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Council vote: art brouhaha 3, saw 4, tree 0
By Times Staff
Published February 11, 2006
Tampa Museum of Art lovers have been on edge for weeks in anticipation of word on a location for the facility.
But City Council member Rose Ferlita was horrified Thursday when three of her colleagues bolted from a hearing at 2:30 p.m. to attend a news conference announcing a new museum site.
"That was just awful," Ferlita said. "Listening to that petition was more important than leaving to go to that press conference."
Apparently, Linda Saul-Sena , John Dingfelder and Mary Alvarez didn't think so.
They left in the middle of an appeal by Mike Arodak , who wants to tear down a grand tree on his property. The parks department ruled that he couldn't.
Saul-Sena, a noted tree hugger, defended her decision to leave the meeting.
"I had done as much as I could for that case," she said.
It was clear to her that no one else on the council wanted to protect the tree. So she went to the art museum event.
"This is an issue I've been worrying about for 20 years," Saul-Sena said.
Remaining City Council members voted 4-0 in favor of cutting down the tree.
A MAJOR $100 DONOR: Al Higginbotham , who has announced that he will step down as chairman of the Republican Executive Committee to run for Hillsborough County Commission, picked up a heavy-hitting endorsement. Higginbotham plans to seek the District 4 seat being vacated by Ronda Storms , who has announced her intent to run for the state Senate.
On Friday, Higginbotham said he has received a campaign check from Gov. Jeb Bush for $100. Higginbotham has chaired Bush's gubernatorial campaigns since 1998.
"I am deeply honored and humbled that Gov. Bush has donated to my campaign," Higginbotham said in a news release e-mail. "Gov. Bush has been an exceptional role model of what an honorable and selfless public servant should be."
Higginbotham has picked up a few other endorsements, notably: state Sen .Victor Crist ; state Reps. Kevin Ambler , Rich Glorioso , Ed Homan , Ken Littlefield , Dennis Ross and Trey Traviesa ; Hillsborough County Commissioners Brian Blair and Ken Hagan ; Hillsborough Sheriff David Gee , State Attorney Mark Ober , Tax Collector Doug Belden and Property Appraiser Rob Turner .
MARK GOVERNOR PRESENT: Higginbotham will get to thank the guv personally Monday. Jeb will be in town for the annual Governor's Day Luncheon at the Florida State Fair. Despite the name, the governor is often a no-show at the event, sending the agriculture secretary instead.
Indeed, the ag secretary, Charles Bronson , will be on hand, as well gubernatorial hopeful and Rep. Jim Davis , former Gov. Bob Martinez and a host of other politicians past and present at what tends to be one of the top political draws of the year.
The event is at noon Monday in the Charles M. Davis Special Events Center at the fairgrounds.
COMMISSION CANDIDATE: Mary Mulhern , an arts consultant and Democrat, has filed to run for the District 1 seat on the Hillsborough County Commission. She joins Democrat Deborah Cope and Republicans Rose Ferlita , Brad Swanson and Gary Santti . Mulhern spent 13 years as an administrator at the Art Institute of Chicago before moving to Tampa in 1998. In her current capacity, she provides creative direction, graphic design and copywriting to clients. She is also a freelance writer for the Tampa Tribune ' s Flair Magazine and was formerly an art critic for the Weekly Planet .
In addition to her work, Mulhern was co-chairwoman of the South Tampa 537 group that attempted to rally residents to vote during the 2004 election and is a member of the citizens advisory commission for the Hillsborough County School District.
She is married to Cameron Dilley , one of the founders of WMNF Community Radio.
--Janet Zink contributed to this report. Bill Varian can be reached at 813 226-3387 or varian@sptimes.com
[Last modified February 11, 2006, 01:14:11]
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