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Letter to the editor

Two Dunedin leaders deserve another term

By Times Recommends
Published February 24, 2008

ADVERTISEMENT Julie Ward Bujalski asks good questions and is dedicated. Deborah Kynes shares useful ideas from her other roles.

The Dunedin City Commission will make important decisions this year on which city functions to fund with a revenue stream severely pinched by falling property values and the voters' passage of Amendment 1. This is a time for residents to consider carefully the people running for local offices. Who will be up to a challenge of such magnitude?

In Dunedin's March 11 city election early voting starts Monday at county supervisor of elections offices, three people are seeking two seats on the Dunedin City Commission. The top two vote-getters win.

Two of the three candidates are incumbents seeking re-election. Julie Ward Bujalski, 42, was elected two years ago to finish out the commission term of Bob Hackworth, who was elected mayor. She is seeking her first full three-year term. Deborah Kynes, 57, has been a commissioner since 1999 and wants another three years.

The newcomer in this race is Arnold "Tony" Scruton, 65, an Ohio native who moved to Dunedin from Tarpon Springs about 10 years ago. He is a former racehorse trainer and was a dealer in classic automobile parts until he retired a year ago.

The St. Petersburg Times has studied the candidates and their backgrounds and makes its editorial recommendations here. In the coming week, the Times will make its editorial recommendations on four city charter amendments also on the ballot.

For City Commission: Bujalski and Kynes

While revenue is the overriding priority of city officials this year, there are numerous other issues of importance to be tackled. How will the city attract growth and new jobs to keep Dunedin thriving in a national economic downtown? How should the city respond to complaints that city government focuses too much attention on downtown while other areas stagnate? How will the city solve flooding problems in some neighborhoods? Should the city buy the so-called Weaver property to preserve waterfront land for the public? How can the city ensure that new development in the city is compatible with what exists there now?

Knowledge and experience on the commission are vital. That makes the incumbents, Bujalski and Kynes, our favorites in this race.

Bujalski had little experience with government when she ran for office two years ago. She was on the receiving end of harsh judgments by some residents. And after she won election to the commission, she committed some freshman errors.

However, Bujalski has worked extremely hard to prove herself to the community. She quit her job as an economic forecaster with Patchington so she could spend all the hours necessary to master a steep learning curve. She enrolled in training sessions, spent time in city departments, asked lots of questions and actually studied the documents that cross commissioners' desks. She kept her chin up when subjected to criticism from the public and sniping fellow commissioners.

Bujalski still has some things to learn - she must be careful not to monopolize the time of city staff and would be smart to make her comments more efficiently at city meetings - but she asks good questions, is a dedicated public official and has earned, we believe, a full term.

Deborah Kynes, an attorney who currently doesn't practice law, also gets our vote. We admit being frustrated at times by Kynes' rambling comments in city meetings and what seems to be a lack of attention to details. Perhaps she is just overextended - she is the current chairwoman of the Tampa Bay Regional Planning Council, serves on the board of directors of the Pinellas Suncoast Transit Authority and the Pinellas Center for Girls, and sits on numerous other boards and committees that are local, regional or statewide in focus.

While Kynes might want to consider cutting back on those roles to bore in on Dunedin issues during this challenging time, that work outside the city also has broadened her skill set. Kynes picks up useful ideas in her other roles and brings them home to Dunedin. She knows what has worked in other places or is familiar with innovations being tested elsewhere. For example, she is informed and enthusiastic about Dunedin's pursuit of a grant to convert the sludge derived from sewage treatment into a biofuel to power vehicles. She is looking into ways to collaborate with other governments to save money. She is ready to consider privatization of some city functions for the same reason.

In a number of ways, Bujalski and Kynes think alike. Both deserve credit for voting to hire City Manager Rob DiSpirito, an outstanding manager and leader. Both candidates believe the city should cautiously proceed with study of the Weaver property until they know what it is worth; neither is prepared to make a decision for or against buying it yet. Both want several of the city's main traffic corridors, including State Road 580 and Causeway Boulevard, beautified to improve their appearance and attract new businesses. Both believe the city needs to update its codes so they support the city's vision when it comes to growth, economic development and compatibility.

The third candidate in this race, Tony Scruton, calls himself a "commissioner in training," and we agree that he needs more familiarity with city business, especially the city budget, before taking on the job of commissioner in these tough times.

The Times recommends votes for Julie Ward Bujalski and Deborah Kynes for Dunedin City Commission on March 11.

HOW TO RESPOND

Candidates not recommended by the Times may submit a written response for publication. Responses should be no more than 300 words and may not attack opponents. They should be submitted by 5 p.m. Wednesday to Diane Steinle, St. Petersburg Times, 710 Court St., Clearwater, FL 33756. Or they may be faxed to 445-4119 or e-mailed to steinle@sptimes.com.

[Last modified February 24, 2008, 00:38:05]