County to await city's next move on utility

By ALISA ULFERTS

© St. Petersburg Times, published March 22, 2000

DADE CITY -- County commissioners have temporarily shelved plans to study Lindrick Service Corp. until after Port Richey's March 28 deadline to buy the utility.

Commissioners had been scheduled to vote on almost $50,000 worth of contracts to have an engineering firm review Lindrick's wastewater collection system and another consultant determine the utility's worth.

But they decided Tuesday it would be premature to spend the money until after March 28, the deadline Lindrick owner Joe Borda gave Port Richey to decide whether it wants to go through with the purchase of the utility.

"I just don't feel that we should get involved with this right now," Commission Chairwoman Pat Mulieri said.

"I don't think this is our job as the county."

Commissioner Ann Hildebrand, who originally asked that the county study all the sales proposals floating around (Borda has shopped the utility to Pasco County, Port Richey and New Port Richey), said she was disappointed that the commission decided to wait a week. Hildebrand is a Lindrick customer, and she has said she wouldn't mind seeing the county buy the utility, though not at the current price.

Commissioner Steve Simon said he was concerned that the county could be held liable by Lindrick for interfering with its agreement with Port Richey, especially if the county's consultants decide the utility is worth less than the almost $15-million Port Richey has offered.

But Simon said he is concerned that about 10,000 county residents in Lindrick's service area would have no say, either before the city of Port Richey or the Public Service Commission, in their utility rates should Lindrick be sold to the city.

"If we can cause that (Port Richey's agreement) not to go through without any liability, I think we should do it," Simon said.

But all that will wait for at least a week, while the county determines where Lindrick and Port Richey are in their negotiations.

In other action Tuesday, commissioners voted to delay the adoption of a proposed wildlife ordinance for another month after receiving requests from two advisory councils that review proposed ordinances. Commissioners said they also received countless letters and other information from residents, wildlife experts and developers who wanted amendments to the ordinance. Pasco's ordinance, based largely on Hillsborough County's, requires environmental investigations on projects larger than 50 acres. Depending on the fragility of the land, smaller projects may also have to comply.

- Times staff writer Alisa Ulferts covers Pasco County government. She can be reached in west Pasco at 869-6244 or (800) 333-7505, ext. 6244. Her e-mail address is ulferts@sptimes.com.

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