A Publication of the Pinellas Planning Council
SPRING 2006
In This Issue...
• Pinellas by Design Wins Prestigious Award • Farewell to Former PPC Members • Welcome Newest PPC Members • Meet This Year’s Officers • Truth in Annexation Worksheet Now Online
Pinellas by Design Wins Prestigious Award
On March 31, the Pinellas by Design initiative (see PPC News, Fall 2005) received the Charles A. McIntosh, Jr. Award of Distinction at the 14th Annual Future of the Region Awards, presented by the Tampa Bay Regional Planning Council. Pinellas by Design was selected from thirty applications to receive this honor.
Each year, the Future of the Region Awards are presented to applicants that demonstrate notable achievement in the categories of community service, culture/sports/recreation, development, the natural environment, infrastructure, and public education. The Charles A. McIntosh, Jr. Award of Distinction is reserved for a single project that touches on many of these categories at once, and that “provides excellence in the region and exhibits distinction in regional visioning.”
Pinellas by Design is a major effort that has transformed the way the Pinellas community thinks about redevelopment. Begun in 2000, it is a collaborative effort by the PPC and the Board of County Commissioners acting through its Economic Development Department. All 25 local governments, the business community, and the general public participated in the process.
The five-year initiative has included three countywide public participation summits, an economic development workshop, three major reports, nine supportive technical memoranda, and the creation of an informational web site (www.PinellasByDesign.org) to serve as a resource for the community.
These efforts culminated in November 2005 with the approval of Pinellas by Design: An Economic Development and Redevelopment Plan for the Pinellas Community, which provides a framework for future redevelopment planning in Pinellas County. The implementation phase of the project has just begun, and will be ongoing for the foreseeable future.
FAREWELL TO FORMER PPC MEMBERS
Commissioner Nadine Nickeson
City of Safety HarborNadine Nickeson served on the Safety Harbor City Commission from 1997 to 2006, and represented the city on the Council during her entire tenure. A Texas native, she is a graduate of the University of Houston and holds a bachelor's degree in microbiology. She also holds a master's degree in public health from the University of Texas.
One of the longest-serving PPC members, Ms. Nickeson has served in a number of officer positions, including chairman in 2002. Her thoughtful approach to planning issues will be greatly missed. The Council expresses its deep gratitude for her many years of public service.
Mayor Robert Jackson
City of LargoRobert Jackson joined the Council in 1999, during his ninth term as a Largo City Commissioner. He was elect-ed mayor in 2000 and served until 2006. A principal in the Pinellas County school system for twenty-nine years, he holds a bachelor's degree from Plymouth State Teachers College, a master's degree from the University of Florida, and a Ph.D. from the University of South Florida. Among other officer positions, he served as chairman in 2004.
Mr. Jackson brought a wealth of knowledge and experience to the Council, as well as a commitment to countywide planning. The PPC will miss his leadership, and bids him a fond farewell.
Commissioner Deborah Martohue
City of St. Pete BeachDeborah Martohue served on the St. Pete Beach City Commission from 2004 to 2006. She represented the cities of St. Pete Beach, Madeira Beach, and Treasure Island on the Council during the same timeframe. A partner in the law firm of Martohue Land Use Law Group, P.A., she holds a bachelor's degree in landscape architecture and a law degree from the University of Florida, and is a member of the American Planning Association and the American Institute of Certified Planners.
Ms. Martohue's expertise in land use law and practice was an asset to the Council, and her many contributions will be missed.
WELCOME NEWEST PPC MEMBERS
Mayor Patricia Gerard
City of LargoMayor Gerard was born in Paterson, New Jersey, but has been a Pinellas County resident for thirty-seven years. She holds a bachelor's degree in psychology and a master's degree in rehabilitation counseling from the University of South Florida, and is the vice-president of Pinellas County programs for Family Resources, Inc.
First serving on the Largo City Commission in 2000, she was elected mayor in 2006. She has participated in many community organizations, including the Florida League of Cities' Criminal Justice Policy Committee, the United Way Council of Executives, and the Largo Public Library Advisory Board. She and her husband, Eric, have one daughter.
Vice-Mayor Andy Steingold
City of Safety HarborA lifelong Floridian, Vice-Mayor Steingold was born in Miami and has lived in Safety Harbor for six years. He holds a bachelor's degree in psychology from the University of South Florida and a law degree from the Cumberland School of Law in Alabama. He is an attorney for the firm of Limberopoulos and Steingold.
Elected to the City Commission in 2005, he has served as vice president of the Safety Harbor Museum Board and president of the Huntington Trails Home Owners Association. He established and serves on the Safety Harbor Neighborhood Advisory Council, and is active in the Safety Harbor Bay restoration program and the National League of Cities. He and his wife, Maryanne, have three children.
Mayor Mary Maloof
City of Treasure IslandMayor Maloof was born in Illinois, but has lived in Treasure Island for twenty-six years. She has studied organizational studies at Eckerd College, focusing on public leadership, and has been a partner in a clothing design and manufacturing business.
First elected to the Treasure Island City Commission in 1997, she served three terms before being elected mayor in 2003. She has also served as a member of the executive committee of the Tampa Bay Regional Planning Council, chairwoman of the Agency on Bay Management, and president of the Gulf Beaches Rotary Club. She and her husband, Eddie, have seven children and five grandchildren.
MEET THIS YEAR’S OFFICERS
Councilmember Hoyt Hamilton
City of Clearwater
ChairmanCouncilmember Hamilton was born in Clearwater. Elected to the City Commission in March 2001, he is past president of the Clearwater Beach Rotary Club, has served on the Clearwater Regional Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors, and represents the city on the Barrier Islands Governmental Council. In addition to his position with the city, he is the general manager of the Palm Pavilion Inn on Clearwater Beach. He and his wife, Sheryl, have two sons.
Mayor Jerry Beverland
City of Oldsmar
Vice-ChairmanMayor Beverland was born in Shelley, Idaho, but has lived in Pinellas County for most of his life. He has a long history of local government experience, beginning with his first term on the Oldsmar City Council in 1970. He was first elected mayor in 1995. The mayor also deals in antiques, which he describes as both a hobby and a business. He and his wife, Wanda, have raised four children and have four grandchildren.
Councilmember Sandra Bradbury
City of Pinellas Park
TreasurerCouncilmember Bradbury was born in New Orleans, but moved to Pinellas Park when she was four years old. She was first elected in March 2002 after serving on the city's Board of Adjustment. She has been recognized by the Pinellas Park Chamber of Commerce for her economic development efforts. When not representing the city, she is the Marketing Team Leader for Sam's Club in Pinellas Park. She and her husband, Kevin, welcomed a newborn son in April.
Mayor Robert Hackworth
City of Dunedin
SecretaryMayor Hackworth was born in Fort Ord, California. A Dunedin resident from 1970 to 1984, he relocated to Colorado, then returned to Dunedin in 1995. He has been a professional runner and cyclist, owner of a sports marketing firm, real estate developer, and partner in an educational publishing company. He first joined the Dunedin City Commission in 2002 and was elected mayor in 2006. He and his wife, Gwynne, have two children.
FOR YOUR INFORMATION
Truth in Annexation Worksheet Now Online
Since November 2000, Council staff has distributed an annual report and computer spreadsheet that allows local governments to estimate taxes, fees, and surcharges for properties in the unincorporated area, and compare them to what they would be in a particular municipality. This program, known as Truth in Annexation, was designed to be administered by local government staff at the request of property owners interested in better understanding annexation and the fiscal impacts associated with being in a municipality.
The program uses the value of the property, average monthly utility bills provided by the property owner, and the local government's millage rate to estimate the cost of services between unincorporated areas and municipalities. The worksheet can only calculate direct measurable costs, and does not include intangible costs and benefits of governance by either a municipality or the unincorporated county. However, a fairly accurate comparison of these direct measurable costs can be estimated.
At its April 2006 PPC meeting, the Council approved a new online version of the Truth in Annexation program to supplement the annual report and spreadsheet. This version is intended for use by citizens without the help of local government staff, and is organized into a question-and-answer format, as shown in the illustration at right. Information pages, accessible via links within the worksheet, help point the user to resources where various pieces of required information (e.g., the taxable value of the property) can be found.
The worksheet is confidential and for the benefit of the user only. The information entered is not recorded in any way, and cannot be viewed by any local government or agency.
With the creation of this online worksheet, the citizens of Pinellas County will be able to estimate potential cost differences before deciding whether to annex into a municipality. It is available on the PPC site, www.pinellasplanningcouncil.org, in the Annexation section.
Upcoming Public Hearing and Meeting Schedule
Planners Advisory
CommitteePinellas Planning
CouncilCountywide Planning
Authority
• June 12, 2006 • July 10, 2006 • September 11, 2006 • October 9, 2006
• June 21, 2006 • July 19, 2006 • September 20, 2006 • October 18, 2006
• July 11, 2006 • August 1, 2006 • October 10, 2006 • November 7, 2005
The Pinellas Planning Council
• Councilmember Hoyt Hamilton, Chairman (Clearwater) • Mayor Jerry Beverland, Vice-Chairman (Oldsmar) • Councilmember Sandra Bradbury, Treasurer (Pinellas Park) • Mayor Robert Hackworth, Secretary (Dunedin) • Mayor Beverley Billiris (Tarpon Springs) • Councilmember Bill Foster (St. Petersburg) • Mayor Patricia Gerard (Largo) • Mayor Dick Holmes (Group C Communities: Belleair, Belleair Bluffs, Gulfport, Kenneth City, Seminole, South Pasadena*) • Vice-Mayor Jerry Knight (Group B Communities: Belleair Beach, Belleair Shore, Indian Rocks Beach, Indian Shores, North Redington Beach*, Redington Beach, Redington Shores) • School Board Member Linda Lerner (Pinellas County School District) • Mayor Mary Maloof (Group A Communities: Madeira Beach, St. Pete Beach, Treasure Island*) • Commissioner John Morroni (Pinellas County) • Vice-Mayor Andy Steingold (Safety Harbor) * Councilmember serves on this governing body
The Countywide Planning Authority
- Commissioner Kenneth T. Welch, Chairman
- Commissioner Ronnie E. Duncan, Vice-Chairman
- Commissioner Calvin D. Harris, Ed.D
- Commissioner Susan Latvala
- Commissioner John Morroni
- Commissioner Karen Williams Seel
- Commissioner Robert B. Stewart
The Pinellas Planning Council Staff
- David P. Healey, Executive Director
- Ryan A. Brinson, Planner
- Michael C. Crawford, Planning Manager
- Dolly Eylward, Office Manager
- Linda Fisher, Program Planner
- Katherine Holt, Office Assistant
- Chris Mettler, Program Planner
- Larry S. Pflueger, Principal Planner
- Michael Schoderbock, Planner
- Carolyn Shoemaker, Administrative Secretary
If you have any questions or comments about this newsletter, please feel free to email us, call us at 727-464-8250, or write to us at:
Pinellas Planning Council
600 Cleveland Street, Suite 850
Clearwater, FL 33755-4160
