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Voluntary panel may lose clout

The Madeira Beach commission takes the first steps to limit the planning board's power.

By SHEILA MULLANE ESTRADA
Published June 19, 2005

MADEIRA BEACH - A shouting match at Tuesday night's commission meeting did not end with an altercation in the City Hall parking lot, as happened after the planning board meeting the previous night.

Instead, the City Commission ended a heated debate by taking preliminary action to strip its contentious planning board of most of its responsibilities.

"It was a horrible situation. I just won't tolerate it," said Mayor Charles Parker.

Tuesday morning, Parker asked City Manager Jill Silverboard to draft an ordinance that, in effect, would leave the city's volunteer planning boards with little to do.

The planning group would continue to consider amendments to the city's comprehensive plan and land use map, but would no longer rule on zoning or planned development district (PDD) cases. Instead, the City Commission wants to take over serving as the local planning agency, as well as assuming oversight of land development regulations.

"The Board of Commissioners believes the conduct of the Planning Commission in recent months has been counterproductive due to internal conflicts among its membership which have reflected poorly upon the city," states the ordinance.

The latest evidence of that conflict occurred Monday night when planning commissioner Kevin Connolly accused Dave Halenda, husband of fellow planning commissioner Robin Moore, with threatening him with a truck as he was leaving City Hall.

Connolly, who earlier accused Moore of possibly violating the state Sunshine Law, called the Sheriff's Office and filed a complaint.

Halenda was later arrested and booked on charges of aggravated assault. Halenda denies the charge, saying it was a "misunderstanding."

City Commissioners Art Thomas and Martha Boos said they helped Moore raise the $5,000 for her husband's bail and accompanied her to the Pinellas County Jail early Tuesday morning.

"It's really hard to sit down and be friendly with someone who had your husband arrested," Boos said at Tuesday's City Commission meeting.

Thomas called for a "time-out" for the planning group, saying the members are "out of control" and "at each other's throats."

Commissioner John Wolbert sharply disagreed.

"I don't see that one incident should justify dismembering the commission. Let's give them time to get organized," he said.

"Do you think these people can sit down together again and function?" Parker asked.

"Probably not," said Wolbert.

Commissioner Len Piotti, who was the City Commission's liaison to the planning group, sharply criticized Parker for putting the ordinance on the agenda without notice.

"I don't know what you folks have been smoking, but you are way out of line," Piotti said. "They (the planning commission) are really trying to do their job. This is a disgrace. I'm ashamed. I'm voting NO, damn it!"

Piotti said he had repeatedly told the City Commission that there were problems on the planning board, but he said he "didn't get squat" in terms of help.

Parker vehemently denied this, pointing to the many individual and group training sessions held for the planning commission.

Planning commission members Sarah Nichols and Karen Martin asked the commission not to take duties away from their group.

"I personally believe we have been trying," said Nichols.

Martin acknowledged there are "personal problems" between members, but said to disband the group "is a mistake."

Planning commissioner George Gonzalez told the city he no longer wants to serve on the board.

"I'm extremely disappointed. I don't want to deal with it anymore. In September my term is up and I will not ask to be reappointed," Gonzalez said.

Steve Kochick, a resident who had attended Monday's planning board meeting, urged the commission to talk individually with planning board members "to make them grow up."

"I would hope that everyone in our town could get along," said resident Maryanne Green.

But, in the end and on a narrow vote (3-2, with Piotti and Wolbert opposed) the commission decided to curtail the planning board's duties. The ordinance won't be final until a second vote on July 12.

Ironically, the planning commission, which Monday approved the city's first three PDD requests, is scheduled to meet on July 11. City officials say that meeting most likely will be canceled.

[Last modified June 19, 2005, 00:38:17]