City of Fort Pierce to FPUA: Increase the Revenue

On December 21, the City of Fort Pierce Commission, in a special meeting (not televised and without public comment) voted to approve resolutions that would increase water, waste water and gas rates, increase the transfer from the FPUA to the City, allow the utility to use the Public Services Commission index to set future rates, and most importantly, prevent future rate decreases. The Commission renewed its quest for more revenue from the utility last summer when city commissioners, acting with information provided by city finance staff, directed the utility to move all or a portion of its Power Cost Adjustment (a month-to-month additional charge based on fluctuating fuel costs and a pass-through cost from the utility to the Florida Municipal Power Agency, FMPA). After a series of meetings, the FPUA agreed, with the caveat that even though there might not be immediate increases in electric rates, the utility would be unable to reduce rates, as it had planned to do in April of 2012. Bottom line: the city will get an additional $1.5 million to spend each year that will come directly from the ratepayers. The city is facing budget shortfalls in 2013 and 2014. At the December 19 city commission meeting, on the consent agenda, the commission voted to give each employee a $100 Christmas bonus (total of $35,100), and voted for a $15,000 reimbursement to Main Street for the money spent on the Christmas Parade on December 4, 2011.

Westbury on Naughty and Nice

Anthony Westbury: Watch out, we're making those lists again
By Anthony Westbury

Monday, December 19, 2011

It's that time again, when we cast a jaundiced eye back over the year and nominate the public figures who've behaved badly. Yes, it's time for The Naughties of 2011.

The Nices will run on Christmas Day. Enjoy.

The champ this year, with a small multitude of people behaving badly, has to be The Wedding.

In late May, Clerk to the Circuit Court Joe Smith married former assistant county attorney Heather Lueke. The couple decided to have their reception at the Fenn Center in Fort Pierce.

The Fenn Center was built in 2008 as a special-needs shelter. Someone at the county had the bright idea of boosting revenues by going into the wedding business. Worse, that person decided to "award" a lavish reception to the Smiths for PR purposes. Bad move, very bad PR.

The Smiths paid a much-discounted rate for the room. What made it worse was a whistle-blower's account of expensive additional fixtures and items that were bought with taxpayer money to gussy up the place. Smith claims he was unaware they were getting a very special deal and that somewhere around $20,000 in public money had been spent on his nuptials.

The idea of making the Fenn Center pay for itself wasn't a bad one; what was dumb was giving the freebies away to a relatively well-paid public official.

Parks and Recreation Director Debra Brisson fell on her sword over The Wedding and there could be more casualties to come. Rarely have so many intelligent people acted without thinking.

Redrawing municipal election districts is a process that occurs every 10 years to take into account population changes and to prevent "gerrymandering," or tailoring district boundaries so they benefit only one candidate.

Leave it up to Port St. Lucie to do the job by gerrymandering a sitting councilwoman out of her own seat. A committee redrew the lines that put Michelle Berger's home in a different district from the one she represents. If it had stood, that would have meant that Berger couldn't run for re-election in 2012.

White Knight Jack Kelly rode to the rescue and drew up a little map of his own. Cartographic honors to Kelly and a rap on the knuckles for the committee.

The city of Fort Pierce weighs in at No. 4 for intransigence in supplying a citizen with details of recent city pension payouts. The citizen, mayoral candidate Linda Hudson, asked the same thing from the county and PSL and received answers from them in very short order.

It took Fort Pierce several weeks, they said, because of staff shortages and vacations. This is a repeat performance from the city on requests like this. Seems those big windows at City Hall still don't let in much sunshine.

A couple of court cases this year show D-list celebrities and sports stars better watch out if they're being naughty in St. Lucie County.

First, former teen heartthrob David Cassidy was pulled over on the Turnpike in late 2010 for close encounters with wine, pain pills and a bottle of expensive bourbon. He was sentenced to probation for driving under the influence in February this year.

Then there was Molly Hatchet guitarist Dave Hlubek, who got into trouble for allegedly driving after drinking at a Fort Pierce arcade. He got off because no one actually saw him drink and drive.

Slugger Miguel Cabrera may be hoping for the same verdict.

He was arrested Feb. 16 when a St. Lucie County sheriff's deputy spotted the ballplayer's vehicle on Okeechobee Road, with smoke coming from under the hood. Cabrera was calmly drinking from a bottle of Scotch at the scene.

His trial is expected to take place in January. An exasperated County Judge Cliff Barnes was moved to say, "This case can't go on for a year. It's a DUI case, not a murder."

Cabrera's defense is expected to be that he wasn't actually driving when he consumed the booze.

After a mention in The Naughties a few years back, Port St. Lucie Assistant City Manager Greg Oravec and I didn't talk for a long time. While Oravec has been on good behavior this year, there was a lapse at the St. Lucie County Chamber of Commerce Adult Spelling Bee in October.

Oravec was seen on stage cavorting in a large pink pair of women's panties, popularly believed to belong to former councilwoman Jane Rowley, a fellow spelling team member.

I noticed the chamber didn't include these incriminating shots on its website. As a champion of the people's rights, we submitted a public records request for them. Tongue in cheek, Oravec replied that the documents should be exempt from Sunshine Law requirements because they were part of an economic development effort to recruit a panty manufacturer to the city.

"And," Oravec wrote, "as you can see from the size of the panties, they would have employed a large number of our citizens."

Thanks, Greg, for getting into the spirit of the Naughties. Glad to have you back. Anthony Westbury is a columnist for Scripps Treasure Coast Newspapers. This column reflects his opinion. For more on St. Lucie County topics, follow his blog at TCPalm.com/westbury. Contact him at 772-409-1320 or anthony.westbury@scripps.com.
http://www.tcpalm.com/news/2011/dec/19/anthony-westbury-watch-out-were-making-those/

Florida Public Records and Sunshine Law meeting, November 28

Local government representatives and the public in the 19th Circuit are invited to a presentation on the Florida Public Records and Sunshine Law on Monday, November 28, 2011, at the Indian River County Commission Chambers, 1801 27th St, Bldg. A, Vero Beach. The Vero Beach City attorney is a sponsor, along with State Attorney and Florida Attorney General officials. For more information, call 772-978-4730. This is a public meeting,the public is invited and there is no need for advance reservations.

I plan to take advantage of this learning opportunity and look forward to seeing City of Fort Pierce staff and others there.

The Billboard

My billboard is on south U.S. Highway # 1, on the west side, facing south. A letter to the editor questioned why I was campaigning so early and with such a big commitment. Here's a response to that letter.

Letter: Hudson views it as important to get word out to many new voters in Fort Pierce next year

Elloise M. Packer, Port St. Lucie

Tuesday, November 15, 2011

Elloise M. Packer, Port St. Lucie

Letter: Hudson views it as important to get word out to many new voters in Fort Pierce next year

I thank John Mann for writing that Linda Hudson, who is running for mayor of Fort Pierce, "would take no salary if elected." His letter is helping get that conversation out.

This is the first time that the city of Fort Pierce elections will coincide with national elections. Previously, city elections were held in off years and the turnout was very low compared with state and national elections. In the August primary and the November general election of 2012, many more voters will be participating in choosing the mayor of Fort Pierce for the first time ever.

Because of off-year elections and annexations, the city of Fort Pierce has many voters in the southern part of the city who have never voted in a city election before. The billboard is the most visible and cost-effective way to reach those voters, and to get voters focused on what is happening in the city government.

What better choice than Linda Hudson, who is a native of Fort Pierce, and whose only "agenda" is the very best for the city?

http://www.tcpalm.com/news/2011/nov/15/letter-hudson-views-it-as-important-to-get-word/

November 9 Campaign Launch

November 9, 2011... It was a great crowd of family and friends. I was humbled and proud that such a fun group of supporters and well-wishers came to the launch party and stayed to meet new friends and get reacquainted with old friends.

Here is the text of my presentation there:

Thank you all for being here tonight.

About five years ago, I began attending the city budget meetings. Since then, I’ve attended many budget workshops, requested public records, studied the budgets, asked questions of commissioners and urged action for and against many ideas and schemes. One constant theme of mine was to stop spending and stop the red ink of debt.

For the past two years, I served on the citizen’s budget advisory committee. Our recommendations challenged the thinking of elected and staff leaders. It brought to the forefront in a formal way how citizens think tax dollars should be spent in Fort Pierce.

A New Beginning in Ft. Pierce: What does a new beginning mean?

The City should spend money wisely and carefully.

The city has a budget of slightly over $30 million and debt at $95 million. In 2013, the city must pay $5 million for debt…money for past spending on property and a parking garage. Over-spending has caught up with our city. There must be serious spending reductions for every non-essential city function. Personnel costs make up the major part of city spending; pension and health insurance costs alone total $5 million.

City government should place service to its citizens above all else.

City Hall exists to serve the citizen; the citizens don’t exist to feed the spending habits of city hall. Residents are not “revenue streams,” but we are human beings who want to live or work in Ft. Pierce and prosper here. If we prosper, then the city expands its revenue.

We need a city government that lives within its means; operates in the black and not the red; puts the private sector ahead of the public sector; and puts the taxpayer ahead of everyone.

I plan not to take a salary or benefits. I will not take a car allowance, or even two car allowances. My family and friends will not be hired to be city government workers.

The city should spend tax dollars on what is essential to serve the public.

Public safety should be our number one priority: Our streets and neighborhoods should be safe. A safe city improves the business climate and the lives of our residents.

Our utilities should be efficient and affordable. We must find a way to lower utility rates so that businesses and residents can afford them.

City hall practices should improve the business climate to keep and attract businesses and bring jobs to the community.

A New Beginning in Ft. Pierce means:

No more government real estate speculation on property

No more wild, costly schemes that benefit a few, instead of benefitting the many, like the South Bridge reconfiguration

No more edicts that don’t make sense, like moving the Farmers’ Market permanently

If I’m elected, I will not lose sight of those who elected me.

Thank you for being here tonight. This event is as much about you as it is me. To those who have contributed, I say thank you too. To those who have offered to help in my campaign, I am very grateful for your time. If you have questions or concerns about anything, please don’t hesitate to email or call me.

I will do my best to provide open, honest public service.

Linda Hudson, Candidate for Mayor of Fort Pierce in 2012

FPUA-CFP Agree on Increased Transfer Method

I attended the joint meeting of the FPUA and the City of Fort Pierce Commission, where they worked their way to agreement on an increase in the transfer from the utility to the city. The compromise will probably add a little over a million each year to city coffers. UA Board member Mike Perri expressed his misgivings about possible rate increases in the future. While UA Director, Bill Thiess, said he thought they could increase the transfer in the next five years without increases, he also said planned decreases in the electric rate would probably not happen. The utility already has planned increases in water and waste water rates and the power cost adjustment is a fluctuating rate. The utility also won the ability to adjust rates based on the public service commission's deflator index, a kind of consumer price index for utilities. Commissioner Sessions objected strongly to the utility's proposal to advance monies in 2012, because of the expectation of payback from the city. Sessions said he felt like he was borrowing and paying back what was rightfully the city's money. Commissioner Becht has pushed for the increased transfer because he said it's fair to the utility and the city.

http://www.tcpalm.com/news/2011/oct/31/fort-pierce-utilities-officials-agree-to-pass/

Fort Pierce, utilities officials agree to new method of annual transfer

By Laurie Blandford laurie.blandford@scripps.com 772-409-1328

Originally published 06:12 p.m., October 31, 2011
Updated 07:54 p.m., October 31, 2011

FORT PIERCE — City and Fort Pierce Utilities Authority officials agreed they didn't want to increase electric rates as they proceed with a new method in calculating the amount of money the authority annually transfers to the city.

The City Commission and authority board met for a Monday afternoon workshop and agreed to move a large amount of the power cost adjustment into the rate part of electric bills. Officials said the adjustment is a pass-through cost to the authority's power provider, Florida Municipal Power Agency, to cover the fluctuating price of fuel.

The commission and board still have to give final approval to the new method at their next meetings.

Each year, the city receives 6 percent of the authority's total revenue. It received nearly $5 million last year.

But the adjustment hasn't been included in the transfer since 1994.

City officials wanted to include the adjustment in the total revenue so the city would receive an extra $1.5 million annually and help balance about $6 million in future budget deficits.

Authority officials came up with a compromise.

Residents' electric bills consist of two parts: the rate and the adjustment. The rate consists of the base rate to run the utility at $42.32 per 1,000 kilowatt hours and the base power cost at $49.52 per 1,000 kilowatt hours. The adjustment is $35 per 1,000 kilowatt hours.

Authority officials proposed moving $30 from the adjustment to the rate, which would give the city about an extra $1 million annually.

Authority Director Bill Thiess said the extra transfer would be done without a rate increase to residents, but it lessens the authority's ability to decrease rates in the future.

Instead of increasing residents' rates, the authority would make up the extra money going to the city by eliminating a rate decrease planned for next year.

But board member Michael Perri said Monday officials were making "a big mistake" and suggested instead raising the percentage annually transferred to the city.

"You can't convince me that down the road it won't affect the ratepayers," Perri said. "This is stealing from them."

Since the city won't see any of the extra money until 2013, officials agreed to set up the option for the city to borrow from the authority's $1.25 million in reserves next year if needed.

Still, officials must get approval from the authority's bondholders, which are two insurance companies, to change the way the annual distributions are calculated.

Thiess said he planned to send the proposed new method Tuesday to the authority's bond counsel.

City Manager: Goals, objectives and annual evaluations, in writing

When David Recor was hired as City Manager in 2008, his contract called for written evaluations by the Commission. This TC Palm Editorial calls on the Commission to establish written goals and objectives and to conduct annual, written evaluations. Since Commissioners cannot act in concert out of the Sunshine, these written documents must be aired and discussed at public meetings. Other city staff who report to the Commission include the city attorney and city clerk. The chief of police is hired by the city manager, and reports to him, but his hiring or firing must have the consent of the commission.

Editorial: Fort Pierce City Commission must establish formal evaluation system for city manager

Fort Pierce City Commission must establish procedures on goals related to operation of city administration

By Editorial Board

Sunday, October 30, 2011

Fort Pierce City Manager David Recor was pretty thoroughly raked over the coals recently by members of the City Commission before they agreed in a 3-2 vote not to terminate Recor's contract with the city.

Clearly, Recor is on shaky ground, though he believed going into the meeting that he had the votes to survive.

The manner in which the showdown over his job performance played out, however, was not in anyone's best interest.

Recor remains as city manager working for five members of the City Commission. There need to be some changes in how that relationship is to continue so that it is handled in a more civil and more professional manner.

City commissioners must set some goals and objectives for Recor so he better understands what is expected of him. There should not be a diverse and contradictory set of goals laid out by five individual members that could be impossible to meet. The commission must come together on goals and set them out in writing. What is told to him behind closed doors by individual commissioners must be consistent with what is said in public.

Because commissioners have not evaluated the city manager in writing, confusion might have reigned. Each commissioner should evaluate Recor within the next three months based on goals established to get the process started. At a minimum, the city manager should be given a written evaluation from each commissioner annually, before renewal of his contract.

The written goals and evaluations are not a perfect system in judging expectations and results. As Commissioner Eddie Becht said in addressing what he felt were Recor's shortcomings, "We're not asking David to change his shirt. We're asking him to change his character." But, a more professional and formal procedure should be an improvement over how the relationship operates now.

With the tension now between some commissioners and Recor, it would not be surprising if Recor were to more aggressively seek career opportunities elsewhere. It is incumbent, therefore, for commissioners to establish an orderly plan of succession should Recor or any future city manager for Fort Pierce suddenly leave, be terminated or become incapacitated. Someone needs to have the training and, if possible, the certification to take on that role in the interim. That doesn't necessarily mean re-establishing the position of assistant city manager. It does mean having someone available to fill in the position of city manager if the need arises.

The disagreements between some city commissioners and Recor did not come about overnight. They have been building for years. It's unlikely they will suddenly go away. But, hopefully, some lessons have been learned and actions taken so the operation of city government will be somewhat more functional.

FPUA/CFP transfer not settled, Oct 31, next meeting

For one and a half hours the City of Fort Pierce Commission discussed its proposal to increase the transfer from the FPUA. CFP commissioners and staff say they're owed more from the utility; FPUA staff and Board are offering a formula to transfer more, and also offering to loan the City funds until the transfer proposal can be implemented, subject to the approval of bond counsel and insurers. The FPUA's offer is unacceptable to some commissioners and FPUA Board member, Darrell Drummond, asked the Commission for a joint meeting. FPUA Director, Bill Thiess, presented the FPUA;s proposal to the Commission on Monday night. Four of the five FPUA Board members and their attorney were in the audience, but since it was a commission meeting, and not a public hearing, the Board members were not participants in the discussion.

http://www.tcpalm.com/news/2011/oct/17/fort-pierce-commission-discusses-counterproposal/

Fort Pierce Commission discusses counterproposal in negotiations with FPUA

By Eric Pfahler

Monday, October 17, 2011

FORT PIERCE — City commissioners discussed a counterproposal to the Fort Pierce Utilities Authority offer over how to transfer money to the city.

The city and FPUA have been negotiating since August over what money gets transferred to the city. Each year, the city gets 6 percent of the authority's total revenue, which amounted to almost $5 million last year.

But the two sides have disagreed over whether the city should also collect money from the power cost adjustment, which would add about $1.5 million to the city's budget.

The two sides plan to meet, though the time and date have not been set.

Residents' electric bills consist of two parts: the rate and the adjustment. The rate consists of the base rate to run the utility at $42.32 per 1,000 kilowatt hours and the base power cost at $49.52 per 1,000 kilowatt hours. The adjustment is $35 per 1,000 kilowatt hours.

The average customer uses about 1,000 kilowatt hours.

Since 1994, the adjustment has not been included in the transfer.

Commissioners postponed voting on changing the city charter to reflect the city's stance.

FPUA Director Bill Thiess has said the utility believes such a change would require a voter referendum.

On Monday, the two sides made progress after city commissioners responded to the FPUA's offer to move $30 of the $35 adjustment into the base rate. The change would amount to $1 million.

The FPUA board offered a compromise through a 3-2 vote at its Oct. 4 meeting to move part of the power cost adjustment.

City Commissioner Tom Perona and Mayor Bob Benton supported a counteroffer that would move all $35 to the base rate, but hold off on collecting the 6 percent on the last $5 for one year.

But the plan involved the FPUA loaning money to the city that would be repaid beginning in 2015. Commissioners Eddie Becht and Reggie Sessions questioned the need to make loans.

City Finance Director Gloria Johnson said the city should do the calculation based on all of the money, even if it decides to give money back to the FPUA.

"I think we ought to follow the charter, and it says 6 percent of gross revenues," Johnson said.

Staff write Laurie K. Blandford contributed to this report.

Recor Remains By 3 to 2 Vote

http://www.tcpalm.com/news/2011/oct/19/anthony-westbury-after-recor-vote-what-now/?print=1

Anthony Westbury: After Recor vote, what now?

By Anthony Westbury

Wednesday, October 19, 2011

You could have heard a pin drop in the Fort Pierce City Commission chambers Monday evening. When, after much back and forth, the City Commission voted 3-2 not to fire City Manager David Recor, an audible gasp rose from the audience.

Their surprise was because for at least an hour we had been given a blow-by-blow account of why Recor should no longer represent the city, first from Commissioner Eddie Becht and then from the rest of the commission.

With the notable exception of Mayor Bob Benton, most of the comments were none too complimentary.

Becht had laid out a detailed dossier of Recor's transgressions and lack of professional judgment. No one item, Becht stressed, was enough to warrant Recor's termination; rather it was the aggregate effect of a lot of things since Recor first arrived as assistant city manager in 2005.

Becht said the succession of errors had caused him to lose confidence in Recor's abilities to lead the city. Recor is not the person he would choose to steer the city back to excellence and to set it on a firmer footing for the future, Becht concluded.

Three of the other four on the dais seemed to agree with Becht, which made the final vote all the more shocking.

Anyway, fascinating live drama as it was, that's all history. What of the future?

That's important because it's difficult to see how the city can move ahead with someone at the helm who has such little backing by the City Commission.

For Becht and Tom Perona (the other vote for termination), future relations with Recor are likely to be prickly at best. All the parties concerned will act in a professional manner on the surface, I'm sure, but there's little doubt there will be a contentious atmosphere, too.

Recor for his part promised to try to do a better job. He said he would take the commission's criticisms to heart and do better in the future. I did not, however, detect much passion or conviction in that response. He was told by Commissioner Reggie Sessions to be "more meek and humble" in his dealings with the commission and the public.

Yet, as Becht pointed out, "We're not asking David to change his shirt. We're asking him to change his character."

Recor, Becht argued, is not the leader he and the city need.

"This is going to be a problem today, tomorrow and in the future," Becht said.

I think he's right, and I was disappointed not to see any passion from Recor about how he really likes working in Fort Pierce or how he's committed to staying.

His "I'll try to do better in the future" line did not seem particularly heartfelt.

I'm concerned that Monday night's decision is likely to create even more uncertainty in what was referred to as a "shaky" environment inside City Hall. I fear the city will continue to meander along rather than having a strong and committed hand at the wheel. I'm fearful that two department heads (both excellent people) named by Becht as possible replacements may face their own retribution problems in the future.

In the past I've disagreed with many of Recor's decisions and been critical of his management style. Yet I did feel some personal sympathy for him, in effect, being flogged in public for his shortcomings.

At the very least, there are a couple of lessons to be learned here. First, the city needs a firm succession plan should the city manager leave or become incapacitated. That would, at least in the short term, remove uncertainties about who's next in line,

Second, several months ago, only two commission members bothered to give Recor a written job performance evaluation. Having some written goals and objectives to work toward might have given him more direction.

I suspect Recor is probably getting his resume ready as we speak. When the time comes, he should leave as gracefully and with the minimum of negative impact on the city as he can.

That in itself would be a worthwhile legacy.

Anthony Westbury is a columnist for Scripps Treasure Coast Newspapers. This column reflects his opinion. For more on St. Lucie County topics, follow his blog at tcpalm.com/westbury. Contact him at 772-409-1320 oranthony.westbury@scripps.com.

Do commissioners want City Manager Recor to remain?

http://www.tcpalm.com/news/2011/oct/16/editorial-if-fort-pierce-commissioners-have-lost/

Editorial: If Fort Pierce commissioners have lost faith in city manager, relationship should be severed

If Fort Pierce commissioners have lost faith in David Recor, delays in severing relationship would serve no good

editorial board

Sunday, October 16, 2011

If Fort Pierce city commissioners can picture David Recor as city manager three to five years from now and want him in that position, they should formally establish expectations for him and move on. If they do not, they should sever relations now.

Commissioner Eddie Becht had called for a vote of no confidence in Recor for Monday night.

According to the agenda for the meeting, however, commissioners are to discuss termination of Recor's contract and possible discussion on an interim city manager.

In a letter to the editor, Becht wrote, "I made a decision that Fort Pierce needed new leadership approximately three or more months ago, based on many factors. It was the result of my disagreement with many of City Manager David Recor's management decisions over the years. This is not about one thing he did or did not do, but many things."

Becht said he delayed proposing a vote on Recor until after the city budget was adopted. The budget was adopted Sept. 26 and Becht informed Recor of his position the next day.

Recor, 44, became deputy city manager in May 2005 and city manager in October 2008. During those more than six years, Recor has come under criticism from various commissioners over his management style, his oversight of city departments and his relationship with the public.

One of his chief critics initially was Mayor Bob Benton, who now firmly supports Recor.

If Recor is terminated, the city would owe him about $127,000 in severance and benefits, according to city Finance Director Gloria Johnson. But, Benton said that the total cost to terminate Recor, to recruit a successor and pay expenses for the relocation of that individual could be $200,000 to $500,000 — "in the long run."

"Isn't it easier to give him (Recor) another chance?" Benton asked.

While financial implications must be considered by the city, there are greater considerations, including whether elected commissioners believe Recor is the best person to be the city's top administrator. If he's not, the long-term costs of not having the right leader could far outweigh any six-figure investment in hiring a successor.

A rift between commissioners and Recor seemed evident when the budget for the coming year was adopted despite pleas from Recor to raise the tax rate to account for a potential budget gap in the future.

"It's sad to say that we are no longer a city of excellence," Recor said before the vote. "For someone who has a lot of pride in our past accomplishments, it's frustrating (and) disappointing to watch the evolution."

Becht described Recor's presentation as scare tactics.

City commissioners unanimously rejected the city manager's plea for the higher tax rate.

At the most recent meeting of the City Commission, Benton, with Becht absent, called on commissioners to express their support for Recor to avoid the potential termination vote now under consideration for Monday. Commissioners present didn't respond.

"I was surprised I didn't get any feedback," Benton said in an interview last week.

So the showdown is set for Monday. Regardless of the outcome, it's difficult to see how anyone could find cause for celebration.

FPUA and CFP Police Department

The FPUA agreed to move $30 of the Power Cost Adjustment (PCA) into the base power cost, thereby increasing the transfer from the utility to the CFP by an estimated $1.5 million. While electric rates may not be immediately increased, there may not be planned decreases. Already planned are increases in gas and water and waste water rates. The FPUA agreed to use the public service commission deflator index for future rate levels. The PCA, which is $35 as of October 1, 2011, will still be a fluctuating part of what's billed to the customer. http://www.tcpalm.com/news/2011/oct/04/fpuas-new-method-of-transferring-funds-to-city/

CFP Police Department will add five police officers, whose salaries and benefits will be paid for three years by a federal grant, while the fourth year must be paid by taxpayers. Nine other officers are already paid from federal grant monies. Chief Sean Baldwin says there is an increase in robberies, burglaries, and gang-related shootings this year.

http://www.tcpalm.com/news/2011/oct/04/federal-grant-will-pay-for-five-fort-pierce/

CFP and the increased FPUA Transfer

The CFP's attempt to increase the transfer from the FPUA may not increase rates immediately, but planned decreases will not happen. Any way you slice it, the increased transfer comes from the ratepayer, and the City of Fort Pierce is changing the way the transfer has been calculated for for the last 17 years.

http://www.tcpalm.com/news/2011/sep/29/fort-pierce-fpua-agreement-unlikely-to-result-in/

Becht Calls for Vote of No Confidence on City Manager Recor

Commission Edward W. Becht called for a vote of no confidence on City Manager David L. Recor this week, after Monday night's commission meeting when Recor made a televised presentation from the public podium for an increased millage rate, and the Commission denied his recommendation and kept the current millage rate. The minutes of the September 26 meeting is on line at the City's website. http://www.cityoffortpierce.com/pdf/Minutes09262011.pdf. During the meeting, Recor implied that Jon Ward had resigned. Supposedly, Jon Ward resigned because of negative comments from commissioners, but he later rescinded the resignation. City Manager David Recor asked for 10% reductions from department heads following the Ccommission's refusal to increase the millage rate in the September 19 meeting.

In the no-confidence vote, Mayor Bob Benton has expressed his solid support for Mr. Recor.

In reply to Mr. Recor's attempt to apologize via email, Commissioner Becht expressed his lack of confidence is not personal, and that he had made a decision months earlier, but was advised to wait until the budget process was over. The no confidence vote is scheduled for October 17, 2011.

Read about the millage rate, and no confidence vote here:

http://www.tcpalm.com/news/2011/sep/29/fort-pierce-city-manager-apologizes-commissioner/

http://www.tcpalm.com/news/2011/sep/28/fort-pierce-commissioner-becht-seeks-no-vote-on/

http://www.tcpalm.com/news/2011/sep/27/budget-cut-proposals-could-mean-layoffs-services/

The Commission will consider new district lines drawn after the 2010 census on Monday evening, October 3, 2011. Redistricting the lines is item number 11 on the agenda, Ordinance L-225. Current District one lies north of Delaware and Okeechobee, and District two south of those streets. The proposed change adds those areas west of 13th Street and north of Virginia Avenue to District One.

Tax rate stays the same

The City Commission did not raise taxes for the 2011/12 fiscal year, but the usually quick second reading and final approval meeting on the millage rate and budget for FY 2011/12, was an unusual one in several aspects. Usually, the meeting is not televised, because it's a quick reading of the ordinances and a vote, with almost no discussion. But City Manager David Recor, announcing the meeting would be televised so that the public could hear the truth, made a presentation from the podium, characterizing as "dire" the city's financial health, not for this year, but in 2013 and 2014. He listed Citizens Budget Advisory Committee recommendations and characterized those not acted on as unrealistic and unnecessary. He announced the resignation of a valuable department head, as a symptom of low staff morale, and later in his remarks he asked the commission to wish Jon Ward well. In their discussions, Commissioners Alexander and Sessions supported Recor's remarks, but Mayor Benton, and Commissioners Becht and Perona did not. The final vote was 5-0, however, to keep the tax rate the same, even after Recor ask that the Commission at least consider the roll back rate for one year only, saying if they don't need it they'll give it back to the citizens.

Read about the meeting here:

http://www.tcpalm.com/news/2011/sep/26/fort-pierce-tax-rate-unchanged-despite-city/

Anthony Westbury on the CFP and FPUA

Anthony Westbury: Fort Pierce, FPUA need to talk more, build trust

Staff Reports

Originally published 05:36 p.m., September 21, 2011
Updated 05:36 p.m., September 21, 2011

Polite but dysfunctional.

Rather like family members who don't talk to each other unless they absolutely have to, the Fort Pierce City Commission and Fort Pierce Utilities Authority haven't been exactly close for a while. In fact, I can't detect much cooperation between two organizations that should be joined at the hip.

Mutual mistrust has been simmering for a year or more since the city accused the FPUA of holding back some of its annual transfer payment. After months of argument, the two entities reached a settlement where the FPUA paid $200,000 to the city. The experience seems to have left a bad taste in mouths on both sides.

A month ago, I wrote about the latest salvo the city lobbed in the utility's direction.

Apparently, the $4.9 million annual payment the FPUA makes to the city is not enough for some at City Hall. Under the terms of the city charter, the city is entitled to 6 percent of the gross revenues generated by the FPUA.

City Manager David Recor and Finance Director Gloria Johnson, however, have decided that power cost adjustment payments (which reflect the ever-changing price of fuel to generate electricity) should also be subject to the 6 percent rule. Gaining that extra few percent would add $1.5 million to the city's bottom line for fiscal year 2012.

The FPUA has always maintained the PCA is a "pass-through" charge; it does make any profits on it, so why should it be "taxed" on it?

However, Recor and City Attorney Rob Schwerer claim the city is being shorted. Schwerer is also of the opinion that some "tweaking" of the language of the city charter is all that's needed to make the changes without a formal voter referendum.

Not so, according to FPUA's attorney Rupert Koblegard. He's convinced the proposed change would require a public vote.

Should it come to that, it's no slam-dunk the electorate would say yes. Koblegard at a FPUA board meeting this week raised the possibility the city could be faced with a class-action lawsuit if the deal results in higher electricity rates.

The city came up with its plan at a hastily organized morning meeting a few weeks back. It was so sudden, the FPUA board hasn't had time to fully discuss the issue, so the utility will hold a public workshop next week to examine its options.

Neither side is entirely blameless in all this.

The city, faced with a budget shortfall, seems to be looking to the FPUA like a rich uncle who can bale it out. Some city officials have long felt the FPUA holds back too much money in its reserve funds. FPUA officials counter they'll need those large reserves if a hurricane strikes.

There's been criticism from some city commissioners that the utility hasn't made as many reductions in budgeting or staffing as it might have. There's a suspicion the FPUA has a lot more fat still to cut. I'd say that's also true of the city, which should be looking harder at its own finances before trying to grab someone else's money.

I hope all four city commissioners will find the time to attend next week's workshop. The mayor has to be there as an FPUA board member.

It's high time the two sides sat down and hammered this out. If they don't, it's clear who will suffer the most: the poor, beleaguered rate payers. Fort Pierce has more than its share of poor customers who cannot bear the higher electric bills this money grab might entail.

Raising rates to pay for all this could also have adverse impacts on FPUA's commercial customers, who already are saddled with higher rates than their residential counterparts. Fort Pierce has far too many empty commercial properties as it is. Let's be very careful introducing new charges that might accelerate that unfortunate trend.

We need an open forum to discuss all these ramifications. A plea to both boards: More sunshine, please.

Anthony Westbury is a columnist for Scripps Treasure Coast Newspapers. This column reflects his opinion. For more on St. Lucie County topics, follow his blog at tcpalm.com/westbury. Contact him at 772-409-1320 oranthony.westbury@scripps.com.

http://www.tcpalm.com/news/2011/sep/21/anthony-westbury-fort-pierce-fpua-need-to-talk/

FPUA September 20, 2011 Meeting

The Fort Pierce Utilities Authority discussed the City of Fort Pierce's move to increase the transfer and agreed to meet September 27, at 2 PM for a workshop on how to respond. Board member, Mike Perri, expressed serious concerns about how the increased transfer would impact the utility's ratepayers, as did Board Chairman, Darrell Drummond. FPUA Attorney Koblegard warned the FPUA Board of the possibility of a ratepayer class-action lawsuit, if the City of Fort Pierce tried to increase the transfer with a change in the charter without a referendum. The utility also agreed to increase the power cost adjustment by $1 because of the projection of increases from its power supplier,FMPA. The staff requested a $2 increase. FPUA is one of 15 companies in the FMPA All-requirements consortium.

See TC Palm for coverage of this meeting.

http://www.tcpalm.com/news/2011/sep/20/fort-pierce-residents-will-see-power-cost-in/

Fort Pierce residents will see power cost increase in October

By Laurie K. Blandford

Tuesday, September 20, 2011

FORT PIERCE — Residents will see a $1 power cost adjustment on their Fort Pierce Utilities Authority bills next month.

The authority's board voted 3-2 at its Tuesday meeting to increase the adjustment from $34 to $35 per 1,000 kilowatt-hours for October. The board plans to decide at its Oct. 18 meeting whether to change the adjustment again for November.

Board members Bob Summerhayes, Michael Perri and Pamela Cully voted for the $1 increase while Mayor Bob Benton and Chairman Darrell Drummond voted against it.

"I don't feel that we should wait (to increase the rate)," Cully said.

The authority's finance director, Nina Hurtubise, said staff recommended a small increase to the adjustment because of increased power cost projections for the next year from the authority's power provider, Florida Municipal Power Agency. The adjustment covers the fluctuating price of power.

Hurtubise said staff had recommended a $2 increase beginning next month. The board voted 3-2 against that amount. Perri suggested the compromise of a $1 increase.

The authority has about $2 million saved for projected power cost increases, Hurtubise said. The projected cost of power by the agency is $48.65 per 1,000 kilowatt-hours in 2012 and $43.98 per 1,000 kilowatt-hours in 2013.

The authority's director, Bill Thiess, said the agency originally needed more power when it planned to build a new unit in Kissimmee.

When the economy took a turn for the worse, the agency had less need for the extra power. However, Thiess said, the agency's cost to the contractor to get out of building the new unit would have been "enormous." So the unit was built and is now online, but has yet to meet its anticipated returns.

Therefore, the 15 entities across the state to which the agency sells power are covering the increased power costs.

Benton said the agency's investment shouldn't keep costing the authority money, which is covered by authority customers. "I don't feel like we should be bearing the brunt."

South Beach Bridge Reconfiguration from St. Lucie TPO

The St. Lucie Transportation Planning Organization presented information on the South Causeway Bridge Reconfiguration Study today at the Riverwalk Center in Fort Pierce. About 60 residents attended, and the discussion was often spirited. Most attendees did not favor reducing the number of lanes on South Beach bridge for safety, traffic or evacuation reasons. Several bridge walkers and cyclists attended and gave testimony about the safety hazards of walking and riding bicycles currently on the South Bridge. Many attendees spoke against the reconfiguration because of the $1 million rough cost estimate, especially now during the economic downturn. The St. Lucie TPO has information on its website on this proposal.: http://www.stluciempo.org/. Commissioners Edward W. Becht and Reginald Sessions serve on the TPO from the City of Fort Pierce. Commissioners Rufus Alexander and Tom Perona are alternates.

http://www.tcpalm.com/news/2011/sep/17/residents-argue-for-against-south-causeway-plan/

Residents argue for, against South Causeway Bridge plan in Fort Pierce

By Cathy S. Reeder Special to Treasure Coast Newspapers

Saturday, September 17, 2011

FORT PIERCE — More than 75 local residents and bridge users debated an early conceptual plan to rebuild the South Causeway Bridge on Saturday at the River Walk Center in Fort Pierce.

"It was a great meeting with great ideas, and we'll go back and consider each of them," said Peter Buchwald, executive director of St. Lucie County Transportation Planning Organization, which sponsored the two-hour public input meeting. "We're very early in the planning stages on this."

The plan would turn the current four-lane bridge with 4-foot barricaded sidewalks into a two-lane bridge with barricaded 12.5-foot bike/pedestrian lanes. During hurricane or nuclear evacuations, the bike/pedestrian lanes would be used for vehicle evacuation and emergency vehicles, transportation planners said.

That roughly $1 million configuration is the safest when vehicles, pedestrians and cyclists use the bridge at the same time, said Kimley-Horn traffic engineer Stewart Robinson.

Robinson said the local roads leading to the causeway already are two-lane, and making the causeway two lanes at current traffic levels would place it at 75 percent capacity.

Some residents were not convinced.

"I think we're going backwards instead of forwards if we're taking four lanes down to two on the bridge," said Mike Greene, a 39-year resident of South Beach. "Why would we make a lot of people suffer to give a very few people these improvements?"

He defined "suffering" as sitting through several traffic lights with no way around fender benders or to let ambulances get by, or to deal with other everyday traffic problems.

A younger resident countered that thought. "I would be one less car in that man's traffic jam if it were safe to come over the bridge on my bike," said Lorae Simpson, 25, of South Beach. "I want to ride my bike to work, but it isn't safe the way it is. I like this plan."

Planner Lisa Frezier of Kimley-Horne said current cyclist and pedestrian use of the bridge is not an adequate measure of who would use the facility once it's safer and easier to use. She also said the local economy would feel a direct positive impact from connecting more modes of transportation between Hutchinson Island to downtown Fort Pierce.

Peter Harrison, a land manager, argued a differing point. "It's not right to shift the use of this bridge when people in the condos there paid tens of thousands in taxes and development fees to build the four lanes. They want to use their cars to get to restaurants and movies and shopping. They don't want to use bicycles."

Cyclist Charlie Hayek, a South Beach resident, saw the project as more than a local issue. "We are trying to reduce our carbon footprint. We're trying to get people out of their cars, and ride bikes and walk," he said.

TO SHARE YOUR OPINION

The public input period for the South Causeway Bridge continues through early November. Send your written comments, along with your name, address, and (optional) phone number, to:

definie@stlucieco.org

St. Lucie Transportation Planning Organization

2300 Virginia Ave.

Fort Pierce, FL 34982

772-462-2549 fax

Flag Ceremony Honors 224th Anniversary of Constitution

September 17...Today I attended the Flag Ceremony in commemoration of the 224th anniversary of the framing of the US Constitution. Held in conjunction with the Downtown Farmers' Market of Fort Pierce at Marina Square, the Color Guard was provided by the US Coast Guard. St. Lucie County Commissioner, Frannie Hutchinson, was the guest speaker. The 20-minute colorful and patriotic ceremony was sponsored by the Cora Stickney Harper Chapter of the National Society of the Daughters of the American Revolution.

FPUA Revenue Comes from the Ratepayers

http://www.tcpalm.com/news/2011/sep/12/fort-pierce-considers-ways-to-collect-more-fpua/

Fort Pierce considers ways to collect more FPUA revenue without rate increases

By Eric Pfahler

Monday, September 12, 2011

FORT PIERCE — Fort Pierce Utilities Authority Director Bill Thiess' plan to put $1.5 million into city coffers wouldn't require a rate increase, but residents would not receive a decrease planned for April either.

Thiess presented options to city commissioners on how the authority could send more money to the city, but he's looking for more time to delve into details.

Commissioners are expected to discuss the potential transfer further at their meeting Oct. 17, while FPUA board members could discuss the issue Sept. 20.

At issue is the transfer fee the city collects annually from the FPUA.

In 2010-11, the city collected $5 million from the FPUA. The city is supposed to collect 6 percent from FPUA revenues, but the two sides disagree on what is considered revenue. Historically, the city has not collected money brought in from the power cost adjustment, which gets flipped straight to Florida Municipal Power Agency, Thiess said.

The power cost adjustment is part of the bill and covers the fluctuating price of fuel. The adjustment makes up $34 of the bill for a ratepayer using 1,000 kilowatt hours, which is roughly the average monthly residential electric use.

City officials are considering clarifying the definition of "gross revenue" in the city charter to include the power cost adjustment. The money could help offset future city deficits and lower the property tax rate.

But commissioners plan to take more time to go through the options presented by Thiess and consider others. Thiess said the $1.5 million would affect the base rate — now $42.32 per 1,000 kilowatt hours — by $2.80. That would eliminate the planned decrease in April, Thiess said.

Two City Commissioners — Eddie Becht and Tom Perona — said they hope to take some of the politics out of future rate increases. The two discussed the idea of using a state index to help determine future rates. The Florida Public Service Commission creates a "deflator index," which serves as a way to measure inflation in the energy world. If the two commissioners' proposal is approved, the FPUA could raise rates by a percentage or all of the index without needing city approval.

Details on the proposal have not been finalized, but the index is expected to rise no more than 1.5 percent per year during the next five years.

CFP Pursues Increased Transfer from FPUA

September 12....The City of Fort Pierce (CFP) Commission met today to discuss their pursuit of an increased transfer amount from the Fort Pierce Utilities Authority (FPUA). CFP City Manager told the Commission that this is simply a matter of clarification of what the transfer amount should be and asserted that the FPUA is an "enterprise fund" of the City. FPUA Director Bill Thiess told the Commission that there may not need to be an immediate rate increase, but that planned electric rate decreases would not be feasible if the increased transfer of $1.5 million occurred. The City needs increasing amounts of money to pay down their debt at an annual rate of about $5 million per year in the coming years. The increased millage rate proposal passed at the September 6 meeting was not discussed at all, but will be the subject of a September 19 and September 26 CFP commission meetings. Members of the FPUA Board attended today's meeting as guests. FPUA Board Chairman, Darrell Drummond, addressed the Commission, saying that the FPUA Board would be discussing the impact of the transfer at its next meeting, September 20, 2011 and must act in the best interests of the ratepayer.

Bottom line: Calling it a "clarification" doesn't take away the fact that the money, $5 million a year in the past, and $6.5 million a year in the future, came from the ratepayers and will come from them in the future.

Millage Rate, FPUA Charter Change

September 6, 2011... Three City Commissioners voted to raise the millage rate: Alexander, Perona and Sessions. Two did not: Becht and Benton. Two more public hearings will be held on the millage rate. Commissioners also talked about a charter change to get more money from the Fort Pierce Utilities Authority (FPUA), but postponed action until October 17. The FPUA presented their budget and Commissioners questioned certain line items, including a 2% salary increase in 2012. City of Fort Pierce has projected a 2% tax increase 2013.
I was at the meeting and gave testimony. Also at the meeting were a large group of city activists and church leaders who are organizing a local chapter of PICO, a national network of faith-based community organzations.
Read about the meeting here: http://www.tcpalm.com/news/2011/sep/06/fort-pierce-gives-preliminary-ok-to-increased/

My Testimony

My name is Linda Hudson. I live on Frances Court in Fort Pierce.

For two years, your Citizens Budget Advisory Committee made recommendations for the City and the FPUA to reduce spending and NOT raise taxes or rates.

We did NOT recommend a millage rate increase.

We DID recommend reductions in personnel costs that would be fair to the employee and the taxpayer, save jobs and ensure that the employee retirement fund would be solvent in the future. The Committee recommended that you reduce costs in the following areas: legal, pension, insurance, sick pay, vacation pay, overtime, car allowances, technology and travel. We did NOT recommend cutting salaries or cutting jobs. We did NOT recommend reductions in services to your city residents.

You do not have a revenue problem; you have a spending problem. Raising taxes or rates is a short-term fix for the spending addiction, but it doesn’t break you of the spending habit.

If you raise taxes and rates, you increase the costs to the business community and the residents. Businesses are already struggling to stay alive. Property values will decrease even further if you raise taxes and rates. Not only will new business not come to Fort Pierce; the businesses that are here now will close their doors. What you should be doing is developing a way to help Fort Pierce businesses and citizens prosper, because their prosperity helps both the city and the utility.

Over many years, the ratepayers of your public utility have given you a lot of money. We ratepayers routinely subsidize the city by $5 million. Some ratepayers don’t even live in the city and they get to pay even more. With your proposals tonight, you’re telling your own utility that you want more money, money that has nothing to do with the cost of electricity, and money that came from ratepayers like me.

You’re also proposing a tax increase. You have racked up $95 million in debt and you must repay $5million every year. Over the years, while the debt increased, the city refused to make meaningful, long-term spending cuts. You engaged in several rounds of refinancing the debt, hoping the day would never come that you would have to pay it. Because of the increasing costs of debt and personnel, you have abandoned capital spending, money that should be going to keeping our city safe in the future.

Many people in Fort Pierce and St. Lucie County have lost faith in government and feel disconnected and at odds with those in power. Elected and employed public servants seem to be living in isolation from what is happening in the outside world. People outside the government inner circle are truly dumb-founded by your words and deeds.

Fort Pierce needs A New Beginning. Start fresh tonight by measuring every vote by this standard: Is this vote protecting our citizens and serving all the people in Fort Pierce? Put the private sector ahead of the public sector and by doing that, you will enhance your revenue streams. Do not raise taxes or increase utility rates, which will further depress the economic well-being of Fort Pierce. Find a new beginning for Fort Pierce tonight, by putting those who elected you back into your thoughts and deeds.

Open letter to City of Fort Pierce Commission and Staff

Do not increase taxes, before you make meaningful cuts in your spending by acting on the City of Fort Pierce’s Citizens Budget Advisory Committee recommendations that will reduce the city's costs immediately and in the future:

Reduce legal costs by $250,000; Reduce health care costs; Eliminate the annual sick leave conversion bonus; Establish sickleave payout upon retirement to 620 hours (6 weeks); Establish the retirement multiplier to 2.5 for all city hall employees (except police); Cap pensions to75% of base pay, and eliminate vacation, sick and overtime amounts (exceptstate-mandated overtime inclusion); Increase the retirement age and the number of years of service required; Increase the vesting period to ten years. Reduce Commission pay and review car allowances, technology, and travel for Commissioners and employees to make sure they’re justified.

Your debt repayment goes up to $5.2million in 2014. Most of this debt is due to the 2007 Sunshine Loan that you were warned the City could not pay back; you then shifted the responsibility to the FPRA, which is now unable to pay it either. This debt payment exists because of expensive property purchases and building a city parking garage. The staff and the commission must now assume responsibility for their speculative behavior by coming up with money that does not come from the taxpayer or the ratepayer to pay your debt.

Higher taxes, higher utility rates, or cut spending?

The City of Fort Pierce is seeking increased revenue streams, and Commissioners, especially those facing elections, are proposing a tax increase. City of Fort Pierce Finance Director, Gloria Johnson has also steered them toward a place she deems rich in cash: the Fort Pierce Utilities Authority. She said she identified FPUA cash reserves that would pay the city $1.5 million more than it did this year. The FPUA says its cash reserves are accounted for in the annual rate study and if the city is successful in getting more money out of the FPUA, the utility will have to increase rates.

The Commissioners are faced with the dilemma of increasing taxes and risking an angry electorate, or increasing the transfer from the FPUA to the City, this year at $4 million, and let the ratepayers be angry at the FPUA. The taxpayer and the ratepayer are one and the same, for the most part, so either way, the lowly resident and business owner will be asked to pay more. Increasing taxes or utility rates will hasten the local economic decline, and will not address the real problem: excessive spending

According to Finance Director Johnson, the City needs the money for future budgets, especially in 2013 and beyond, for increased debt service payments. The total debt service payment of the City of Fort Pierce will be $5,278,827 in 2014. The City's debt is due, largely, because City Commissioners purchased property at top price, such as Jetty Park and Fisherman's Wharf, plus other properties, and built a parking garage and retail space behind city hall. Now, the taxpayer, or the ratepayer, is being asked to pay for their spending spree. .

There is a way that the taxpayer and the ratepayer could be treated fairly. Do not raise taxes or utility rates, but reduce personnel and other costs. Salary and benefit levels at the City and the FPUA have become increasingly generous and cannot be sustained. The private sector has had to tighten its belt, and so must government.

Read about this issue in the news:

http://www.tcpalm.com/news/2011/sep/01/fort-pierce-commissioner-becht-may-hold-key-to/

http://www.tcpalm.com/news/2011/aug/12/fpua-rates-could-go-up-if-fort-pierce-asks-for/

http://www.tcpalm.com/news/2011/aug/17/anthony-westbury-storm-over-utility-payments/

Linda Hudson For Mayor Announcement

FOR RELEASE, JUNE 29, 2011, 12 Noon:

Linda Hudson, Fort Pierce resident and native, today announced her candidacy for the office of Mayor of Fort Pierce in the November 6, 2012 election.

“Today I am announcing for the office of Mayor of Fort Pierce.

Linda Hudson will provide honest public service, establish financial restraint, emphasize public safety, and encourage business-friendly practices. Linda Hudson will listen to all residents.

Provide open and honest public service

“The citizens of Fort Pierce have the right to expect honest public service from their elected officials. I pledge that my service will be honest, open and prudent. If elected, I will forego salary, benefits, and car allowances.”

“With Linda Hudson as Mayor, practices such as providing jobs for family members and contracts to cronies are no longer acceptable. I will work to eradicate abuses of the privileged few. I want to assure Fort Pierce taxpayers that city hall can, and will, operate in a fair and open manner, where each citizen is treated with respect.”

Establish financial restraint

“The City of Fort Pierce needs a new leader who can make difficult decisions and put the city back on the road to financial health. This will not be done with the current attitude in city hall. We need a Mayor who was not part of the spending spree in the past decade. Under the current Mayor, city debt has risen to $95 million; debt payments are nearly $5 million each year. My candidacy will emphasize how to use our present resources to serve residents, rather than how to dig deeper into residents’ pockets.”

Emphasize public safety

“Public safety is the most essential service of city government. There are many residents like me who want to re-focus local government resources on improving the safety of our neighborhoods and protecting citizens from crime. If public safety isn’t assured, no amount of tax dollars spent buying land, erecting new buildings and creating new parks will create a healthy business climate or provide jobs. Our neighborhoods must be safe. We must maintain a professional and effective police force and foster a strong sense of community in the neighborhoods of Fort Pierce.”

Encourage business-friendly practices

“The City of Fort Pierce should emphasize business-friendly practices in city hall, so that business owners will be encouraged to own a business in Fort Pierce, and provide good jobs for their employees. All local government regulators should increase communications so that establishing, running and maintaining a business, or building a home or business, is straight-forward and hassle-free. We must put service to the citizen taxpayer first, whether it’s an individual or a business.”

Linda Listens

“These are the issues that I see as most important, but I plan to listen to taxpayers’ concerns, especially those voices that are not heard now. There are many hard-working residents in Fort Pierce who do not think that city government works for them. I want the voices of all residents to be heard. ”

Those who want Linda to listen to their ideas for improving the City of Fort Pierce can email Linda at Linda@VoteLindaHudson.com

.

Linda Hudson For City of Fort Pierce Mayor

November 6, 2012

Fact Sheet

Member, City of Fort Pierce Citizens’ Budget Advisory Committee, 2010, 2011

CFPPD Citizens Police Academy

Retired Vice President, Illinois State Medical Society

Chairman of the Board, Downtown Farmers’ Market of Fort Pierce,

President, Treasure Coast Genealogical Society,

Member, St. Lucie County Library Advisory Board

Graduate of Dan McCarty High School, Indian River Community College (Indian River State College) and University of Florida.

Born, Fort Pierce, Florida.