After convictions, a house cleaning

This week, the Times looks back at the highlights of the year 2007. Today, we examine several significant news events, from the turmoil at the Brooksville Housing Authority to the numerous raids on drug houses around the county.

By DAN DeWITT, Times Staff Writer
Published January 2, 2008

---

2007

year in review

BROOKSVILLE - The long-circulating rumors of corruption at the Brooksville Housing Authority proved to be true during 2007.

The agency's top staffers for nearly three decades, executive director Betty Trent and retired program manager Joe Ann Bennett, entered the year facing federal indictments that they had stolen more than $40,000 in federal funds intended to refurbish low-income housing.

Both Trent and Bennett were convicted, and the Brooksville City Council removed the authority board members who had been on the job as the corruption festered. The new board quickly divided over the issue of new executive director Ronnie McLean. One faction supported him; the other called him dishonest and inexperienced.

To break this logjam, the council had to start over. They backed Mayor David Pugh Jr., who asked four of the members to resign. Three did, and the council removed the fourth, chairman Steve Zeledon, last month.

Their replacements may do what boards are often reluctant to do, vote themselves out of existence. After the federal Department of Housing and Urban Development labeled the authority "troubled," Pugh said the city may be better off getting out of the public housing business and turning the authority over to the Hernando County Housing Authority.

McLean said he has a strong argument for staying on the job. Under his direction, the authority has refurbished several long-neglected apartments and the number of vacancies has dropped from 16 to three since he was appointed in June.

The authority, he said in November, "is moving in the right direction."

Dan DeWitt can be reached at dewitt@sptimes.com or 352 754-6116.