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Letter to the editor

Week in review

By Times Staff Writer
Published July 4, 2004

COUNTY EXTENDS WATERING RESTRICTIONS: Hillsborough commissioners agreed to extend once-a-week lawn watering restrictions for another month, and pointed some fingers, too, during an emergency meeting Wednesday.

Residents in unincorporated Hillsborough County will only be able to irrigate their yards once a week through Aug. 4. The restrictions do not apply within the cities of Tampa, Temple Terrace or Plant City, where watering of established lawns is still permitted twice a week.

The limitation extends the restriction from a planned ending date of July 9.

The emergency meeting was prompted by sharp increases in water consumption in the south-central part of the county, stretching from Seffner to Sun City Center. Water use has jumped 35 percent in the area this month compared to the same month last year, and consumption is threatening to push the county over agreed-to limits for the area.

Water is flowing at the greatest rates on weekends, when lawn watering is not permitted.

The rules, in effect through Aug. 4 based on the board's action, are as follows: People whose addresses end in 0 or 1 may water on Mondays either before 8 a.m. or after 6 p.m.; addresses ending in 2 or 3, Tuesdays; 4 or 5, Wednesdays; 6 or 7, Thursdays; 8 or 9, or property owners without an address, may water on Fridays.

Residents are encouraged to skip a watering day if there has been rain and their landscaping appears healthy.

The vote by commissioners Wednesday was unanimous. Hillsborough Commissioner Ronda Storms, whose district includes much of the area in question, led the charge in blaming Tampa Bay Water for the problem.

Storms said the utility, responsible for supplying much of the water to Hillsborough, Pasco and Pinellas, failed to have a pipeline through the area installed on schedule. The water line would alleviate water needs for the area in the short term.

"They have failed to keep up their end of the bargain," Storms said.

R. Warren Hogg, evaluation and permitting manager for Tampa Bay Water, acknowledged that work on the pipeline is running 15 months behind schedule.

FRANK GIVES UP COMMISSION SEAT: Political insiders have speculated for weeks on whether Hillsborough County Commissioner Pat Frank would stay in the race to replace Richard Ake as Clerk of the Circuit Court in November.

Frank silenced the whispers Tuesday by submitting a written resignation from her commission seat, a required step before she can officially run for clerk. The resignation, effective Nov. 16, is irrevocable.

"Ready to rock and roll," said Frank, 74, a Democrat.

Frank has two years left in her commission term. The timing of her resignation means that people who want to replace her as a commissioner can run for the seat in the November general election, an elections official said.

Frank said it was important for her to have the seat filled by election rather than having a Republican governor appoint a replacement.

Frank's resignation further increases the chances for a makeover of the commission in the November election. Now, four of seven seats will be up for election, including two open at-large seats, one being Frank's.

Currently, Democrats hold a narrow 4-3 majority on the commission.

Already, six people have filed to run for the commission seat Frank has held for almost six years. They include Democrats Denise Layne and John Pilley, and Republicans Bob Blair, Jim Davison, Deb Oxley and Mark Sharpe.

In the clerk's race, Frank faces a fellow Democrat whom Ake has already endorsed, his office general counsel, Helene Marks, as well as Republicans Jim Downum, Stephen Hall, Chris Hart and Bob Zegota.

[Last modified July 3, 2004, 09:02:07]