Digest

Around the bay

By TIMES WIRES
Published July 12, 2007

LARGO

Well-traveled road reopens early 

Bryan Dairy Road reopened at 5 p.m. Wednesday - eight days ahead of schedule.

The news likely will delight motorists who haven't been able to use the usually busy east-west corridor since June 29.

The $620,000 project required closing a 400-foot section just west of Belcher Road and east of Starkey Road so CSX Transportation could repair a railroad crossing.

Why was work finished early?

Favorable weather conditions were cited, plus good cooperation between Pinellas County's public works, contractor E.L. Trevena, engineering consultant TBE Group and CSX, said Mahshid Arasteh, county public works transportation director.

Crews also used early-curing concrete and machine vibratory compaction to help speed things up. The crews worked around the clock.

Arasteh said 984 people called a hotline that offered alternative routes.

The road closure was a concern not only for local residents but for at least 80 companies in the area. Bryan Dairy carries 50,000 vehicles daily.

TAMPA

Superintendent won't seek state post

Hillsborough superintendent MaryEllen Elia is not interested in becoming Florida's next education commissioner.

She was thinking about applying for the open job, but ruled it out Wednesday.

"I'm committed to Hillsborough County," Elia said. "We've got some great work going on with the School Board and all of our schools and all of our employees."

Elia, 58, was named Hillsborough's first female superintendent two years ago. She has spent 21 years in the school system, starting as a reading resource specialist. The deadline to apply for the state education post is Friday.

BROOKSVILLE

Judges ordered off county's civil cases

Saying he wanted to avoid any perception of conflict of interest amid the continuing debate about adequate courtroom space, the chief judge of the 5th Circuit has ordered Hernando judges to recuse themselves from civil cases involving the county.

Judge Daniel Merritt Sr. said his order was not meant to put pressure on county commissioners to find or provide funding for new court space.

But at least one county commissioner said that the move puts pressure on the county at a time when the commission is being asked to cut spending.

DUNEDIN

Commissioners cut their travel budget

Just one day into their work on next year's budget, city commissioners on Tuesday reduced by half proposed cuts for not-for-profit groups and made up part of the difference by cutting their own travel budget.

Tuesday night's workshop marks the beginning of the commission's annual ritual of deciding how the city will spend the $34-million in operating funds starting Oct. 1.

Because the Legislature told local governments to roll back property tax collections, Dunedin will collect roughly $1.3-million less in 2007-08.

Commissioners opted to save $10,000 by cutting their travel budgets in half.

NEW PORT RICHEY

School tax picture means tough choices

Pasco County property owners likely will see a slight decrease in their school district tax rate in November.

Now the bad news: Just about everything else in the district's financial picture is bad news, thanks to the looming loss of $12-million in state funding for the year.

If that 4 percent cut comes to pass in a September special legislative session, the district could face some tough choices that no one wants to make.

"The last thing that we would cut would be anything that affects the classroom," School Board Chairwoman Marge Whaley said Tuesday during a budget workshop.

Elsewhere

MOSI SCHOOL: Hillsborough school officials are finalizing plans to open an elementary school at the Museum of Science and Industry in August. The district wants the classrooms, used by charter schools in recent years, to relieve crowding at Shaw Elementary. The new school would serve about 300 students.

COMMISSION CANDIDATE: John Druzbick, a 12-year veteran of the Hernando County School Board, plans to run as a Republican candidate for the County Commission seat held by Democrat Diane Rowden. Druzbick, 55, will first have to face at least one other candidate - Wayne Dukes - in the GOP primary.

[Last modified July 12, 2007, 03:08:09]