Hernando County looks at reorganizing 'before the hammer falls'

A government report from outgoing administrator Gary Kuhl is delayed, but budget warnings aren't.

By BARBARA BEHRENDT, Times Staff Writer
Published November 7, 2007

ADVERTISEMENT Gary Kuhl's last day as county administrator is Friday. His report is expected today. Commissioner Dave Russell is concerned that the county could see a $15-million drop in revenue next year.

BROOKSVILLE -- County Commissioner Dave Russell closed out Tuesday's lengthy commission meeting with a dire prediction: Next year, the county government could see a $15-million drop in revenue.

"That's why it's so terribly important that we focus now before the hammer falls," Russell said, directing his attention to Gary Kuhl, who was sitting with the commission for the last time as the county administrator.

Russell was waiting for details of a plan Kuhl and deputy administrator Larry Jennings have been crafting for weeks on how to streamline the county government, a move expected to identify cost savings.

Instead, Russell and the rest of the board were told they have to wait a bit longer. Kuhl said the report still needed some finishing touches. It should be ready today; Kuhl's last day as administrator is Friday.

The report already has stirred buzz from county leaders through rank-and-file workers. Some commissioners cited it as the primary reason for keeping Kuhl around for the two months after he gave his notice.

All Kuhl would say Tuesday was that the suggestions he is making in the report bring both bad fortune and opportunity to the county. The county, he noted, will lose senior officials to retirement in the next few years, meaning a loss of institutional memory. But it will also allow leaders to restructure the administration, possibly increasing efficiency without hurting current employees.

Russell has been focused on the plan since Kuhl announced he was leaving. That concern has only intensified as the details of the latest tax reduction package were approved by the Legislature.

Russell said he believes that the legislative proposal, which could double the homestead exemption to $50,000 in addition to other changes, when added to the higher exemption the commission has already approved for low-income senior citizens could cost the county $8.5-million.

Add to that an expected drop in property values by as much as 10 percent next year, plus rising expenses for insurance and other costs, and Russell predicted a $15-million revenue shortage.

While largely mum on his long-awaited plan, Kuhl did spell out for the board the top issues he saw on the horizon. The county budget, to no surprise, topped the list.

He said the county has a good start because it prepares two years of budgets at a time, but he noted, "It's going to be very important to set priorities."

Second on the list was to find more office space for the expanding judiciary. The county is moving forward to use an old hospital billing site on Jefferson Street. Kuhl said that Jennings, who will be the interim administrator until a new administrator can be chosen, will bring forward a request to begin an architectural assessment.

Commissioners also need to monitor the jail contract and jail expansion issues, he said. "That's one of the areas of highest stakes in terms of cost reduction," Kuhl told them.

He also urged them to stay on top of the many capital improvement projects under way, to continue to improve customer service and keep working through development services to make the review process work more efficiently.

Kuhl, who is going to Sumter County to be public works director, received kudos from the board and audience members on Tuesday. Commissioner Jeff Stabins presented him with a farewell gift congratulating him for his services.

In other activity:

• Commissioner Diane Rowden persuaded two other commissioners to hold a workshop on issues related to the growing number of property foreclosures. Rowden cited figures showing that last year there were 729 foreclosures compared to 1,438 this year to date. She is concerned about the health and safety implications of having dozens of homes in the county sitting unoccupied and not maintained for long periods of time. She said the county need not work directly with people on their mortgages but could provide needed information. The county Housing Authority has begun to post some links on the county Web site as resources for people who are close to losing their homes. County officials have also met with other private sector interests who have expressed an interest in being part of the county workshop.

• Commissioners agreed to renegotiate their contract with County Attorney Garth Coller early next year. Commissioner Chris Kingsley raised the question of Coller's monthly $300 vehicle allowance, but other commissioners said to wait until the regular negotiation period, which is early next year. Coller said he had no problem with the commissioners opening issues in his contract at any time. He also said he would be willing to discuss collecting for mileage driven instead of the vehicle allowance. He also said he was willing to keep track of his mileage between now and when his contract is renegotiated. Rowden noted that, with the rising cost of gasoline, $300 a month might turn out to be a bargain.

Barbara Behrendt can be reached at behrendt@sptimes.com or (352) 848-1434.

[Last modified November 6, 2007, 21:36:32]