They expressed varying views on Crystal River's April annexation and a substation during the debate but agreed on buying park equipment.
By RAGHURAM VADAREVU
Published October 22, 2004
CRYSTAL RIVER - As Election Day approaches, the six candidates vying for the three City Council seats squared off Wednesday night over issues ranging from the city's controversial annexation to playground equipment at Copeland Park.
In a debate sponsored by the Citrus County Chronicle and held at Crystal River Middle School, the candidates took questions from the newspaper's journalists and closed with two-minute speeches.
And they were cordial, perhaps heeding the newspaper's publisher, Gerry Mulligan. He told both the candidates and the audience in the packed auditorium to be "nice to everybody ... Let's try to keep it respectful."
Not surprisingly, the first issue offered for discussion was the city's annexation in April of 500-plus acres of land just south of the city limits.
The candidates were asked why Citrus County officials filed two lawsuits over the annexation against the city, whether the suits were justified and what additions the city will have to make to provide services to the annexed businesses.
"The lawsuits weren't justified," said John Kendall, the Seat 1 incumbent, adding that he believes the city will ultimately prevail with the courts ruling that the annexation was legal. He said the city would have to add staff and could also get help from the county to provide services.
"I really don't anticipate a lot of problems," Kendall said.
Kendall's challenger, John Kostelnick, a fixture at council meetings, said he did not oppose annexation as a concept. He disagreed with the way the council handled the annexation, arguing that the multiple points of contention with the county prove that the city did not act prudently.
"I think if we took more time, we would not have had 13 points of contention," he said.
Seat 3 incumbent Susan Kirk said she did not know why the county filed the lawsuits. She said she supports annexation as a concept, too, but did not approve of the way the council handled this one.
She said there were too many unanswered questions, such as the potential changes the city would have to make to provide services to the annexed area.
Kirk's challenger, Phil Jannarone, said the county was not justified in filing the suits, calling it a "quest for power." The annexation, he said, was a good move by the council because it expanded the city's tax base and will help lessen the tax burden on residents.
"It's a great source of income," said Jannarone, who religiously attends council meetings.
Seat 5 incumbent Kitty Ebert said she did not know why the county filed the suits, adding that "we did what we were supposed to do." Jim Farley, Ebert's challenger and the city's former police chief, did not approve of the way the City Council handled the annexation, saying, "It wasn't well thought out and planned."
The candidates were also asked if they would support a Citrus County Sheriff's Office substation in Copeland Park to help combat drug dealing in the neighborhood, and if they would support the city buying playground equipment for Copeland Park.
Kostelnick said he would support a substation, as did Farley and Kirk. Ebert, Kendall and Jannarone said they would not. On the playground issue, all the candidates said they would support the city purchasing equipment for the park, and Farley mentioned that a civic group is considering buying the equipment.
They were also asked whether the city should contribute financially to local civic groups and events, such as the annual Christmas Parade and the Fourth of July fireworks.
Kostelnick, Farley and Kirk said the city should.
Ebert, Jannarone and Kendall said it is not the city's responsibility to support such organizations and events. They said residents should organize, volunteer or raise funds for such events.
