Government Digest: Feb. 4 - Feb. 10

State Legislature ramps up for session

TALLAHASSEE — Legislative committees of the Florida House of Representatives and the Florida Senate will meet the week of Feb. 7-11. The House has committee meetings scheduled for Feb 8-10, and the Senate committee meetings are set for Feb. 7-10. The 2011 regular session convenes Tuesday, March 8.

Corcoran picked for Speaker post

TALLAHASSEE — State Rep. Richard Corcoran, R-New Port Richey, gathered enough votes from fellow freshmen House members to be tapped to become Speaker for 2017-18. An attorney, Corcoran, 45, will follow Rep. Will Weatherford, R-Wesley Chapel, and Rep. Chris Dorworth, R-Lake Mary. Corcoran served as chief of staff to former Speaker, now U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Miami. Other candidates were Rep. Ben Albritton, R-Wauchula, and Rep. Matt Gaetz, R-Fort Walton Beach.

Transportation secretary list cut to nine candidates

TALLAHASSEE — The Florida Transportation Commission cut the list of 45 applicants for Florida's secretary of transportation down to nine. The group, which includes State Rep. Rich Glorioso, R-Plant City, and Tom Conrecode of Collier Enterprises, will be interviewed Feb. 11 in Orlando. Other candidates include Minnesota Transportation Commissioner Thomas Sorel, Bernie Seel of Indiana-based Seel Jackson Consulting, LLC, Gordon Goodin of Bayside Development Company, Jorge Figueredo of Figueredo Solutions, Inc., Richard Anderson of the Georgia Regional Transportation Authority and Janet Kavinoky of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce.

Road impact fees cut in half

SARASOTA COUNTY — Sarasota County commissioners adopted a temporary 50% reduction in the county's road impact fee rates at its Jan. 26 meeting.

The amendment to the impact fee ordinance and fee schedule would make outstanding permits and any new permits received prior to Feb. 1, 2013 eligible for a 50% road impact fee reduction if the certificate of occupancy is received before Feb. 1, 2014.

In December, the county approved a two-year suspension of school impact fees at the Sarasota County School Board's request.

Commissioners also agreed to enter into good faith negotiations with Palmer Ranch landowner Hugh Culverhouse to resolve a dispute over a 2009 road impact fee credit agreement tied to a 1999 settlement agreement. Culverhouse maintains that the lower road impact fees reduce the rate at which he and other parties to the agreement receive reimbursements for new arterial roads the developers are building. Commissioners discussed other impact fee revenues and other sources of funds to compensate Culverhouse and the other private parties to the agreement.

Manatee County commissioners recently voted 5-2 to move forward to continue its 50% reduction in road impact fees and suspension of school impact fees for another two years. Hearings will be scheduled before the extensions can go into effect.

MEETINGS

PASCO COUNTY

The county will hold a land development code rewrite workshop for phase one on Monday, Feb. 7, at 7 p.m. at the Land O'Lakes Community Center, 5401 Land O'Lakes Blvd., Land O'Lakes.

CHARLOTTE COUNTY

The Charlotte Harbor Community Redevelopment Area Advisory Committee will meet at 11 a.m. Monday, Feb. 7, in room 119 of the administration center, 18500 Murdock Circle, Port Charlotte. For more information, call Kathy Knee at (941) 627-3023.

The Tourist Development Council will meet at 8:30 a.m. Thursday, Feb 10, in the Visitor's Bureau conference room, 18501 Murdock Circle, suite 502, Port Charlotte. For more information, call Liz Parker at (941) 743-1900.

HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY

The Tourist Development Council quarterly meeting is at 1:30 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 10, at county center, 601 E. Kennedy Blvd., Tampa. For more information, call Marilyn Hett at (813) 272-6212.

PINELLAS COUNTY

The Tourist Development Council dba Visit St. Petersburg Clearwater will meet at 9 a.m. Wednesday, Feb. 9, in the 5th floor assembly room, Pinellas County Courthouse, 315 Court Street, Clearwater. For more information, call (727) 464-6633.

SARASOTA COUNTY

The Englewood Community Area Redevelopment Agency will meet at 1 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 10, at the Englewood CRA Office, 101 N. Orange St., Englewood. For more information, call (941) 473-9795.

COLLIER COUNTY

The Collier Metropolitan Planning Organization Board will meet at 10 a.m. Friday, Feb. 11, at the Board of County Commissioners' chambers, 3rd floor, 3299 E. Tamiami Trail, Naples.