SEMINOLE – The Seminole City Council voted 5-2 on Oct. 27 to pass a resolution against possible offshore oil drilling.
The resolution, which was crafted from similar efforts by the Tampa Bay Regional Planning Council and the Barrier Islands Governmental Council, points out that a 1993 oil spill at the mouth of Tampa Bay resulted in more than 300,000 gallons of oil reaching Pinellas beaches, which resulted in a 45 percent drop in tourism and a $5 billion economic loss over two years.
It goes on to point out that tourism is a $6.6 billion industry annually in Pinellas County and Gulf of Mexico currents would carry offshore spills to “miles of coastline on both the east and west coasts of Florida.”
It also points out that “despite technological advances in oil rig drilling technology, there is no positive assurance that catastrophic damage to our coastline, beaches, plant and fish life can be avoided.”
City Councilor Dan Hester wondered where the wording for the document came from.
Councilor Bob Matthews explained that it was modeled after a document authored by the Tampa Bay Regional Planning Council “with assistance from cities that have passed similar resolutions.”
Hester said he was not in favor of it.
“There are two sides to every story and this seems to be a giddy-up-and-go. It appears to be an attempt to help tourism,” Hester said. “The significant threat is the continued dependence on foreign oil. Tourism makes this fine state run but when gas reaches $5 to $7 per gallon, I can assure you our beaches will be pristine and empty.
“This resolution has no business being on this council’s agenda and I would put out a resolution in favor of oil drilling,” Hester added. “This resolution is nothing more than propaganda.”
Councilors Patricia Plantamura, Matthews, Thomas Barnhorn and Leslie Waters, along with Mayor Jimmy Johnson, voted for the resolution.
Hester and Councilor John Counts voted against it.
In other action, the council:
• Voted 6-1 to pass an ordinance on final reading that grandfathers in a 20-bed group home at 9000 86th Ave. N., which was rendered nonconforming in 1999 to the city’s updated Comprehensive Plan. By passing the ordinance, it will allow Fifth Third Bank to sell the property, which fell into foreclosure, as a 20-bed home, as opposed to a smaller operation had the ordinance not passed. Plantamura voted against the measure due to questions in the language of the ordinance.
• Postponed the vote for another two weeks on a proposed development agreement for a medical office building to be built at 7895 Seminole Blvd. Developer Gita Gupta requested the continuance to update language in the document concerning the type of medical practitioners that will be able to operate in the building.
• Amended a previous motion passed Oct. 13 to have the city manager present three finalists for the city clerk vacancy for the City Council to consider. The earlier motion provided for just one. More than 200 have applied for the position.
• City Manager Frank Edmunds announced that Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office community deputy Dave Disano has been promoted to corporal and will now serve in another capacity within the sheriff’s office. Deputy Beverly Ireland will take his place as the community deputy in Seminole.
• Director Mike Bryan announced plans for the Seminole Community Library’s 50th anniversary celebration, which will include a contest to design a logo.
