The medication fund

By Times staff writers

© St. Petersburg Times, published July 24, 2000

The proposed county budget for 2000-2001 includes $3,500 for a fund that no one had ever heard of: County Medication.

Was the county using tax dollars to buy Tylenol for staffers who suffer headaches? Or was the money intended for purchase of more exotic pills?

County budget director Cathy Taylor's look of concern turned to a chuckle when she realized the source of the error.

The fund has appeared for years in the county budget, only this time it had a typo. It should have read County Mediation, as in arbitration efforts taken to resolve County Court disputes.

The slip left County Administrator Gary Kuhl wondering whether tranquilizers would help in cases where talking had failed.

"There's some cases where you'd be better off with medication," Kuhl said with a laugh.

WORKING HARD: During a meeting last week, school officials were marveling at the wonders done by departing school district finance chief Sara Perez. It was her last day in Citrus before leaving to take a similar job in the Hernando County schools, and School Board members and Superintendent Pete Kelly were thanking Perez for her part in bringing up the school system's sagging bottom line.

They noted her hard work, the long hours and the skill it took to get the district in such a good place.

School Board attorney Richard "Spike" Fitzpatrick added his own little joke so all the praise wouldn't go to the official's head.

"I think she parks her car here at night and catches a cab home," he said.

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- Staff writers Bridget Hall Grumet, Barbara Behrendt and Greg Hamilton contributed to this report.

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