HNS WEEKEND---MARCH 6-7, 2010
HERNANDO NEWS SOURCE COMMENTARY
We're not going to answer these questions directly, but the topic serves to introduce some personal anecdotes and some conjecture about an informed---or uninformed, as the case may be---public.
In the summer of 1998 a new assistant county attorney arrives in Brooksville. He becomes only the second full-time attorney in the "Legal Department," which occupied a small suite of offices next to the commissioners on the fourth floor of the government center. His first major assignment: write an ordinance regulating solicitors in rights-of-way. After presenting the ordinance at a board meeting, commissioners take a recess. A reporter for one of the two papers that cover the county approaches the new attorney. As he does so, one commissioner leans over to tell the new attorney he did a good job. Another commissioner is a few feet to the rear on his way out of the room. The reporter flashes a quizzical look and turns to leave.
A few minutes later the attorney gets a phone call from an editor at the reporter's paper. He wants a comment on why the Sunshine Law was violated. The attorney can only think of a brief elevator ride with two commissioners who made small talk and didn't violate any laws, so he said so.
The next morning the attorney's photo stares back from the front page of the paper while a headline writer asks whether the Sunshine Law was violated when the commissioner said "Good job" within earshot of a second commissioner. The suggestion in the story was that a violation occurred.
A few years later the same attorney is assigned to sit in on a speaker-phone interview of a commissioner by a reporter. There are at least four other witnesses in the room. They all hear the commissioner's responses to the reporter's questions and read with disbelief in the next day's paper that the commissioner said "X" when all clearly heard him say "Not X." The attorney refused to talk to that reporter other than in writing for almost two years afterward.
Reporters and editors aren't perfect...Hernando News Source not excepted. But these anecdotes illustrate two things...first, editors decide story emphasis; and second, reporters make mistakes that are sometimes hard to dismiss as honest.
Unfortunately the news judgment displayed as to story selection and page play by the editor is often very misguided as to what is truly important to a well-informed readership. Some of the blame for that must frankly go to readers, who seem to prefer, as a recent example, prominent treatment of a marauding monkey and back page coverage of actions in the state Legislature that will affect many more people.
Even more unfortunately, reporters sometimes seem as if they hear what they want to hear, not what they actually hear. Even if the quote is correct, if it's one or two sentences from a 15 or 20 minute interview, it's almost certainly out of context and likely unhelpful to readers trying to inform themselves. It was probably chosen to make a better story.
These anecdotes are intended as a caution, to readers and viewers of news, whether on paper, TV or web. Questions need to be asked about what you read and what you see. Why is it presented that way? Is there more information needed to reach a truly informed judgment?
News is presented in the way that it is in an attempt to get eyes or ears for advertising. Some media try to report what the public needs to know, but too many fall into the trap of giving the public what it wants to know...there is a difference.
Now here's what you need to know from this collection of stories appearing first or only this week at Hernando News Source, beginning with an Agenda Preview for next Tuesday's County Board meeting, followed by a review of the top news from Monday through Friday for the past week:
BCC AGENDA PREVIEW
ADMINISTRATOR: AUDIT DPW, START SCOPING JUDICIAL CENTER
Hamilton says the $98 million Public Works budget demands a careful analysis before permanent hiring of a replacement for the fired department director is done. The administrator's memo to the County Board for action next week does not specify the amount of payment to Milliman for the audit.
Hamilton is also asking commissioners to let him move forward with appointment of a "Scoping Group" to come up with a set of criteria for a stand-alone single entrance secure courthouse facility. Other terms for the group would be that the project cost no more than $20 million including land in or adjacent to downtown Brooksville and that local contractors and jobs be factored in. He's recommending Chris Wert, an engineer in the Public Works Department, lead the group to include other county officials, a judge and Clerk Karen Nicolai. If the County Board approves, the group would be charged with preparing a design criteria package that could be advertised for building proposals.
STAPF: EXTEND HAULER CONTRACTS, CUT CURBSIDE RECYCLING
County garbage haulers would get a one-year contract extension, current recycling customers would see service cut from once a week to once every two weeks, and the county recycling subsidy would be cut by 75% if the County Board approves staff recommendations next week.
McHUGH: APPLY FOR GOOGLE HIGH SPEED INTERNET
BUILDING DEPARTMENT WANTS TO HIKE SOME PERMIT FEES
On the same day next week that business development staff will talk about permitting issues, the Development Services Department is asking to increase some of its fees. Jodi Singer says the fee schedule for incidental or accessory type permits such as roofing and pools is not producing enough revenue for the department to cover its costs in reviewing and issuing those permits. The department is funded solely by fees and does not use taxpayer dollars. Singer says the proposed new schedule would raise about $130,000 in revenue to cover the department's enterprise fund budget. Fees would go up 30 to 35 percent for most of the incidental or accessory permits if the new fees are approved.
WEEK IN REVIEW:
MONDAY
CITY COUNCIL APPROVES SOUTH BROOKSVILLE RESOLUTION
But Commissioner Rose Rocco, who has chaired the Community Initiatives Team pushing for action, said she thinks that the two local governments working together can enhance the city and with that the county. She said south Brooksville revitalization could spur economic development in both the city and county. Now the CIT and community leaders will await the final form of the interlocal agreement and work to get the money needed. County Administrator David Hamilton has said he would recommend to the County Board that the county cover any debt obligations incurred by the city in the project.
BROOKSVILLE COUNCIL CONCERNED WITH ABANDONED APARTMENTS
CLINTON BOULEVARD BECOMES MYLANDER WAY
The Brooksville City Council approved a name change for a portion of Clinton Blvd. on the city's west side at their meeting Monday night. The part of the road from Cortez Blvd. west past the Hernando County Sheriff's Office will now be called Sheriff Mylander Way. That's a slight change from the proposed "boulevard" but council members said it was appropriate since the retired sheriff usually ran things his "way."
In a nod to local developer Gary Grubbs, who named Clinton many years ago after one of his children, the part of the street east of Cortez to Providence Blvd. at the county building department offices will remain as "Clinton Drive."
BROOKSVILLE MOVES TOWARD FIRE ASSESSMENTS
Brooksville property owners may soon see a new charge on their tax bill. City council members unanimously approved on first reading an ordinance change on first reading that would allow fire rescue assessments on property tax bills. City officials said they weren't ready to recommend assessments yet, but the ordinance allows them to come back to council in May or June with more facts and figures.
The ordinance was proposed so that all properties in the city contribute to fire rescue costs. Currently properties that are fully or mostly exempt don't pay their share for fire rescue services. Chief Tim Mossgrove says the average home will probably see a small decrease in the total bill, although it would be more for lower value homes with exemptions and for higher value homes.
PERMITS UP IN FEBRUARY, BUT SO ARE FORECLOSURES
Foreclosure stats from the clerk's office show an increase in new cases from the previous month. The 251 cases are well above January's 235, but also below the level from February of last year, when 282 foreclosures were filed. Taken together the monthly foreclosure statistics for this year and last year don't seem to show any significant trends.
TUESDAY
COUNTY WORKSHOP EXPLORES RADIOS, JAIL COSTS
And a plan to put minor offenders with weekend jail sentences to work on community service projects will come back to the County Board again for more consideration. It's estimated the plan, which is modeled after programs in other counties, could save up to $55,000 yearly on jail costs.
SPRING HILL BURGLAR CAUGHT ON VIDEO
An arrest affidavit says a Spring Hill man was charged with burglary after a neighbor set up a hidden video camera and recorded the man removing prescription drugs from a dresser drawer. Deputies then arrested 36-year old Jason Nelson of 12383 Spreading Oaks Drive and booked him into the Hernando County Jail. Nelson's neighbor said he suspected someone was entering his home while he was gone and taking his prescription drugs. Monday he hid a video camera in a closet, went to he dentist, and returned to find Nelson on tape taking five pills from a prescription bottle. The affidavit says Nelson admitted the crime and had already ingested the pills.
SCHOOL BOARD HOSTS SPECIAL GUEST AT WORKSHOP
WEDNESDAY
REEF PROJECT DELAYS HAVE PORT AUTHORITY MEMBERS ANGRY
Hernando County Port Authority chairman Chuck Morton listened to County Administrator David Hamilton say a delayed artificial reef project would have to wait for the stalled dredge to finish and said "Dammit, I'm really fed up." Morton slammed his gavel on a table at Wednesday night's meeting and told Hamilton that the project couldn't wait.
Hamilton had explained that the county would need to hold a permit for the project and staff needed to focus on getting the dredge done now. But Morton and authority member Jim McFarlane said the simple process of opening a permit needed to be done now to line up for grant funding for next year. McFarlane even displayed a permit form that was already partly filled out and said it was "frustrating to spend a year on it and find ourselves moving backward" and that he was "very disappointed.
Hamilton suggested that the authority formally request that the County Board take steps now to obtain the permit, and the authority moved unanimously to do that. Hamilton said "we'll get started tonight" and penciled in a March 23 date for consideration of the project by the board.
PORT AUTHORITY HEARS NEW DREDGE PLANS BUT NO DATE TO RESUME
Goebel said the dredging cannot resume until regulators respond, though she said they have promised to expedite their answer. Because of a lack of tests of the anti-coagulant material, some of the de-watered spoil may have to be disposed of in a landfill, either the county's landfill or a construction and demolition debris facility. She also said the new plans still contemplate a project within budget.
The Port Authority voted to approve a resolution to the County Board urging the board to ask legislators to extend a funding deadline of June 30. Goebel said legislative contacts so far have her and other county officials optimistic that the date can be moved and state funding saved.
E-VERIFY STUDY CITES INACCURACIES, LACK OF FRAUD DETECTION
A report in the Wolters and Kluwer employment law publication CCH said this week that 54 percent of undocumented workers submitted through the federal government’s E-Verify system receive an inaccurate finding of being work authorized. The finding comes from a study by Westat, a contract research organization that evaluated the program for the Department of Homeland Security. Westat said the study results were not surprising, noting that since E-Verify’s inception it has been clear many undocumented workers obtain employment by committing identity fraud that cannot be detected by the system.
Critics of the Westat study say the report uses old data and that newer figures give E-Verify a better grade for error rates. And they pointed to pending legislation that say would make the program stronger and more efficient.
Hernando County commissioners asked staff Tuesday to research the E-Verify program for possible local use. The matter is slated for more discussion at a County Board workshop in April.
CCA IN THE BLACK DESPITE ISSUES, CONTRACT LOSSES
The Journal reported this week that the company’s stock has steadily risen since it released its fourth-quarter and full-year earnings report on Feb. 9 and announced a $250 million stock repurchase program. The company’s shares have risen from $17.83 at that time to close last week at $21.32.
The loss of the Kentucky contract, however, would join other recent losses — including contracts with the federal Bureau of Prisons and the state of Arizona — that led the company to predict lower earnings in 2010. The company also lost a Florida contract two years ago when the Bay County sheriff in Panama City took over his county's jail operations from CCA.
SPRING HILL LEGISLATOR SEEKS 9-1-1 CALL EXEMPTION
State Representative Robert Schenck is defending a bill to block the release of 911 tapes and exempt them as public records. The bill will be heard next week in a House council. Schenck is the bill's sponsor, and he denied the proposal should be called the Tiger Woods Protection Act.
Schenck said victims need protection from the trauma of hearing the 9-1-1 calls aired on TV and radio.
Tapes of 911 calls made following Woods' November car crash outside of his Florida home fueled the ongoing story of the top professional golfer's affairs and marital problems. Those tapes were released under provisions of the state's public records law.
Schenck said the bill proposed by the House Governmental Affairs Policy Committee he chairs is not a response to the Woods situation.
Recordings of 911 calls that are now open to the public---minus names, addresses and other identifying information---would be closed by the bill if it became law. Instead, transcripts of the calls would be made available within 60 days of a request. Schenck said his proposal protects victim privacy while maintaining watchdog purposes, but open-government advocates disagree.
THURSDAY
JUDGE WON'T WORK WITH COUNTY ON PLAN FOR WEEKEND INMATES
Circuit Judge Jack Springstead said Thursday that he was not inclined to hand out any 30-day county jail sentences if there was a possibility that those sentences would not be served in jail. Most 30-day sentences come with the option of serving time on weekends only, and Hernando County officials are looking at a program that would put weekend offenders to work in the community to save up to $55,000 a year in jail costs. Springstead apparently doesn't like that idea. In comments about a plea bargain for a 30-day sentence, Springstead said he was not prepared to "have the county modify sentences" handed down by the courts and would not commit to a 30-day sentence if it meant potentially no actual jail time. The statements by the county's busiest criminal court judge could torpedo the county's cost-saving plan.
GROW HOUSE RENTER GETS PROBATION
A 58-year old Cuban national who was charged with running a marijuana grow house on Moon Road in December will serve only three years of probation. Alfredo Abad pleaded no contest to the charges in circuit court Thursday after his lawyer and prosecutors worked out a plea deal. Attorney James Brown said Abad was leasing the home and allowed others to use him and his residence for a marijuana cultivation scheme. Brown told Judge Jack Springstead that Abad was not an active participant in the pot growing scheme, had a clean record otherwise, and deserved the break.
PROBATION, BIG RESTITUTION BILL FOR LOWE'S EX-MANAGER
A former zone manager for Lowe's home improvement stores was sentenced to 10 years of probation Thursday and ordered to pay restitution of $30,000 for his part in a scheme to steal from the Lowe's store in Brooksville. James Goldberg of Spring Hill pleaded no contest to a charge of dealing in stolen property. He was originally accused of grand theft as well, but that charge was dropped as part of the plea deal. Goldberg and two other men were arrested in June of last year and charged in the theft of $70,000 in store merchandise. The plea deal will require Goldberg to testify against the other suspects in any trial.
INMATE CHOOSES "FRYING PAN" OVER JUMP INTO "FIRE"
Frank was sentenced for lewd and lascivious molestation involving two children aged four and five. His 2007 conviction was more than four years from the date of the crime in 2003. He challenged the sentence because the four-year limitations statute had run and won his appeal.
But when prosecutor Brian Trehey told Frank's lawyers that he could still be charged with capital sexual battery, which has no statute of limitations and a potential sentence of life in prison, Frank dropped his request to set aside the sentence. Family members say he could be released from his original prison term as early as April of next year.
FRIDAY
BROOKSVILLE TRUMPETS SURVEY BACKING CAMERAS
The Brooksville Police Department usually updates the media on criminal cases at its city website, but Friday the lead item was not about crime. Instead the department was noting the results of a recent public opinion survey that says 72% of Floridians support red light cameras. The city currently uses a vendor's cameras to monitor traffic at five intersections and issues ordinance violation notices that cost $125 each for running a red light or turning without a full stop. The program is the subject of controversy and litigation,, though officials defend the cameras for promoting safety, while generating about $800,000 a year in city revenue.
The survey by Public Opinion Strategies says that though 72% of respondents said they support red light cameras, only 65% said they thought the cameras improved safety. Results of the poll were announced by a group called the STOP Red Light Running Coalition of Florida. Meanwhile, competing bills in the Florida Legislature would either ban cameras or allow them where the revenue is shared with the state.
RESIDENTS ANTICIPATE LANDFILL FIGHT AS APPEAL DEADLINE ARRIVES
Residents say the local roads will not support the truck triaffic and the landfill site poses a danger of leaching toxic materials into groundwater in the rural area, which has no public water supply. They have also asked the county for help in their fight, though it's unclear how much the county can do, since the permit approval followed litigation between the county and the landfill operator over the parameters of a settlement approving the use. Many are critical of the county for abandoning a settlement provision restricting the depth of material deposit, but county attorneys said that was a matter for state regulators to decide.
INSIDERS WARN FEDERAL WATER QUALITY RULING WILL IMPACT COUNTY
Proposed clean water standards for Hernando area waterways are unattainable, according to sources briefed recently on a draft 20-year Water Quality standard. If approved by the federal Environmental Protection Agency, state regulators could be made responsible for reducing excessive nitrogen levels in the Weeki Wachee River and other local waterways. The proposed standard for dissolved nitrogen is .35 mg/liter. Latest readings show the Weeki Wachee nitrogen level is more than twice the proposed standard, at .79 mg/liter. Other waterways are in even worse shape...the Rainbow River in Marion County reportedly has a dissolved nitrogen level of more than 2 mg/liter.
It's unclear exactly how the new lower standards would be applied or enforced, although ultimately it could impact new development and construction in areas affecting a waterway's nitrogen level. Experts say the high nitrogen level in the Weeki Wachee is largely a product of excessive fertilization and septic tanks in Spring Hill, which sits atop the west end of the Weeki Wachee springshed. Sources also suggest the federal water quality standard could lead to state or local controls over fertilizer applications, allowed lawn grass types, or mandated new septic systems.
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