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Hernando Today

Council Says No To Water, Sewer Rate Hikes

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By TONY MARRERO Hernando Today

The Tampa Tribune

Published: October 8, 2008

BROOKSVILLE - Commercial trash rates will go up in the city this year, but water and sewer rates will not.

The city council at its regular meeting late Monday night approved a staff recommendation to increase the commercial sanitation fees by 3 percent to help pay for the increasing cost of providing the service.

But three of the five council members rejected a proposal to increase the water and sewer fees by the same margin. The ordinance up for a vote also would have set future annual increases according to the Consumer Price Index but capped them at 3 percent.

This year, for example, the increase would have been 3 percent because the price index had gone up by 3.8 percent.

The city needs the extra funding to put toward capital improvement projects such as replacing water meters and extending water lines, Public Works Director Emory Pierce told the council.

Council members liked the idea of the cap and agreed that infrastructure needs are looming. But a majority said they weren't ready to hit city residents with another hike, even a small one, citing a suffering economy and the rising cost of living.

"It's tough right now," Mayor David Pugh Jr. said.
Vice Mayor Frankie Burnett and Councilmember Richard Lewis voted for the rate increases.

"I hate to say it, but I concur with Mr. Pierce," Lewis said. "I think the city needs this."

The minimum monthly water rate would have increased 56 cents to $19.42. The minimum monthly sewer fee would have gone up 64 cents to $21.47.

Pugh also dissented in the 3 to 1 vote to raise commercial trash fee pickup by 3 percent. Burnett was out of the room during the vote.

The range of charges for commercial garbage service, which is based on frequency of pickup and size of the bin, will now be $78.77 to $873.27.

Residential sanitation fees will not be affected.

In other action, the council:

• Voted 4 to 1 to give final approval to an ordinance that will allow the city to bill insurance companies for police and fire services. Pugh dissented.

•Gave unanimous final approval to revisions to the city code that allows code enforcement officials to remove abandoned vehicles, trash and other debris deemed unsafe or unsightly from private property.

•Voted 3 to 2 to move forward with the process to turn over the city council election process to the Hernando County Supervisor of Elections. Burnett and Lewis dissented.

•Gave unanimous final approval to a small-scale comprehensive plan amendment to change five acres on Cortez Boulevard from residential to commercial. The petitioner, Hernando Oil, plans a hotel, restaurant and office space for the site between Hale and Mildred avenues.

•Reached a consensus to direct staff to meet with members of the Enrichment Center of Hernando County to get more information on the center's programs so the council can decide if it's feasible to allow the center to operate in the Jerome Brown Community Center.

City manager gets positive evaluation

City Manager Jennene Norman-Vacha gets a B-plus.

Norman-Vacha, who has been on the job since June of last year, scored an overall 2.5 out of 3 - or about 85 percent - from the city council as a whole. On the scale, a "2" is satisfactory and "3" means outstanding.

Each council member rated Norman-Vacha in such areas as fiscal management, oversight of city employees and assets, communication with council members, management style and community and intergovernmental relations.

They credit her with leading a citywide effort to streamline government and cut costs and help the council reduce the millage rate. Among the specifics mentioned: striking a deal with the county to provide information technology services; helping oversee the consolidation of emergency dispatch; and reorganizing city administration.
Councilmember Joe Bernardini said "the high degree of professionalism shown by the (city manager) is most commendable" and "the relationship with the city council is at an all-time high."

Bernardini, without citing specific cases, did say that Norman-Vacha seemed too quick to fire a city employee that violated policy. Bradburn said she'd like the city manager to "move through the (employee) assessment and discipline process more expediently."

Pugh and Bradburn also said they'd like Norman-Vacha to continue efforts to rearrange administration to provide more support to the city manager.

"I remain concerned that her excessive work hours will diminish her long-term effectiveness and health, as it would any of us," Bradburn said.

The positive evaluation means Norman-Vacha will get the 3 percent merit increase from the last fiscal year, bringing her salary to $87,568.

Reporter Tony Marrero can be reached at 352-544-5286 or lmarrero@hernandotoday.com.

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