Board member resigns after City Council reduces fine

TEMPLE TERRACE -- A member of this city's municipal code enforcement board, angry that the City Council reduced a business owner's fine last month, resigned Tuesday evening in the middle of a council meeting.

At their May 14 meeting, board members lit into the council, which had lowered a fine against Gaspar's Patio Bar and Grille from $50,000 to $1,600 in a case involving site plan infractions. Board member Ken Devane (left) was visibly upset as council members explained their April 1 decision.

Councilman Ken Halloway continued to defended their position Tuesday night. Devane responded by shoving his resignation letter into the hands of Mayor Joe Affronti and storming out of the City Hall chambers in the middle of Halloway's remarks. 

Fellow board member David Pogorilich argued in Devane's absence that the council should have sought an opinion from the board because of the sheer magnitude of the reduction in the fine. "It sets a bad precedent that if you have a problem with the fine you go crying to the city to get it reduced," he said.

A private homeowner's case, also up for review that evening, did not receive a reduction in fines, Pogorilich noted. But Councilman Mark A. Knapp said the homeowner did not appear for the hearing as Gaspar's owner had, and the two cases were very different.

Affronti praised the board for its service and urged members to work with the council to improve communication to prevent more such public incidents.

Good idea, Pogorilich agreed. "It just doesn't seem to help anyone to leave the board right now," he said.

--Robbyn Mitchell, Times Staff Writer

[Handout photo]