A Times Editorial

Resolve utility issue

The Hernando County Commission and Brooksville City Council appear to be making some progress in their months-long negotiations about who can provide utility services to customers outside, but near, the city.

That is encouraging news, especially considering the antagonistic tone that pervaded the talks, when former County Administrator Paul McIntosh was steering a one-sided discussion of the issue.

It would seem that McIntosh's successor, Richard Radacky, is more willing to listen to Brooksville's concerns, as articulated by City Manager Richard Anderson. That fortunate achievement probably has as much to do with good manners as it does Radacky's intimate knowledge of the county Utilities Department.

Still, the county and the city are far apart on some fundamental disagreements, and they must work harder to resolve their differences. If this matter goes to arbitration or court, the outcome may be decided by people who have no vested interest in Hernando County, and who may have no appreciation of the long-term effect of their ruling.

The city put the county on notice in April that it intends to sue to gain the right to provide water and sewer service to residents and businesses within a few miles of the city limits. The city and county have scheduled a meeting for June 24, because that is a necessary step in the conflict resolution process, which is designed to deter governments from wasting taxpayers' money on lawsuits.

The implications of this decision will be more far-reaching, of course, but the immediate concern for the City Council is the opportunity to provide service to an 839-acre subdivision called Hampton Ridge. The developer, the LandMar Group of Jacksonville, wants to be annexed into the city and plans to build 799 houses south of Brooksville, east of U.S. 41 and north of Powell Road.

Hernando County government also would like to add those new homes, as well as the accompanying golf course, hotel and shopping center, to its list of utility customers. The revenue gleaned from that service could help the County Commission shore up any number of its operations that are losing money, and to expand its utility service in other areas of the county.

As a much smaller operation, Brooksville needs the business badly. If it is unable to expand its borders and reach into outlying areas for new customers and taxable property, its market will dry up and it will hinder the city from growing economically in other areas.

The county is in a much better position to be charitable in this disagreement. The county has other areas not so close to Brooksville where it can provide exclusive utility service to new development. And, aside from the prospect of utility service, in the case of Hampton Ridge, the county still will collect its full share of property taxes, so that becomes a win-win situation for both governments.

There are other issues the city and county need to debate -- emergency services, use and location of government buildings, changes to the county's land-use map, and increased traffic on county roads, to name a few. But neither side should allow disagreements over those points to create an impasse on the fundamental and pressing question of annexation and providing utility service.

Both sides should increase their efforts to reach a reasonable and timely compromise, and save taxpayers the cost and aggravation of an unneeded court battle.

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