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Highlands Today

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Spring Lake

Kent Calabrese

Published: March 13, 2009

When the five supervisors of Spring Lake Improvement District were elected or appointed to their positions, there was no voter or property owner mandate that they purchase a golf course. Quite the contrary; they came to that job with a simple duty – overseeing the drainage issues, have grass cut and ensure that the water plant functioned correctly. Nothing more!
Let us fast forward to the present. Buy a golf course so they can create a park and trails? Give me a break. When is the last time you saw a golf course with walking trails, parks, etc., that were for general use? Buy a golf course consisting of over 220 acres so they can get 17 acres of lakes. If that isn't just flat dumb and bordering on misfeasance-well I just don't know what is.
With a flat or sinking economy, loss of jobs, reduced incomes, higher taxes (regardless of what district tells you, they are going up) they now want to take away a significant source of property assessment income and reduce the county property tax income. Yes folks, if the course is purchased by SLID, it drops from the tax rolls. Who will have to make up the difference? Look in the mirror.
They argue that it is required to complete the water control plan. Not so! Added retention, maintenance or partial extension of existing canals and lakes and repairs to water control structures are required. As are correction of long-standing abuses of water runoff by the Sebring Airport and DOT. That is inescapable and is not being questioned. Only the methodology, seeming being developed in an ad hoc fashion by amateurs, is being questioned.
They have been promoting this "option" for a few months now and have yet to provide a side-by-side financial comparison for the two "options." Any competent businessman or manager will tell you that creating such a model is the first thing one does before proceeding with a major expansion or new business development. Real numbers are not necessary: only reasonable, educated assumptions. Those projections will tell all whether the proposition is viable. Show us the numbers.
Kent Calabrese
Spring Lake