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Mystery petition making rounds

A petition of unknown origin calls for hiring a consultant to study a merger of Spring Hill and county fire rescue services.

By MARY SPICUZZA
Published June 30, 2005

SPRING HILL - There's a mysterious petition circulating around Hernando County.

Its message is clear. The petition calls for the Hernando County Commission to "immediately obtain a report by an independent and disinterested qualified professional consultant" to determine whether the Spring Hill Fire Rescue District should be consolidated within the Hernando County Fire Rescue District.

The mystery: Who wrote the petition? And who is in charge of gathering the signatures?

"It's just a question of where does anything come from," longtime local activist Nick Morana said, when asked about the origin of the petition.

Morana said he had been helping to gather signatures for several weeks.

"Gee whiz, I think I've had it for about a month," he said.

Morana said he can't remember where he got the petition.

He added that it's simply asking county commissioners to study the feasibility of consolidation.

But the petition clearly has a point of view on the issue.

"The undersigned residents of the Spring Hill Fire and Rescue District believe that consolidation of the Spring Hill Fire and Rescue District into the Hernando County Fire Rescue District will result in both more economical and more efficient fire and rescue service to the residents of both Districts," the petition reads.

It also calls for the commission to act "immediately to effect the consolidation thereof, without regard to any "political' issues that may be inherent in such an action."

The County Commission is already preparing to take action. On July 12, county commissioners plan to vote on proposed ordinance changes that would give them greater financial control over the fire district. The county has criticized the fire district's fiscal management, human resources management and purchasing procedures.

Local political activist Janey Baldwin, a resident of eastern Hernando County, said she had been asking people to sign the petition because she has long had concerns about accountability at Spring Hill Fire Rescue.

"I think consolidation would further the accountability that we sorely need," Baldwin said. "Economically it makes sense."

But Baldwin said she stopped gathering signatures, deciding to wait until after the July 12 vote.

A year ago, then fire Commissioner Richard Martin and others pushed unsuccessfully for the Spring Hill fire department to merge with Hernando County's. Advocates for change argued that taxpayers could save money by combining two already-overlapping services.

Former Spring Hill fire Commissioner Bob Kanner said he was familiar with the petition, but didn't know who had created it.

"I know it's around," Kanner said. "I saw one briefly probably around a month ago."

He added that he is for accountability, but thinks Spring Hill residents must decide about the future of their fire district.

"I'll say what I've said for years: If there's to be a change, it has to be voted on by the people of Spring Hill," Kanner said. "It's up to them whether they want to consolidate or not, and I'll stand by that."

What remains unclear is whether anybody will admit to writing the county's mystery petition, and what Morana and others will do with the names they collect.

--Mary Spicuzza can be reached at mspicuzza@sptimes.com or 352 848-1432.

[Last modified June 30, 2005, 12:07:47]