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Political junkie

Mayor put on hot seat in flap over pine trees

By Times Staff
Published September 14, 2005

Safety Harbor City Commissioner Kara Bauer was not pleased after getting pummeled for the better part of half an hour by her neighbors during a commission discussion over the fate of a bunch of trees in her subdivision.

The neighbors, Patrice Charles-Platteis and her husband Gary Platteis, had been ordered by the city's Code Enforcement Board to cut down the slash pines in their yard because they were leaning toward Bauer's house.

Gently encouraged by Mayor Pam Corbino's smiles and comments, the couple spent a great deal of time at the microphone during the Aug. 15 meeting, bashing Bauer and accusing her of misusing her power to get the trees removed.

So at the commission's meeting on Sept. 7, Bauer went on the offensive over Corbino's role in the controversy.

"Lately, there have been pictures of my house in the newspaper and a few tall trees and a few tall tales," Bauer said. "I don't want to waste much time on this, especially after our last meeting's 35-minute discussion, but there are a few things I absolutely have to say. I was not very happy about the professionalism and personal attacks. This wasn't about trees. My neighbor Mrs. Charles (Platteis) openly admitted the trees are dangerous. So obviously it was something else. I just didn't know what it was until I received an e-mail trail exchange between an elected city official of Safety Harbor and Mrs. Charles."

Bauer read from an e-mail the mayor wrote to Platteis, in which she questioned the city's motives and suggested she contact a Times reporter.

"Basically, I'm asking for an explanation here," Bauer said. "Firstly, I'd like to know why our mayor, Pam Corbino, would coach someone to attack our city? Why you (would) attack the staff and another elected official in the process - all behind the scenes? I'd like to know why you felt it was appropriate to inject yourself into a pending code enforcement case. I'd like to know where the rest of the e-mails are between you and Mrs. Charles. . . Mrs. Charles herself flatly told me she was being encouraged by someone very high up at City Hall. Now I assume that was you?"

Mrs. Platteis, Corbino said in response, "is a resident who had contacted me with the information, and I just discussed it with her just like I'd discuss information with other residents. She appeared here because the Code Enforcement Board asked would (she like to) come to the City Commission and get our opinion of this violation. That's it, period."

"Will I find this e-mail in the public file?" asked Bauer.

"I have no idea," said Corbino, a Pinellas schoolteacher who was counseled the day before on using her school e-mail account for city business. (Later, the Times enlisted the help of city employees who work on the city's computer systems, but couldn't find the e-mails in question.)

"So it is your practice and policy to advise people to attack the city and its process and its staff members and a sitting city commissioner?" Bauer said. "By contacting (the Times) with a pack of lies?"

"I never advised her to do that," said Corbino.

"Ma'am, it's right here in your own hand," said Bauer.

(Actually, it was typed).

"Just like other people do. . ." said Corbino.

"What?" said Bauer.

"I have no comment," said Corbino.

"You have no comment," said Bauer.

With that, commissioners sat for a moment in stunned silence. Then, as if nothing unusual had happened, Commissioner Andy Steingold told his colleagues about his very informative trip to the Florida League of Cities convention in Orlando.

There's nothing like a little League of Cities business to break the tension.

STILL RUNNING? Dunedin Mayor John Doglione squelched rumors last week that he is not running for a second term as mayor.

"As of today, I am running," he said.

Doglione, 72, who was first elected to the commission in 1991, said he never campaigns before the holidays.

But political consultant Todd Pressman said he may want to reconsider that policy, especially since his challenger, Commissioner Bob Hackworth, has already hit the campaign trail.

Hackworth, 50, had an event last month at La Maison Gourmet. He has another one planned later this month.

"If your opponent's out there securing support and getting checks, he's potentially getting people on board that may be your supporters," Pressman said. "Once people make a commitment, they are hesitant to move away from that."

Pressman also pointed out that people generally do not spend money after the holidays. "I don't think it's ever too early to start campaigning and fundraising," he said, "especially in Dunedin where there is a much smaller universe of people. It's the early commitments that are critical."

LOCAL FAVORITES: The executive council of the Pinellas Republican Party voted 7-0 this week to issue endorsements in three big races with heavy local favorites: governor ( Charlie Crist might just get the nod); attorney general (don't bet against state Rep. Everett Rice) and Congressional District 9 (Hello, Gus Bilirakis). The endorsement meeting will be Oct. 10, and GOP chairman Tony DiMatteo quipped, "It's going to be a very heated debate."

THE MONEY GAME: St. Petersburg mayoral candidate Ed Helm dug into his pocket to start his uphill campaign to unseat Rick Baker. He put $9,700 of his money into his campaign, nearly half of what he has raised to date. Helm has spent $8,400.

Meanwhile, Baker raised another $9,600 from July to September, bringing his total to nearly $94,000. Baker is still raising money, and despite facing a little-known challenger, expects to spend whatever he takes in. He hasn't put any of his own money into his re-election bid but has spent more than $30,000 for the Nov. 8 election.

"Where this city is going is a question too important to leave to chance," said the mayor, whose latest contribution report includes a number of city employees, including City Attorney John Wolfe and Deputy Mayor Goliath Davis.

Helm's contributors included several prominent local Democratic activists, including Democratic Executive Committee members Norm Brown and Helen Avila and state House candidate Liz McCallum. Ken Steinke, who made national headlines last year after his club took out a newspaper ad suggesting that Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld should be shot, gave Helm $300.

NONPARTISAN PARTISANS: The St. Petersburg elections are supposed to be nonpartisan, but several candidates have received a lot of partisan support. Republicans seem to fancy Cassandra Jackson, who is trying to unseat City Council member Earnest Williams. Her contributors include Pinellas GOP chairman Tony DiMatteo and Susan Bedinghaus, wife of the county's former Republican chairman, Paul Bedinghaus. School Board member Nancy Bostock also gave her $25, and former St. Petersburg NAACP chief Darryl Rouson gave $200.

Pinellas Democratic chairwoman Carrie Wadlinger was among many Democratic activists contributing to Darden Rice's campaign to unseat Williams. Wadlinger also gave $50 to Kim Trombley, who is running to unseat council member Virginia Littrell.

-- Eileen Schulte, Megan Scott and Adam C. Smith contributed to this week's Political Junkie.

[Last modified September 14, 2005, 08:57:02]