Crime Is Top Concern At Budget Workshop

BROOKSVILLE - Soaring gas prices. High taxes. The threat of foreclosure.

All these are weighing heavily on the minds of taxpayers these days.

But when it comes to county services, what's the top concern of Hernando County residents?

Turns out to be law enforcement. They want to be sure the streets of Hernando are kept free of crime.

At least that was what 174 people said when they filled out a survey at one of the six budget workshops that wrapped up this week.

Law enforcement was the No. 1 service they value the most.

The survey results are timely, given that Sheriff Richard Nugent is expected to turn in his proposed budget any day.

County Administrator David Hamilton, who arranged the workshops, wanted to know residents' priorities as commissioners inch closer to putting together the 2009 budget.

Hamilton has warned of possible service cuts resulting from loss of revenue. He will analyze the feedback and use the data as part of future budget discussions.

Hamilton said the workshops, while productive, show that the county has work to do to improve the satisfaction level between government and citizens.

Overall, about 235 people attended the workshops and many were not shy about voicing their concerns, Community Relations Coordinator Brenda Frazier said.

The workshops were scattered throughout the county and concerns varied depending on the region.

For example, at the Kennedy Park workshop, residents said government was not spending enough money on services in south Brooksville and that they were being neglected in favor of other areas of the county. They also feared the county would cut funding to clean up the contaminated former public works compound.

Hamilton assured them that the compound remains a high priority and that funding would not be cut.

The only reason the county is experiencing budget problems, some Kennedy Park attendees said, is because of high salaries of county department managers.

In Istachatta, residents complained that their rural community is consistently shortchanged of county services.

In Spring Hill, residents asked Hamilton if he intended to follow up on the recommendations of the $128,000 fire study which called for, among other things, more consolidation between all fire services in the county.

There was also concern about the delay in widening Elgin Boulevard, which is scheduled for 2012-13.

One resident called Elgin an eyesore and the improvement project doesn't seem well-thought out.

After law enforcement, here are the county services ranked as most important by survey respondents (from No. 2 to No. 10):

Fire-Emergency Medical Services.

Water, sewer, solid waste.

Road construction.

Emergency Management (hurricane preparedness).

Health and Human Services.

Building and Zoning.

Libraries.

Parks.

Cooperative Extension.

Planning.

Veterans services.

When they meet

County commissioners are expected to discuss the survey results at their Tuesday, June 3, meeting.

The county will hold a community meeting at 5:30 p.m. Tuesday, June 10, at Kennedy Park to address specific neighborhood concerns brought up at a recent budget workshop.