Longtime Seminole council member Pat Hartstein resigns

SEMINOLE -- Patricia Hartstein resigned her seat this morning, ending a 14-year career on the City Council.

Hartstein announced her abrupt decision in an email to Seminole City Manager Frank Edmunds, explaining that she was forced to resign so she could enroll in the Pinellas County School System's DROP retirement program. The program requires her to give up her council salary in order to enroll. 

"I was caught a little off guard with this information," Hartstein wrote. "With this being said, I am attaching a letter of resignation. I would like to request that there be no plaque and I would like no fanfare - just a quiet departure. Thank you."

The Seminole council has 30 days to appoint someone to fill the vacant seat until March 2010 when Hartstein would have been up for reelection. Council members are expected to discuss possible replacements during a retreat on Saturday.

Hartstein, 62, first became interested in city government in 1975 when she and her husband attended their first meeting to complain that the city had failed to live up to an annexation promise. Her husband later ran for council and served 10 years before stepping down. Hartstein waited a few years, then ran and was elected in March 1995. She has served on the council since.

"I can only say what an amazing run," Hartstein said. "It has been a pleasure and an honor to represent the citizens of the city of Seminole and a very rewarding experience to serve with all of the current and past council members."

-- Anne Lindberg, Times Staff Writer

Bill Foster proposes changing Tropicana Field suite rules

Fresh off Wednesday's story about how City Council member Jamie Bennett was attempting to give out tickets to the city's Tropicana Field suite, mayoral candidate Bill Foster is now proposing to change the city's suite policy.

Foster wants to give use of the suite to area charitable organizations. The not-fot-profit groups could then raffle off the suite for fundraising purposes.

“How many times have you been to a charitable event where an auction takes place? One of the most popular auction items involve tickets to sporting events and often these tickets generate thousands of dollars for local charities,” Foster said in a press release release. "This would cost the taxpayers nothing, but would greatly benefit non-profit agencies during these economic times. This is just one way to use the city entitlement for public benefit and serves a much greater public purpose than the existing suite policy."

-- Aaron Sharockman, Times Staff Writer 

The two sides of Bill Foster

ST. PETERSBURG — To friends, Bill Foster is well spoken and thoughtful, accessible, inventive and mayoral. To critics, Bill Foster is a right-wing conservative who has a pattern of inserting religious rhetoric into secular debates.

Of the nine candidates running for mayor, Foster, 46, perhaps is painted most in dichotic terms. The chasm underscores Foster's natural popularity and strong opposition, both of which will surface before the city's Sept. 1 primary.

Profile here.

Kathleen Ford and the 'T' question

ST. PETERSBURG — On the issues, Kathleen Ford can still talk circles around most political opponents.

But that was never Ford's problem. For Ford, the questions are all about tone.

Profile here.

Pinellas overpays for employee travel, audit says

Pinellas County pays too much for employees to travel for training and conferences, an internal audit found.

The county could save $188,000 a year if it used the meal reimbursement rates paid by the state of Florida, and another $85,000 if Pinellas paid the lower mileage rates comparable to HIllsborough County.

The county pays a per diem of up to $64 a day, while the state pays $36. Pinellas pays 50.5 cents a milege, while Hillsborough pays 37.5 cents.

"Pretty good for employees. Not for the taxpayers," internal audit chief Bob Melton said.

-- David DeCamp, Times staff writer

Mike Atwater: It's Deveron Gibbons' time for mayor

St. Petersburg restaurateur Mike Atwater, who's helped elect everybody from Jeb Bush to St. Pete mayors Rick Baker and Dave Fischer, is mighty fired up about Deveron Gibbons for mayor. So fired up, that no other candidates for any office, should come begging to get their campaign signs placed at his place.

“Leading up to the primary this corner, 895 22nd Ave S, this cafe, is totally exclusively putting up signs for Deveron Gibbons... We need someone who was born here, who was raised in the streets, who understands people and business. He’s young, has fresh ideas, worked with two great mayors – Rick Baker and Dave Fischer – and knows how to surround himself with great people,” said Atwater, whose endorsement for years has been among the most coveted in St. Petersburg politics. “It’s time for the Old Northeast community to spread the wealth, and for this great city to break down some barriers and walls. Deveron is not just about black people, he’s not just about Midtown, Deveron is about unifying this entire, great city”

Adam Smith, Times Political Editor

Earnest Williams backing Bill Foster

Former St. Petersburg City Council member Earnest Williams tells Bay Buzz his candidate for mayor is Bill Foster. It comes down to experience, said Williams, suggesting that Foster has the best handle on complex issues facing the city, from budget woes, to the investment portfolio to management.

He said he's never met Scott Wagman and declined to say why he thought Jamie Bennett or Kathleen Ford, both with City Council experience, lack the requisite knowledge. And Deveron Gibbons? "He's a nice young man,'' said Williams, declining to say whether he considered Gibbons qualified to be mayor.

Adam Smith, Times Political Editor

Scott Wagman moonlights as theater model

ST. PETERSBURG -- Political observers will find a familiar face in the upcoming American Stage catalog. 

Mayoral hopeful Scott Wagman, a co-sponsor of the season, said he was asked to serve as an unpaid model and make self-important facial expressions for the advertisement for the political play November.

Enjoy:

   

More turmoil hits Pinellas housing agency

ST. PETERSBURG -- The Pinellas County Housing Authority is reeling from more than executive director Darrell Irions' quitting. Board members learned today that chief administrative officer Robin Adams plans to resign.

Adams was nearly fired when Irions avoided being canned in mid April.

And the Clearwater Housing Authority, like its counterpart in St. Petersburg, has decided to kill its agreements to provide the county body with financial and other services. Why? County officials couldn't say, but the Clearwater executive director is Irions' wife, Jacqueline Rivera.

David DeCamp, Times Staff Writer

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Jamie Bennett campaign staffer inviting people to city's Tropicana Field suite

Mayoral candidate and City Council member Jamie Bennett is using his volunteer campaign manager to invite neighborhood presidents to watch a Tampa Bay Rays game at the city's suite, according to an email the Bay Buzz has obtained.

City Council members are often granted use of the city's suite, so that's no unusual. But typically arrangements are made through the City Council office, not campaign staff.

Bay Buzz has gotten hold of an e-mail from Peter Schorsch, Bay Buzz hater and Bennett volunteer campaign manager. Here's the e-mail, with Schorsch's phone number removed.  

Dear Neighbors:
 
I am working with Councilman Jamie Bennett to invite you to the city's suite for the Rays game on May 15th.
 
If you are interested in attending, please let me know by Tuesday the 28th.
 
Thank you.
 
Peter Schorsch

As you all know, using city resources for campaign purposes is a no-no.

(UPDATE 1:25 p.m.) Schorsch, when reached by phone, says he does "a lot of administrative work for my good friend Jamie Bennett." He said he was asked by Bennett to offer box seats to neighborhood association members that otherwise may have gone unused. There was no political message behind it, he said. It remains unclear why the e-mail was not sent from Bennett's City Council assistant or another city employee. "With so much going on right now, I do a lot of typing and running around for Jamie in general. It doesn’t have anything to do with his campaign."

(UPDATE 1:50 p.m.) Bennett weighs in, saying he has never asked city staff to help distribute baseball tickets. He always did it himself, but since "I've got Peter riding around with me all day, I asked him to make some calls." Bennett isn't sure if he'll attend the May 15 game at the city suite, he said. "I take it upon myself to make sure (the tickets) are used," Bennett said. "It's one of the only ways to honor volunteers." 

(UPDATE 12:24 p.m.) Largo Mayor Pat Gerard has endorsed Bennett, according to his blog.

Aaron Sharockman, Times Staff Writer

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