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They agree on taxes. That's it

Norma Carlough and Paul Gibson face each other for City Council. So who are they?

By MIKE DONILA
Published February 10, 2007

CLEARWATER - The two candidates vying for the one open City Council seat probably couldn't be more opposite.

She is a 70-year-old resident who's lived in the area for more than three decades. She feels the current council is quite competent but says it should focus more on neighborhoods and redevelopment.

He is a 58-year-old beach resident who moved to the area nine years ago. He is fed up with local leaders and says the city "lacks fiscal management."

She has spent the past four years volunteering on boards and working in the school system. He began taking a keen interest in city politics during the summer's contentious budget hearings.

Both support the renewal of the upcoming Penny for Pinellas sales tax, and they also want to find ways to lower property taxes.

But that's about all they appear to have in common.

Meet Norma Carlough and Paul Gibson.

They're running for seat No. 5 on the Clearwater City Council. The winner in the March 13 election replaces Bill Jonson, who cannot run for the nonpartisan seat because of term-limit restrictions.

The council has five seats, including the mayor's position. Incumbent Carlen Petersen and newcomer George Cretekos automatically won seats because no one challenged them.

* * *

Norma Carlough joined every Clearwater volunteer board she could.

And after four years of service, she said, the next logical step was to run for City Council.

"All of this education, certainly, I feel I have an advantage because of it, because of what I've learned," said Carlough, in an interview with the St. Petersburg Times last week.

She currently serves on the Airpark Advisory Board, Citizens Advisory Committee for the Comprehensive Plan and the Citizens Advisory Board for the Metropolitan Planning Organization.

As a council member, Carlough said she wants to focus on neighborhoods and the waterfront, particularly where redevelopment is concerned.

Carlough wants to protect the waterfront, "making it available to all citizens, to make sure whatever we do, we do for the majority of the citizens in Clearwater and not isolate one group."

She adds that much of the newer high-rise construction on the beach "is very attractive," but stressed future projects - on the beach and the mainland - should be judged on a case-by-case basis.

"We have to be sensitive to the neighborhoods around that property," she said.

As Carlough campaigns, she's heard residents tell her they are most concerned about property taxes. But she won't comment on whether the city's millage rate (5.42 mills) is too high until the city's Budget Committee Task Force, which is combing through the city's annual spending plan, brings back its report this month.

She doesn't believe the council "wastes money," but, perhaps, city leaders should focus some spending toward projects that will enhance the city's bread and butter - tourism.

"We have to make the best use of the reason why people come to Clearwater," she said. "People come here because we have a really nice beach"

She says the council's biggest strength is its transparency and willingness to listen to residents and hold extra public hearings, as it did during the budget sessions. But she adds that the council sometimes "struggles with little things I feel should be handled quicker."

Carlough weighed in on other city issues:

- On the city's proposal to build boat slips near Coachman Park: "I'm comfortable with (the project). ... We need something to draw the people to the downtown. I'm not saying this is it, but it could be a start." Carlough trusts the city's cash-flow projections and that the project will be a revenue stream for Clearwater.

- On the city's almost $400-million annual budget: "It doesn't matter what we all think; it matters how the citizens feel."

- On Beach Walk: "It's a done deal, it's over. I want it to succeed and I want people to feel the city made the right decision. I want it to be the right decision."

- On whether the city should change to a strong mayor form of government: Carlough said she didn't have enough information to comment.

* * *

Paul Gibson said he has helped oversee billion-dollar budgets over his career, so he doesn't think he'll have a problem looking over Clearwater's annual spending plan.

Disgruntled about high taxes and what he says is a city "not living within its means," Gibson decided to run for office, "in order to ask the tough questions."

He's said he'll use his experience in financial management and help the other council members and city manager find ways to trim the budget, cut programs and, possibly, reduce the city's 5.42 millage rate.

He also wants the council to get a sense of the community, something he says the members don't appear to have.

"They really didn't have a clue" about how disgruntled residents were over taxes until the contentious budget hearings last summer, he said. "I don't really think they've got their arms around the numbers."

Gibson feels all of the city's departments are either adequately funded or overfunded, except for the fire department.

He said he'd like to help rebuild relationships with the firefighters union and the city, something he says Clearwater leaders aren't doing fast enough.

Additionally, the political newcomer says he probably wouldn't vote to approve new projects and would ask the council to direct the city manager to start finding ways to cut programs.

Gibson weighed in on city issues:

- On the boat slip proposal: Gibson supports the idea of putting boat slips along the waterfront, but not with this particular project. He doesn't believe the city's revenue projections and feels the city has overestimated just how many boaters will use the slips.

- On the city's budget: Gibson said taxes need to be cut and wants the city manager to begin looking for ways to reduce costs. "The City Council has not met a new program it's not in love with."

- On Beach Walk: Gibson supports it because it "will bring massive amounts of taxes into the city," but concedes the city should have looked closer at the price tag. City leaders initially said the project would cost roughly $16-million, but it has since risen to more than $30-million. "In the private sector this wouldn't be tolerated. The city always has an excuse. They say that 'this was beyond our control,' but it really isn't if you do your homework."

- On moving to a strong mayor form of government: Gibson doesn't support changing the form of government.

Fast Facts:

About the candidates

Norma Carlough

Age: 70

How long in area: 35 years

Education: Bachelor's degree in journalism from Fairleigh Dickinson University, Rutherford, N.J.

Family: Daughter, son-in-law and two grandsons

Occupation: Retired. Previously worked in the stock and bond division of AT&T; former corporate vice-president with Kapok Tree Inn; Prudential Insurance; and worked as a teacher's assistant and substitute teacher for Pinellas County Schools.

Community service: Serves on the city's Airpark Advisory Board, Citizens Advisory Committee for the Comprehensive Plan and the Citizens Advisory Board for the Metropolitan Planning Organization. Previously served on Clearwater's Environmental Advisory Board.

Hobbies: Gardening and outside work; bicycling; going to the beach.

Paul Gibson

Age: 58

How long in area: 9 years

Education: Bachelor's degree in accounting, Virginia Military Institute, Lexington, Va.

Family: Three daughters

Occupation: Realtor with Re/Max Action First; former president of Food Cart Systems, a mobile food service company; former vice president of UniSite, a telecommunications infrastructure company; former director of investor relations for Northwest Airlines; former director of financial operations for MCI Communications; and former contract manager for Prime Computer.

Community service: Served on the Finance Advisory Committee for Foxborough, Mass.

Hobbies: Boating, jet skiing

[Last modified February 10, 2007, 01:13:41]