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City delays annexation hearing on properties in Tierra Verde

Live-aboards and a dead voter complicate the issue.

By CRISTINA SILVA, Times Staff Writer
Published January 20, 2008

ST. PETERSBURG - Snags in the election process, including a dead man who may be still on the voter rolls, prompted the city to delay a public hearing on a controversial annexation of several parcels in Tierra Verde.

City officials did not mention the dead man Thursday when announcing the postponement, but referred to the possibility that voters are possibly living in a marina on land that could be annexed.

"Belatedly, they've discovered that there are people on live-aboards who are registered to vote," said Dave Healey, executive director of the Pinellas Planning Council. The council acts as an advisory body to the commission on annexations and other issues.

"There was (also) a person who was registered to vote who is now deceased," Healey added.

Healey said the PPC postponed consideration of the proposed annexation Wednesday because of questions concerning the provision of fire service should the lands be annexed. But, Healey said, the voter issue also was mentioned. If voters live there, St. Petersburg would have to choose a different method of annexation.

"I think it's got to be sorted out," Healey said.

Pinellas Supervisor of Elections Deborah Clark did not return messages asking for comment. Instead, she had senior assistant county attorney Betsy Steg speak for her. Steg said that the developer discovered the live voters. But, Steg said, "I don't know that anyone's dead."

Steg said she had no information about why a dead person may have been left on the voter rolls. The elections office usually gets a death certificate, which indicates someone is to be taken off the rolls, she said.

Steg was unable to answer questions about the effect of live voters on the annexation process.

"I'm not the right person to talk to about anything in land-use stuff," she said.

[Last modified January 19, 2008, 21:53:01]