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Treasure Island City Commission
By KATHY SAUNDERS TREASURE ISLAND -- The seven candidates for two commission seats were propelled to this nexus by the city's rewriting of development rules. They are unanimous on one point: The new land development rules, adopted in October before voters had a chance to oppose them, have to go. District 1The three candidates for the Isle of Capri commission seat are Susan Givens, Phil Collins and Scott Barone. Givens, formerly Susan Carbonneau, served one term as the commissioner for Paradise Island before losing the mayor's race in 1997. She wants the city to consider removing City Attorney Jim Denhardt. Givens questioned the advice Denhardt gave the city during the recent development controversies and his billing procedures. Givens also said the city needs to build a parking facility. Collins said he thinks his experience on the planning board for the past three years would ease his transition into the commission. "I will make Treasure Island better, not taller," Collins said during a debate Saturday night. Collins said the city needed to bring visitors downtown and he suggested a dinner theater, combining the talent of local performers with a good restaurant. Barone, who has a background in information technology, said he wants to improve communication between commissioners and their constituents. Both Barone and Collins suggested improving the Internet capabilities at City Hall. For example, they think residents should be able to pay city bills online. On the Isle of Capri, Barone said he wants to investigate ways to slow traffic on Capri Boulevard. District 3The four candidates for the Paradise Island commission seat are: Marie Barba, Larry Hoffman, George Garbutt and Richard Kraus. Barba led the petition drive for a referendum to stop the city from changing the development code. Hoffman at one point had sued the city over the constitutionality of the referendum, which said that more than half of the city's registered voters must approve density and height increases. Hoffman was chided by his opponents during Sunday's candidates debate. "I felt it was unconstitutional at the time, and I still feel it is unconstitutional," he said. "I am not for tall buildings." Hoffman said he would appoint a citizens committee on Paradise Island to help him communicate with residents about what takes place at City Hall. Garbutt, a commissioner from Paradise Island from 1972 to 1984, said the current LDRs have worked just fine and don't need any changes. Garbutt said the city should buckle down on spending, stop developing parks that are costly to maintain and quit spending money to modernize the downtown with traffic-calming features such as the clock tower. Kraus said he wants to focus on the city budget and look for ways to roll back the property tax rate. He also wants to help keep residents better informed about local government. He suggested establishing a reading room at City Hall.
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