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Act on annexation issue after elections

We are pleased to learn the Hernando County Commission and Brooksville City Council are working outside the courtroom to resolve disagreements regarding development and annexation. A protracted legal battle should be a last resort to settle their differences about increasing the size of the Majestic Oaks subdivision by more than a third, and annexing almost 900 acres south of the city and east of Southern Hills Plantation.

The council and commission agreed Tuesday to send their planners and lawyers back to the drawing board and return with a proposed agreement in about two weeks.

They should take as much time as they need. More specifically, they should not entertain any proposals or take any action until after the Nov. 7 election.

There soon will be three new members on the City Council because Joe Johnston, Mary Staib and Ernie Wever have reached their term limits. And, because Robert Schenck quit to campaign for the state House of Representatives, there will be at least one new commissioner, and possibly two if Nancy Robinson is not re-elected.

The new members elected to those boards will be responsible to oversee any agreements, whether between the council and commission or developers, so they should participate in crafting and approving those settlements.

The decisions made on these issues, including the possibility of creating what council member Johnston called "a master plan for the area surrounding the city," are extremely important to residents who will feel the strain development will place on the area's infrastructure. It is only right that the public servants they elect to office are directly involved in these crucial negotiations.

[Last modified October 27, 2006, 08:02:33]