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Tampa City Council Flips Switch, OKs TECO Deal

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By CHRISTIAN M. WADE | The Tampa Tribune

Published: November 14, 2008

TAMPA - Some council members wanted to push green policies, a renewable energy program, even the burying of power lines.

But the Tampa City Council's vote last week to reject the voluminous 25-year agreement with Tampa Electric Co. was reversed Thursday night, when the city council voted to approve a proposed franchise agreement with the company.

Tampa Councilman Joe Caetano made a motion to reconsider the agreement, which was approved 4 to 3. Council Chairman Tom Scott and council members Charlie Miranda and Gwen Miller voted in favor of Caetano's motion to reconsider the agreement.

The item was not listed on the council's evening agenda.

At last Thursday's meeting, council members voted 4-2 on a motion by Councilwoman Linda Saul-Sena to reject the agreement.

Saul-Sena and other council members wanted the city's negotiating team to push for green policies, renewable energy programs and other concessions from the utility.

They also wanted the city to require TECO to bury its power lines, which they said would lead to fewer outages, better-looking neighborhoods and improved public safety.

City Attorney Chip Fletcher had told council members those provisions can't be part of a franchise agreement, saying at a previous meeting that Mayor Pam Iorio's administration was working on a separate agreement with TECO to deal with environmental issues.

The agreement determines how much the utility has to pay for using the city's rights of way for its power lines. The previous contract, approved in 1986, expired last year.

Thursday night's vote does not mean the agreement is a done deal. The council will hold a second public hearing and final vote at a Dec. 4 meeting at 1:30 p.m. at City Hall.

Reporter Christian M. Wade can be reached at (813) 259-7679.

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