Opinion: Water district's remodeling was a success story

This St. Petersburg Times article raised questions about renovations on a Southwest Florida Water Management District building. The facts will show that the district acted responsibly to protect its employees with a good working environment and to use taxpayer dollars to renovate a 17,500-square-foot facility at a competitive cost of $54 per square foot.

Building Two at the district's Brooksville headquarters was 25 years old, contained asbestos and had ongoing moisture problems that persisted despite varied attempts to resolve them. Several employees complained that the building was making them sick. While tests showed the air quality in the building was not harmful, a mold named Stachybotrys chartarum was discovered in a records storage vault. The mold was described as "a potent toxin that can cause severe human respiratory and systemic poisoning along with often bizarre psychological symptoms such as memory loss." The mold's discovery caused such concern that employees were becoming afraid to work in the building.

The health and safety of our employees arepriorities for the district. Therefore, in an abundance of caution and since renovations were necessary, the decision was made to move the employees out of the building as soon as possible until the mold problems could be resolved and materials containing asbestos could be removed. This was the right decision.

As the mold removal progressed, it was discovered that the building's problems were far more extensive than originally believed. Anyone who has ever extensively renovated or remodeled their home might well understand how this can happen. The district essentially had a new 17,500-square-foot building by the time the project was finished.

The district used a process called Extraordinary Procurement, which allows work to be accomplished without advertising for competitive bids, a time-consuming process. Because of this, the executive director asked the inspector general to monitor the project and to conduct a financial audit upon completion.

The inspector general's audit subsequently concluded that the final costs were reasonable for a major renovation, substantially less than a new building would have cost, and that there was no gross mismanagement. According to the audit, the cost of the renovation was $54 per square foot. By comparison, the state's Department of Management Services estimated the cost per square foot for new construction at $83 per square foot. The inspector general also offered some recommendations for management improvement, which have since been implemented.

The article concluded that the district overpaid for the completed project by relying on comments made by Governing Board members during the early stages of the process. Once the inspector general completed his audit at a February 2002 committee meeting and all the facts were known, these governing board members were satisfied with the results.

Governing Board Vice Chair Tom Dabney, a developer whom the article acknowledges is considered an expert by the other board members, called the project a "success story. . . . Our need for that space was critical and we had a potential health issue there, and so I think that staff has responded well . . . I think the staff is to be commended for the work they have done, both dollar costs as well as time. And we have a brand new building to speak for it."

Governing Board member and former Chair Ron Johnson said, "The bottom line here is the district staff, as I see it, did what we asked them to do: responded in an expeditious fashion. We got a good product for the price we paid, and the price we paid was very competitive."

Unfortunately, these quotes were either ignored by reporters or buried at the very bottom of the story.

Any project of this type is going to pose a variety of challenges. We took the steps we believed were necessary to protect our employees and to provide a safe and adequate working environment. I totally agree with the conclusion of the inspector general that the district received reasonable value for the taxpayer dollars expended.

For a complete version of this response, visit the district's Web site at watermatters.org and click on "Facts About Building Two."
Ronnie E. Duncan, Chair, Southwest Florida Water Management District, Brooksville

A welcome first step for Midtown

Bill Maxwell's Midtown needs outrage to make it better in the April 24 Times deals honestly with a serious problem, not only in St. Petersburg, but in many of our major cities. He has forcely spoken out, for which I congratulate him -- but if he, a black and middle-aged man, cannot approach these young black men in the daytime in a public place for a friendly conversation, then the problem is much bigger than I thought.

Our society's "Jesse Jacksons" must start speaking to this problem and stop relating everything to racism and slavery. Just because a disagreement or incident is between a black and a white doesn't automatically shout "racism."

We need compassion and understanding, and these hoodlums must be approached. And, yes, I'm not going to be the one who does the approaching. More speaking out against this problem -- as Maxwell has done -- from the black community leaders is the only way it can be corrected. I thank Bill Maxwell for taking a first step.
-- Donald W. Fridell, Ocala

Now it's time for action

Re: Midtown needs outrage to make it better.

I applaud Bill Maxwell for his column. This is the start of what needs to be said and done regarding Midtown. Now let us see what the leaders of the community are going to say, and especially do, to support Maxwell.

City Hall says a lot, but will it support this honest first step and change life in Midtown? The action Maxwell is calling for is what is necessary to get the "white money" to invest in Midtown, not a lot of hollow words. Let the real leaders put actions to their words.
-- Attilio Corbo, Palm Harbor

Residents must solve the problem

Re: Midtown needs outrage to make it better.

Bravo to Bill Maxwell! It is very wise of him to have backed down at the gas pumps, so he could live another day to fight in the proper arena. Thank you for writing the column.

This type of improper behavior occurs in all neighborhoods. The common thread in these situations is the disrespect some have for each other, regardless of color. City leaders and police cannot solve the problem; the people who live in the neighborhoods have to solve it. The mothers and fathers, aunts and uncles, teachers and even adult neighbors of these "hoodlums" must correct improper behavior when they see it. I was corrected (quite often) while growing up by all of the above. Yes, it is embarrassing, but more important, it works (most of the time).
-- Paul A. Dickens, St. Petersburg

Treat people as individuals

Re: A handful of black criminal makes the rest of us look bad, by Bill Maxwell, April 21.

Maxwell has used recent criminal incidents in part of St. Petersburg's black community in a manipulative manner when the real issues are drugs, weapons, social conditions, law enforcement and the security of neighborhoods. His first thought is that now whites will look at him and other black citizens as "Black Everyman" rather than as individuals.

Part of this is due to his fertile imagination, though he covers up by ascribing it to "white people" who use it "to unload their guilt and to deny their real complicity in black history." That is hardly the whole story as Maxwell traps himself by treating all whites the same rather than as individuals. Of course, the truth is many whites and blacks do what he finds offensive to each other without distinction.

However, some blacks and whites, hopefully growing numbers, don't see each other as monolithic segments and find considerable diversity among each other on a variety of life experiences. I wouldn't want to conclude all white males assault their wives or girlfriends or are pedophiles simply because news stories show a high incidence.

I also wonder how, out of 67 counties in Florida, we are the most segregated. Proof by the columnist beyond assertion is helpful.

I came here from the North about 25 years ago and spent nine years visiting Jordan Park and Laurel Park as a commissioner of the St. Petersburg Housing Authority without any particular apprehension. However, Maxwell is right that some blacks and whites just don't want one another in their neighborhoods and that is prejudice and parochialism at work. And yes, there is fear and intimidation, which affects all, not just whites.

I guess I understand some of Maxwell's need to write this column but he blindsided himself by stereotyping all whites in this instance. How about another column about white criminals?
-- James R. Gillespie, St. Petersburg

There's danger in racial divisiveness

Re: A handful of criminals makes the rest of us look bad, April 21.

On some points I agree with Bill Maxwell, but his racial divisiveness is dangerous.

Deputy Mayor Goliath Davis III (in an article in this paper) asked for us to be "ambassadors" for Midtown and the 95-98 percent of its law-abiding residents. Maxwell refers to a drug arrest in January. One black man's opinion to police: "This isn't your neighborhood . . . We own the streets down here." Maxwell's opinion: "The message to white people and to decent black people is clear: KEEP OUT."

Who does the most damage? One resident's alleged angry comments which, if accurate, would have been long forgotten, or a newspaper and columnist intent on immortalizing them! Maxwell will have a large audience for his opinion. And "Until white dollars start flowing . . . every black person will be viewed as a dangerous, threatening creature to be avoided."

Horse-pucky! "Creature?" Like an orangutan? Or like Chicken Little and Cock Robin? At the Wildwood Center recently, former police Chief Davis referred to a "firecracker." Mayor Rick Baker did not correct him! Bill refers to it as "an explosive device." Thanks a lot!

My wife and I have been in Midtown more than a hundred times in the last year or so. At least five in the past week. No problems! Bill should read the Midtown paper -- recent columns about avoiding monolithic racial thinking, the stereotypes crucial to racism, the creation of false dichotomies, etc. Go meet some nice residents!
-- Lawrence F. Ellery, St. Petersburg

You can't tax a corporation

Re: Put our schools before tax breaks for corporations, letter, April 29.

I've got news for Rep. Lois Frankel and the rest of the Democrats: Corporations don't pay taxes. It's impossible to tax a corporation. Taxes, like other costs such as material, labor, rent, etc., are costs that must be passed on in the price of the product plus a profit, or the corporation goes out of business.
-- Frank W. Dahlberg Jr., Largo

Still wary

Re: Shark reality, April 29.

Your story on the shark activity sounds as if you copied it from the movie Jaws. The only thing missing is the mayor in his plaid jacket running around the beach trying to get people to go back in the water.

Sorry, you haven't convinced me. I was born at night, but not last night.
-- Bill Hamlin, Seminole

Share your opinions

Letters for publication should be addressed to Letters to the Editor, P.O. Box 1121, St. Petersburg, FL 33731. They can be sent by e-mail to letters@sptimes.com or by fax to (727) 893-8675.

They should be brief and must include the writer's name, address and phone number. Please include a handwritten signature when possible.

Letters may be edited for clarity, taste and length. We regret that not all letters can be published.

Back to Opinion

Contact the Times | Privacy Policy
Standard of Accuracy | Terms, Conditions & Copyright

From the Times
Opinion page