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Hernando Today

Standing Committees Finalized

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By MICHAEL D. BATES

Hernando Today

Published: February 25, 2009

BROOKSVILLE - It took several rounds of ballots, but county commissioners on Tuesday whittled down a list of 21 citizen names to six and finalized the membership of their twin standing committees.

There are some familiar faces on them.

There are two committees: one that will address budget-finance, the other business-economic development.

The committees will consist of two county commissioners and three citizens. Commissioner Rose Rocco will be chairwoman of the budget and finance committee and Commissioner Jeff Stabins will also be a board member.

One of the citizens will be businesswoman Anna Liisa Covell, who, until recently, was a long-time fixture on the planning and zoning board. John Scharch Sr. and Greg Meyers, who have experience in banking and business, will fill out that committee.

An alternate member, who will be called on to attend in case of an absence, is tentatively businessman J. Joseph Kruse.

Meanwhile, Commissioner John Druzbick will serve as chairman of the business and economic development committee. Commissioner Jim Adkins will be a board member.

Serving as citizens on that committee are local engineers Nick Nicholson and Richard Matassa and Realtor Laurie Pizzo.
Civic activist and local homebuilder Blaise Ingoglia will be the alternate member.

The first meeting of the budget and finance committee will be at 9 a.m. Tuesday, March 3. The business and economic development committee will debut at 9 a.m. Tuesday, March 17.

Both meetings are open to the public and will be held at the Hernando County Government Center, 20 North Main St. in downtown Brooksville.

Also at Tuesday's meeting:

• Commissioners voted to transfer $350,000 from the general fund to the fleet department to allow it to keep operating.

The fleet department is in the process of restructuring costs to avoid a deficit and plans to repay the $350,000 loan in no more than two years.

In addition, the department will pay back the loan with 4 percent interest.

The fleet department charges individual departments for use of vehicles. For whatever reason, the department got behind in the transfer of payments, Commission Chairman Dave Russell said.

Russell attributed the accounting problem to the reconfiguration of the department in the last few years.

• Commissioners voted to adopt a new early leave plan for government employees, with the understanding that Human Resources Director Cheryl Marsden report back with any modifications.

The plan will be offered to employees who make $50,000 or more and have completed at least six years of service by May 15, 2009.

"I'm going to vote for this today but I do have doubts as to whether it's going to work, to be honest with you," Stabins said.

Stabins urged Marsden to look at other options that would allow employees to take early retirement, perhaps modeling the county's plan after one previously used by the school district.

• Russell said there will be no limits on citizen input during the regular twice-monthly county commission meetings.

There had been a recommendation made from the county administrator's office to cut back input from 30 minutes to 15 minutes per business meeting.

However, as chairman of the meeting, Russell said he had the authority to override that recommendation and he did so Tuesday with no objections from the rest of the board.

Russell said the three-minute speaking rule per individual will continue.

On Tuesday, there were six speakers and citizens' comments lasted about 20 minutes.

• Commissioners voted to buy a home adjacent to the former contaminated department of public works site in downtown Brooksville for $193,000.

This is the second such acquisition in a month.

The home was independently appraised for $94,000, according to a county legal office memo. The agreement releases the county from future personal injury claims arising from the old DPW site.

• Budget Director George Zoettlein presented a calendar listing important workshops, public hearings and deadlines tied to the 2010 budget.

Zoettlein plans to give a detailed presentation during next Tuesday's budget committee workshop.

Reporter Michael D. Bates can be reached at 352-544-5290 or mbates@hernandotoday.com.

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