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Courage Honoree Vows His Vigilance

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

msalinero@tampatrib.com

Published: October 16, 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, a Sun City Center resident, has attended the twice-monthly county commission meetings 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, and Brown said the backflow valves are unnecessary and can be tampered with, endangering the water supply.

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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