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Biltmore renovation plans to be unveiled
By HARLAN WEIKLE
| Article published on Wednesday, Sept. 12, 2007 |
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BELLEAIR – Weighty budget concerns aside and millage rates notwithstanding, what many Belleair town folk want to know is when they will get a peek at plans for the renovation of the Belleview Biltmore Resort.
During a special budget meeting Sept. 5, Mayor Gary Katica, acknowledging that he had received many calls from citizens wanting to know when the plans for the resort would be made public, put it directly to Tom Reynolds, lawyer for LMREI, new owners of the property, saying, “You have said that the owners were going to make a public presentation by the end of the month, our meeting is on the 19th. It’s very important that this gets out in front of the public.”
Commissioner Karla Rettstatt put it even more forcefully.
“You guys are asking us for some sort of exception or changes to our budget, but you’re not giving us the opportunity to educate the public, which elected us,” Rettstatt said, referring to Reynolds’ admonition to the commission to reconsider its decision to increase the permit and inspection fees the town charges for construction from the current level of $25 to $50 and 1 to 2 percent respectively.
Reynolds said the change would greatly impact the Biltmore project’s estimated $100 million restoration.
Reynolds responded by affirming that they would make a public presentation on Wednesday, Sept. 19.
Also on the 19th, the commission will have its second and final reading of the ordinance setting the millage rate to 4.2551 in a budget year when legislative mandates have forced ad valorem tax reductions throughout the state.
Town Manager Micah Maxwell said the town subsequently would lose $300,000 to $400,000.
Attempts to bolster Belleair’s finances this year will include consideration of increased library and recreation fees, the rise in construction permit fees and possibly additional fees for sideyard garbage pick up, which had been requested by some town residents.
The budget process concludes on the 19th with the last public reading and vote to adopt the budget and at the same time set the final millage rate. The discussion of the budget however may well continue into the fall and early winter even as the town begins to exercise it, allowing changes, additions and deletions as the community proceeds through the fiscal year.
Commissioner asks for dismissal of attorney
Speaking in no uncertain terms, Commissioner Stephanie Oddo acting in her capacity as adviser to the Historic Preservation Board asked the town commission to consider replacing Miami attorney Nancy Stroud, who has been representing the town on matters concerning the Belleview Biltmore for the last two years.
“With regard to my dissatisfaction with our current attorney that sits on the board: she has presented incorrect information at board meetings, she does not have local knowledge; it’s clear to me that she perhaps has not even bothered to read local ordinances,” Oddo said. “Her turnaround was extremely slow. In my opinion she … the confidence of the board in her is lost ... if you don’t know something, don’t say it.”
Oddo then asked for a consensus to discontinue using Stroud’s services.
Katica said that Stroud came, “highly recommended by just about every preservation group as the top attorney in Florida. So, this is the first time I’ve heard about this.”
Maxwell later confirmed that he and Town Attorney David Ottinger would place a conference call to Stroud to discuss Oddo’s allegations.
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Article published on Wednesday, Sept. 12, 2007
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