City will revisit drainage project

Commissioners votes to go forward with its flood control plan at the Glen Oaks Golf Course but promised to consider neighbors' objections to proposed soccer fields later.

By LEON M. TUCKER, Times Staff Writer
© St. Petersburg Times
published October 4, 2002

CLEARWATER -- If the 40 minutes of testimony didn't do it, then the piercing applause from dozens of residents opposing a drainage project were enough for a second look by city leaders.

Although city commissioners on Thursday approved a work order to start designing the transformation of Glen Oaks Golf Course into a stormwater management site, they said they would revisit the portion of the project that called for the construction of two soccer fields.

"I like the fact that they are going to address the issue," said Brandon Gibbs, who lives at 1411 Turner St., near the golf course, 1345 Court St. "I think it's something that needs to be addressed.

"I don't have any problems with the stormwater drain. If it helps people get out of flood zones, I'm all for that. My issues is mainly for the soccer fields."

Other residents -- sharing Gibbs' concerns about increased noise, overpowering lighting and vagrancy -- said they hoped the commission would eliminate the soccer field from the plan altogether.

"I don't want a soccer field across the street from my house. Hopefully, it won't come to that," said Marc Gaudreau, who lives at 1375 Turner St. "Hopefully, we can come to an agreement that is amenable to everyone in the neighborhood."

Mayor Brian Aungst proposed moving forward with the drainage project but revisiting the construction of the soccer fields when 33 percent of the project has been designed, which will be in about three months.

"We need to move forward with the retention," he said.

The drainage project, which would reduce flooding and pollution along Stevenson Creek, will cost about $4.3-million to protect about 78 nearby apartments and homes.

The project is designed to filter about 16,500 pounds of silt and debris, and hundreds of pounds of other harmful minerals from the creek's water each year.

In other commission news, City Manager Bill Horne received his first performance evaluation. Among the accomplishments commissioners praised were his communication with city workers and residents, and his work ethic.

"It's amazing that over the last six months to a year, I have found myself speaking to him less and less because I know what going on," Aungst said. "We need to continue moving forward with this level of communication.

"The staff loves working for the guy; people feel like they are working with him and not a dictator. I'm very happy with the choice we made, and I'm very happy he hung in there in the interim to fight for the position."

Horne, a retired Air Force colonel, beat out 67 other applicants for the post. In July 2001, when he was promoted from assistant city manager, he became the first African-American to hold the position.

After four years in her job, City Attorney Pam Akin also received an evaluation and also was praised by commissioners.

"So far, so good," Aungst said of her. "I think we have done a good job over the past four years."

-- Leon M. Tucker can be reached at 445-4167 or tucker@sptimes.com.

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