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More Courage To Come, Award Winner Tells Commission

News Channel 8 photo by ERIC HAUSMANN

Sun City Center resident Dave Brown holds the 2008 Moral Courage Award, which he received at Wednesday's Hillsborough County Commission meeting.

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By MIKE SALINERO | The Tampa Tribune

Published: October 15, 2008

TAMPA - Dave Brown, whose years of patiently but persistently pestering county officials paid off with a Moral Courage Award, warned county commissioners Wednesday they haven't seen the last of him.

"You badgered us enough, and we paid attention," Commissioner Rose Ferlita told Brown during the award presentation.

"There's more to come," Brown replied.

The Moral Courage Award honors residents who challenge government for the betterment of the community.

Brown has attended the twice-monthly county commission meeting for more than a year, complaining about the county's requirement that residents who pump water from lakes and shallow wells have expensive backflow prevention devices. The unsightly pipe structures can cost up to $600 to install.

Brown said the backflow valves are unnecessary and can be tampered with, endangering the water supply. He's also alleged that the county Water Resources Department has unfairly targeted his neighborhood of Sun City Center as well as Apollo Beach.

Brown ended his acceptance speech by paying tribute to former recipients of the award.

"And when you look back over the deeds of prior recipients," he said, "isn't that what the Moral Courage Award is all about — doing something good for other people? It's a great honor to join a list of other recipients who have faced opposition when confronting the county and then persevered to accomplish good."

Beginning next year, the honor will be known as the Ralph W. Hughes Moral Courage Award.

Reporter Mike Salinero can be reached at (813) 259-8303.

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