Opinion

Tough call

TBO.com
Published: June 13, 2012

There's little doubt that 2011 wasn't the best of years for the Pasco County Housing Authority. The nonprofit agency provides housing for low-income county residents with money it gets from the federal government. The authority has its own governing board and operates independently from Pasco County.

Last September, the authority's executive director, Karen Turner, resigned. A former employee accused Turner of mismanagement and having sex with a subordinate at the authority's headquarters. Before Turner resigned, the controversy attracted the interest of the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, U.S. Rep. Rich Nugent, R-Brooksville, state Sen. Mike Fasano, R-New Port Richey, and state Rep. John Legg, R-Port Richey. Legg recommended a new slate of authority board members to Gov. Rick Scott. Fasano suggested the housing authority board would have better local control if it were appointed by the county commission, not the governor.

Earlier this year, the board named Dianne Morris to replace Turner as executive director. Morris once was the head of the Pasco County Community Development Department and later the development director of Danville, Va.

Last week, the board rejected across-the-board raises for authority personnel but approved raises for its Section 8 housing specialists. Morris said the authority is losing specialists to higher-paying jobs. Board member Ed Blommel said the raises were the right move but worried how they would be seen by the public. The board won't have to worry if Morris keeps the authority out of the headlines. We trust she will.