Editor: The Weeki Wachee spring is deteriorating. It's experiencing significantly increased nutrient levels, which results in thick algae growth. The nutrients are coming from excessive fertilizer use, irrigation runoff and septic tank concentration in the southwest region of Hernando County. This began as far back as 20-25 years ago.
Those excesses are the result of the failure of the county to, among other things, put into practice groundwater-friendly lawn cover and irrigation policies, adopt a restrictive water-use pricing structure, demand central wastewater treatment and stop the use of septic tanks in densely developed communities. The county also has failed to maintain the functional capacity of its drainage retention areas sufficiently to stop surface water flooding of septic tanks, all in the primary recharge area of the aquifer from which the spring flows.
The city has always believed that control of the utility systems in that area will give it the opportunity to begin reversing the fouling and the contamination of the spring. Therefore, when Florida Water Services, in late May, approached the city and offered to sell its utility systems to the city in a "friendly condemnation" proceeding, with all legal and other expenses to be paid, the city jumped at the chance to acquire those systems. Legal and other expenses were to be paid either by the bond issue that had already been arranged by Florida Water, if the city and Florida Water were successful in defending an anticipated challenge by the county, or by Florida Water if a challenge by the county was successful.
In mid-July, just before the condemnation proceedings were to be filed, Florida Water changed its mind. It withdrew its offer of a stipulated and fully funded acquisition by the city. We believe that this was an effort to avoid litigation delays from a county challenge. Since the city had committed itself to the preservation and improvement of the spring's water quality, it made the decision to pursue acquiring the utility systems.
Unfortunately, doing this required the city to commit to substantial legal expenses that could not be covered by the usual level of the city's tax revenues. That's why the currently proposed tax increase became necessary to fund the city's efforts to protect the spring.
If its efforts are successful, the city intends to pay its legal expenses from the bond issue. If the city's efforts to acquire the systems are unsuccessful, once its legal expenses are paid (probably over a two-year period during 2004 and 2005), the city intends to roll back the tax increase to the level needed for its normal operations.
The city filed its condemnation action after being assured by representatives of Florida Water that even though it could not stipulate to the taking, it probably would not contest the city's right to complete the taking. However, two days after the city filed its condemnation action, Florida Water unexpectedly signed an agreement to sell the utility systems to the county. Please remember that this is the same agency that, by its environmentally unsound development and utility service policies over the past three decades, has allowed, and continues to allow, the fouling and contamination of the spring.
The bullying tactics of the county regarding impending litigation were so mean-spirited and threatening (at least one senior county official threatened to litigate "... until hell freezes over ... " if the utility systems were sold to anyone but the county), that Florida Water agreed to sell the systems to the county for more than $17-million less than the city had offered. The county then followed through with its bullying threat and sued both Florida Water and the city.
The spring and its mermaids are the internationally recognized "signature" of the city and the engine that drives the city's economy. The continued degradation of the spring's water quality will have a devastating effect on the businesses of the city.
In its testimony before the Southwest Florida Water Management District regarding the District's move to terminate the attraction's lease, the Best Western Hotel confirmed that at least 20 percent of its business was directly generated by the spring and that the loss of the attraction would decimate its business and threaten its existence.
Other businesses, such as the supermarket, the restaurants, the drugstore and the other retail shops in the city, have, on many occasions over many years, been very vocal in their unanimous affirmations of the major contributions to their sales revenues that are directly related to the business traffic generated by both the spring and the hotel.
Therefore, the effort of the city to save the spring is, indeed, also a direct effort by the city to protect the economic well-being of the business community of which it is so proud. It is to be hoped that the city's business community will recognize and support that effort, which has so much "upside" over the long term and so little "downside" over the short term.
The mermaids gratefully acknowledge the very substantial and heartfelt support and contributions the attraction and the city have received, both from the Hernando County community and also from the state, national and international communities, in labor, in money, in kind and in services.
By like token, the city, joined by the mermaids, entreats its always supportive business community willingly to bear its share of the responsibility of protecting Weeki Wachee Spring.
-- Robyn Anderson, mayor, City of Weeki Wachee
Pedersen Park should continue as planned
Editor: As a resident of Hernando County and a Hernando Beach property owner, I would like to see the county move forward with Linda Pedersen Park.
I agree we should move forward in a way that is environmentally sound, perhaps even using pine needles or mulch for the parking lot and some trails.
Last year, the county sent out surveys to residents asking us to prioritize issues we would like to see the county pursue. Parks and recreation ranked high. This park is going to occupy only 30 acres of a 7,000-acre parcel of the Weeki Wachee Preserve, which is more than ample room for nature to coexist with recreation.
Hernando County does not have the beaches our neighbors to the south enjoy. We do have beautiful springs and rivers. Yet, one of the largest bodies of beautiful water, Linda Pedersen Park, is not accessible for residents to enjoy.
I'm looking forward to the day Linda Pedersen Park opens so I don't have to drive to our southern neighbors' shores to enjoy a day in the sun. Possibly a portion of the 30-acre park could be used as a dog park, satisfying residents who would like to share the experience with their dogs. Perhaps, with the addition of Pedersen Park, some of our neighbors will realize the natural beauty Hernando County truly does has to offer - once it's accessible.
-- Rick Henry, Spring Hill
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