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By Compiled by SHARON KENNEDY WYNNE
© St. Petersburg Times, published December 17, 2000
Advisers slam studies of toxic site
TARPON SPRINGS -- The studies the federal government plans to use to evaluate the controversial cleanup plan for the Stauffer Chemical Superfund Site drew more jeers thans cheers from technical advisers hired by a citizens watchdog group.
At stake is the groundwater around the 130-acre piece of Anclote River property, once a phosphorus processing plant, near the Pinellas-Pasco border. Under public pressure, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency agreed in September to step back from legally committing Stauffer's parent companies to its mound-and-cap cleanup plan until more tests were completed. Many residents contend those tests should have been done before selection of the mound-and-cap plan.
Now the technical advisers hired by the Pinellas-Pasco Technical Advisory Group, a local citizens watchdog group known as Pi-Pa-TAG, say the proposed studies are flawed, incomplete and ultimately will fail to answer whether the cleanup plan is safe.
A Stauffer spokesman said the company's consultants are reviewing the comments and will submit responses to the EPA later this month.
ST. PETERSBURG -- The crowded race for mayor of St. Petersburg blew wide open Tuesday when David J. Fischer announced that he will not seek a fourth term.
Fischer, who presided as mayor during downtown disappointment and development, the debut of Major League Baseball and violent disturbances that exposed racial rifts in the city, would have faced a bruising mayoral race against nine other candidates full of criticism of his administration.
Fischer had previously told friends that he would seek re-election. But in recent days, some of those closest to him sensed he had reconsidered.
"I think he truly had not made a definite decision up until the last few days or hours," said Don McRae, Fischer's chief of staff.
CRYSTAL RIVER -- Crystal River is roiling with staff turnover as the city deals with the fallout from the City Council's decision not to renew the city manager's contract.
The turmoil continued last week when building official Walter Brown announced his resignation.
Brown, whose 11/2 years with the city gives him more experience than most ranking staff members, rebuked the council Monday night for refusing to give "plausible reasons" for not extending David Sallee's contract, and said he was asked "to use the powers of my position to play political games."
Meanwhile, Sallee, Crystal River's seventh city manager in 10 years, said he fears the team he brought together may be dissolving.
"Talented people want stability, and talented people are mobile," Sallee said.
CLEARWATER -- In a series of votes Tuesday, the Clearwater City Commission moved on its plans to build a new spring training stadium for the Philadelphia Phillies, although two neighborhoods announced they are considering legal action to block it.
"This boat has so many holes in it, we're surprised it's still floating," said Dennis Roper, a representative of the Northeast Clearwater Regional Homeowners Group, which represents College Hill and Rolling Heights residents.
Commissioners nevertheless voted to borrow up to $14-million next year and issue bonds that will be paid off with money from Pinellas County and the state's program to finance spring training facilities.
DADE CITY -- Pasco County commissioners' attempt to put cell towers on hold while they try to draw up some regulations met strong resistance from the fast-growing industry.
In an exploding industry such as wireless, a delay of even three months could be harmful, said Michael Howe, an attorney for the Bradenton-based American Tower Corp.
"People are clamoring for it," Howe said of the need for better cellular service. Other industry representatives insisted wireless communication was no longer a luxury but a necessity. They quoted figures that they said showed 36 percent of Florida's 4,000 daily 911 calls are made over cell phones.
County officials say they want 90 days to hire an expert to consider placement of cell towers and design standards. Commissioners expect to consider the ordinance at their Jan. 3 meeting.
A study commissioned by state lawmakers offers little support for the push to create new universities in Florida, including in Pinellas County, where a state senator wants to spin off a campus of the University of South Florida.
The study by the Education Commission of the States notes that Pinellas was not well served by USF in the past. But it says the university is now "moving rapidly to address the concerns of the community."
That's all good news to USF administrators, who want dearly to keep control of their branch campuses in Pinellas and Sarasota/Manatee counties.
The study notes that only Broward County can expect enough population growth over the next decade to justify a significant increase in undergraduate capacity. In Pinellas growth is projected at about 6 percent. That is considerably less than the 16 percent expected statewide.
BROOKSVILLE -- Hernando County Judge Peyton Hyslop, who has been at odds with local police and judges over bail for defendants, has been named one of America's worst judges by Reader's Digest in a story set to hit newsstands this month.
The conservative-leaning magazine focused on four judges from across the United States who the magazine says fail to "measure up." Hyslop is painted as too lenient.
In October, the Florida Supreme Court upheld Hyslop's right to lower bail amounts at first appearances. The ruling effectively nullified an order issued by an administrative judge forbidding first-appearance judges to change bail amounts set on arrest warrants.
Setting unreasonably high bail in effect imposes a sentence without a trial, Hyslop said.
"I think it's odd that what is essentially an editorial is not designated as such," Hyslop said of the article. "I believe I'm following the law, and I've been upheld by the Florida Supreme Court in a 7-0 opinion, whatever that's worth these days."
On Thursday, the Pasco County mother accused of killing one of her children last year will face a long-awaited competency hearing. Kristina Gaime, 36, was charged in May 1999 with the death of her son, Mathew Rotell, 6. She is also charged with the attempted murder of her other son, Adam, now 9. Authorities say Gaime drugged the boys and put them in the family's minivan, then directed the exhaust into the cabin with the three of them inside. Defense attorneys will claim she was insane at the time.
The staff of Tampa Bay Water, the major water supplier for the area, will take the grim message to its board members Monday that even if all outdoor watering were banned immediately, it won't make up for the shortage caused by the extended drought in west-central Florida. And Swiftmud, the regional water managers, likely will weigh in on the drought and its fallout when it meets Tuesday.