Right Side of the Lake :: Lake County Florida's local government news source from Citizens for Better Government LLC.

January 20, 2012 at 4:43 pm

It’s On!

For the last several months we’ve heard that Captain Sandy Carpenter was going to challenge Sheriff Gary Borders for his job and the announcement below makes it official. Supporters of each candidate have expressed passionately why they believe their man is the best for the job and it appears that it is creating a real split in Lake County’s law enforcement community. There is not much doubt this will be a bare knuckles bruising campaign and after tonight – It’s On!

The Right Side of the Lake is a publication of Citizens for Better Government, L.L.C., and if you would like to comment on today’s column please go to our website www.lakecountygov.info or www.therightsideofthelake.com. This newsletter is free to all who would like to subscribe, and we encourage you to send it out to everyone on your mailing list.

If you have information or a topic you would like us to cover please email us directly at lakecountygov@lakecountygov.info. If you wish to advertise on this newsletter or at our website, please contact us; and, of course, your gifts and donations are greatly appreciated.

Click Here to Post a Comment | 5 Comments Tags: Gary Borders, Sandy Carpenter |

January 19, 2012 at 11:33 am

Mt. Plymouth-Sorrento Future Prosperity or Poverty?

Posted by admin in Lake County

Admittedly, Tuesday’s The Right Side of the Lake on the Mt. Plymouth-Sorrento Community Redevelopment Area (CRA) was longer than most, but it told a story of an area of Lake County which is on the cusp of major change. The decisions made by community leaders over the next few months will have huge ramifications for a generation, and it will determine a direction: Either prosperity or poverty.

Also on Tuesday, the MetroPlan Orlando voted 17-2 to approve the $1.66 billion Wekiva Parkway, which will have a massive effect on the Mt. Plymouth-Sorrento area. Eventually, 75 percent of all the traffic now going through those cities may be diverted. Everyone hates traffic. But face it; traffic makes property more valuable and acts as a catalyst for investment. Two critical points about traffic counts: First, traffic counts are the reason many businesses locate to an area; secondly, traffic counts are a reason why in America there are thousands of deserted little towns after major highways were built in the 1950s and 1960s.

One way or another, the Mt. Plymouth-Sorrento area will change when the Wekiva Parkway and the re-alignment of SR-46A occurs. Either the community will approve the proposed CRA and come together to develop a niche growth strategy; or the area will continue to spiral into blight with plummeting property values. The reason why there is no middle ground between the futures of prosperity or poverty? In a word – financing. The financial meltdown of 2008 totally changed the rules on appraisals and financing. Lenders will not invest in business interests which do not have value.

Some on the old East Lake Citizens Council have visions of creating a walking downtown area, which would cater to those who enjoy the daytrips to neat boutiques and bistros. Others hope to establish a more traditional old Florida cracker downtown. In either case, most believe that the area must brand itself with a niche growth strategy to keep the area viable, and not just a rundown convenience store stop on the new parkway.

The business leaders and owners of Mt. Plymouth and Sorrento also understand the importance of the CRA to the area, and their own viability. This week, the East Lake Chamber of Commerce approved a resolution in support of creating the Mt. Plymouth-Sorrento CRA (Click to view resolution). This is another sign that the community is coming together and recognizing the real challenges it is facing with the new Wekiva Parkway.

There are many questions that must be answered about the future of Mt. Plymouth and Sorrento, but one answer that cannot be accepted any longer is “No”. “No” from the anti-growth, extreme environmental movement is no longer an option if this area is to survive economically. A vigorous debate between the residents and business owners needs to occur to determine which revitalization and niche growth model should be implemented. Right or wrong, the option of doing nothing is not plausible. The deck, which was already stacked against the area, has just had more cards added to it.

Local East Lake resident Clark Morris, who has been actively working to improve his community, made the following observation:

WE need a nicely designed town center (they all fought this during Linda’s tenure)…..We need to find a way to get our Mount Plymouth Golf Course open again (it is killing our property values – looks like a REAL dump!). We need some decently designed and placed PARKS and TRAILS….. We need a Community Building or something to help re-establish as a community again…. BUT the opposition has got us just where they want us… dead in the water….

Keep in mind the picture that Clark Morris paints in the here and now. Can you imagine the area after the Wekiva Parkway and realignment of SR46-A occurs? Mt. Plymouth and Sorrento need a plan for the future, and they need a CRA in place to finance that future. Don’t let anyone from the anti-growth/ extreme environmental movement kid you, the decision for the future is now. Will it be prosperity or poverty?

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January 17, 2012 at 12:26 pm

Rescuing the Future of Mt. Plymouth-Sorrento

Posted by admin in Lake County

Mt. Plymouth and Sorrento are small communities in east Lake County that are adjacent to the Wekiva area, and less than 30 minutes from downtown Orlando. In the early 1900s, the area featured a large resort and was a getaway for some of the nation’s wealthiest citizens. Over the last decade, they have become a haven for Lake County’s extreme environmental movement.

The Extreme Environmental Stranglehold

The Mount Plymouth-Sorrento area is going through some real bad economic times. These promising communities are systematically being economically destroyed by a small group of extreme environmental activists who would rather see blight instead of growth and progress. This sounds harsh, but it is true. Especially if you look at the decay and deterioration that is going on in the area, and the number of projects this group has thwarted over the last five years.

These people seek to implement over-the-top restrictions to growth in the name of protecting the Wekiva River Basin. But in reality, most of it is being instituted to support extreme agendas. Like most things with the extreme environmental movement, good intentions, common sense and real science are the casualties, and ideology becomes doctrine.

As this environmental extremist kabob clinched tighter control of the Mt. Plymouth-Sorrento area through environmental fear mongering, the area began an economic death spiral, and legitimate, good quality, environmentally-friendly businesses were denied access. Developers and business interests put proposals on the table wherein they bent over backwards for the environmental movement’s concerns, but the answer was always the same: No. Clearly, this movement has gotten out of hand. It is no longer about the real issue of protecting the environment; rather, it is more about control and protecting a personal view or ideology.

But something happened that the extreme environmentalists in the Mount Plymouth-Sorrento area – or America – did not foresee: There was an economic meltdown in 2008. All of those years of “no,” coupled with the virtual collapse of the Mt. Plymouth-Sorrento economy, collided to create an economic disaster for the area. See, the dirty little secret is that the environmental movement is not funded by private dollars, but rather it relies on the government teat; even President Obama is now talking about the massive shrinkage of government. In short, the money is drying up quickly for the environmental movement, and they can no longer rely on the government taxpayer to fund their over-zealous mandates.

The Mt. Plymouth-Sorrento area, because of its kabob of environmental extremists, is boxed in one heck of a bad situation. There is absolutely no prospect of getting state or federal monies to fund economic revitalization. Since the market collapse of 2008, few developers are now willing to bend over backwards for any area, especially this one. The area is spiraling into blight and economic decay with no cavalries on the horizon to save it, but you know what? The extreme environmental movement is still fighting any efforts to improve the area.

Mt. Plymouth-Sorrento CRA

Late last August, District 4 County Commissioner Leslie Campione met with Mt. Plymouth-Sorrento citizens, and in a message (click for message) released by Commissioner Campione, she reported a consensus of the group wants to go forward with the creation of a Community Redevelopment Area (CRA).

Elected officials can establish a CRA, which is usually a very specific area that is normally in special need due to blight or deterioration. Once the CRA has been established, the local elected officials will turn its administration over to an advisory group of citizens and business owners from the affected area. The funding for a CRA comes from tax increment financing, which is a funding process that establishes the current taxable valuable of the properties within the CRA. These values are frozen to ensure the taxing authority retains its funding. Then, as improvements are made to the area and property values increase, the amount of money collected above the frozen value is given back to the CRA advisory board so it can be used to improve the CRA district.

Here is what you need to know about the proposed Mt. Plymouth-Sorrento CRA:

This is not a tax increase. It is a bet that, as the area improves, land values will go up. All extra monies collected when property values rise will go back to the Mt. Plymouth-Sorrento CRA for community improvements. The people of Mt. Plymouth-Sorrento will have direct representation for their tax dollars collected.
With current property values down so dramatically, now is a wonderful time to establish a CRA to ensure maximum return to the people of the Mt. Plymouth-Sorrento area.
If the Lake County Commission approves the Mt. Plymouth-Sorrento CRA, the frozen date would be 2013, but county staff estimates it will be 2017 before enough increased-value tax dollars can be collected to make a significant contribution to the CRA. By law, a CRA is established for a certain time period not to exceed 40 years. This CRA is a long-term plan which can be used as a carrot to attract investment and revitalization.
The proposed Mt. Plymouth- Sorrento CRA (click to view) encompasses areas along SR 46 and residential areas – which are feeling the ill effects of the old golf course. The CRA is targeted to the areas which desperately need improvement to stop the blight and decay expansion.

For the people who live, own property, and try to work in the Mt. Plymouth-Sorrento area, this CRA is a great idea to reverse the economic decay which is gripping that area.

Commissioner Campione Speaks Out

District 4 Commissioner Leslie Campione understands the importance of the Mt. Plymouth-Sorrento CRA as demonstrated by her statement below:

The Wekiva Parkway will either be the death nail of the Mt. Plymouth-Sorrento community with the diversion of approximately 75% of the traffic that passes through this area daily, or it will have a tremendous positive effect. The purpose of creating a CRA is to get ahead of these impacts and steer them in a positive direction by preserving the unique character of the area by using standards that can be established in a CRA, upgrading housing conditions and promoting infrastructure improvements in the commercial district and adjoining residential area such as curbs, sidewalks, signage and street lights.

The Wekiva Protection Act adopted in 1989 by the State Legislature resulted in a variety of development limitations in this area, but because the Wekiva Parkway will make this area much more accessible to Metro-Orlando, there will be new transportation challenges as traffic patterns change and older neighborhoods attract more attention. A CRA is a vehicle which allows the County to methodically address these new pressures and the particular needs that result from these pressures (e.g. street lights, sidewalks, signage, etc.).

Many Seek Improvement

Unlike what has been said and written by those in the extreme environmental and no-growth movement, it appears the majority of the people of the area are supporting the idea of a CRA because something must be done. It is utter insanity not to take action to reverse the economic decay. Each day the weeds grow taller, the crime increases, the old golf course is destroyed by unauthorized four-wheeler use, and the property values plummet. Time is growing short for the survivability of the area.

The zealots of the extreme environmental movement appear willing to accept the economic destruction of Mt. Plymouth and Sorrento over any reasoned and managed growth ideas. You may hear the anti-growth/environmental crowd say this CRA is a ploy by developers to seize control, and that improving the downtown areas – along with other areas in the CRA – is going to change the character of the community. There is no character in economic blight, and the Mt. Plymouth-Sorrento area is just like every other part of America; they should be fighting for every business opportunity they can find. This economic mess gripping this country is far from being over.

Currently, the Lake County Growth Management Staff is reviewing the proposed Mt. Plymouth-Sorrento CRA, and the Lake County Board of County Commissioners is scheduled to review the findings on January 24, 2012. We recommend the commission approves the Mt. Plymouth-Sorrento CRA because something must be done to change the economic course of this area. The process of establishing this CRA must begin quickly because, by all accounts, it will be at least four years before any significant monies are available. While incorporation of that area should be the ultimate goal, it’s time to get real; a lot of small communities in the state of Florida are facing the real threat of un-incorporation because they cannot garner the tax revenues to stay viable. A major economic turndown is not the time to incorporate the Mount Plymouth-Sorrento area.

Bipartisan Support for CRA

Both Democrats and Republicans in the area are lining up to support the Mt. Plymouth-Sorrento CRA. A source close to the East Lake Chamber of Commerce says a resolution is being processed which supports the CRA. Interestingly, former Democrat District 4 Commission Candidate Bill Smalley has been one of the leaders pushing the CRA, and when contacted by us offered his observations and comments:

I do support the creation of either a CRA or the Incorporation of the area. Misleading is the opinion written recently claiming the East Lake Citizens are not behind this effort and that they should instead look to incorporation.

With a CRA and the involvement of the entire community, we could see improvements to this area that are urgently needed. The recent description given of “Tree Lined Lanes” hides and misleads the fact there are numerous vacant, dilapidated structures, many of which should have been condemned years ago. Create a true Main Street that the citizens and visitors can be proud of one that you would want to come to explore, have lunch and take in the richness of the local environment. It could, if we want it, become a “Gateway to the Wekiva,” a destination.

The creation of a CRA provides the needed infusion of dollars, without taking away any current dollars from the coffers of the County. It uses the increase in value from improvements made, which drives any future incremental dollars back into the community with a consensus by appointed overseers from the community deciding how and when the dollars are spent without incurring debt.

When contacted by our group on this issue, T.J. Fish, Executive Director of the Lake-Sumter Metropolitan Planning Organization stated the following:

My recent vocal support of a plan for the Mount Plymouth/Sorrento community is based on the impending fact that as much as 75 percent of the traffic currently passing those businesses will be gone when a complete SR 429 opens. I support a plan, whether it be in the form of a CRA plan or other. The community needs a plan.

The Mount Plymouth/Sorrento CRA is the plan they need.

Click Here to Post a Comment | 6 Comments Tags: Leslie Campione, Mount Plymouth, Sorrento |

January 12, 2012 at 1:20 pm

Eustis and Mount Dora’s Dirty Secrets on Impact Fees

Posted by admin in Lady Lake, Leesburg, Mount Dora, Tavares

It seems John Drury, the city manager of Tavares, is sending out weekly news releases heralding another large project beginning in the city of Tavares, while sister cities in the Golden Triangle area economically decay with vacant buildings and anti-business reputations. Since the economic turndown, the leadership in Tavares has made bold moves, and they were the first government entity in Lake County to waive impact fees. It has really paid off for them.

In our view, impact fees are the number one reason why Tavares is enjoying business revitalization, while Mount Dora and Eustis languish in the economic post-flush. So, we decided to do a real-world comparison of impact fees between the cities in the Golden Triangle area to see how big this issue really is. Well, our comparison shows it’s huge, and yes, the reason why Tavares is getting all of these new businesses – it’s all about the money.

For our evaluation, we calculated the impact fees for an 8,000 square-foot medical office built in Tavares, Mount Dora and Eustis. The following is our breakdown of only the impact fees – don’t forget building and permitting fees are on top of this.

8,000 square foot medical office

City of Tavares – $0
City of Eustis – $17,394.76
City of Mount Dora – $33,057.49

If you want to know why businesses and jobs are running away from Eustis and Mount Dora, just look at the impact fees a doctor would have to pay on this small office.

Here’s Our Breakdowns on the Numbers

Our readers should be forewarned: You will need to break out the Chinese calculator and reference the Philadelphia lawyer’s book of bull.

Tavares – This one is simple, there’s nothing to calculate because all impact fees are waived. And by the way, the City of Tavares is making it real easy by allowing permit fees to be paid at the time the Certificate of Occupancy (C/O) is issued instead of paying them before construction begins. Tavares understands that at the time the C/O is issued is when most of the money is disbursed by the lending institution, or owner, for the project.
City of Eustis

For an 8,000 square-foot medical office, you will need to tell the City of Eustis how many doctors and employees will be using the facility because the water and sewer impact fees are calculated, not by usage, but by people working at the facility. For this calculation, we estimate the facility will be home for 3 doctors and 6 full-time employees. For every doctor, the city of Eustis will charge $711 in water impact fees and $2,222 in sewer impact fees. Oddly, for every employee the water impact fee is $43, and the sewer impact fee is $133.00. So, the total sewer and water impact fee for this medical office will be $9,855.
The law enforcement impact fee for a medical office is $456.77 per thousand square feet. That means the total fee would be 8 times $456.77, or $3,654.16.
Next are fire impact fees for our medical office. They are charged at a rate of $485.70 per thousand square feet. Again, since the building is 8,000 square feet, the calculation for the fee would be 8 times $485.70, or $3,885.60.
The total Eustis impact fees are $17,394.76, with $7,464 for sewer; $2,391 for water; $3,654.16 for law enforcement; and $3,885.60 for fire. Click here to see full Eustis Impact Fee schedule.

City of Mount Dora

Water and sewer impact fees in Mount Dora are calculated on an Equivalent Residential Unit (ERU), which is based on the usage of a residential home. The city developed a worksheet (click to view), which determines a commercial building ERU by counting the number of commodes, lavatories, and sinks. We took the Mount Dora worksheet and completed it based on an average doctor’s office. The calculation resulted in an ERU of 4.08, which essentially means this office will use a little more than three times more water than the average house. The city of Mount Dora water ERU rate is $2,771.46, and the sewer ERU rate is $3,337.94.
Water impact fees are calculated by taking the ERU of 4.08 times the rate of $2,217.17, which equals $9,046.05. The sewer rate is calculated with the same ERU rate of 4.08 times $3,337.94, which equals $13,618.80. The total water and sewer impact fees for this medical office would be $22,664.85. Please note this is the “in” city cost. It’s more for “outside” the city.
According to the Mount Dora Building Department, a medical building would be considered a commercial building; therefore, it would be subject to Police Protection and Fire/EMS impact fees at the commercial rate. Police Protection impact fees are $957.50 per thousand square feet, so since our medical building is 8,000 square foot, it would be 8 times $957.50, or $7,660.
Fire/EMS impact fees are also calculated per thousand square feet, and this rate is $349.08. The simple calculation is 8 times $349.08, or $2,792.64.
Mount Dora’s total impact fee bill, for an 8,000 square foot medical building, is $33,057.49, which consists of $9,046.05 for water impact fees; $13,618.80 for sewer impact fees; $7,600 for fire protection impact fees; and $2,792.64 for Fire/EMS impact fees. Click here to view all Mount Dora fees.

We told you a Chinese calculator would be needed. This explains, beyond a shadow of doubt, why businesses are heading to the zero-impact-fee cities of Tavares and Leesburg. Just think, a doctor can go a couple of miles across the city line in Tavares and save over $30,000 in impact fees! It’s all about the money.

Now This Isn’t Fair at All

During our evaluation of impact fees, we found out from the Mount Dora Building Department that where you build determines your impact fees. According to the building department on January 3, 2012, the Mount Dora City Council approved an ordinance that suspends the collection of impact fees in the Mount Dora downtown Community Redevelopment Area (CRA), which encompasses the areas in and around Donnelly Street.

There are many things that can be said about this action. First, it isn’t fair that a business that builds or remodels in the downtown area gets a huge impact fee break while others are gouged. Secondly, and most importantly, this waiver of impact fees for the downtown area – which is crumbling – is an admission by the leaders of Mount Dora government that impact fees do not work. These fees destroy business. In our view, this is selective taxation, and it clearly demonstrates the inept leadership of that city. Businesses in Mount Dora should revolt against this action.

Most stunningly, a source with knowledge of the Mount Dora CRA contends the impact fee waiver was given to benefit one of the primary landowners of the downtown area who is a major fundraiser for many members on the Mount Dora City Council. If true, this is a blatant quid-pro-quo political favor for a contributor that will save this landowner thousands of dollars in impact fees if buildings are remodeled or added. Over the next year, citizens should monitor who pulls permits in downtown Mount Dora. This will answer this question of political favoritism. There is no other way to say: This isn’t fair.

The Dirty Little Secrets

There are some dirty little secrets surrounding these impact fees that most people do not understand.

Impact fees not only apply to new construction, but also remodeling projects. A source told us the story about a Mount Dora business that wanted to add a lavatory to the building and was told that he would have to pay $1,200 in impact and building fees.
Impact fees discourage the redevelopment of properties because, not only does the landowner have to bring the project up to odious codes, he or she must pay outlandish impact fees. Impact fees encourage blight.
Impact fees do not include permit and inspection fees, which are some of the highest in the county.
Had Lake County not waived its transportation impact fees until March 2013, the county would have charged $53,736 in transportation impact fees on top of what the cities are charging. In Mount Dora just a couple of years ago, a doctor would have paid over $86,000 in impact fees to open a small 8,000 square foot office. That is highway robbery.
Mount Dora and Eustis both still have impact fees for residential homes. To build a home in Eustis, a homeowner will have to pay $4,698.97 in impact fees. While in Mount Dora, a new home constructed will cost $4,686.48. Maybe that explains the migration of new homes – and higher values – to Tavares.
Finally, and most importantly, banks and lending institutions give no value to impact fees in appraisals, which makes it virtually impossible to get financing.

It is no wonder, with all of these fees, why the cities of Mount Dora and Eustis are crumbling: No one can afford to build, remodel or live there.

The Bottom Line

The anti-business sentiments in Mount Dora and Eustis are reflected in bold colors through their outrageous impact fees. We cannot imagine any business looking at Lake County as a possible home would ever consider relocating within the confines of the cities of Mount Dora and Eustis. Not only are their impact and building fees outrageous, but each city’s building department has a reputation of being the worst to work with and find solutions. There is a culture of “no” that permeates both cities through their staff and political leadership. Ask anyone who has ever tried to pull a permit or build in those communities.

The crux of the problem for both cities is arrogance. They hold a belief that people will pay more to live and work in their communities, and in this modern struggling economy, that is simply not the case. Restraints on financing and appraisals have created a situation in which real value must exist in properties. There is no way a bank is going to allow a doctor’s office in Mount Dora to appraise for more than one built a few miles away in Tavares. This arrogance has doomed these cities economically.

We have to congratulate one public official: John Drury, the city manager of Tavares. We exposed why he is winning so many new businesses. Tavares’ zero-impact-fee policy is pushing businesses to his town away from Eustis and Mount Dora. A source on a large project said the day Mount Dora turned him down that Bill Neron, Tavares’ Economic Development Director, was welcoming him with open arms. Humble Tavares is taking arrogant Mount Dora and Eustis to the business woodshed everyday. Just look downtown, and you’ll see which city is on the move.

We’d like to hear your building and impact fee horror stories from Eustis and Mount Dora. For years, we’ve heard scores of stories along these lines, but it is now time to put the light on this absurdity. Working people do not need another business rejecting Lake County because they talked to Mount Dora or Eustis first.

Click Here to Post a Comment | 9 Comments Tags: Impact Fees, Lake County, Leesburg, Mount Dora, Tavares |

January 10, 2012 at 9:42 am

Why Leesburg Will be 2012’s Hot Spot

Posted by admin in Lake County, Leesburg

In our 2012 prediction edition of The Right Side of the Lake, we forecast that the City of Leesburg will be the new economic hot spot of Lake County. Many of our readers questioned that premise given the huge recent economic successes of the City of Tavares. There is no doubt about it, the City of Tavares is an economic hot spot that is creating a wonderful business and jobs climate, but Tavares is in a different period of its economic cycle than Leesburg. Leaders in Tavares must find ways to sustain their economic growth long-term, while Leesburg is basically entering its economic renaissance.

As the City of Leesburg enters its economic recovery, structurally, the city has more tools in its arsenal to use than other local municipalities, so we see huge opportunities for economic growth. Here are the key drivers to the Leesburg economy over the next two years:

Education opportunities will fuel tremendous economic growth in the City of Leesburg. Transforming Lake-Sumter Community College to a four-year institution will open doors to new businesses, instructors, administrators, but more importantly, students. Lake County students who do not have the financial means to attend a college for a four-year degree will now have that opportunity. This is a huge win for Leesburg and Lake County.
Beacon College’s continued expansion in downtown Leesburg is offering more business opportunities for downtown merchants. The college’s niche degree program and new buildings will put Leesburg in the national spotlight as a haven for those with learning disabilities.
The partnership with Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University will truly start to produce more fruit as the Florida economy in total improves this year and the need for air travel increases. The City of Leesburg is positioning itself very well to be a unique hub for servicing the main areas adjacent to The Villages.
The new Highway 27-441 interchange in Leesburg is nearing completion, and this will be a game changer for merchants in that area. A year ago, the business strip on Highway 441, near the exchange, was plagued by vacant buildings and closing businesses, but now, the lights are coming on.
Leesburg’s new electrical smart grid program is technology that will be rolled out to surrounding areas at some point. The city’s willingness to take a chance on this new technology will begin to pay dividends as new businesses will consider energy cost as more of a factor in relocating to an area.
The proposed Florida Energy and Aerospace Technology Park in Leesburg has caught the attention of businesses across the country. If the city leadership is able to get this project off the ground, then Lake County will truly have a niche business, which could act as a magnet for other related businesses in aviation and energy.
Leesburg Regional Medical Center (LMRC) is gaining a reputation as one of the finest small hospitals in America. Despite the political efforts to defund the North Lake Hospital Taxing District, this hospital offers the best possibility of expanding Leesburg’s immediate economic base. If the funding challenges can be pushed back, this hospital could grow significantly as the older population expands in Lake County. LMRC could help propel the City of Leesburg as the primary medical hub in the area.

From our standpoint, Leesburg has an immeasurable upside with all the irons in the fire, and the political leadership in charge of the city. We cannot argue the point that the Leesburg City Commission is made up of a cast of characters, who, at times, will make you shake your head, but there is no doubt they are all unified in two things: Growing jobs and improving business. This type of economic unity does not exist in many of the other cities within the county; therefore, they have incoherent economic directions. The City of Tavares shares this same economic clarity and unit of purpose as Leesburg. This is probably why, economically, it is far ahead of its sister cities in the Golden Triangle area.

We Asked Jay Evans

We reached out to Jay Evans, city manager for the City of Leesburg, for his comments on our prediction that Leesburg will be Lake County’s economic hot spot for 2012. The following is his unedited response:

One of the most important aspects of economic development is the availability of a skilled workforce to suit the needs of targeted industries. To this end, we are working hard to develop partnerships with academic institutions that will help grow that workforce.

It begins with Leesburg High, where we are partnering on the Construction and Energy Technology Academy that will open in the fall of 2012. As you know, the energy side is the new component; one that we hope will improve the career opportunities for Leesburg area students AND serve to fill the needs of energy-based technology companies we are seeking to attract. Other partners include Lake Tech, who we are looking to partner with on an Aviation Airframe and Power plant (A&P) technical training program at Leesburg International Airport. We are also looking to develop a small aviation business incubator at Leesburg International in conjunction with Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University. Both of these latter two programs would occupy existing facilities. If proven successful, the incubator could expand to include a facility at the Florida Energy and Aerospace Technology Park on C.R. 470. Lastly, LSCC may play a role by partnering with Embry Riddle on aerospace academic programs, and could also expand the current Electrical Distribution Technology vocational program to provide more avenues for those seeking employment in the energy industry.

If that isn’t enough, we are hoping in the future to create an Aviation Academy at LHS in conjunction with the AFROTC program and the Experimental Aviation Association’s (EAA) Young Eagles program. This could be the much-needed connection between interested local students and the Leesburg International Airport (currently NO connection exists). It could also be the perfect introduction for students that will one day attend Lake Tech / LSCC / Embry Riddle to continue their education and hopefully help us grow local aviation related industry.

If this works, we will for the first time have the City of Leesburg and local educational institutions working toward the same goal: diversifying and expanding the local economy by providing the resources companies need to relocate here.

You inquired about our proactive approach to our finances during this down economy. While I would like to claim that the financial wizardry of brilliant people at City Hall has led to our best-ever bond ratings and healthy reserve levels, it wouldn’t be true. Instead, it has taken good ol’ fashioned COURAGE, leadership from the City Commission, and a few creative ideas. The courage comes in when we have to make tough but necessary decisions to ensure positive financial performance. This has included reforming our retirement plans, improving and adhering to tight financial policies, downsizing and outsourcing where possible, and adopting corporate-style incentives to tie employee compensation to the reality of financial performance. We have even “harvested capacity” by finding opportunities such as having night shift utility plant operators help process library books during lulls in workload. Our building inspectors are now certified to conduct fire inspections as well, allowing one person to do the job of two. This has made life easier for designers and contractors who need our plan review and construction inspection services. Utility locating is now centralized, providing faster and more efficient service to contractors and surveyors. These are just a few of the measures we have taken to actually IMPROVE the City’s financial position during the recession.

It should be noted that finance and budget are two very different things. Our budget, like everyone else’s, is continuing to decline. We cannot afford to do the things we once did, and so we have to work harder, close facilities, and curtail some services. It is the way we react to the declining budgets that determines financial condition. That is why financially we are doing well, but from a budget perspective, things are very, very, tight.

Oh, and one more thing, if you check our building fees, they are the lowest in the County. Combine that with our waiver of impact fees and Leesburg is an attractive place to build!

The reason we printed Jay Evans’ complete response is so everyone can read how city leaders are supposed to sound if they truly want jobs and economic growth. Evans’ response demonstrates the unified efforts of his office, city commission, city employees and the community when it comes to improving Leesburg’s economy. This type of enthusiasm for innovation and economic growth does not exist in Mount Dora and Eustis. Until there is unity and clarity on economic growth, these other communities will remain mired in a recession.

The people in Leesburg and Tavares get it – it’s the economy stupid. The days of government arrogance toward economic growth by some municipalities had better end or they will become footnotes in history. You know, you hear many in the no-growth movement long for the “good ole days” where things weren’t crowded and the views were fantastic. The only problem with their version of the good ole days is that most people were making minimal wage, our kids had to move away to make a decent living, many lived in rundown trailers, and the local amenities such as parks and libraries were nonexistent or in disrepair. Maybe the cities of Leesburg and Tavares are looking toward the future and better days.

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