Collier commissioner wants special master fired for bias

Collier County Commissioner Tom Henning is expected to ask his fellow commissioners to fire Special Master Brenda Garretson at today's commission meeting.

Henning is angry at Garretson because she participated in a public workshop in January with the county's code enforcement department. He claims Garretson stepped over the line because she is supposed to be impartial.

The meeting with code enforcement staff demonstrates bias, Henning said.

A special master is a quasi-judicial official who isn't a judge but who hears certain disputes and then rules.

Henning also wants the county to return all fines assessed by Garretson since the workshop occurred.

County staff insists Garretson did nothing wrong.

Commissioners will also hear the first rezone petitions they have had in months.

The county tabled all rezone petitions during the 2006 Florida legislative session due to concerns they had about the state's growth management law.

There are now questions about whether or not the commissioners will approve any rezones, because the growth management law wasn't changed.

County officials have said they will still approve rezones that serve a valid public purpose. But the development industry is dubious of that claim.

The Florida Homebuilders Association has said it considers Collier County to be in a virtual moratorium.

Commissioners will also consider increasing the impact fees for water and wastewater at the meeting.

County staff is recommending that the new impact fees be $3,415 for each water connection and $3,515 for each wastewater connection. This would be a $655 increase in the water hookup and a $390 increase in the wastewater hookup.

Estimates have the county generating $74.8 million in water impact fees and $76.4 million in wastewater impact fees in the next five years. Those estimates assume the commissioners approve the impact fee increase.

If commissioners approve the new impact fees, they would go into effect Friday, Sept. 8.

Collier County recently completed a waster and wastewater master plan that is supposed to adhere to the county's principal of having growth pay for growth. Commissioners are also expected to approve that master plan today.

The wastewater master plan calls for an additional 18.5 million gallons per day of treatment capacity over the next 10 years. The water master plan recommends an additional 32.75 million gallons of water plant capacity over the same 10-year period.

County officials expect to spend $349 million on water expenditures and $301 million on wastewater expenditures in the next five years.

Commissioners meet beginning at 9 a.m. today in commission chambers at the county government complex, at the intersection of U.S. 41 East and Airport-Pulling Road.