Dissension at Mosquito Control meeting

By JENNIFER EDWARDS

The Anastasia Mosquito Control District is a step closer to constructing a new headquarters, but the five-member commission remains divided about whether a new building is necessary.

The St. Johns County Commission agreed Tuesday during the day to rezone the land needed for the headquarters, but discussion at Tuesday's meeting later that day of the Mosquito Control Board did little to contradict that commission's image as fractious and argumentative.

Mosquito Control Commissioner John Sundeman said a plan to construct the headquarters on land off State Road 16 near Interstate 95 has "some serious problems" about its cost, estimated at $3.6 million.

"I don't want to do anything out there," he said, referring to the rezoned property. "I want to stay right here," meaning the Mosquito Control District's office on Anastasia Island.

Commissioner Vivian Browning said that the goal of the board's five-year plan was "to get the cost of the facility down."

Another commissioner, Ron Radford, also said that the board should look at ways to make a new facility more cost efficient.

"What we are doing now is understanding what the costs of a new facility would be," he said. "We are going to be looking at what the most cost-effective facility could be."

"You're a good salesman," Sundeman replied.

Sundeman and the others members of the board also disagreed over the background of the board's attorney, details of the attorney's bill and the need for a public relations firm. Sundeman was in the minority in every vote.

The sparring started early in the meeting when Commissioner Jeanne Moeller moved that the board remove from its agenda an item that Sundeman initiated on the background of the board's attorney, Douglas Wycoff.

Chairwoman Janice Bequette repeatedly called order as Sundeman sought to get on the record questions about Wycoff's background and personal finances.

"I don't care about the (personal) life of our attorney ...," Jeanne Moeller said. "We don't need to degradate one of our own."

The board agreed, and in a 4 to 1 vote removed the item from the agenda.

Sundeman also questioned non-itemized bills from Wycoff that included charges for telephone calls to undisclosed parties.

"If the board wants me to change my invoicing pattern, I will," Wycoff replied. "I am not at the whim and caprice of one commissioner."

Sundeman made a motion to have Wycoff detail his bill but it died for lack of a second.

He also found himself on the losing end of a discussion whether to explore hiring a public relations company.

Bequette was in favor of hiring a company.

"I think we have some definite damage control that needs to be tended," she said.

Sundeman disagreed.

"Why should we spend money to make the commissioners look good?" he said. "To me, that's an absolute waste of money."

The issue was tabled until the next regular meeting in December.

A St. Johns County Sheriff's Deputy attended the meeting. The deputy said he was there "to keep the peace" because of the presence of Sundeman and community activist Ed Slavin, a regular at the Mosquito Board. He said it was not the first time he has been asked to attend Mosquito Control Board meetings.

Also at the meeting:

The board approved changing employees' health insurance policies for budget reasons. The plans will now pay for 80 percent of costs after the deductible is met, rather than 100 percent.

The upside is that the amount employees pay for the plan will decrease, Assistant Director Priscilla Greene said.

To see the district's draft five-year plan, check out its Web site, http://www.amcdsjc.org.