HNS WEEK IN REVIEW---JANUARY 30-31, 2010
This is our weekly review of top news stories reported first or only in Hernando County at HernandoNewsSource.com:
BROOKSVILLE RED-LIGHT CAMERAS FACE LOCAL LEGAL CHALLENGE
HernandoNews Source has learned that a West Palm Beach law firm that has been suing Florida local governments over red-light cameras recently named the City of Brooksville as a defendant on behalf of a plaintiff named Bruce Saither. The suit seeks class action status for all others "similarly situated." The plaintiff is represented by lawyer Jason Weisser of Schuler, Halvorson and Weisser. According to Hernando Clerk's records, Brooksville's camera vendor, American Traffic Solutions, filed a request this week for a hearing before Circuit Judge Stephen Rushing on arguments that the vendor is liable or that any attorneys' fees are owed to the plaintiff for actions in the lawsuit to this point. The vendor has also filed a motion to dismiss the lawsuit, saying the facts and law cited by the plaintiff aren't enough to require the court to hold a trial.
According to media reports, Weisser has suits pending against 18 Florida local governments charging that the red-light cameras are illegal. So far, there's no indication that any court has ruled on the merits of any of the cases. Weisser has told reporters he expects different rulings in the various courts and that the Supreme Court may ultimately have to decide the issue.
Although the city will hold an executive session to consider resolving pending litigation on Monday night, it doesn't appear that the camera suit will be discussed. City attorneys wouldn't say which pending cases are on the private session agenda, but it's believed that council members will talk about several cases, including pending personnel matters and bond litigation.
ROSE ROCCO GETS ANOTHER REPUBLICAN CHALLENGER
The busy County Commission District 2 race got a little more crowded Friday when Ty Mullis pre-filed to run. Already in the race is incumbent Democrat Rose Rocco, along with three other Republicans...Wayne Dukes, William Kingeter and Lewis Tumia. Mullis is a Republican and a 40-year old native of Tampa who has lived in Hernando County for 15 years and says his main interest in running is that he wants to reduce the size of government. He says he thinks the government has grown disproportionately to the county and "while I recognize the efforts of the current Board, I feel more can and should be done."
Mullis works as operations manager for a local developer and recently filed what one county lawyer termed the largest public records request ever received. Mullis and his attorney then worked with the county to narrow the request, and he received numerous documents in return for a three-figure payment for copy costs and staff time.
MIDDLE SCHOOL STUDENT CHARGED IN RAPE OF NINE-YEAR OLD
A 13-year old Fox Chapel Middle School Student was arrested Friday and charged with sexual battery and lewd and lascivious molestation of a person under twelve years of age. An arrest affidavit says the boy forced his penis into the nine-year old victim's mouth and anus and then forced the victim to do the same to him, while spending nights at the older boy's house. The affidavit says the victim described the acts and told sheriff's detectives that the older boy threatened to kill him if he told anyone about it. The incidents allegedly occurred between November of 2008 and November of 2009. According to detectives, the suspect admitted to the victim's allegations in a taped interview at the Hernando County Sheriff's Office.
CHRISTMAS HOUSE BUYER BEHIND BARS AGAIN
The man who wanted to buy Rogers Christmas House may have a tough time getting to a scheduled closing Friday. County Judge Donald Scaglione ordered Matthew Senge aka "Matthew Hyde" held without bond Thursday on a charge of violating Hernando County probation on a domestic violence arrest from last year. Senge also waived extradition on a warrant charging fraud in Alabama. He appeared Thursday via closed circuit TV from the Hernando County Jail at a first appearance. He was arrested Wednesday on the Alabama warrant. Senge has been the center of controversy and investigation since Hernando News Source revealed he was telling people that he had bought the Christmas House and that local business people were asking questions about his background. Among the findings were several stints in jail in Florida and elsewhere for fraud charges, though Senge claimed all prior charges had been resolved with restitution and that he had a serious business plan for upgrading the landmark Brooksville attraction.
EIGHT SEEK SPRING HILL FIRE BOARD APPOINTMENT
Spring Hill Fire Chief Mike Rampino said Thursday that eight people have submitted letters of interest, resumes or applications for the vacant Fire Board seat. They include some familiar names from regulars at Board meetings, some familiar names from other connections, and some new names.
Among the meeting regulars are Sherry Adler, who's already said she plans to run for election to the Fire Board; Harry Chamberlain, Sal Ruggiero and Ben Edwards. Other familiar names are Mark Tobert, a county emergency manager who got his job back from Sheriff Richard Nugent after he claimed County Administrator David Hamilton had fired him unjustly; and Rusty Amore, who runs the courthouse snack bar. Also seeking appointment at the Fire Board meeting next week are Ian Norris and Edmund Cook.
The vacant seat is that of long-time fire commissioner Gene Panozzo, who resigned earlier this month.
MORE GROW HOUSES BUSTED
Ten people were ordered held in jail Thursday on bonds ranging from 25 to 32 thousand dollars following discovery of two more marijuana grow houses. The ten are charged with growing marijuana and possessing a structure for sale or trafficking in illegal drugs. Some are also accused of possession of paraphernalia and tampering with electric service.
A sheriff's office spokesperson says search warrants were served at four different locations, and a total of 273 plants ranging from two to four feet tall were found at two of the addresses. The addresses for the arrests were 15426 Mottled Owl Road, 18383 Macassar Road, and 11492 Pine Warbler Avenue. All four locations searched are in Royal Highlands or nearby subdivisions in northwest Hernando County. Five people were arrested at the Mottled Owl address and 122 plants confiscated, three at the Macassar home where no plants were found, and the other two at the Pine Warbler house, which deputies said had 151 plants.
Those arrested on Mottled Owl were Irina Gonzalez, 23; Heyter Landin-Hernandez, 26; Ines Lanndin, 60; Yusleidy Sosa, 28; and Lazaro Landin, 37.
Deputies on Macassar Road arrested Evilene Hernandez-Osorio, 28; Rolando German-Llabona, 34; and Rafael Leon-Gonzalez, 61.
Taken into custody from the Pine Warbler address were John Henry Flores, 35, and Maria Enedina Lopez, 41.
HERNANDO HOUSING AUTHORITY GETS GOOD NEWS FROM FEDS
The Hernando County Housing Authority, which found itself on the wrong side of the federal government in 2008 for paperwork glitches, is on target to get off the government's list of troubled agencies. The Department of Housing and Urban Development had designated the county's authority as a "troubled agency" after investigators said the office wasn't in full compliance with federal requirements. The problems were never as big as the problems at the separate Brooksville Housing Authority, which is still recovering from financial issues that prior managers were prosecuted for. But the federal agency now says that it has made a preliminary decision to remove the county agency's "troubled" status.
Director Donnie Singer says the ruling is dependent on taking some corrective actions and addressing other deficiencies. The decision came after a lengthy review process focusing on paperwork requirements for federal certification.
ADMINISTRATOR MEETS WITH EMPLOYEES AMID MORALE CONCERNS
County Administrator David Hamilton hit the road Wednesday for presentations to county employees, at the Government Center and outlying facilities. Hamilton told employees much the same that he and his staff have told the County Board, that all parts of the area's biggest local government have to do more with less during the tough economic times. While he painted a bleak picture for the upcoming budget year, he did draw applause with one of the only pledges he made, that there will be no furloughs for county workers in the coming year, unlike this year when all employees had to take two weeks off without pay. And at the end of his 45 minute presentation, he made a point of thanking the employees, saying that's not done often enough by top management. Hamilton said the meetings were scheduled now because the contract negotiations with the Teamsters local last year made it difficult to talk to rank-and-file county workers. Except for one slide in his presentation, he didn't note commissioners' concerns from a workshop earlier this month about declining morale among county employees.
BROWN-WAITE CHIDES MOORE FOR SHERIFF COMPLAINTS
Congresswoman Ginny Brown-Waite has sided with Sheriff Richard Nugent in a letter to Spring Hill activist and former Socialist Party presidential candidate Brian Moore. Moore went to county commissioners this week to complain about Sheriff's Office tactics in the pursuit of a fleeing fugitive who drowned in Hunters Lake. Moore called Brown-Waite's "biting" letter in defending the sheriff's office and saying she saw "no reason to second-guess" the conclusion of an Internal Affairs report that Sheriff's Office acted appropriately during the attempted capture of fugitive James Rayford.
Moore called Brown-Waite's tone in the letter "sarcastic" in treating him and others concerned about the tactics "like schoolchildren" by writing that "this is a lesson for all Americans that fugitives should not flee from the law."
"All human beings have a right to life," Moore said, noting that Rayford did not have a weapon in his possession, though law enforcement called him a dangerous fugitive from armed robbery and drug charges.
Brown-Waite, who had run-ins with Moore and a small band of protesters who were turned away from her office parking lot last summer before giving Moore a half-hour appointment to meet with her, also said in her letter to Moore that she was "not surprised you would choose the side of a fleeing criminal over our law enforcement officials who are putting their own lives in danger."
COUNTY SEEKS DREDGE FUNDING DEADLINE EXTENSION
Interim Public Works Director Susan Goebel told the County Board Tuesday that state regulators have agreed to expedite permitting for new de-watering equipment sought for the Hernando Beah dredge project. Goebel wouldn't say exactly how soon the state may give the okay to begin dredging again, but she said she and the county's consultant think that permit issuance by March 1 would allow the dredge to finish ahead of a June 30 funding deadline. Just in case, Goebel said there are behind-the-scenes efforts to extend that deadline. More than $7 million in state funds now depends on dredge completion by that deadline.
Goebel and County Administrator David Hamilton said they have told the county's consultant that confusion over seagrass permitting requirements shouldn't cost the county. The consultant had projected additional costs of up to $600,000 based on changing seagrass mitigation plans.
REDUCED LIBRARY HOURS REMAIN IN EFFECT
Hernando County library hours will remain the same after action Tuesday by county commissioners. County staff presented figures showing that increased hours would use up about half of state reserve library grant funds, amid uncertainty about future state funding. Commissioner David Russell said he thought diminishing state funding would leave the county in a worse position next budget year if too much of the grant funds were used to expand the current library hours. The County Board reduced the hours two years ago when budget issues first began to arise, and commissioners asked for Tuesday's report to explore the possibilities of going back to the old hours.
CITY-COUNTY S. BROOKSVILLE PACT POSTPONED
An interlocal agreement between Brooksville and Hernando County for south Brooksville revitalization will get more work, at the request of both sides and a community representative.
Assistant County Attorney Erica Moore said the agreement is probably too general to meet federal requirements for grant and loan funding. The plans for new water and sewer lines and drainage improvements are not specifically mentioned in the draft agreement presented Tuesday.
Community Initiatives Team member Paul Douglas told the County Board and city officials in the audience that the south Brooksville community itself needs to feel more a part of the agreement. But County Administrator David Hamilton also warned that grant opportunities are being snapped up by other communities and that any delay in signing off needs to be as brief as possible.
COUNTY ASKS STIMULUS MONEY FOR TEMPORARY GOVT. JOBS
Hernando County Human Resources chief Cheryl Marsden says grant money is available to hire gate attendants, maintenance workers and other positions for the remainder of the fiscal year. The Florida "Back to Work" program provides federal stimulus funds for public and private employers to hire workers. Marsden asked county commissioners Tuesday to apply for a grant before next week's deadline. County Board members said they had a concern about bringing on new people who would then be laid off when the funding runs out and next year's budget is adopted in September. On assurance that the Board did not have to find money to retain the new workers, commissioners voted to apply for the grant.
OOOPS! LAWSUIT SAYS BANK SEIZED WRONG SPRING HILL HOME
A federal lawsuit charges that a bank seized a Spring Hill home by mistake. A Massachusetts newspaper reports that Charlie and Maria Cardoso of New Bedford sued Bank of America for foreclosing on the wrong house. The lawsuit reportedly claims that the home at 9168 Geneva in south central Spring Hill was being rented to tenants who moved out when they received foreclosure documents. The Cardosos claim they told a real estate agent and the bank that their home was the wrong house and thought the problem was taken care of. Instead the lawsuit says the Cardosos learned this month that locks were placed on the house, and a friend was told the house had been seized. Charlie Cardoso then drove to Spring Hill, where police reportedly allowed him to enter his house, where he found water and power shut off and power tools missing from the garage.
A check of Hernando County Clerk's online records showed no foreclosure case against the couple, who said in the lawsuit their home is paid off and has no mortgage.
BROOKSVILLE RED-LIGHT CAMERAS FACE LOCAL LEGAL CHALLENGE
According to media reports, Weisser has suits pending against 18 Florida local governments charging that the red-light cameras are illegal. So far, there's no indication that any court has ruled on the merits of any of the cases. Weisser has told reporters he expects different rulings in the various courts and that the Supreme Court may ultimately have to decide the issue.
Although the city will hold an executive session to consider resolving pending litigation on Monday night, it doesn't appear that the camera suit will be discussed. City attorneys wouldn't say which pending cases are on the private session agenda, but it's believed that council members will talk about several cases, including pending personnel matters and bond litigation.
ROSE ROCCO GETS ANOTHER REPUBLICAN CHALLENGER
Mullis works as operations manager for a local developer and recently filed what one county lawyer termed the largest public records request ever received. Mullis and his attorney then worked with the county to narrow the request, and he received numerous documents in return for a three-figure payment for copy costs and staff time.
MIDDLE SCHOOL STUDENT CHARGED IN RAPE OF NINE-YEAR OLD
CHRISTMAS HOUSE BUYER BEHIND BARS AGAIN
EIGHT SEEK SPRING HILL FIRE BOARD APPOINTMENT
Among the meeting regulars are Sherry Adler, who's already said she plans to run for election to the Fire Board; Harry Chamberlain, Sal Ruggiero and Ben Edwards. Other familiar names are Mark Tobert, a county emergency manager who got his job back from Sheriff Richard Nugent after he claimed County Administrator David Hamilton had fired him unjustly; and Rusty Amore, who runs the courthouse snack bar. Also seeking appointment at the Fire Board meeting next week are Ian Norris and Edmund Cook.
The vacant seat is that of long-time fire commissioner Gene Panozzo, who resigned earlier this month.
MORE GROW HOUSES BUSTED
A sheriff's office spokesperson says search warrants were served at four different locations, and a total of 273 plants ranging from two to four feet tall were found at two of the addresses. The addresses for the arrests were 15426 Mottled Owl Road, 18383 Macassar Road, and 11492 Pine Warbler Avenue. All four locations searched are in Royal Highlands or nearby subdivisions in northwest Hernando County. Five people were arrested at the Mottled Owl address and 122 plants confiscated, three at the Macassar home where no plants were found, and the other two at the Pine Warbler house, which deputies said had 151 plants.
Those arrested on Mottled Owl were Irina Gonzalez, 23; Heyter Landin-Hernandez, 26; Ines Lanndin, 60; Yusleidy Sosa, 28; and Lazaro Landin, 37.
Deputies on Macassar Road arrested Evilene Hernandez-Osorio, 28; Rolando German-Llabona, 34; and Rafael Leon-Gonzalez, 61.
Taken into custody from the Pine Warbler address were John Henry Flores, 35, and Maria Enedina Lopez, 41.
HERNANDO HOUSING AUTHORITY GETS GOOD NEWS FROM FEDS
The Hernando County Housing Authority, which found itself on the wrong side of the federal government in 2008 for paperwork glitches, is on target to get off the government's list of troubled agencies. The Department of Housing and Urban Development had designated the county's authority as a "troubled agency" after investigators said the office wasn't in full compliance with federal requirements. The problems were never as big as the problems at the separate Brooksville Housing Authority, which is still recovering from financial issues that prior managers were prosecuted for. But the federal agency now says that it has made a preliminary decision to remove the county agency's "troubled" status.
ADMINISTRATOR MEETS WITH EMPLOYEES AMID MORALE CONCERNS
BROWN-WAITE CHIDES MOORE FOR SHERIFF COMPLAINTS
Moore called Brown-Waite's tone in the letter "sarcastic" in treating him and others concerned about the tactics "like schoolchildren" by writing that "this is a lesson for all Americans that fugitives should not flee from the law."
"All human beings have a right to life," Moore said, noting that Rayford did not have a weapon in his possession, though law enforcement called him a dangerous fugitive from armed robbery and drug charges.
Brown-Waite, who had run-ins with Moore and a small band of protesters who were turned away from her office parking lot last summer before giving Moore a half-hour appointment to meet with her, also said in her letter to Moore that she was "not surprised you would choose the side of a fleeing criminal over our law enforcement officials who are putting their own lives in danger."
COUNTY SEEKS DREDGE FUNDING DEADLINE EXTENSION
Goebel and County Administrator David Hamilton said they have told the county's consultant that confusion over seagrass permitting requirements shouldn't cost the county. The consultant had projected additional costs of up to $600,000 based on changing seagrass mitigation plans.
REDUCED LIBRARY HOURS REMAIN IN EFFECT
CITY-COUNTY S. BROOKSVILLE PACT POSTPONED
An interlocal agreement between Brooksville and Hernando County for south Brooksville revitalization will get more work, at the request of both sides and a community representative.
COUNTY ASKS STIMULUS MONEY FOR TEMPORARY GOVT. JOBS
OOOPS! LAWSUIT SAYS BANK SEIZED WRONG SPRING HILL HOME
A check of Hernando County Clerk's online records showed no foreclosure case against the couple, who said in the lawsuit their home is paid off and has no mortgage.
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