The Palm Beach Post from West Palm Beach, Florida • Page 67

2B THE PALM BEACH POST WEDNESDAY. AUGUST 13, 1997 msl County to review drainage bill battle neither irrational nor arbitrary, as Gainey contended, ine original maps, Gettig said, mistakenly included land that was not in her district and land tnat was vacant. She said the land benefit to the county was exaggerated. FROM CAN COD TO TNI KEVtl" GRAND OPENING Two dozen residents of Gainey's district attended Tuesday's commission meeting to complain. A lot of them echoed the sentiments or jean Kowan or tne i-ern Creek Homeowners By STEPHANIE DESMON Palm Beach Post Staff Writer STUART Commissioner Elmira Gainey who is often in the minority when the Martin County Commission takes its votes saw it as an arbitrary decision, a way for the commission majority to take advantage of her.

Six months ago, when commissioners determined how to pay for drainage improvements to the East Fork Creek and the Hobe Heights areas, Gainey was outvoted and forced to pay $20,000 more for the work than she thought she should. Commissioners asked staff engineers Tuesday to take another look at the drainage improvements and see if any changes need to be made to the formula. But they insist money is unlikely to change hands. Each commissioner has traditionally paid for drainage projects out of his or her individual district purse. Starting next year, countywide property taxes will pay for a comprehensive stormwater management plan.

In March county staff suggested Gainey and Commissioner Janet Gettig split the cost of improvements in the East Fork area, with Gainey paying 55 percent and Gettig 45 percent. County engineers based their analysis on acreage and benefit to each district. The commissioners voted 3-2 to split the payments differently, leaving Gainey with 80 percent of the tab and Gettig with 20 percent, at Gettig's suggestion. Gainey and Commissioner Dennis Armstrong opposed the move. Gainey likened the decision to stealing money from her district, money that she could spend on other projects for her residents.

Gettig said Tuesday that the 8020 split was Association. "I think a lot of it is a power play," Rowan told commissioners. "When people are elected in a community, it's their duty to represent the entire community. Complete Early Bird Dinners $9.95 Monday: ALL You Can Eat Fish Chips 8.95 Tuesday: All You Can Eat Ribs Wednesday: All You Can Eat Snowcrab Thursday Friday: All You Can Eat Bluecrabs Saturday: Prime Rib Dinner Surf Turf Sunday: Kids Eat Free Accompanied By An Adult Gettig defended herself with maps and letters, which she says prove the action was fair. "I just think the picture you see is one that skewed, she said.

Barry University AVAILABLE EVERY NIGHT Live Maine Lobster Dinner '1 1 .99 Twin Lobster Triple Lobster now officially owns Ipswich Whole Bally Clams! Happy Hour Daily! Raw Bar 2 For 1 Cocktails WXEL TV station rC0ME TRY US 0UTI I FREE APPETIZER Lunch 11:30 3pm Dinner 10pm Lata night nana 'til 3am Ivf i niMf tth it rthii if MtrMi I I with mfm nit itt nU tira ttfcir pnwHMt 659 -7506 Lmiri 4001 West Palm Beach Dixie Hwy. 1 Ft 'Hi HZs I 1 i if! in'- -1 JW Chiles O'Laughlin this spring so Florida Atlantic University and three community col leges could sit as partners with Barry. Barry, however, said the state schools needed to contribute three times that much to be equal partners and asked the Cabinet to approve its takeover. An attempt by universities Chancellor Charlie By SHIRISH DATE Palm Beach Post Capital Bureau TALLAHASSEE Public television station WXEL-Channel 42 is now in private hands, after the state on Tuesday turned the financially foundering broadcaster over to Catholic-affiliated Barry University. "I accept this as a sacred trust," Sister Jeanne O'Laughlin told Gov.

Lawton Chiles and the Cabinet after they unanimously approved the transfer of WXEL's television and radio stations. The Miami Shores college will continue running Channel 42 and 90.7 FM as public stations. They will continue receiving state operating money and continue leasing the state-constructed studios in Boynton Beach. The arrangement, common in other states, is a first in Florida. O'Laughlin said her first task is to erase the station's $2 million debt incurred by the current management.

She then plans to add more "variety" in the programming as well as shift the focus toward K-12 educational shows. "Raising the quality of television in people's lives," she said. "That's what it's about." Tuesday's transfer ends a months-long feud between Barry and South Florida public colleges, which first wanted full control, then 50 percent control of WXEL. The legislature allocated $500,000 TOllinUT Reed to get the money through an iuiiiuiiij mere are lots or ways to win ar the Kennel Club with exciting greyhound racing, simulcast action, The Poker Room and prizes galore! unrelated case being settled by Attorney General Bob Butter-worth failed last month. WJN0 AM 12301330 will be at the track from 6:15 pm NEWS TALK RADIO We re disappointed." said FREE admission to first 100 who stop by the uHSUtiQi FAU spokeswoman Lynn Laur-enti.

"FAU wanted that partnership, but unfortunately the money WJN0 table. Enjoy our Welcome Hospitality Area. Learn HMll AM 1230 AM 1 330 how to play the Kennel Club way. wasn there. Reed said he ran out of op DAVID LANEStaff Photographer Apartment fire starts in vanity STUART A Martin County firefighter examines damage from a fire in an apartment complex on Hideaway Place Tuesday morning.

The glass door was smashed so sheriff's deputies could enter the dwelling. The investigation indicates the fire started in a vanity under a sink and was contained to the bathroom. No one was home at the time of the fire, which caused minor smoke damage. Register to win a 3 day2 night Bahamas getaway for two, CDs, jewelry from Brecashe' Jewelers, gift certificates for JSl Western Wear, Daddy 0's Piano Saloon, Flanigan's Seafood Bar Grill and more. Entry blanks at gates, no purchase necessary.

tions. There nothing I can do, he said. "We'll continue to work with Sister Jeanne." She said Tuesday that she, too, plans to work with the state Winner Wednesday Handicapping Contest WIN Think you're good? Heres your chance to show your stuff by picking the exact order of finish of the 6th race. Tonight's Jackpot is $1,400. Visit the newly expanded GATES OPEN AT POST TIME roker Koom, a great place to play your favorite stud and draw games now with lounge and non-smoking area.

schools and solicit their involvement with station programming. Official: No vote implies yes POLICY From IB IBS Congress at Belvedere West Palm Beach Reservations 683-2222 Oldehoff thinks the commission should take votes on the settlements, then he would agree to that. Armstrong said he thinks the lack of a vote is the equivalent of FORT PIERCE The Dan McCarty Mid-: die School will open as scheduled Aug. 21, district facilities director Stan Mayficld told school board members Tuesday night. Because of construction changes, there had been some doubt whether the renovated school in down- I town Fort Pierce would open on time.

Also, because of new state requirements the district will have to add $191,000 to its $26 million budget to build St. Lucie West Centennial School in western St. Lucie County. The amount will pay for an additional 20,000 square feet that new state laws require. Donadio and Associates, a Vero Beach architectural firm, was hired to prepare the new plans.

May field warned board members that construction costs on several other projects could exceed their budgets because of inflationary pressure in the construction business. an approval. When asking Martin County commissioners to approve the new policy, Oldehoff told them in v. ru i in that attorneys for The Stuart News Palm Beach County's Largest Educational Superstore helped formulate the procedure. He also said an attorney for The Palm Beach Post expressed no objections.

The county commission took the following action Tuesday: ROWING CLUB: Postponed approval of a 25-year lease between the nonprofit Treasure Coast Rowing Club and the county's Leighton Park. The rowing club wants to lease part of the park and build a facility on the waterfront at the park. County officials have agreed to the idea of the $10-a-year lease, but commissioners asked that some of the wording in the lease be revised before approval. The item should return in two weeks. DEVELOPMENT DEFERRED: Put off approval of a proposed shopping center in Palm City.

Commissioners withdrew the item from consideration after being told the project might add too many cars to already crowded roads and may not be exempt from meeting the traffic standards, as the developers believed. Commissioners expect to reconsider the project. BEACH RENOURISHMENT: Approved a plan to pay for a renourishment project at Stuart Beach. When tax bills are delivered this fall, 233 property owners in the Indian River Plantation area will be charged an average of $673 to reimburse the county for the renourishment costs. NEW ROAD: Authorized the city of Stuart to spend $200,000 of its impact fees on a new road connecting Wright Boulevard and New Fork Road at U.S.

1 north of the Roosevelt Bridge. It's too late to bite your tongue STUART Martin County grand jurors told commissioners they should strive to promote a healthier work environment for county But Miami attorney Ed Mullins who represented The Post in a lawsuit filed this year accusing KfflFPfflftl commissioners of violating law by settling several lawsuits in private Over 7,000 Sq. Ft. of all the latest Back to School supplies for your classrooms said Oldehoff misinterpreted his position. "In our opinion the TRICO settlements have to be settled in a We Will Not Be A 43-year-old man was missing Tuesday after swimming in a canal at Military Trail and Southern Boulevard.

Fire-rescue and sheriffs divers searched the canal bottom, but suspended the search at nightfall. Fire-rescue spokesman Nigel Baker said the man apparently had spent the afternoon drinking under the bridge with friends before entering the water about 7 p.m. Baker said the man screamed for help, but his companions thought he was joking. Undersold! We Will Beat Any Other Educational Supply Store Prices By public hearing and meeting and that requires a vote by the county commissioners," he said. "We clearly are taking the position that CI the Sunshine Law requires a vote of these settlements.

Palm Beach Post managing edi 1 tor Tom O'Hara said: "Failing to vote in public on these settlements violates the law. It appears No other discounts apply. Discounts cannot be combined. Expires 83197 In-store purchases of in-stock merchandise only. there has been a misunderstand ing between our lawyers.

I'm con fident it will be resolved soon. Mullins also represents The Post in a suit accusing the city of employees, an atmosphere promoting "cooperation and efficiency." The solution may not be in passing around copies of statements made by staffers during the course of the investigation into whether commissioners violated the state's Sunshine Law. On Tuesday, Commis Boca Raton of violating the Sunshine Law by allowing its insur yjfo 4vkK i I Jf I I f1 FREE SUIPT BGAMIGBABV WW, Minimum I III Purchase 1 I with a minimum purchase of Of $25 A 1 I '50 with this coupon. I I I I While supplies last. with this coupon ance earner to settle lawsuits up to $100,000 without a public County commissioners took the following actions Tuesday: GOLF CLUBHOUSE: Thomas Sims Associates received a $390,000 contract to build a new clubhouse at Fairwinds Golf Course.

TRADE ZONE: Former County Commissioner Judy Culpepper was named to the Central Florida Foreign Trade Zone board of directors. Commissioner John Bruhn spoke against the nomination, saying former commissioners are "from the past and it's time to move on." He had suggested his law partner, Albert B. Moore, for the post. GAMBLING SHIP: Princess Cruise Lines now expects to start gambling cruises from the South Beach Parkway in November 1998. Commissioners approved an amended lease that calls for the company to start parking lot improvements next March.

RESTORATION HOUSE: Commissioners allocated $42,500 to Restoration I louse, a rehabilitation center for women, despite saying last year's $37,000 was a onetime donation. They said this will be the final donation to the project. Attorneys who oppose the settlement amounts in public meetings argue government agencies conduct public hearings when paying annual insurance premiums to the insurance carrier. Directions: 18 mile east of Florida's Turnpike in the Market Place Shopping Center on the south side of the street, next to Adelphia Cable. We will pay your toll from Palm Beach Gardens or Boca Raton only 15 minutes from either direction.

MARKETPLACE 7400 Lake Worth Road, Lake Worth 33467 561-642-9020 Fax 561-642-7817 STORE HOURS: sion Chairman Marshal "Bud" Wilcox's secretary, Anna Colgan, made copies of 914 pages of statements and other evidence compiled by the state attorney's office. The papers are to be made available to whoever requests them, Wilcox told County Administrator Russ Blackburn Tuesday. Wilcox also suggested staff create a check-out system to keep track of the papers, which paint a picture of mistrust and paranoia in the county. Staffers who testified are on edge, worried that they'll suffer for telling their stories to authorities. The grand jury found no criminal wrongdoing by commissioners or staff.

Stephanie Desmon Barbara Peterson, director of Monday-Thursday 10-8, Friday antf Saturday 10-6, Sunday 10-4 a 1 fA the hirst Amendment Foundation, argued public approval of the settlements is necessary because those amounts have a direct impact on the following year's insurance premiums..