Dade City official asks for inquiry

The commissioner questions four incidents involving the mayor and an ex-city manager.

By Times Staff Writer
Published July 21, 2007

DADE CITY - Commissioner Camille Hernandez has asked Gov. Charlie Crist's office to investigate Mayor Hutch Brock and former City Manager Harold Sample for incidents of what she terms "coercion, confabulation, corruption and deceit."

That move prompted Sample, who had been on contract as a consultant during budget preparations, to terminate the contract effective Monday.

"I'm going to continue to help the city," he said Friday. "But for me to be used as a divisive pawn for her personal gain is baloney."

Brock called the allegations "preposterous."

Hernandez could not be reached for comment.

In a July 19 letter addressed to "Governor Charlie Christ," she questioned four incidents involving Brock and Sample.

She said Sample's contract with the city as a consultant is improper because he is now employed by the Dade City Business Center, which she said creates recurring conflicts.

Another conflict, according to Hernandez: Brock is the Business Center's attorney.

But in a meeting June 26, the commission - Hernandez included - agreed by consensus to keep Sample on as a consultant and authorized Brock to negotiate a contract with him.

Two weeks later, she and Commissioner Eunice Penix voted against the contract.

In her letter to the governor, Hernandez also wrote that Brock deceived the commission over the purchase of a former bank building considered for use as the new city hall. The commission backed away from the purchase in November for cost reasons.

Months later, a group of investors including Brock's law partner purchased the building for the headquarters of a newly forming bank.

Hernandez is now crying foul.

"His deceit was motivated by benefit of his business, business associates, and partner who have direct involvement in the entity that bought the bank," she wrote. "The mayor imposes his will to serve the needs of the few at the cost of the many."

She also said Brock "seems to have an interest" in a landfill proposed near Dade City and said he has silenced debate on it at commission meetings.

Finally, she wrote, Brock and other city officials are knowingly violating a state environmental law regarding water quality in the city's water system.

Brock denied the allegations and said he never withheld information from the commission.

Further, he said, he opposes the landfill.

"It's in a bad spot and I don't like it," he said.

[Last modified July 20, 2007, 22:22:23]