This summer, we'rechecking in with some past Zest guests.

Marques Clark grew up in South St. Petersburg, in a neighborhood considered to be a food desert. He went on to study culinary arts and as an adult founded the nonprofit YES CHEF Village. Dalia first spoke with Chef Marques when he visited the WUSF studio in 2024. She caught up with him again in June 2026.

Thanks to our friends at Florida Matters Live & Local for sharing this conversation.

Transcription

Thank you to our sponsors: Adalay Interiors

Polk County expanded its income requirements to qualify for its free healthcare plan.

The Polk Healthcare Plan, which is funded by a half-cent sales surtax approved by voters in 2004, offers healthcare services to residents who are uninsured, ineligible for Medicaid or Medicare or priced out of other health insurance plans.

On July 21, Polk County Commissioners approved a change to expand the program's income requirements, raising the maximum income limit to 300% of the federal poverty line, or $99,000 for a family of four.

It was previously set at 200% of the federal poverty line, according to a press release.

Joy Johnson, the health and human services administrator for Polk County, said there's an increased demand for the program due to the rising cost of living, lagging wages, growing population and sweeping healthcare policy changes, such as the expiration of Affordable Care Act (ACA) subsidies and dropping Medicaid enrollment in Florida.

Since June of 2024, Medicaid eligibility in Polk County has dipped from 202,020 to 186,518 residents. At the same time, Polk's locally governed healthcare plan has increased its average monthly membership from around 5,600 to 5,900 residents.

In Hillsborough County, Axios reports that enrollment in its locally governed health care plan has also increased 20% since ACA subsidies expired in December.

ALSO READ: Hillsborough has a free health care plan for residents who can't get Medicaid. It needs more members

"There are people who [aren't] ...going to...pay for a premium in the marketplace or try to go to the doctor proactively when they don't have a health issue, because they're trying to pay their electric bill, gas in their car, rent or mortgage," she said.

In Florida, a family of four with two adults, one infant and a preschooler, spends about $900 a month, on average, for health insurance premiums, according to United Way's 2026 ALICE household survival budget.

For many Floridians, the cost of basic needs, including healthcare, outpaces their household income even if they earn more than the federal poverty line, or $33,000 for a family of four.

"They can't afford insurance, but they're outside of the income limits to be able to qualify," Johnson said. "And that has been the theme that we've been hearing for quite some time."

ALSO READ: The cost of living in Tampa Bay grows to $106K, annual report finds

To qualify for the Polk County HealthCare Plan, you must have:

• Proof of residency in Polk County
• Proof of income, earning below 300% of the federal poverty line
• Proof of U.S. citizenship
• No health insurance coverage or medical coverage, or have health insurance premiums that cost 9.12% of more of your household income
• Provide a Social Security number
• Have a valid photo ID card

Gabriella Paul covers the stories of people living paycheck to paycheck in the greater Tampa Bay region for WUSF. Here’s how you can share your story with her.

A surge in immigration arrests in South Florida has alarmed immigrant rights advocates and detainee families, who are pleading for local law enforcement authorities to end their cooperation with federal immigration agencies in detaining suspected undocumented immigrants.

"The recent surge in immigration arrests is tearing families apart and creating a climate of fear across our communities," said Yareliz Mendez-Zamora, an organizer for the American Friends Service Committee. "No one should be afraid to take their child to school, seek medical care, report a crime, or go to work because local officials have chosen to aid a mass deportation agenda."

Mendez-Zamora and others spoke out Wednesday morning at a news conference to call attention to the increased number of arrests by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents and local police.

The news conference was held outside the Miramar office of ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations.

READ MORE: Families, advocates protest 'inhumane' conditions at downtown Miami Federal Detention Center

The immigrant advocates are especially concerned about Haitian immigrants, whose Temporary Protected Status, or TPS, expired Monday, leaving more than 150,000 in Florida without any immediate protection from deportation.

TPS was created by Congress in 1990 to prevent deportations to countries suffering from natural disasters, civil strife and other instability. It allows people already in the country to stay with work permits in increments of up to 18 months, but it does not provide a path to citizenship.

Haitians were first granted TPS in 2010 after a catastrophic earthquake and extended them multiple times amid ongoing gang violence that has displaced more than a million people, according to court documents.

The U.S. Supreme Court, in a 6-3 decision last month, allowed the Trump administration to end legal protections for migrants fleeing violence and natural disaster in Haiti and Syria through TPS, exposing hundreds of thousands of immigrants to potential deportation.

The immigrant rights activists will ask the City of Miami to dismantle policies that contribute to what they call "family separation and the criminalization of immigrant communities."

Advocates also warn that the uptick in enforcement has placed extreme strain on detention capacity across South Florida.

According to immigrant advocates, the increased arrest volume has led to overcrowding and abysmal conditions at makeshift detention sites, including the Miramar ICE-ERO office itself and the federal detention facility located in downtown Miami.
Copyright 2026 WLRN

The New College Foundation Board voted Wednesday morning to dissolve the school’s nearly 50-year-old alumni association, approving a controversial restructuring over the objections of alumni leaders.

Critics and other community members argued the move would eliminate an independent alumni voice and further divide the college, which was transformed in recent years under Gov. Ron DeSantis.

The Foundation board approved the changes on all but one vote. The lone dissenter was the current chair of the alumni association, whose board seat is eliminated under the new bylaws. The decision replaces the New College Alumni Association with a new Foundation-appointed Alumni Engagement Committee.

Several alumni association members and other speakers urged the Foundation not to approve the proposal, arguing it would eliminate an independent alumni voice, weaken alumni representation and further erode the college’s relationship with graduates.

Among them was Jono Miller, former professor and former president of the New College Alumni association, who criticized the college’s relationship with alumni under its current leadership.

“This Foundation has not treated alumni very well,” Miller told the board. “Through all the previous variants of New College, the new regime has always embraced the alumni they inherited — but not you.”

He said the college had failed to maintain basic alumni engagement, noting there had been “no newsletter, no reunions” and that a reunion photo on the college’s website still included “a man who died in 2021.”

Miller also is the president of NCF Freedom, a nonprofit dedicated to protecting academic freedom and the future of New College.

In a letter submitted to the Foundation before Wednesday’s vote, the New College Alumni Association Board said it was “unequivocally” opposed to dissolving the organization, saying the move would sever the college’s primary channel of communication with alumni, further alienate donors and dismantle decades of alumni infrastructure. The board urged Foundation directors to reject what it called an “irreversible step.”

Foundation and college officials have defended the changes, saying they are intended to strengthen alumni engagement, expand participation and better align alumni activities with the college’s mission.

“This new committee is designed to create more meaningful ways for alumni to stay involved throughout every stage of life — whether through mentoring students, participating in intellectual programming, strengthening professional networks, supporting philanthropy, or helping shape the future of the college,” David Rancourt, the college’s vice president of advancement, said in a statement previously provided to Suncoast Searchlight.

The vote comes less than a week after Suncoast Searchlight first reported on the proposed restructuring.

Before Wednesday’s meeting, Alumni Association Chairman Chris Van Dyk said the association was considering legal action if the Foundation approved the amendments, arguing the Foundation failed to provide adequate public notice before advancing the proposal.

The New College Alumni Association has operated under an affiliation agreement with the Foundation since 2002, when the independent alumni organization merged into the Foundation after New College separated from the University of South Florida’s Sarasota-Manatee campus.

Alumni leaders have argued the agreement was intended to preserve an independent alumni voice while strengthening collaboration with the Foundation.

This story was produced by Suncoast Searchlight, a nonprofit newsroom of the Community News Collaborative serving Sarasota, Manatee and DeSoto counties. Learn more at suncoastsearchlight.org.

Lawmakers want to make daylight saving time permanent. That means an extra hour of daylight year-round. That also means dark mornings in the winter when heading to work or school. A sleep specialist explains how the change could affect you.

Plus, a property tax cut may sound great for homeowners, but there’s a connection to healthcare you may not have thought about.

Also, there’s a debate in Pinellas County high school sports over scheduling St. Petersburg Catholic. We’ll find out why.

And wait until you meet this 10-year-old fencing champ.

Healthcare’s property tax connection

(0:00) Floridians will vote in November on a proposed property tax cut. If approved, the change could reshape more than the budgets of local governments. Hospitals rely on that revenue to help cover Medicaid losses and children's services and other programs.

GUEST:

• Mary Mayhew: president and CEO of the Florida Hospital Association

High school sports divide

(12:02) Pinellas County public high schools have been told to stop scheduling contests with St. Petersburg Catholic amid concerns over transfers, vouchers and competitive balance. Supporters call it a matter of fairness, while critics question the decision. We hear from a longtime coach caught in the middle.

GUEST:

• Denis Gillen, St Petersburg High School football coach

Will this time be different?

(21:02) The push to make daylight saving time permanent is back in Congress. Would it improve life in Florida? Our guest, a sleep physician from USF Health, explains the health risks and potential benefits.

GUEST:

• Dr. Suketa Shah, USF Health otolaryngologist, sleep physician

Little champ

(36:05) Tampa’s Beata Jubilee was 7 when she picked up her first epee. Now 10, she’s the nation's top-ranked fencer in her age group. She joins us with her father and coach to discuss strategy, discipline and the work behind achieving that title. She also shows off some of her equipment.

GUESTS:

• Beata Jubilee, fencing champion
• James Jubilee, Beata’s father
• Enrique Claro, Tampa Fencing Academy head coach

From hearing about the stories behind original songs to a psychedelic funk performance and more, there are several live music events you can check out this weekend across the greater Tampa Bay region.

Here are a few of our picks.

After-hours jazz with Latin rhythms

Friday at 6 p.m. at the New Port Richey Library is Tony Tromboney — a Tampa-based professional trombonist and low-brass musician. This after-hours free show will blend jazz fusion and Latin rhythms into one fun, energetic live show.

Address: 5939 Main St, New Port Richey

A bit of Psychedelic Funk

Friday at 8 p.m. at Dunedin Brewery is the ensemble Sauce Pocket, which performs Psychedelic Funk. This free show, from 8 p.m. to 11 p.m., features a mix of original tunes with influences from the worlds of Funk, Soul, Latin Jazz and Hip Hop.

Address: 937 Douglas Ave, Dunedin

A modern-day folksinger

Thursday at 8 p.m. at the Crowbar in Ybor City is Leon Majcen and friends with Kristopher James. Leon Majcen is a modern-day folksinger rooted in the classic tradition of Townes Van Zandt and John Prine. Tickets are $28.

Address: 1812 N 17th St, Tampa

The stories behind the songs

Saturday from 7:30 to 10 p.m. at the Ale and the Witch in St. Pete is the summer edition of the Songwriters in the Round concert series. This free event will feature JT Brown, Sam Hastings and Hunter Moore. They will rotate playing original songs and sharing stories behind the songs.

Address: 111 2nd Ave NE, St. Petersburg

A songwriting duo rooted in shared history

Sunday at 8 p.m. at New World Brewery is the indie rock ensemble 76th Street with Tornsey. 76th Street is a songwriting duo whose musical chemistry comes from their shared experiences that go all the way back to childhood. Tickets are $25-$30.

Address: 810 E Skagway Ave, Tampa

After more than three hours of public testimony, the Dunedin City Commission voted 4-0 July 23 to advance an ordinance prohibiting the launch and retrieval of motorized watercraft from the south side of the Dunedin Causeway.

The Causeway, the scenic roadway connecting Dunedin to Honeymoon Island State Park, is one of northern Pinellas County’s most popular waterfront recreation areas, drawing swimmers, kayakers, anglers and personal watercraft users.

If approved on second reading, the ordinance would prohibit shoreline launching while continuing to allow motorized vessels to operate in St. Joseph Sound and the Intracoastal Waterway. Other public and private boat ramps throughout northern Pinellas County would remain available.

The city says the proposal would protect seagrass while improving public safety. In a prepared statement announcing the ordinance, City Manager Jennifer Bramley said Hurricane Milton’s closure of the Causeway revealed what the shoreline looked like without motorized launches.

“During the time that the Causeway has been closed to motorized watercraft launching, there has been a resurgence of seagrass, a resurgence of the native wildlife,” Bramley said. “The parking issues are no longer there, the trash issues are no longer there.”

Parks and Recreation Director Tony Mulkey said repeated shoreline launching damages seagrass that can take years to recover.

“It can take 10 years for boat scarring to recover in a seagrass bed,” Mulkey said. “Those seagrass beds are vital for flora and fauna of the sound and the waterway itself.”

The statement also cited safety. Fire Chief Michael Handoga reported two jet ski fatalities since 2020, while the Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office documented 80 personal watercraft-related incidents between Jan. 1, 2022, and April 30, 2026.

Dozens of residents, environmental advocates, business owners and personal watercraft enthusiasts addressed commissioners before the vote as supporters and opponents debated whether shoreline launches should continue.

Supporters said the ordinance would reduce noise, protect wildlife and restore seagrass.

Michelle Birnbaum said commissioners should consider what future generations will inherit. “It’s a refuge for people to recover and explore that world somewhere you don’t see anywhere else in this area.”

Opponents said the ordinance would punish responsible riders for the actions of a few.

Nick Wadell, general manager of Cycle Springs PowerSports, said the city should focus on enforcing existing laws rather than eliminating shoreline access for responsible riders.

“I believe the fairest approach is to address specific behavior through clear expectations and individual accountability while preserving access for responsible riders,” Wadell said.

Steven Guardino said the Causeway has long provided families with a place to enjoy the water and urged commissioners to adopt a permit or registration system instead of an outright ban.

“If I had to pay to go out there, I would do it,” Guardino said. “Then if you have a registration process, you also can track the individuals that aren’t following the rules … and there’s consequences involved.”

Matt Norman questioned whether the city had shown that permanently eliminating shoreline launching was the least restrictive solution.

“I’m not asking you to preserve the status quo,” Norman said. “I’m asking you to make sure the public policy process is as rigorous as the decision is permanent.”

Commissioners repeatedly asked whether permits, user fees or stronger enforcement could address residents’ concerns without an outright ban.

Staff said creating a formal launch area would require additional permitting, accessibility improvements and ongoing costs that user fees would not cover.

Commissioner Sandbergen acknowledged the emotional testimony from personal watercraft users.

“I used to be part of that jet ski crowd, and it was a heck of a good time,” Sandbergen said. “You guys are passionate. It’s more than a hobby.”

But, he added, “I represent and work for the citizens of Dunedin … I will be voting in favor of the ordinance.”

The commission unanimously approved the ordinance on first reading. A second public hearing is scheduled for Sept. 3.

Rich Santoro, a 35-year Dunedin resident who supported the ordinance, said the vote addresses only one piece of the Causeway’s broader management issues.

“What we’re talking about here is just one of the symptoms. It’s not the complete disease up there,” Santoro said. “This place has to get managed better.”

This content provided in partnership with StPeteCatalyst.com.

DeSoto County commissioners approved a one-year moratorium on data centers Tuesday, but it won’t apply to rezoning applications tied to an 800-plus-acre data center project proposed earlier this year.

The unanimous vote by four commissioners — the fifth recused himself — follows months of intense public opposition to a proposed data center project, which the county had supported and sought to fast-track through a special economic program in hopes it would generate millions in tax revenue.

In March, the county approved rezoning 34 acres at a decommissioned power plant for DCIP Group, the company behind the proposed project. DCIP Group has said it would build its first facility there and has since applied to rezone more than 800 additional acres. Ultimately, the company said it hopes to build more than a dozen data centers across 1,300 acres.

During a July 7 meeting, the county’s Planning Commission recommended county commissioners include those rezoning applications in an eventual data center moratorium. It also recommended extending the moratorium for a second year.

During Tuesday’s discussion, county commissioners instead agreed to follow their attorney’s recommendation to limit the moratorium to one year and exclude the pending applications, meaning DCIP Group’s rezoning bid can move forward.

Commissioner Elton Langford said he would consider extending the moratorium later if needed.

“If we ain’t got our ducks in a row at the end of that year,” Langford said, “we can extend it.”

DCIP Group’s efforts have spurred local backlash, with residents packing board meetings to oppose the project. Community members have raised concerns about the possible environmental impacts, pointing to noise and emissions associated with other hyperscale gas-powered data center projects across the country. They also expressed worries about the project’s water use.

On its website, DCIP Group says that it will use “state-of-the-art acoustic modeling” to keep noise down and prioritize using reclaimed water in its operations. In a previous interview with Suncoast Searchlight, company CEO Jon Brown said he anticipated the project would use as little as zero gallons of water or as much as 3 million a day.

Some residents said a one-year moratorium would not go far enough.

“Ban it, period,” Arcadia resident Wendy Midgett said in an interview with Suncoast Searchlight. “There’s just not enough research … there needs to be a stop.”

Ed Johnson, who has lobbied commissioners to adopt a moratorium, said during the meeting he would support a two-year moratorium on data centers.

“Revising the [comprehensive] plan is a complicated, time-consuming, multi-step process,” Johnson said, referring to the county’s document governing development. “Take the time to do it right.”

Commissioner J.C. Deriso said commissioners had listened to community members and lamented how the data center issue had, in his view, cost the commission trust.

“We need to realize that in this room, we’re not enemies against each other,” Deriso said.

As it stands, DeSoto County does not have local regulations for data centers. The moratorium will allow the county to consider regulatory measures before accepting future data center applications.

The state passed a law earlier this year that seeks to prevent data centers from shifting the cost of utilities onto residential ratepayers in light of reports showing how data centers have increased electric bills for local residents.

The law also allows developers to request a temporary exemption from Florida’s public records law for their initial plans and intentions, keeping them confidential for up to 12 months.

Suncoast Searchlight’s reporting on DCIP Group’s DeSoto County data center proposal, which was published before the law’s passage, relied heavily on public records access.

Amid the artificial intelligence boom, developers have submitted a wave of applications for data centers across Florida, with some projects — like the one in DeSoto — seeking to go bigger by relying on natural gas instead of the electric grid for power.

Community backlash has been widespread, with counties and municipalities across the state passing moratoriums on data center applications and scuttling development plans. Sarasota County voted to pass a one-year data center moratorium earlier this month, and on Tuesday, Manatee County commissioners directed county staff to look into a moratorium there, too.

The issue could play a role in the governor’s race this year, as Republican frontrunner U.S. Rep. Byron Donalds’ campaign has garnered millions of dollars in support from the AI industry.

In DeSoto County, residents say their fight isn’t over as long as the county is considering DCIP Group’s rezoning applications.

Jesus Renzoli, who attended this week’s commission meeting, said he would continue to speak out.

“It’s too much and it’s too big, and I think it doesn’t benefit us directly,” said Renzoli, who lives near the proposed development. “It benefits a few, but not the community itself.”

Alice Herman is an investigative/watchdog reporter for Suncoast Searchlight. Email her at alice@suncoastsearchlight.org.

This story was originally published by Suncoast Searchlight, a nonprofit newsroom delivering investigative journalism to Sarasota, Manatee, and DeSoto counties. Learn more at suncoastsearchlight.org.

On Aug. 20, Art Center Sarasota opens its final shows of its 100^th season. One, in particular, will showcase the artists, volunteers and visionaries who helped establish Sarasota as one of the leading arts communities in Florida.

"Shaping Sarasota: A Century of Art" traces the Art Center Sarasota's evolution from its earliest days in 1926 through a century of artistic innovation, community leadership, and creative exchange.

"We will be exploring the arc of Art Center Sarasota — artists that started the organization back in 1926 and then moving all the way through to the current and exhibiting some of our volunteers and some of our diehard members within that group of archival artists from '30s, '40s, '50s, the whole way through," elaborates Christina Baril, the Center's Curator and Director of Exhibitions.

The exhibition is the result of extensive archival research and generous loans of artwork.

"There are a lot of sons and daughters of some of these very famous artists that were part of our history," Baril observed. "So, we've reached out to them to get loans of artwork. Additionally, some other local organizations in our community have some of these artworks in their collections."

Among the artists represented in the exhibition are Wells Sawyer, Hilton and Dorothy Sherman Leech, Jimmy Ernst, Martha Hartman, Ben Stahl, Jack Cartlidge, Beth Arthur, Eleanor Merritt and Peppi Elona.

"Shaping Sarasota: A Century of Art" features artworks, photographs, and archival materials.

"People love the Art Center and we are looking forward to the next 100 years to come," Baril said.

The opening reception for "Shaping Sarasota: A Century of Art" is 5 to 7 p.m. on Aug. 20. It will remain on view through Sept. 26 along with three other exhibits.

MORE INFORMATION:

Art Center Sarasota concludes its centennial season with four new exhibitions opening Aug. 20. Featuring nationally recognized artists Molly Duff-Clarke and Antoine Williams alongside "Shaping Sarasota: A Century of Art" and the juried exhibition "Icons," the exhibition cycle celebrates contemporary artistic practice while honoring the organization's 100-year legacy of artistic innovation and community engagement.

"These exhibitions embody what Art Center Sarasota has stood for over the past century," said Katherine Ceaser, executive director of Art Center Sarasota. "They honor the artists who helped shape our history while celebrating contemporary voices that challenge, inspire, and expand our understanding of art. As we conclude our centennial season, we're reminded that our greatest legacy isn't just the remarkable past we've preserved, it's the creative community we're continuing to build for the future."

About Art Center Sarasota

Founded in 1926, Art Center Sarasota serves as the first and oldest visual arts organization in Sarasota. Art Center Sarasota is admission-free and open to the public; its mission is to bring together creatives and the broader public to increase understanding of the human condition, support wellbeing, and build community connection through the universal language of art.

Exhibitions are supported in part by Sarasota County Tourist Development Tax revenues and generous donors.

Art Center Sarasota is at 707 N. Tamiami Trail, Sarasota.

Gallery hours are 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Saturday.

Support for WGCU's arts & culture reporting comes from the Estate of Myra Janco Daniels, the Charles M. and Joan R. Taylor Foundation, and Naomi Bloom in loving memory of her husband, Ron Wallace.

Copyright 2026 WGCU

Tampa Mayor Jane Castor said her frustration over last week's city council votes tied to a proposed Tampa Bay Rays stadium had little to do with political sparring and everything to do with actions she believed threatened the city's role in negotiations.

“There is no infighting. If there's any kind of fighting, that's a one-way deal," Castor told podcast host J.P. Peterson on Monday. “I often joke that I'm probably the least political politician that you'll ever meet.”

Castor, speaking during a fishing vacation in the Keys, sounded far less annoyed that she appeared in a harsh social media post Friday, when she contended some council members “were clearly intent on killing the plan before negotiations are done.”

At stake is the city's role in the $2.3 billion ballpark and surrounding $8 billion privately funded mixed-use district, slated for Drew Park land now used by Hillsborough College.

The mayor’s staff has represented the city in talks with Hillsborough County on a nonbinding memorandum of understanding covering $976 million for the stadium project.

Castor explained that her rare rebuke centered on two actions she believed sent the wrong message to the county and Rays.

The first removed a vote from the Community Redevelopment Agency’s Aug. 20 meeting on the MOU, which includes investing $100 million in property tax growth from the Drew Park CRA. The second rejected a routine transfer of land-use changes for the site to the state for review.

ALSO READ: Two city council decisions cloud Tampa's role in Rays' ballpark proposal

“Nonbinding means we just want you to agree to further investigate and deliberate on the proposals. And to have council members vote no on that – basically saying we don't want to hear about any deal that is put together to keep the Rays in Tampa – is frustrating,” Castor said.

Castor viewed both votes as part of the normal vetting process rather than decisions committing the city to the project.

“I mean that (land-use) vote was to say we want to send it to the state, and then they will weigh in and then they'll send it back to us. So, to vote no straight out of the gate before we can even get a deal done, that's where my frustration comes in,” she said.

In response to Castor’s social media criticism, Councilman Bill Carlson posted a series of tweets blaming the mayor and her administration for the setbacks. For months, he has demanded that council members get more input in the talks.

“I think a couple of council members said they've got no issue,” said Castor, adding that the city’s negotiators have been available to them “at every turn.” Among them are council Chair Alan Clendenin, who posted reasons he supports the project in a lengthy Facebook post Monday.

“The Rays talk to them on a regular basis," Castor said. "So, I don't know where that, ‘We don't know what's going on’ is coming from other than … political motivation. But that's just not me. I don't get involved in that."

Castor explained that the divide was largely a product of the city’s strong mayor form of government.

ALSO READ: Rays open dialogue with Tampa City Council after stadium votes spark mayor’s backlash

“The mayor runs the administration, the city portion of it, and council is sort of the legislative branch – making ordinances, land use, zoning, all of those. They can veto anything that I present and vice versa. … I don't really get in their lane.”

Castor said the system has worked well for decades.

“If you think about it, say it's just the average citizen, you don't want to have council crafting a deal that they're then going to vote on. Same way with the county,” she said. “The county administrator is crafting the deal with her team, and then it would be presented to the county commission, but there's nothing that says that they can't weigh in throughout the process. But the ultimate proposal will be presented to them for voting.”

Hours after the vote, Rays CEO Ken Babby reached out to Carlson and pledged to meet individually with each council member to discuss the negotiations. A more optimistic Carlson said that should help move financing talks to a conclusion.

ALSO READ: What is a CRA? And why does it matter in the Rays' stadium debate?

Castor said her concern extends beyond the stadium itself. The financing agreement will include several community benefits provided by the Rays, including workforce development, youth career programs and investment in surrounding neighborhoods.

“All of the things that we could get for our first responders,” she said. “We could get parks and recreation. All of those opportunities will be lost for the city if we're cut out of these negotiations.”

Castor said she is optimistic the city, county and Rays will see the deal through.

“As I've said all along, we need to keep the Rays in Tampa Bay, and that's what we are,” she said. “That's our goal each and every day.”