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Hernando Today

What's Ahead For '09

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By TONY MARRERO

Hernando Today

Published: January 1, 2009

BROOKSVILLE - The sayings go that the best-laid plans of mice and men often go awry and hope springs eternal.

Predicting how next year's big news stories will pan out can be a dicey proposition at best, but the planning and hoping of local officials and events of 2008 help as a good guide to create a list of stories readers will see in these pages in 2009.

Among them:

Economic upturn?

With the housing market in the basement and unemployment in Hernando County at the highest levels since 1992, the receding economy - and the search for signs of recovery - will continue to dominate the news this year.

Many economists are predicting that housing prices will hit rock bottom this year and glimmers of a rebound will appear by the second half of 2009. Some aren't so sure.

Even if the optimists are right, some experts predict Florida will lag behind the rest of the nation and might not see good news until 2010. That doesn't bode well for Hernando, which has been hit particularly hard by the decimated housing market and had the fourth highest unemployment rate in the state in November.
Government reorganization
This may come to be known as the year of the Great Reorganization.
County Administrator David Hamilton is hoping to get his 10-member leadership team in place as soon as possible in 2009 and start his long-awaited department streamlining process.

Hamilton believes his reorganization plan will save the county a half-million dollars after its first year of operation. With the downturn in the economy and the continued population growth, reorganization is not an option but a necessity, Hamilton says.

County commissioners won't waste time discussing which departments need trimming. They are scheduled to discuss the cuts at a meeting this month.

Dog park dreams to reality
Hernando County will go to the dogs in 2009 with the opening of the community's first canine park.

The first phase of Rotary Centennial Park off Landover Boulevard is slated to open later this month.

County Parks and Recreation Director Pat Fagan said staffers will monitor the park closely during the first several weeks of opening to make sure all goes well and any unsupervised dogs are not creating problems.

Digging sand from the sea

County officials hope this could be the year that, as County Administrator David Hamilton likes to put it, sand will finally be dug from the sea.

The much-delayed Hernando Beach channel dredging project has floundered under the weight of controversy for more than a year as opponents fight the county's plan to put the dredged material called "spoil" on a piece of private property on Eagle Nest Drive.

The Florida Department of Environmental Protection agreed to issue the permit, but a hearing in front of an administrative law judge on whether that plan would threaten the environment is slated for Jan. 29.

The county has a backup plan, though, and has applied for a permit for another spoil site on Shoal Line Boulevard. So for now, it's a matter of whichever permit comes through first this year.

Cleanup at DPW site

After years of testing and sampling, county officials hope 2009 will finally be the year to start the final cleanup of the contaminated former Department of Public Works compound in Brooksville.

But before that "remediation" stage begins, Brooksville-based Creative Environmental Solutions - the county-hired consultant handling the DPW project - has to complete a remedial action plan and submit it for approval to the Florida Department of Environmental Protection by the middle of this month.

That report will explain in detail what the county will do with the remaining contamination on- and off-site.

Until now, Creative has been identifying what the contaminants are and their location. During remediation, Creative will figure out how to deal with the pollutants.

Eyes on emergency management

This year's hurricane season will be the first test for Sheriff Richard Nugent in his new capacity as head of the emergency management department.

Emergency management operations officially transfer from the county to the sheriff's office today. The county is shifting the budget for the five emergency management employees to the sheriff's office budget.

The chain of command will work like this: Department Director Cecilia Patella will report to Director of Information Services Bill Kickliter, who would then report to Chief Deputy Mike Hensley and Nugent.

Nugent said he welcomes taking on the additional responsibilities and believes it will benefit taxpayers.

Storm shelter in works for Brooksville

Speaking of storms, officials hope work will begin this year to renovate an old storage building on the city of Brooksville's Quarry Golf Course grounds.

The city council struck a deal in December with the Enrichment Center of Hernando County.

The enrichment center has $700,000 in state and county money to transform the building into a permanent home for the enrichment center, a pro shop and a mining museum and also serve as a special needs emergency shelter.

Officials say that's probably not quite enough money to do it. The mining industry has indicated it plans to help, too. Vice mayor Lara Bradburn says she's confident work will begin in the first part of this year, though Parks and Recreation Director Mike Walker said the building won't be likely be completed until early 2011.

Justice in the Walker case?

It's been put off three times already. Now family members of the man known as The Walker are hoping for justice in February when the trial of two men charged with beating John Kelly and leaving him by the side of the road is slated to begin.

Kelly, who was often seen walking on local roads, survived the attack on Sept. 19, 2007 but faced months of rehabilitation. Jamie Tyson, 18, and Michael Vann, 24, face charges of attempted first-degree murder, robbery with a deadly weapon and tampering with evidence.

A third suspect, Anthony Hawkins, pleaded guilty in December 2007.

Independence for Spring Hill Fire

The Spring Hill Fire Rescue District - and the voters - got what they wanted during last November's referendum for independence from the county.

Now it's in the legislature's hands. Lawmakers are expected to pass a bill in the regular session in March to create the independent fire district that will be overseen by the state.

Then eyes will be on the district to see how officials handle their newfound freedom.

A welcome home party

The scene is a familiar one by now. Tearful family members grab their uniformed loved ones in a bear hug after months apart.

Family members in Hernando and other parts of west Central Florida are counting the days until they can be part of such a happy picture, when 80 members of the Brooksville National Guard unit return from a year-long deployment to Iraq.

The unit comprised of 84 members of the Charlie Company 1st Battalion 244th and 1st Battalion 111th Aviation regiments is expected to return around April. The Blackhawk helicopter pilots, mechanics and other support staff left Brooksville April 17, 2007.

Deep cuts in school district?

School officials will find out how much less they have to work with when the legislature meets starting this month to try to balance the budget.

Those efforts could mean as much as $4.5 million cut from Hernando's budget. That could make for some wrenching decisions by school board members on what the district will have to do without.

Superintendent search

Is he staying or going?

Superintendent Wayne Alexander, still short of two years into his tenure here, is hunting for jobs in the Connecticut area. Alexander maintains he wants to stay in Hernando, but his new wife Jennifer and her two children are still in Connecticut and her ex-husband is fighting in court to keep her from moving so he can still have frequent visitation with the children.

Alexander told the board that the family is trying to convince the courts that he can't find a similar job in New England and it's best for the family to live here. If that's the case, then the fate of the school district's leader is in the hands of a Connecticut judge.

Reporter Michael D. Bates contributed to this story. Reporter Tony Marrero can be reached at 352-544-5286 or lmarrero@hernandotody.com.

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