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Politics

Pushing for a trimmer city

Dunedin's budget, efficiency are top priorities for the three commission candidates.

By Tamara El-Khoury, Times Staff Writer
Published February 10, 2008

ADVERTISEMENT Julie Ward Bujalski, 42, has served on the commission for two years.. Vice Mayor Deborah Kynes, 57, is seeking a fourth term. Political newcomer Arnold "Tony" Scruton, 65, retired in 2006 and wants to use his newfound spare time to help the city.

DUNEDIN - Florida's presidential primary may be over, but election season is just starting in Dunedin.

Three candidates are vying for two open City Commission seats March 11. Incumbents Julie Ward Bujalski and Vice Mayor Deborah Kynes are running for re-election, while Dunedin resident Arnold "Tony" Scruton is making his political debut.

The top two vote-getters will fill the seats. All three candidates agree on one thing: the city's budget is a top priority.

"I think that these are going to be very turbulent times," said Kynes, 57, who is seeking a fourth term. She said the city needs to look for new revenue sources and creative ways to collaborate with other municipalities to work on common goals.

She cited the city's initiative to turn the byproduct of wastewater treatment into biofuel. The city applied for a grant in December to pay for the system.

"That's the kind of innovative thinking we're going to be called upon to do," she said.

The city also needs to finish updating codes and work on revitalizing the city's corridors, including the Dunedin Causeway area, Patricia Avenue, State Road 580 and Douglas Avenue, Kynes said.

Bujalski, 42, who filled the remainder of Bob Hackworth's term when he was elected mayor, has served on the commission for two years. During her term, she spent a day in most of the city's departments. Through that experience, she said, she could see why people complain about the permitting process and the strain special events can have on city staff.

"We're coming up on a very fragile time in government finance and I feel I don't want to be sitting up there in my ivory tower making slashes to our city government," she said. "I want to make sure I have all the information I need for how a department is run and what their contribution is to the city."

Other issues on Bujalski's list are ensuring the city grows responsibly, fully funding the city's master drainage plan, and bringing economic development and jobs to the city.

"We've done a great job downtown," she said. "Now we need to make plans for the rest of the community."

Political newcomer Scruton, 65, retired in 2006 and wants to use his newfound spare time to help the city. He said he will bring managerial and business experience to the city after being in the racehorse industry and then starting a Web site to sell collectible auto parts.

He said he'd like to help create a merchants association for businesses on Patricia Avenue, which have suffered since the departure of Nielsen Media Research in 2005.

He said he would use common sense as a commissioner. Currently, there's too much rehashing of things that have already been said at City Commission meetings, he said.

"I think there's way too much verbiage and rhetoric going on," he said. "I think we can possibly control the verbiage and cut quite a bit of time off these meetings. Get to the point."

Tamara El-Khoury can be reached at tel-khoury@sptimes.com or 727 445-4181.

Deborah Kynes, 57

Family: husband, Allen; daughter Lessley, 27; son Jordan, 25.

Occupation: vice-mayor, attorney

Community involvement: chairwoman of the Tampa Bay Regional Planning Council, past chairwoman and current board member of the Pinellas Suncoast Transit Authority, member of the Dunedin Fine Arts Center and Historical Society.

Source of income: City of Dunedin, Sequoyah House Inc., an Oklahoma nursing home

Assets: home, land in Oklahoma, stocks, bonds

Liabilities: mortgage

Web site: www.deborahkynes.com

Julie Ward Bujalski, 42

Family:husband, Tom; son Thomas, 9.

Occupation: former economic forecaster for Patchington retail chain, city commissioner

Community involvement: liaison to National League of Cities Inclusion Partnership, Small Cities Council and Women in Municipal Government. Past member of the city's Reclaimed Water Citizens Advisory Committee and Emergency Response Team.

Source of income: BMR Holdings LLC, doing business as Patchington, city of Dunedin

Assets: home, retirement account

Liabilities: mortgage

Web site: none

Arnold "Tony" Scruton, 65

Family: wife, Gayl; sons Ryan, Mark; and six grandchildren

Community involvement: Member of Dunedin Historical Society, Dunedin Chamber of Commerce, Council of Organizations, Dunedin Fine Arts Center.

Occupation: retired racehorse trainer, retired owner of SunCoast Bug

Income: Social Security, trusts

Assets: property in Tarpon Springs

Liabilities: mortgage, car payment

Web site: none

[Last modified February 9, 2008, 23:05:12]