Government Digest 1/14/10

Amendments hearing Jan. 19
COLLIER COUNTY — The Collier County Commission will hold a public hearing at 9 a.m. Tuesday, Jan. 19 to consider comprehensive plan amendments. The meeting will be in the commissioners' chambers, which are on the third floor of the W. Harmon Turner Building, Building F, Collier County Government Center, 3301 E. Tamiami Trail, Naples. For more information call Marcia Kendall at (239) 252-2387 or e-mail [email protected].

Tax-exempt bonds available
CHARLOTTE COUNTY — Charlotte County is accepting applications for tax-exempt recovery zone facility bonds. Credit worthy businesses seeking capital improvements for an existing facility or for a new facility within Charlotte County can submit an application. More information is available on the Charlotte County economic development Web site: www.FloridaEDO.com.

Port elects chairman
MANATEE COUNTY — The Manatee County Port Authority elected Larry Bustle as its 2010 chairman last month. Bustle succeeds Ron Getman, who served as chairman in 2006 and 2009. Authority members serve four-year staggered terms with annual election of officers. The authority sets policy and approves major expenditures for Port Manatee.

House committees meeting
TALLAHASSEE - Interim committee meetings of the Florida House of Representatives are scheduled for Jan. 19-22, Feb. 1-5, Feb. 8-12 (Appropriations and Council meetings only) and Feb. 15-19. For more information call the Speaker's office at (850) 488-1450.

Hayes on Commission
TALLAHASSEE - Gov. Charlie Crist appointed Manatee County Commissioner Donna Hayes to the Medical Examiners Commission. The appointment is subject to Senate confirmation. Hayes succeeds Elizabeth Porter for a term beginning Jan. 6 and ending July 1, 2013.

Charter Review elections
PINELLAS COUNTY — The Pinellas County Charter Review Commission recently elected former Pinellas County commissioner Ronnie Duncan as chairman and former St. Petersburg Area Chamber of Commerce board chairman Ricardo Davis as vice chair. The group also chose Kurt Spitzer & Associates as commission consultant along with Bryant Miller Olive P.A. as legal counsel.

The 13 members of the Charter Review Commission are appointed by county commissioners every six years to look at the charter and discuss areas in need of improvement. The commission comprises four elected officials and nine members of the community. It functions as an independent authority with the ability to put charter amendments and referendum questions directly on the November 2010 general election ballot.

Elected officials appointed to this session's Charter Review Commission include Pinellas County Commissioner Kenneth Welch; Pinellas County Tax Collector Diane Nelson; state Rep. Ed Hooper, R-Clearwater; and Safety Harbor Mayor Andy Steingold. Citizens at large include Ronnie Duncan; Ricardo Davis; Palm Harbor Fire Chief James Angle; former Pinellas County GOP chair Paul Bedinghaus; Clearwater Bar Association past president Gerald A. Figurski; St. Petersburg architect William B. Harvard, Jr.; St. Petersburg attorney Melissa Jagger; former Dunedin commissioner Deborah Kynes; and Lealman Community Association president Ray Neri.

MEETINGS

HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY
A technical committee meeting to discuss proposed mobility fees as a possible substitute to transportation concurrency, is scheduled for 9:30 a.m. Tuesday, Jan. 19, at County Center, 20th floor meeting room. A public policy forum on the subject is scheduled for Jan. 29.

The Northwest Community Plan meeting is at 5:30 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 21, at the Upper Tampa Bay Trail Library, 11211 Countryway Blvd., Tampa.

PASCO COUNTY
The Tourist Development Council meets at 3:30 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 20, at the West Pasco Government Center boardroom, first floor, 7530 Little Road, New Port Richey.

The Land Development Code Stakeholder Committee meets at 4 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 20, at the Land O'Lakes Community Center, 5401 Land O'Lakes Blvd. (US41), Land O'Lakes.

PINELLAS COUNTY
The Charter Review Commission meets at 4 p.m. Monday, Jan. 25, at Pinellas County's Mid County Tax Collector's office, 13025 Starkey Road in the Starkey Lakes Corporate Center, Largo.

MANATEE COUNTY
The South County Community Redevelopment Agency meets at 5:30 p.m. Tuesday, Jan. 19, at the Harllee Full Service Family Center, 6423 9th Street East, Bradenton.

The Manatee County Port Authority meets at 10:30 a.m. Thursday, Jan. 21, at the Port Manatee Intermodal Center, 1905 Intermodal Circle at Port Manatee.

CHARLOTTE COUNTY
The Charter Review Commission will hold a public hearing at 4 p.m., Thursday, Jan. 21, at 18500 Murdock Circle, Administration Center, Room #119, Port Charlotte. For more information contact Ann Pinder at (941) 623-1087.

CAPE CORAL
The Community Redevelopment Agency meets at 5:30 p.m. Tuesday, Jan. 19, in their offices at 1231 Cape Coral Parkway.

COLLIER COUNTY
The Immokalee Community Redevelopment Agency/Enterprise Zone Development Agency advisory boards meet at 8:30 a.m. Wednesday, Jan. 20, at the Career and Service Center, 750 South 5th Street, Immokalee.

NORTH PORT
The Business and Economic Development Advisory Board meets at 1 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 21, in Room 244, 4970 City Hall Blvd., North Port.