AP Planner Position Cut In September

First the city laid off all of its dispatchers. Saturday, the council decided to also jettison its sole planner.

City Planner Gary Thompson's duties will be split between Airport Manager C.B. Shirey and the Central Florida Regional Planning Agency in Bartow after he is cut Sept. 30.

Thompson, reached Monday, said he was forewarned a week ago that his position may be eliminated. He had grown up in Desoto and Hardee counties and he said he hopes to find another position in the area, but he said, "I'm not looking anywhere specific."

Thompson was hired in February 2007 and had worked extensively on the city's comprehensive plan, which was outdated by 18 years. The updates need to be done every seven to 10 years, and without those updates, the city isn't allowed to approve any large-scale developments.

By Monday, the updates were nearly complete and they only needed a final approval from the city council before he sends it to the Florida Department of Community Affairs, Thompson said. Next year, he added, the city will be due for another update, and he expects Central Florida to take that over.

Thompson's salary is approximately $55,000, and with benefits, his position cost the city $71,201 this fiscal year, according to the proposed 2008-2009 budget provided by Finance Director Renee Green during Saturday's annual budget hearing.

Shirey's airport manager office will be converted to a part-time position as Shirey starts handling the city's emergency management and zoning issues. Shirey's salary will remain the same, Adelt said.

Airport Scrutiny

Meanwhile, the council gave Shirey some heat Saturday over two airport tenants who have fallen behind on payments over the past three or four years, including one whose ownership is now working under the wings of another hangar tenant.

Mayor Sharon Schuler asked about Sam Poole, who is leasing a hangar for Lake Wales Air Services. The former ownership of Dumont Aircraft Engines, a company that had given Avon Park a check that bounced due to insufficient funds before it moved out of the airport, is currently working for Poole.

After Dumont, Kenneth Alston leased the same hangar for Eclipse Aircraft before he became delinquent on his hangar rental fees. Counting late fees, he currently owes almost $19,000 to the city and Shirey said Monday that he began a collection process on him. Shirey wasn't sure what Dumont currently owes or if it still owes the city money.

Schuler was suspicious of the three tenants Saturday and asked Shirey to be more "aggressive" in collecting hangar rental fees.

"If he gets one month behind, he needs to go immediately," Schuler told Shirey. "I truly believe it's the same people."

Councilman Joe Wright also brought up Classic Caladiums, which rents part of the airport property even though the company doesn't operate any aircraft. The city alleged that the company owes back taxes to the city, even though the exact dollar amount the city was demanding was not available by press time.

Shirey told the council Saturday that it was under dispute.