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Zephyrhills airport will get extra workers
By BRADY DENNIS © St. Petersburg Times, published February 28, 2001 ZEPHYRHILLS -- There are days when Jim Werme has to neglect paperwork to mow grass. Or stay in the office when there are runways to repair. The Zephyrhills Municipal Airport manager is hoping those days are over. Werme finally got approval Monday from the City Council to hire an operations manager and a full-time staff assistant, but it didn't come easy. On Feb. 12, the council refused to okay the new positions, saying Werme needed to get approval first from the Airport Authority. He did that. He also compiled information about increased fuel sales and the anticipated revenue from leasing Aerocenter, a large hangar that the city bought last year, to show how the airport could afford the new workers and remain profitable. But what appeared to be a formality Monday turned into a split decision. Councilwoman Cathi Compton suggested hiring only one new staffer, at $20,000 a year. "Let's see what transpires over the next three or four months before we go ahead and implement two positions," she said. "I don't understand how one worker at $20,000 won't meet your needs out there." Two weeks earlier, Werme had insisted that wouldn't be enough. "Our staff has worked hard, and we're falling behind in many areas," he said, visibly frustrated. "I wouldn't ask for these people if I didn't need them. We have a shortage already. I need them both." Councilman Tim Ippolito sided with Werme. "I think you've proven yourself," he said. "You've accounted for everything, and you've brought everything back we asked for. I don't see any problem with giving you the two positions." He made a motion, which passed 3-2. Compton and Jim Bailey voted against it. The salaries for the full-time staff assistant and the operations manager will be $19,662 and $28,918, respectively. In other council news, representatives from LPA group, a Tampa-based engineering firm, were on hand to answer questions about the planned second phase of streetscaping downtown. The project will affect State Road 54 from 4th Street to U.S. 301. Plans include resurfacing the street, creating new brick sidewalks and various other landscaping changes. Also Monday, council members agreed to allow Florida Power to place a new payment center inside City Hall. The company, which is closing its Zephyrhills location in August, will pay the city 18 cents for each transaction done at City Hall. City manager Steve Spina said the move was proposed as a matter of convenience for city residents. Also, council members decided to drop a proposed citizens satisfaction survey after they learned it would cost roughly $15,000 to do by phone through the University of South Florida. They discussed a cheaper alternative -- a mail survey, which is considered less accurate -- but discarded that idea as well. "I'd rather us go all out and do something the right way, or not do it at all," said Councilwoman Liz Geiger. City Attorney Tom McAlvanah attended Monday's meeting, his first since undergoing brain surgery to remove a tumor Feb. 14 at H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center in Tampa.
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