Letters to the Editors

Florida Botanical Gardens deserves nothing but praise

© St. Petersburg Times, published March 8, 2001

Re: Penny-fed, Pinellas' garden grew, Feb. 22.

We are certainly disappointed in your fine paper for printing such a negative article about the Florida Botanical Gardens.

Any project worth having is in need of funding. Not all of it needs to come immediately but, like a fine garden, needs to come in stages of development.

To have anything of fine quality, only the best should be purchased. We do not sanction cheap materials or shoddy equipment, which would not be in keeping with our highest motives. Garden people know that anything worth having is going to cost initially. Quality should never be sacrificed.

I am proud to be a patron and supporter. I wholeheartedly support the Florida Botanical Gardens and understand that a garden is not like "instant coffee" -- ready in a minute.

The authors of the article need to grow in experience and develop a positive attitude.
-- Elsie S. Brown, Tarpon Springs

The real scoop on Tarpon Springs building

Re: City records contradict campaign claims, March 4 story.

The Times article concerning the Tarpon Springs public safety building is misleading and incomplete. I stand by the accuracy of my statements, which were made and included in my platform published before Jan. 31, 2001. A memorandum to the mayor and City Commission from the finance director dated June 6, 2000 (copy provided to your reporter), showed the total actual cost of the building to be approximately $5.4-million.

In addition, when the interest expense of $387,000 due to the $2.5-million borrowed to finish the building is added, the total cost becomes $5.79-million. The budget for the public safety building in fiscal year 2000 is $4.8-million, and the latest city staff estimate is $5.02-million. On or after Jan. 31, 2001, the city administration reduced the cost of furnishings, the phone system and police computer upgrades by $400,000 to bring the building into budget.

While I was city manager, the original concept in 1997 was for a building size of approximately 20,000 square feet to satisfy the police, fire and city computer departments' needs, as determined by the police chief and fire chief, at an estimated cost of $2-million to $3-million.

The $3.8-million estimated construction cost developed during a predesign analysis by the architect of the current building in 1998 was for a 32,000-square-foot building that represented a maximum size needed to house the three departments through the year 2019. It did not mean we would necessarily build a building of that size or spend that amount of money at one time. The Tarpon Springs Public Library was planned and sized in a similar manner. Initially, the library was to be built in two phases with the first phase being what we could afford at the time of construction.

Since I left as city manager, the public safety building has grown to 35,000 square feet and will no longer house the city computer department. In effect, there has been a net increase in space for the police and fire departments of 5,000 square feet. At a final cost of $5.02-million, the city will have a public safety building that does not have all functionality and features as originally envisioned.

Moreover, the final cost does not include the $70,000 budgeted for the city's mainframe computer room improvements at City Hall, and as stated previously, the $387,000 in interest expense.

The point is that the mayor and commission cannot eliminate functions and items to reduce overall costs due to campaign pressures, then pay the budgeted amount and claim that the public safety building is within budget.
-- Costa Vatikiotis, candidate for Tarpon Springs mayor

Clearwater commission candidate elaborates

Re: Newcomer leading in Seat 3 money race, Feb. 28 story.

I'd like to take a moment to clarify and expand upon the recent report in your newspaper about my candidacy for the Clearwater City Commission. I believe the voters should hear my positions in full so they do not misinterpret how I would vote as a city commissioner.

As regards beach development, I'm afraid my truncated response in the story may give a misimpression of the level of development I am willing to accept on Clearwater Beach. My stance is that I would support perhaps as many as one or two high-rise resort hotel projects only, in order to jump-start the redevelopment of our beach area. While I would support one or two correct, well-done projects in the right places, I do not support unlimited and uncontrolled development of our beach community and beachfront.

I also must clarify the story's portrayal of my stance toward Scientology. As a candidate, I have not asked anyone his race, creed or religion as I have campaigned. I have not sought the Church of Scientology's support, nor spoken to officials from the Church of Scientology about my candidacy. I was asked by your reporter whether Scientology supported me, and quite honestly, my simple answer is I do not know.

I appreciate the opportunity to amplify my responses so that the voters can make a fully informed decision on Election Day.
-- Hoyt Hamilton, Clearwater

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