Editorial: PUD/IOU

Someone is doing something right. When citizens turn up en masse at a Collier County Commission meeting — and they're not asking a favor or a special handout — that gets our attention.

This crowd showed up last week to heap praise on a public servant and the service she provides.

Residents from far-flung parts of the county marched to the podium to praise Maryann Devanas and the 3-year-old program that she had heads called PUD/IOU. It is a clever moniker for policing big, new neighborhoods known as planned unit developments to make sure developers make good on promises before projects are turned over to homeowners associations and the county is on the line for infrastructure.

All kinds of shortcomings, big and small, have been detected by Devanas and PUD/IOU.

Not only do home buyers deserve to get what they pay for, but they need to know what amenities and infrastructure are not in compliance prior to acceptance — so they don't get stuck with the bill twice.

Isn't some of this the responsibility of the property owners?

Yes, indeed.

Yet, an efficient backup check by Collier County government protects the directly affected taxpayers as well as all others who would help pay for any shortfalls.

It is good to hear the PUD/IOU program is living up to its potential — which requires a County Commission willing to hold developers to their promises.