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Brooksville Mayor To Seek Removal Of Housing Board Members

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By TONY MARRERO, Hernando Today

Published: November 21, 2007

Updated: 11/20/2007 10:11 pm

BROOKSVILLE - This housing authority board isn't working, either.

That's the sentiment of Mayor David Pugh, who confirmed Monday night that he intends to seek the removal of at least one of the Brooksville Housing Authority board members.

"The process is in the works," Pugh said after the city council's regular meeting Monday night.

Pugh declined to say which of the six sitting board members he sought to remove but said letters notifying board members of scheduled hearings could go out as early as this week.

"I'm looking at all options," he said.

It will be the second time this year that Pugh has put such a process in motion. The council voted to remove three housing board members in August for inefficiency and neglect of duty.

The issue arose during the meeting when the council came to an agenda item concerning the appointment of a seventh member to the housing board. The new member would replace Shannon Andras-Pettry, who resigned last month citing concerns for her safety after a heated verbal exchange with a resident during a meeting.

Maria Hightower and Bill Adair, both of Spring Hill, and Luevina Brown, a housing authority resident, had submitted applications for the post.

"At this point I don't feel comfortable putting anyone in that position until we resolve the issues that need to addressed," Pugh told council members.

Council member Richard Lewis said the council should keep in mind the housing board is at a disadvantage because it has an even number of members, causing some deadlocked votes.

Council member Joe Bernardini agreed with Pugh, though.

"If you want to make it a functioning board, take somebody off there," Bernardini said.

The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development funds and oversees the authority, but the city council appoints and has the power to remove members. The mayor levies charges, holds a hearing and then makes a recommendation to the entire council, which then votes on whether to oust the board member.

Council member Lara Bradburn reminded Pugh that he had the council's backing when it came time to take action.

That's when Pugh revealed that he had already done so.

"It takes a little time to formulate all the letters and put things into place," Pugh said. "I wish I could snap my fingers and make it all ready but I can't."

A couple of key recent events likely factor in Pugh's action.

The housing board's personnel committee recommended last month that the full housing board take no action against Ronnie McLean or look deeper into allegations that he lied to an insurance agent about the status of his driver's license.

The personnel committee is composed of housing board members Steve Zeledon, Jeanette Soto, Yvette Taylor, Paul Douglas and James Brooks.

But Douglas and Brooks were not present at the meeting. Douglas has steadfastly maintained that McLean lied and should be fired; Brooks has said the matter required more investigation. So, too, has board member Earl Watkins, though he is not on the personnel committee.

McLean has adamantly maintained his innocence, contending that it was a miscommunication between him and insurance agent Tom Browning of Browning Insurance.

Browning claims McLean told him he did not have a Florida license. McLean said he simply said he didn't have one with him because it had been stolen.

Browning later found that McLean had licenses in both Florida and the state of New York, and both were suspended.

At the personnel board meeting, Soto, Taylor and Zeledon decided it was a nonissue and that authority needed to move on.

On Monday, Pugh received a copy of a letter from HUD sent to Zeledon warning him that Douglas and board member Earl Watkins had overstepped their bounds and urging the board to receive further training in its responsibilities.

Watkins had demanded that the board's meetings be moved to City Hall; Douglas had contacted a housing authority secretary using her personal cell phone.

Douglas maintains a third party told him the secretary, Beth Loos, wanted to talk to him about concerns she had about events at the authority. Loos denies that and filed a police report saying Douglas was harassing her.

Recent board meetings have descended into shouting matches since board members have taken sides over McLean.

Douglas has asked for Zeledon's removal, contending he knowingly allowed McLean to make false statements about his license. Zeledon denies that.

Zeledon contends it's Douglas who is causing a distraction and keeping the board from making progress.

On Tuesday, Watkins admitted that he and the rest of the board erred by failing to thoroughly check McLean's background before hiring him.

Watkins said he wanted to remain on the board to improve conditions for the housing authority's residents but understood if Pugh wants him to go.

"I'm trying to make up for it, but it maybe too little too late," Watkins said. "If he thinks I did something wrong, then tell me and I'll resign. I just want to help these people."

The authority is making progress, Soto told the city council during the period of Monday's meeting reserved for public comment.

Conditions are improving in the authority's two complexes, Hillside Estates and Summit Villas, she said. And last week the authority hosted its first Thanksgiving dinner.

"Everything's not as bad as it sounds," Soto said.

Reporter Tony Marrero can be reached at 352-544-5286 or lmarrero@hernandotoday.com.

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