is calling a proposed bill by state Rep. Rachel Burgin, R-Riverview, "misguided" and possibly unconstituional.

Following criticism over funding of The Regent, which opened in January, Burgin has proposed a bill calling for the appointment of a new board and the opening of its books for public inspection.

The bulk of the criticism stems from the fact that the facility was constructed with $6.5 million in county, state and federal funds, yet is used to host private functions such as weddings although The Regent does host community functions as well.

Also a bone of contention, the BCAC has closed its meetings to the public and has refused to permit a review of its rental agreements and funding sources.

Burgin's bill calls for the appointment of a new board, consisting of 11 members who live in the greater Brandon Community: four appointed by the HCC District Board of Trustees, three appointed by the Hillsborough County Commission, two appointed by the Arts Council of Hillsborough County, one appointed by the Greater Brandon Chamber of Commerce and one appointed by the Greater Riverview Chamber fo Commerce.

Currently, the BCAC is an all-volunteer board composed of nine Brandon area residents and business people, two appointed by HCC.

Burgin's bill also calls for The Regent board to specifiy its sources of funding and regulates how any appropriation by the board is spent. In addition, she's asking that The Regent board be subject to Florida's public records laws and be open to the public.

In a response to Burgin's bill, the Brandon Community Advantage Center board issued a letter to the Hillsborough County Legislative Delegation through its attorney, Marsh Rainey.

"The BCAC Board of Directors is of the collective opinion that the proposed legislation is miguided, with legal and potential constitutional issues amounting to an unfunded mandate," said Rainey.

He noted that the BCAC is a Florida not-for-profit corporation formed in 2007. As a not-for-profit, the board does not fall under the requirements of the public records law.

Under an agreement hashed out in December 2010, HCC purchased the land and the 30,000-square-foot Regent building for $750,000 and agreed to pay for the maintenance of the grounds, exterior building and six classrooms used by HCC. The BCAC has a 20-year lease to operate, rent, maintain and manage The Regent's ballroom and downstairs community room.

"The BCAC receives no government funding from any source for its operational needs," said Rainey.

Rainey contends that, if Burgin's bill passes, a private entity that receives no government funding would become a instrument of the state.

"This is an unprecedented step," said Rainey.

If the bill dissolves the current BCAC and creates a new entity, it would violate the contract with HCC and well as the dozens of private contracts that have been signed with future users of The Regent, possibly leading to the cancellation of events, said Rainey.

"In short, this proposed legislation could do enough harm to cripple this organization without ever being being passed," said Rainey. "The BCAC board is hopeful that the Hillsborough County Legislative Delegation will see that this proposed legislation is an unnecessary attempt to usurp control of an organization that has delivered a valuable asset to this community and will remain a good steward of this substantial public investment."

In her bill, Burgin asserts that The Regent is failing its mission to advance education and community arts development as well as shelter vulnerable members of the community during a disaster, provide a meeting place for community groups with a focus on civic, social, cultural, artistic and educational purposes, including classes, meetings, events and performances as well as exhibit space for local artists and historians.

Rainey said the board recognizes that The Regent is a community center. "And, therefore, it has expanded its effort to reach out to the arts community, the nonprofit community and others to encourage the use of the venue."

He added that the BCAC has developed an arts task force to encourage local artists from all over eastern Hillsborough County to contribute their ideas and works.

"In addition, through efforts aimed at not-for-profit groups, The Regent has hosted numerous charitable and civic groups at its venue," he said.

The legislative delegation will begin reviewing local bills to consider during the 2013 legislative session when it meets today, Sept. 27, in the Marshall Student Center on the campus of the University of South Florida beginning at 9 a.m.