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Westchase CDDs Continue Merger Talks

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By STEPHEN HAMMILL

The Tampa Tribune

Published: May 10, 2008

WESTCHASE - The Westchase and Westchase East community development districts met Tuesday evening to further merger talks and to settle on future legal representation.

The boards allocated $25,000 toward work on a merger agreement. Greg Chesney, Westchase East CDD chair, said the money will go mostly toward legal fees.

The boards also solidified a more firm timetable for an eventual merger, targeting the fall of 2009.

Erin McCormick Larrinaga, attorney for both districts since 1993, announced at the meeting she was stepping down from the law firm Fowler White Boggs Banker.

She offered to continue working with Westchase through the upcoming merger of the community development districts on a freelance basis.

Westchase CDD chair Mark Ragusa voiced concerns about what the lack of a large firm and its resources would mean if future problems should arise.

After a debate, the boards voted to retain the firm for their representation and keep Larrinaga on in an advisory capacity.

The boards also agreed to send at least one representative to a June 10 meeting of the Hillsborough County Commission, where a county-funded traffic-calming project will be discussed.

Reporter Stephen Hammill can be reached at (813) 865-1523 or at shammill@tampatrib.com.

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