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CDDs Choose Pavers

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By JASON GEARY, The Tampa Tribune

Published: December 8, 2007

WESTCHASE - Westchase's two community development districts agreed to spend up to $90,000 to help install better-looking traffic calming measures along Countryway Boulevard.

At Tuesday's meeting, supervisors discussed a $178,900 estimate to construct three raised intersections along Countryway and a raised crosswalk at the trail south of Glencliff Circle. The project would use brick pavers rather than asphalt.

Last month, a rough estimate of the enhancement project was thought to cost $370,000, but the districts hired an engineer for a more accurate estimate of construction costs.

Andrew Mendenhall, the districts' manager, said the county is expected to pay about $93,000, or what it would cost to use asphalt for the intersections and crosswalk.

The county wanted a decision soon about whether the districts wanted to pursue an enhanced version, Mendenhall said. The county was preparing to get the job done as soon as possible if it were simply asphalt, he said.

Planning and designing the enhanced intersections and crosswalk could take seven or eight months to complete, Mendenhall said.

In other matters, the districts voted to not withhold about $18,000 from Westchase's landscaping company, TruGreen LandCare, for low marks received on a recent inspection.

The districts hire a consulting company to review various landscaping criteria throughout the community. If inspections don't meet a certain score, then the landscaping company receives a monetary penalty.

Some supervisors felt a potential conflict of interest might be present with a new inspector.

Before going to work with the consulting company overseeing Westchase, the inspector who provided the low marks worked for Westchase's landscaping company.

Bill Casale of the Westchase Community Development District said there is a perception of a possible conflict of interest.

But others said the inspector's previous position with the landscaping company made him the best qualified to judge the quality of service and know where improvement is necessary.

In the interest of fairness, Casale urged supervisors to waive the penalty and suggested that TruGreen knows the scoring is likely to be stricter than in the past.

"They now know there's a new sheriff in town," he said.

Some supervisors spoke highly of TruGreen's service. The company has been performing about $21,000 worth of work annually that isn't specifically covered under its contract with the districts.

Supervisors voted to extend the districts' contract with TruGreen for one more year and adjust the contract in October 2008 to begin including that additional work.

"I think we've got a good working relationship with the TruGreen folks," said Mark Ragusa, a Westchase CDD supervisor.

Reporter Jason Geary can be reached at (813) 865-1505 or jgeary@tampatrib.com.

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