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Weeki Wachee deal still stalled

Unresolved issues are being blamed for Weeki Wachee Springs not yet signing a new water management lease.

By CHANDRA BROADWATER
Published May 10, 2006

BROOKSVILLE - They still haven't come to an agreement.

Tuesday deadline followed a meeting between the two sides last Friday - without attorneys - at the suggestion of Swiftmud chairman Tom Dabney.

After going through the lease together line by line for six hours last week, there were a few unresolved issues the attraction still had. Neither side would say what the major sticking point was.

Dabney suggested Weeki Wachee be back in touch by 5 p.m. on Tuesday.

But after spending most of the day with park attorney Joe Mason, city spokesman John Athanason said there just wasn't enough time to meet the deadline. Both Athanason and Weeki Wachee Mayor Robyn Anderson were out of town Monday.

"We spent all day comparing the lease we're currently operating under to the one (Swiftmud) has proposed to see what the changes are," Athanason said Tuesday evening. "We've had one day to work with the attorneys on a long and complicated lease. This is going to take time."

Athanason called Dabney Tuesday just before 5 p.m. and spoke to him about the extension.

"It's not resolved today, but we're moving in a positive direction," Athanason said. "Just like last week, we had a pleasant conversation with Mr. Dabney. We're one step closer."

Swiftmud did not comment on the attraction's request Tuesday evening.

Last week's meeting at the Tampa Airport Marriott came together at Dabney's request. He invited Anderson to meet with him alone to hash out the lease and other unresolved issues.

The mayor accepted, but requested Athanason be present, which prompted Dabney to bring along Swiftmud representative Eric Sutton.

Athanason said the meeting went well. Both sides agreed not to disclose the terms of their agreement until the process is finalized.

"It went a lot better than both sides anticipated," he said.

Since 2004, Weeki Wachee and Swiftmud have been tied up in legal battles. Among other points, the water district has questioned whether the city broke state law by keeping the private company, Weeki Wachee Springs LLC, intact when it was donated to the city by the previous owner.

Weeki Wachee also filed suit against Swiftmud. State law doesn't prohibit the city from owning the attraction, it stated in its arguments.

After a few months of litigation, which a county judge deemed excessive, the two parties went through mediation that fell apart in 2005 and led back to court.

An unsuccessful meeting March 28 at Swiftmud headquarters in Brooksville was Round Two of mediation. What started off as a hopeful public session ended in bickering after less than an hour.

Through it all, both sides have maintained that they are ready and willing to work their disagreements out. But that has yet to happen.

When both sides do come to agreement, it must be approved by Swiftmud's governing board.

As of Tuesday, a future meeting between the parties had not been scheduled.

Chandra Broadwater can be reached at cbroadwater@sptimes.com or 352 848-1432.

[Last modified May 10, 2006, 01:08:16]