Thursday, June 29, 2006

Port St. Lucie to auction houses bought before road-plan changes

By Teresa Lane
PORT ST. LUCIE — At least seven times in the past two years, city officials have bought single-family houses they didn't need, paying families to leave only to learn months later the homes didn't stand in the way of a new interchange or a wider roadway.
Displaced families were allowed to strip whatever fixtures they wanted from the homes, leaving most as barren shells as they awaited demolition.

Now, faced with an inventory of seven run-down homes and two vacant lots near Becker Road and Interstate 95, the city is planning an auction to recoup the roughly $1 million it spent on the parcels.

No date has been set, and Assistant City Attorney Lois Nichols said the property list may be whittled if city employees decide they would like to use some of the homes as satellite offices.
Neighbor Diane Tomaselli, who has lived across the street from the homes on Cacao Street and Edinburgh Drive during three hurricanes and countless calls to city hall, is eager to see change in what she considers a blighted neighborhood.

"Those houses are the pits," said Tomaselli, who tried to sell her own house for nearly a year after losing her job. "They were getting flooded even before (Hurricane) Wilma. Those people took everything, including the kitchen sink."

City officials put a building moratorium on 92 lots, including 18 homes, in February 2004 after a preliminary engineering design showed the lots would stand in the way of a new interchange at I-95 and Becker Road.

Although city officials warned residents the design was preliminary and a final route could take two years to decide, several residents accepted the city's offer to sell rather than waiting years to learn their fate.

When a later design pared the number of homes and lots needed, the city resold several to their original owners but were left with six homes and two lots that no one wanted.

A seventh house, on Paley Road, was bought for $285,000 last September when owners claimed it was impossible to find a willing buyer after the city labeled the home a drainage area on a proposed redevelopment map.

Although city officials said their goal is to never buy unneeded property, they said it is inevitable when residents insist on immediate action amid changing design plans.

"This is somewhat disturbing because people want an instant answer," said Councilman Christopher Cooper, who met with Becker-area residents several times to discuss buyouts. "People may have moved unnecessarily, but our original goal was to let people get on with their lives. I hope we can recoup our money."

Nichols said that will be difficult despite appreciation in home prices since 2004.
Because the city ultimately expected to raze the homes, officials allowed sellers to strip practically anything of value.

Some owners, or perhaps burglars, took things they weren't supposed to, leaving some homes exposed to rain, Nichols said.

Tomaselli said other homes had roofs damaged by Hurricanes Frances and Jeanne and began to leak long before Wilma paid a visit.

"Many of the homes we inspected were trashed, but we can't say who did it," Nichols said. "This is not the best time to be putting them on the market, either."

Regional sports complex proposed for Fort Pierce

By ALEXI HOWK
FORT PIERCE — His clients have included the NFL, PGA Tour and NASCAR.

According to several Web sites, Rick Horrow, CEO of Jupiter-based Horrow Sports Ventures, is considered the leading expert in the business of sports. He's done 103 deals worth more than $13 billion in sports and urban infrastructure projects, including the American Airlines Arena for the Miami Heat.

Now he has his sights set on Fort Pierce.

Horrow is proposing to build a regional sports and entertainment complex within the Fort Pierce Redevelopment Agency boundaries.

City Manager Dennis Beach presented the plan Wednesday to city commissioners, acting as the Fort Pierce Redevelopment Agency. The proposal would include an 8,000- to 10,000-seat indoor arena for an Arena Football 2 league, a regional convention center, an ice rink and training facilities, space for major concerts and other major sports and entertainment events.
But not so fast, Beach said.

"The size of it and cost takes it out of our comfort range to proceed," Beach said, suggesting the city pass the project on to the county.

Beach estimates the cost of the project at a minimum $80 million, and Horrow is asking for $20,000 a month in fees as the complex's strategic development adviser.

The project came about after Kurt Holden, founder and co-owner of Fort Pierce Fire, a 2-year-old football minor league, read Horrow's book, "When the Game is on the Line," an insider's guide to the people, politics and power plays behind mega-sports deals.

Holden's team currently plays at Lawnwood Stadium. He said his goal was to turn the team into an Arena Football 2 league, offshoot of the Arena Football League.

"This guy is very reputable and has done it," Holden said. "He has very strong credentials. He knows how to take private enterprise and partner it with the public sector. Not only is this an attracting facility, it will create jobs and change the face of Fort Pierce."

During discussions with Horrow, Holden brought in business partner Larry Lee, owner of WIRA 1400 AM and a State Farm Insurance agency, who briefly played for the Denver Broncos.
Lee said building a project of this size in the city's redevelopment boundaries would help eliminate major blight and spur economic redevelopment.

"We're growing and we're the ideal place for this to happen," Lee said. "This would be a major impact not just to St. Lucie County but to the Treasure Coast because there is nothing like this."
Lee said about 20 acres are needed for the project and so far three sites have been identified. Lee declined to disclose the locations.

While several commissioners expressed excitement over the project, more details are needed to decide whether a project of this size is feasible. Commissioners decided to seek more details on the project and discuss it again at its July 24-25 annual workshop.

"This is actually quite exciting that we have the potential for this kind of thing," Commissioner Eddie Becht said. "We have a lot of assets for this if we could help steer this in the city."

Becht said a feasibility study would be needed to determine whether the county could support the complex.

Commissioner Christine Coke cautioned the commissioners that the Treasure Coast Sports Commission is already actively pursuing a similar project in Port St. Lucie and had concerns the city would be duplicating efforts.

"There's no way I'd think this area could support two of these venues," she said.
Coke said she would talk with the Treasure Coast Sports Commission to find out more details and present the information during next month's workshop.

Meanwhile, Lee and Holden said they're optimistic about the project, saying Fort Pierce is more suitable for a site for a sports and entertainment complex because of tax incentives in its redevelopment district and its access to the waterfront.

"It's really going to depend on the (Treasure Coast Sports Commission)," Lee said. "I hope we don't get into a battle of 'I want it in my front yard.' If we all come together we can make it happen. If we can get the cities and county to talk."

THE PLAN
Rick Horrow, CEO of Horrow Sports Ventures in Jupiter is proposing to build a regional sports and entertainment complex within the redevelopment district of Fort Pierce.
• An 8,000- to 10,000-seat indoor arena for an Arena Football 2 league.
• Space for major concerts and special entertainment events.
• Space for regional conventions and meetings.
• Ice facilities similar to Florida Panthers' "Incredible Ice" skating and training facilities.
• Other major sports events.
• Estimated minimum cost of $80 million.

Tuesday, June 27, 2006

Music downloads hit sour note for sued ordinary folks

This article is not real estate related, but I thought it would be of interest to those of us who have teenagers downloading music! (like myself!)
By Jane Musgrave
Palm Beach Post Staff Writer

When Dorothy O'Connell was slapped with a lawsuit for illegally downloading music, she threw herself at the mercy of the multibillion-dollar recording industry.

"I would like you to know that I am a widow on a fixed income, supporting my daughter and my two grandchildren," the 53-year-old Boynton Beach woman wrote. "I live paycheck to paycheck. I have trouble coming up with the money to buy my prescriptions each month.... I appreciate your position regarding this matter. If you need to continue litigation there is nothing I can do to stop you. I guess my future is in your hands."

The future, before a lawyer got involved, was a $6,895 fine. She also was ordered to pay the $305 it cost the recording industry to sue her.

O'Connell hardly matches the profile of the typical Internet-savvy, if slightly unscrupulous, music lover. That would be an 18- to 25-year-old white male who can get the latest recording of his favorite rap or hip-hop artist for free, with a few keystrokes.

But, typical or not, O'Connell is far from unique.

During the past month, three Boca Raton residents have been sued in federal court for illegally downloading music.
That brings to 10 the number of Palm Beach County residents who have been sued since 2003, when the recording industry began cracking down on what it likes to call "music pirates."
Louise Tropiano is one of the three snared in the latest round of lawsuits.

Initially, she said, she was surprised, but not worried. She figured the 300 songs her 15-year-old son downloaded would cost her about $1 a pop.

Her estimate was a zero short.

"For $1 a song I thought, 'OK, I'll pay them,' just to keep someone from ruining my credit," she said. "But $3,000?"

When she found out how much the recording industry, including Capitol Records, Motown Record Co. and Sony BMG Music Entertainment, wanted to settle the case, she asked a lawyer friend for help.

Although only 10 Palm Beach County residents have been sued officially, far more are feeling the hot breath of the recording industry on their wallets.

Initially, industry spies get a person's Internet user-name by joining music lovers on programs available from one of the popular so-called peer-to-peer downloading sites, such as Kazaa.com or Limewire.com. After picking the names they are going after, they file what are called John Doe lawsuits.

Once that suit is filed, they subpoena the records of the person's Internet service provider to find out his real name. Before filing a suit against the person using his real name, they offer a settlement. If it is declined, a suit is filed.

Since September 2003, the Recording Industry Association of America has filed 18,200 suits against individuals nationwide on behalf of its member recording companies, according to the Washington, D.C.-based trade organization.

Of those, 609 are against Florida residents. About a third — 212 — have been settled and none in Florida or nationwide has gone to trial, according to industry records. The average settlement is $4,000, those who have monitored the process say.

Not surprisingly, many of the lawsuits are against parents who say they had no idea their teenage children were downloading music illegally.

Take Shirley Wright, a Boynton Beach resident who is facing charges that she illegally downloaded 923 songs, including hits by Trick Daddy, Missy Elliott and 50 Cent.

"It wasn't me. It was my daughter," said Wright, who works as a receptionist at a mortgage company. "I'm so illiterate with the computer, it's not funny."

What's less funny, she said, is the $750 to $30,000 the recording companies said they want from her for each of the songs her daughter downloaded with Kazaa.

"I don't have that kind of money," she said.

Mary Ann Meredith, a Boynton Beach grandmother, could have found herself in similar straits. However, the industry sued her 14-year-old granddaughter.

"I told them, 'You can't sue a minor,'" the 75-year-old retired medical office manager said. "I don't know if they could or couldn't, but I called their bluff."

Ultimately, the suit was dismissed. But, Meredith said, it still makes her angry.

"What is a big company like Sony doing trying to get money from everyday working people?" she said.

The recording industry counters that illegal downloading hurts everyday working people.
They blame illegally downloaded music for a 30 percent drop in music sales from 1999 to 2004. The drop, they claim, doesn't hurt just musicians, those high-rolling fat cats who live in waterfront mansions and drive cars worth more than most people's homes.

In addition to less well-heeled artists, the drop has a ripple effect, leaving the industry's unsung heros — the recording engineers, CD-plant workers and even music-store clerks — out of work.
Further, they point out, the law consistently has been on their side, beginning with their well-publicized case against Napster and continuing last year in a landmark U.S. Supreme Court decision.

The decision, handed down a year ago Tuesday, cleared the way for record labels and other copyright holders to sue firms behind file-swapping services.

Since the decision, the industry has pursued legal action against the few remaining so-called peer-to-peer services, which operate like giant party lines, allowing millions of computer users around the world to trade music with one another.

In the wake of court decisions, many of the former peer-to-peer services, including the infamous Napster, have reconstituted themselves. They now charge fees to download music and share the proceeds with the industry.

In 2005, 367 million songs were downloaded legally, a 163 percent jump over the previous year, according to figures from the recording industry's trade group. Record company revenues from digital music increased more than 150 percent, it says.

Still, some say the industry's strong-arm tactics against individuals are unwarranted.
"Millions and millions of people use peer-to-peer file-sharing," said Rebecca Jeschke, spokeswoman for the California-based Electronic Frontier Foundation. "These are just the unlucky few who get singled out."

Instead of fighting the technology and those who use it, Jeschke said industry leaders should figure out ways make money from it. The peer-to-peer system is a fast and efficient way of distributing files, proponents say.

From radios to video recorders, the entertainment industry has a long and rich history of fighting new technology, Jeschke said.

Those who are being sued typically are those who can least afford it, she said.
In what appears to shore up her claim, few of the Palm Beach County residents who have been sued have hired attorneys to defend them. O'Connell, the Boynton Beach woman, ultimately avoided a $6,800 fine after U.S. District Judge Daniel T.K. Hurley asked an attorney from Legal Aid Society of Palm Beach County to represent her in settlement talks.

Ultimately, attorney Melissa Duncan said, she negotiated a settlement that she would not disclose but said was "fair and equitable" to all involved.

But, as O'Connell attempted to do, most of those accused of music piracy have either defended themselves or relied on friends for help.

Wright, for instance, asked a computer guru at her office to look at the computer her daughter supposedly was using to download hundreds of songs. He couldn't find any evidence of it, she said.
She is preparing a dossier on her daughter for the judge to review. She will mention her daughter's good grades and her volunteer work.

"I'm not trying to beat the system," she said. "I'm just so aggravated. It's the first time we've ever been accused of anything."

Wednesday, June 21, 2006

St. Lucie growth sparks battle


By ALEXI HOWK
FORT PIERCE — Gearing up to fight what they describe could be an uphill battle with the county, city officials are preparing to pull out all the stops to prevent a Fort Lauderdale developer from building 974 multi-family units on land preserved for light-industrial development.

Fort Pierce Angle Road Trust and Riverstone Metzger LLC, comprised of three partners based out of Maryland and Fort Lauderdale, is proposing to build "attainable workforce" housing on 75 acres on what some officials say could eventually become withering industrial land meant to attract businesses and job growth.

"This might be the first of many battles with the county on many projects that affect Fort Pierce where traffic and roads aren't addressed," said Fort Pierce City Commissioner Eddie Becht.
The property, west of Angle Road and east of Fort Pierce Westwood High School, lies within the city's utility service boundaries and will eventually be annexed into the city.

City officials complained the county is approving development projects that will largely affect the city without taking into consideration the city's concerns.

The city's main objections to the project are that it's too dense, poses a
traffic nightmare and lessens the amount of land needed to attract businesses to the area.
"Here's a huge development right adjacent to a school in an area that needs road improvements," said Mayor Bob Benton. "The county has no plans for improvements to Angle Road and we don't have the infrastructure to support this when we have thousands of other homes going up in the area."

Last week, the county's Planning and Zoning Board also had issues with the plan and postponed sending it on to the County Commission for a vote until Aug. 17.

"It's not appropriate to put, in my opinion, residential next to industrial. It's not compatible with the surrounding uses. That's the bottom line," Board Chairman Bill Hearn said Monday.
Jan Stewart, one of the principles involved in the project, said he and his partners have either met or will meet all of the county's requirements.

"We have been working with the county for two years on this," he said. "We've done everything they've asked us to do so far. Our sincere objective is to create affordable housing for St. Lucie County. There's no other product out there. That is the concern that is driving this residential development we're trying to put together."

Stewart estimates prices for the units to be between $150,000 to $200,000, though he recognizes the prices could fluctuate depending on shifts in the market.

"Because of the density the county commissioners approved, you can build a less expensive product with a higher density," he said. "The land is less expensive per unit."

Proposed development
• 974-unit proposed development on 75 acres zoned light industrial west of Angle Road and east of Fort Pierce Westwood High School.
• 720 three-story condominiums and 254 two-story town homes.
• About 13 units per acre.
• Condominiums from 1,200 to 2,400 square feet. Town homes from 800 to 1,700 square feet.
• The developer is Fort Pierce Angle Road Trust and Riverstone Metzger LLC of Fort Lauderdale.
• The County Commission on May 15 approved a future land-use amendment allowing high-density residential. The amendment has been adopted by the state Department of Community Affairs.
• The county Planning and Zoning Board reviewed the proposal last week and postponed the plan until Aug. 17 until conditions are met.

Port St. Lucie named the third-fastest growing city in nation

By HILLARY COPSEY
Port St. Lucie is no longer America's fastest-growing city, according to the U.S. Census Bureau, but with the population reaching 150,000 and economic development just beginning, city officials say losing the top growth title doesn't matter.

Elk Grove, Calif., just south of Sacramento, nabbed the title of America's fastest-growing city by increasing its population by 11.6 percent between 2004 and 2005.

Port St. Lucie, with an 11 percent growth rate, fell to the third fastest-growing city in the country but remains the fastest-growing in Florida for cities of a population of more than 100,000.

"We're still maintaining our high growth rate," Mayor Bob Minsky said, and that rate likely will soar with such economic development successes as the relocation of Carling Technologies and the Burnham Institute discussions.

"It's going to take off like a helium balloon in a vacuum," Minsky said. "Once the ball starts rolling and you start getting things like Burnham and Carling, it's going to be like waving a red flag at all these people out there who are like, 'Where do we want to go?'"

Indeed, according to city estimates, Port St. Lucie's population will top 150,000 this month, city spokesman Ed Cunningham said. Census reports put the population at 131,692 last July.
Relatively cheap housing has driven Port St. Lucie's population boom. New residents such as Chuck McGowen, a Realtor from Boca Raton, moved to the city in January 2005 to get away from high housing costs in South Florida.

By buying a four-bedroom, 2,600-square-foot home in Port St. Lucie instead of Boca Raton, McGowen said he saved roughly $100,000.

But McGowen works from home and commutes. Residents and city officials all say the city must create more jobs and amenities if it wants to maintain growth.

Being America's fastest-growing city helped put Port St. Lucie on the national business radar, city officials said. California-based biomedical researcher, The Burnham Institute, is considering the city for a satellite campus, and Connecticut electronics firm, Carling Technologies, is relocating here.

But remaining America's fastest-growing city wasn't really important, officials say.
"We don't need to be No. 1," Councilwoman Michelle Berger said. "There's enough pressure on the city itself ... to grow economic development. That's what we're looking for now: to maintain balance as we grow."

PORT ST. LUCIE POPULATION
The city's population hit 100,000 in 2003, when it ranked sixth on the U.S. Census Bureau's annual list of America's fastest-growing cities. Since then, the population boom has continued.
July 2004: 118,655
July 2005: 131,692
June 2006: 150,000*

Tuesday, June 20, 2006

Fort Pierce sees record tax roll increase

By ALEXI HOWK

The city will see a record 46.22 percent increase in its tax roll this year, a projection expected to be higher than any other municipality of similar size in the state, according to St. Lucie County Property Appraiser Jeff Furst.

Furst delivered the news about the preliminary tax roll during Monday night's City Commission meeting. Final numbers aren't expected to be revealed until July 1, the deadline to submit official tax rolls to the state.

"The numbers are just unbelievable," Furst said. "You had the most increase of any government body in this county, and probably in the state, and you did it in a year you took your (tax rate) back."

Earlier this month, Furst released conservative projections of 16 percent increases for Fort Pierce, the county and Port St. Lucie.

"Fort Pierce has never had these numbers," he said. "Now all of a sudden they've got the biggest numbers, and it's really a reflection in how they've done in terms of real estate. The talk years ago was 'Can they survive?'"

Last year's increase was 14.9 percent.

Furst wouldn't release final numbers for Port St. Lucie or the county until today, but he said he expects the county as a whole to have one of the highest increases in the state.

"If we can get our millage rate down, hopefully this year again, the business community will come back," Mayor Bob Benton said. "We can send a message to the county and bring businesses back."

Furst said Fort Pierce came out ahead of Port St. Lucie for the first time, primarily because Port St. Lucie has been running so strong, and it's difficult to sustain that level. A good tax roll increase is between 6 and 8 percent per year, he said.

"A business such as Wal-mart distribution center and an Outback is looking for vitality in a community," Furst said. "One way you measure this is rising values, not rising taxes."

Furst attributed the increase primarily to Fort Pierce's waterfront property values, but also to the city's commercial corridors along major roads. The revitalization of downtown has also played a key role in upping values, he said.

"It took a lot of guts to stay with the program, the whole redevelopment of downtown and older neighborhoods," Furst said. "Because the city was old, they suffered many problems. People left old areas and went to new areas outside the city limits. The tax base and job base went away. It takes a long time to change things."

When Furst was elected in 2000, the Port of Fort Pierce was valued at about $5 million. It's now up about $30 to $40 million. Six years ago, Harbortown was valued at about $2 million compared to about $20 million now.

Real estate alone went up 50 percent, and that doesn't include new construction, he said.
"A lot of the value is waterfront," Furst said. "Nobody recognized Fort Pierce as waterfront."
Furst said it is important to note that regardless of the increased property values, those who have homestead exemptions won't see an increase of more than 3 percent.

Road work approved for Floresta Boulevard

By CHRIS YOUNG

City Council members on Monday unanimously approved a conceptual plan for widening traffic-clogged Floresta Boulevard.

Floresta already receives an "F" grade for traffic conditions from south of Port St. Lucie Boulevard north to where the planned Crosstown Parkway will cross it, at about West Virginia Drive.

But officials said adding one lane in each direction for a 4.1-mile stretch on Floresta from Southbend Boulevard to Prima Vista Boulevard should alleviate the gridlock and improve north-south traffic flow.

"The project has to be done in a major way to address long-term transportation needed for that roadway," said City Manager Don Cooper.

Officials estimate the expansion could cost about $7 million per mile because of high construction costs, and more if the city has to buy property.

The first segment of the plan, from Southbend to the Elkcam Waterway, could start in the next two years.
The proposed Floresta plan includes traffic light improvements at Port St. Lucie Boulevard, Crosstown Parkway and Prima Vista, and roundabouts at six neighborhood streets. They are Oakridge Drive, Thanksgiving Avenue, Thornhill Drive, Walters Terrace, Fallon Drive and Naranja Avenue.

There also would be four drainage ponds, sidewalks and streetlights, and landscaped medians.
Very little property would have to be bought by the city, though the roundabouts may require taking the edges of some corner properties, said Brian Mirson, from American Consulting Engineers of Florida.

The plan also proposes maintaining residential land usage along the corridor and discouraging commercialization.

The Planning & Zoning Board will discuss the plan, with public hearings, at a future meeting. City Council will then review the Board's recommendation.

PROPOSED FLORESTA IMPROVEMENTS
• Widening one lane in each direction from Southbend Boulevard to Prima Vista Boulevard.
• Improving traffic signals at three major intersections.
• Building roundabouts at six neighborhood streets.
• Adding sidewalks, streetlights and landscaped medians.

Friday, June 16, 2006

Martin builder paying Port St. Lucie for roads

By Jason Schultz
Palm Beach Post Staff Writer
Friday, June 16, 2006

It's an idea that has two neighboring governments on the worst of terms: Port St. Lucie developers would pay Martin County for the impacts their new residents cause across the county line.

It's an idea promoted by Martin County officials that has Port St. Lucie leaders feuding mad.

But it's also an idea that is already practiced, in the other direction.

Port St. Lucie is billing the builder of part of a large Martin County development to pay for impinging on the city's traffic, part of an agreement worked out more than 15 years ago.
Martin County officials on Thursday said it shows that one side paying the other for its impacts is nothing new.

When the 1,156-acre West Jensen project, which is being developed by the Jensen Beach Land Co., was approved in 1989, Port St. Lucie officials required the company to make several road improvements in phases, said Martin County Engineering Director Don Donaldson.

According to a letter from Carlos Garcia-Velez, vice president of the company, Port St. Lucie has asked the company to pay the city $105,387 to meet the requirements for improving the intersection of Westmoreland and Port St. Lucie boulevards. The company has agreed to that payment, the letter said.

Donaldson said the payment will allow the latest part of the West Jensen project, the proposed 260-unit Charleston Place Condominiums project north of the Publix shopping center on U.S. 1, to continue through the county's review process.

Port St. Lucie Councilman Jack Kelly said city officials consider the payment to be the company's fair share of a plan to widen the northbound direction of the intersection by four lanes. West Jensen developers have already paid part of the cost of widening U.S. 1 to eight lanes from the county line north to Port St. Lucie Boulevard, Donaldson said.

Port St. Lucie Mayor Bob Minsky earlier accused Martin County of being greedy for proposing that developers pay for city residents' use of boat ramps and beaches across the county line.
Kelly and Minsky have been among the city officials who have scoffed at Martin County's request to make the developers of four large projects in western Port St. Lucie pay the county about $15 million to build more boat ramps and provide beach access.

Minsky told the Treasure Coast Regional Planning Council that there was no precedent for forcing such payments across county lines. But Martin County officials say the West Jensen contributions show the payments aren't unheard of.

"Their claim that it has not been done before is not accurate," said Commissioner Lee Weberman. "There really is no difference between the two."

But Kelly said there was a huge difference in the two situations.
"This is a road impacts deal," Kelly said. "They're talking about us paying for going down there and using their beaches. That would be like us making them pay for the impacts of coming to a Mets game."

Kelly said Port St. Lucie has made payments to its southern neighbor as well. Last year, he said, the city gave Martin County $500,000 toward the cost of building a bridge to connect the southern end of Port St. Lucie Boulevard to the proposed Western Palm City Corridor.
"We don't care if PSL (Port St. Lucie Boulevard) connects," Kelly said. "We don't need that bridge."

Martin County's Development Review Committee will consider the condominium project on July 6.

Coalition mulls tax to mend Lake Okeechobee


By SUZANNE WENTLEY

In a quest to find recurring funding for Lake Okeechobee restoration, a panel made up of commissioners from the nine counties surrounding the lake on Thursday considered a proposal to increase property taxes throughout South Florida.


Instead of relying on the extra $60 million to $90 million the South Florida Water Management District received from increased property values last year, members of the Nine County Coalition agreed to look for another way to secure a guaranteed pot of money to pay for new environmental projects.

Glades County Commissioner Alvin Ward proposed increasing the district's property tax rate 10 cents for every $1,000 of taxable value — an amount he said could raise $63 million a year throughout the 16-county district, which includes Martin and St. Lucie counties.
While district officials on Thursday said the governor might not approve the tax increase, coalition members said the request would prove the region is serious about restoring the health of the lake and the downstream estuaries.


"We need to reach into our pockets first," Martin County Commissioner Sarah Heard said. "We will name the projects. We decide the projects that get done. We need to find a way to keep Lake Okeechobee clean."


Although Osceola County Commissioner Ken Smith said he would not support the tax increase, Palm Beach County Commissioner Warren Newell suggested the proposal be put to the voters.
Ward, Heard and Newell — along with St. Lucie County Commissioner Joe Smith and Lee County Commissioner Ray Judah — formed a subcommittee to create a list of projects and determine the best funding source next month.


Instead of raising taxes, Ernie Barnett, the water management district's director of policy and legislation, said he would be willing to work with the committee to create a legislative funding request similar to the one that funds Everglades restoration.


"I think the Lake Okeechobee situation has been elevated to the critical nature where the Everglades were years ago," he said. "If it's not the single most important waterbody in the state of Florida, I don't know what is.


"But we cannot discount and make recommendations in a vacuum."
Gov. Jeb Bush hasn't approved a tax increase for any of the state's five water districts during his tenure, he said.


Still, Ward and other commissioners said they were uncomfortable relying on the district's windfall from recent increases in property values, in part because the housing market already has begun to cool.


"They've pledged all their future money to the north and to the south," Ward said. "We've got a hell of a mess, and nobody is stepping up to the plate. I'm getting to my wit's end on this."

Thursday, June 15, 2006

Green River Parkway extension on track after vote

By LILY LADEIRA lily.ladeira@scripps.com

Plans to extend the Green River Parkway south to Dixie Highway are on track after the Martin County Commission voted Tuesday to condemn about 14 parcels of land if it becomes necessary.
Engineering Director Don Donaldson said bidding on the project will begin after October, and construction of the road is scheduled to begin next year.

Part of the reason for using eminent domain is to keep the project on schedule.
"These (parcels) were identified where we might possibly need to use eminent domain proceedings if we can't come to an agreement," Donaldson said. "If we're unable to negotiate a price ... we'll let the courts decide."

Donaldson said his staff is negotiating with the city of Stuart to acquire the rest of the property needed to extend the road.

"We did not include Stuart-owned property in the eminent domain (request) because they've supported the project," he said.

The cost of building the road is estimated at $15 million, and it's one reason Commissioner Sarah Heard voted against the measure.

"I guarantee, we'll rack up a bill that we can't afford to pay," Heard said.

Commissioner Susan Valliere also voted against the project. She said she didn't think it would alleviate traffic problems on U.S. 1.

St. Lucie County schools make the grade

By MARGOT SUSCA

St. Lucie County children overall made gains this year and high-minority, low-income schools showed dramatic improvement, according to state Education Department results released Wednesday.

Of 33 schools measured, 14 improved, eight dropped and 10 saw no change. Oak Hammock K-8 in Port St. Lucie earned a B in its first year open.

But as school leaders celebrated the gains, which included fewer D's and more A's, they also acknowledged disappointments in performance on federal progress standards. Failures there mean seven schools face outside scrutiny and thousands of parents are eligible to request free tutoring or transfers next year.

"It's one of those love-hate relationships," said Owen Roberts, the district's testing chief. "You like what has happened with grades but a stringent No Child Left Behind Act is all or none and it keeps hitting you in the face."

In the grades, stunning improvement came at Garden City Elementary, where more than eight of 10 children are at or below the poverty line and more than three quarters of its K-6 population are considered minority.

Garden City jumped two letter grades, to its first ever A. It also is meeting federal progress targets under No Child Left Behind.

"This is absolutely great for Garden City," Principal John Lynch said. "We have a staff that just does not give up and they are dedicated to children."
Garden City's grade was the highest a school can earn and equal to that of such consistently high-performing magnet schools as Frances K. Sweet Elementary.
Other high-minority, low- income schools also showed gains including C.A. Moore, Lawnwood, St. Lucie and White City.
But downturns came at some Port St. Lucie elementary schools including Bayshore, Mariposa, Parkway, Port St. Lucie and Village Green. Windmill Point and Morningside boosted their performances to As.

Fort Pierce Westwood High and Port St. Lucie High improved to C's, and Fort Pierce Central High declined from a C to a D. St. Lucie West Centennial High remained a C school.

Forest Grove Middle, where 72 percent of students are at or below the poverty line and two-thirds are minority, ended a six-year string of C's with its first ever B.

"We have been working towards breaking through that ceiling," Principal Charles Cuomo said. "We think of ourselves as that beat-the-odds school and that's a credit to my teachers."
But Forest Grove failed to make sufficient progress, according to federal standards.

While school grades are based on FCAT reading, math and writing performance, No Child Left Behind considers the same exam yet examines how students in different ethnic and racial categories perform.

In this the fourth year of accountability under the federal education overhaul, schools not making progress — formally called Adequate Yearly Progress — face corrective action that could include more research-based training and scrutiny by outside consultants.

Progress is tied to federal Title I money, which helps schools with majority low-income populations. Schools that don't reach targets for two or more consecutive years risk losing control over federal dollars.

The problems achieving ever-toughening progress targets mean thousands of parents can demand their children switch schools, although a fraction of eligible families opted to in recent years.

Wednesday, June 14, 2006

Port St. Lucie holds onto hopes as Orlando woos Burnham

By Eve Samples
Palm Beach Post Staff Writer
Wednesday, June 14, 2006
ORLANDO — Beyond the imposing guardhouse and broad white gates at Lake Nona Golf & Country Club, moss-draped oaks lead the way to block after block of multimillion-dollar homes.
The posh and privileged setting, which earned a spot on Travel & Leisure's ranking of the country's top golf course communities this year, is the image linked most often to Lake Nona, the sister community to the Isleworth development where Tiger Woods has a home.

But outside those gates, a new Lake Nona is sprouting — one with fewer cul-de-sacs and more grassy squares. And that urban expansion could become the new home to the Burnham Institute for Medical Research, the sister institute to The Scripps Research Institute.
As a team of top Burnham officials visit Orlando this week, they will weigh whether Lake Nona, where the University of Central Florida plans to open a medical school by fall 2008, is a better site for an East Coast hub than Port St. Lucie's expansive Tradition development, which has been wooing Burnham since last year.

Six months after Port St. Lucie hosted a private catered dinner for Burnham's decision-makers at Tradition's town hall, Burnham officials were flying into Orlando Tuesday night on the Orlando Magic's corporate jet and were scheduled to dine at the Ritz-Carlton.

In Port St. Lucie, all the lavish attention has coaxed the green-eyed monster out of hiding.
"It's like somebody else is dating my girlfriend," Port St. Lucie Councilman Jack Kelly said of Orlando's treatment of Burnham. "I'm not going to deny there's jealousy there, but we put our best foot forward."

With details of both communities' financial offers under wraps — both are reportedly in the $80 million to $90 million range, not including land, with up to $245 million in incentives from the state — the big question is what will tip the scales for Burnham.

Among Port St. Lucie's biggest assets, officials believe, is its proximity to Scripps' Jupiter campus, about a 30-minute drive away. Another strong point is a possible collaboration with the University of Florida, widely viewed as the state's research powerhouse, if Burnham settles on Port St. Lucie.

The Port St. Lucie City Council endorsed new fees on construction Monday to raise an estimated $70 million to pay for the 175,000-square-foot building the city would build, then lease to Burnham.

Though Orlando entered the Burnham race months after Port St. Lucie, it isn't backing off. In fact, it can be seen as an opportunity three years in the making.

That's how long it has been since Orlando lost its bid for The Scripps Research Institute to Palm Beach County, and city officials have been working ever since to beef up their strategy for attracting players in the life sciences industry.

"When we got past our disappointment, we said, 'Hey, (Scripps) is here. Let's take advantage of it,' " said Maureen Brockman, a vice president at the Metro Orlando Economic Development Commission.

A big part of that strategy was landing a medical school for UCF, she said.
"We understand what a competitive realm life sciences is," Brockman said. "But with the medical school here, at least we're in the game."
Lake Nona's developer, Tavistock Group, headed by billionaire Joe Lewis, has donated $12.5 million and 50 acres to UCF to help expedite the medical school's plans.

With the medical school only a few years off, Lake Nona has accelerated plans for a 1.5 million-square-foot village center, including an open-air regional mall, within the community, said Robert Adams, marketing and public relations vice president for Lake Nona Property Holdings LLC, the community's development arm.

The medical school and the shopping and entertainment district are not far from the Lake Nona Science and Technology Research Park, a 500-acre undeveloped swath where Burnham could set up its campus. Nearby, some of Lake Nona's New Urbanist development has taken root in the NorthLake Park area of townhomes and an award-winning grade school.

Another feather in Orlando's cap: The well-connected Lewis was credited with helping bring the Scripps possibility to Florida. Plus, his Tavistock Group has a life sciences division based in La Jolla, Calif., the home of Burnham and Scripps.

Burnham officials have said they expect to make a decision this summer about where to open their next campus. Once established, the Burnham site stands to generate hundreds of jobs directly, and could spawn more indirectly by acting as a magnet for other companies.

"There are lots of things that have to be decided and fall into place," said Burnham spokeswoman Nancy Beddingfield, who declined to elaborate on the details of the decision.
Though the Orlando visit has the attention of Port St. Lucie officials, several say they are largely unfazed.

"They absolutely should be doing their due diligence and going and visiting all opportunities for the company," Port St. Lucie Councilwoman Michelle Berger said. "But am I worried? No. I'm not worried. I know that the Burnham Institute people are scientists, and scientist look at facts.
"And the fact is that Port St. Lucie is the best location for the Burnham Institute."

St. Lucie plans to turn garbage into electricity

By Jim Reeder
FORT PIERCE — An Atlanta company has been chosen to design, build and operate a plant using technology that's rarely been applied to disposing of household garbage.
Higher energy prices now make it economical to use St. Lucie County's solid waste to generate electricity, according to Hilburn O. Hillestad, president of Geoplasma LLC in Atlanta.

Plasma arc technology uses electrical discharges similar to lightning to create temperatures so high that solid waste practically vaporizes. Gas produced by the process can turn an electric generator while a solid material is useful in concrete and asphalt paving.

With even bigger piles of garbage in Atlanta, why come to St. Lucie County?

"St. Lucie County runs its own landfill and can enter into a contract," Hillestad said. "Other local governments have long-term contracts with private companies to operate their landfills."

Two plants in Japan are the only ones known to use plasma arcs to convert household garbage into electricity.

County Commissioner Chris Craft said Solid Waste Manager Leo Cordeiro and assistant Ron Roberts learned about the technology.

"They've been researching for four or five years and contacted Geoplasma," Craft said.
Several years ago Cordeiro and Roberts persuaded commissioners to build a plant to compress garbage into bales, reducing the volume that goes into the landfill.

That project has attracted visitors from China, South America and other areas.

Commissioners told their staff Tuesday to start contract negotiations with Geoplasma, a process that could take six months. A plant could be in operation two years later, officials said.

Geoplasma proposes to design, build and operate the plant using money paid by haulers to dump their loads at the landfill and revenue from selling electricity.

About 120 pounds of coke, a form of coal, will be used daily to help distribute the heat and act as a catalyst in the gasification process.

Florida Power & Light Co. wanted to bring millions of tons of coal to burn in a generating plant. That plan was rejected unanimously by commissioners.

Tuesday, June 13, 2006

Parking fee for Martin beaches would face hurdles

By Jason Schultz
Palm Beach Post Staff Writer

STUART — When Martin County officials suggested Port St. Lucie builders help pay for their new residents' impacts across the county line, city officials responded with what seemed a simple alternative: Charge a parking fee for beach and boat ramp access.
But a Martin County report shows that may not be as simple as it looks.

Port St. Lucie officials had proposed that Martin County charge out-of-county residents the fee after Martin officials said the developers of several large western Port St. Lucie subdivisions should pay them impact fees.

"Just charge $1 and give county residents a sticker," Port St. Lucie Councilman Jack Kelly said. "It's simple."

But according to a report from Martin County Senior Planner Clyde Dulin, several of Martin County's beaches, such as Sea Turtle Beach, Bathtub Reef Park and Bob Graham Park, are partially owned by the state. The state would have to approve parking fees and how the money could be spent.

Several boat ramps, such as the ones at the foot of the Jensen Beach and Stuart causeway bridges, are owned by the state, Dulin said.

Plus, the county bought much of its beach land with state and federal grants from the Florida Communities Trust and the National Park Service. Dulin said the federal park service grants prohibit charging higher parking fees for nonresidents.

He said Florida Communities Trust officials told him that the state would allow revenue from parking fees on beaches to be used only for maintaining that beach, not for buying more land for parking lots.

"Yes, parking fees are possible, but they may not be as easy as you might think, and they may not accomplish what you are after, which is purchasing more property for parking," Dulin said. "It's unlikely we would be able to charge different fees between residents and nonresidents at these beaches."

Calls to Florida Communities Trust spokesmen were not returned Monday.

Martin County Commissioner Michael DiTerlizzi suggested that if the county cannot charge different rates to outside residents, officials could give county residents a beach parking permit when they pay their annual tax bill. The county then could figure out exactly how much each resident pays in taxes to maintain the beaches and charge out-of-county visitors the same amount for an annual pass when they come to the beach, he said.

Port St. Lucie officials said those hurdles still did not mean their developers should have to pay.
"If they don't own those beaches, why are they trying to make us pay for them?" Mayor Bob Minsky asked. "User fees are the fairest type of tax in the world. I don't ask them to fill up my gas tank for me."

Kelly said other communities have charged for parking, so he does not think it would be so hard for Martin County. Collier County gives its residents parking stickers and charges non-county residents $6 to park at several public beaches.

Meanwhile, Martin County officials are continuing to ask for impact fees from the large Port St. Lucie developments. County Administrator Duncan Ballantyne said he plans to meet with Port St. Lucie City Manager Don Cooper next week to discuss the issue.

Higher impact fee gains support

By Teresa Lane
Palm Beach Post Staff Writer

PORT ST. LUCIE — The cost of building a new home or apartment in Port St. Lucie is about to rise $2,081 after city council members Monday unanimously endorsed the higher fee to lure the prestigious Burnham Institute and biomedical research to Port St. Lucie.
With little discussion, the council gave preliminary support to the landmark proposal, which raises existing impact fees of about $11,700 to $13,780 to provide money for a 175,000-square-foot research lab earmarked for Burnham, which also is considering Orlando for its Florida campus.

With impact fees of only $6,500 as recently as 18 months ago, one contractor said Monday that the added $2,081 in public building fees would hamper the city's construction industry and place affordable homes further from the reach of a typical wage earner.

"Property taxes have gone up, and there is a lot more money coming into the city," said Dagoberto Castillo of LuJoVa Homes, which builds about 35 homes each year in Port St. Lucie. "Most of it is coming out of the builders' pockets. Sales are going down, and interest rates are up."

The higher public-building impact fee on new homes and multifamily units could raise $70 million during the next 10 years for the city to build a lab that it could lease to Burnham. That's close to the $80 million Burnham reportedly wants from the city.

Legal and financial consultants who suggested the higher fee could be used for economic development said they're not aware of other cities or counties in Florida or nationwide that have implemented a similar fee for that purpose, but insisted it's justifiable to help move Port St. Lucie from a bedroom community to a research hub with higher-wage jobs and a higher standard of living.

If council members adopt the higher fee on final reading June 26, they will delay enforcement and collection until an agreement with Burnham is in place. Although officials seemed confident of their chances of luring the company a few months ago, a last-minute, no-holds-barred pitch from Orlando has them feeling less certain as the summer — and a decision — drag on.
Home builder Don Santos, a former president of the Treasure Coast Builders Association, said 80 percent of the organization's board members support higher impact fees to lure Burnham but would like builders of nonresidential buildings, such as offices and stores, to pay the higher fee, too.

Robert Chandler IV of Fishkind & Associates, an economic consulting firm that recommended the development fee, said nonresidential buildings were not included because they already are considered components of economic development.

Chandler said residents will benefit directly from such high-tech tenants as Burnham in Port St. Lucie because such a move "changes the landscape" and provides better jobs, shorter commutes and a higher quality of life.

"We have endorsed this impact fee, which is really unusual for us," Santos said of the builders organization. "We'd just like everyone to pay, because right now the residential home builders are hurting. Adding additional fees is a concern of ours, especially now."

Stuart approves subdivision, supports hotel

By ANA X. CERON
A hotel is in sight for the south end of the city, and a new residential subdivision is in store for the north.

The Stuart City Commission backed both projects Monday night, supporting a proposal for a new four-story hotel on Fischer Street east of U.S. 1 and approving plans for Savanna Place north of the Roosevelt Bridge.

The 83-room hotel is subject to a final vote scheduled for June 26.
"We think if not here, where?" said attorney Terry McCarthy, representing Seacoast Hotels Inc., the partnership behind the proposal.

With Jeff Krauskopf absent, the commission agreed, unanimously endorsing the project.
"We have a shortage of hotels on the Treasure Coast," Commissioner Michael Mortell said.
Although the 2.75-acre parcel has been dubbed the "Hampton Inn" site — after the brand originally eyed for the property — Seacoast President Ram Patel said his group is still looking for an operator. Some of the choices include La Quinta or Country Inn.

"We have a few in mind," Patel said. "We haven't pinpointed" one.
Plans are more final for the city's other new development.

The commission gave its blessing to Savanna Place, a 60-home subdivision planned for eight pine-studded acres south of County Road 707, just east of Wright Boulevard.

The project calls for a mix of single-family homes, duplexes and town houses beside an upland preserve area traversed by a mulched walking trail.

Since Hai Group USA, the project developer, didn't seek any exceptions to the urban code, and its project followed the site's zoning, Monday's go-ahead was a basic approval of the site plan.

Thursday, June 08, 2006

North Hutchinson Island homeowners sue over condo plan

A group of homeowners is seeking judicial review of the county commission's decision last month to rezone a commercially zoned piece of property on the island to become a mixed-use development with 80 condominiums.

The petition was filed by the North Beach Association of St. Lucie County and Michael Riordan, a homeowner near what will become the Grande Beach North Hutchinson Island development. The property, currently home to the Sands Plaza, will be transformed into condominiums and 10,000 square feet of commercial space.

In court papers, they argue the rezoning did not meet criteria under the county land development code, specifically a requirement that residential land uses may not exceed 40 percent of mixed-use developments. They claim 34 units should be the maximum instead of the 80 units that were granted.

They claim the rezoning will increase density in an area threatened by hurricanes and major storms and could make disaster evacuation and re-entry more difficult. The commission still must vote on a final site plan approval for the development.

Residents were on both sides of the issue during a county commission meeting in early May on the project.

Wednesday, June 07, 2006

New homes in PSL may soon cost $2,000 more

By CHRIS YOUNG
PORT ST. LUCIE — The city is considering imposing a $2,081 impact fee on new homes to raise $70 million for a biotech building that could house the Burnham Institute.

The economic development proposal was approved Tuesday by the city's Planning and Zoning Board and is scheduled to be discussed by City Council at Monday's meeting.

Under the proposal, the "job growth/economic development building" would be considered a public building like a police headquarters or parking garage, so would be eligible for impact fee money.

A fee schedule included with the proposal calls for an economic development impact fee of $2,081 per new single-family or multifamily housing unit. Combined with a $360 impact fee for government buildings, the total "public buildings" impact fee would reach $2,441 on a new single family home. The new fee would pay for a 175,000-square-foot biotech building, according a consultant's report.

City Attorney Roger Orr confirmed the proposal is designed to lure the Burnham Institute, the La Jolla, Calif.-based biotech research and development company that wants to move to Florida. Burnham is considering a site in the Tradition development.

"Considering our goal is to bring jobs to the community, to the new annexed areas, this (fee) is the way for new growth to pay for itself," Vice Mayor Patricia Christensen said.

Planning & Zoning board officials unanimously voted to send the proposal to City Council.
"It seems like the City Council has come up with a creative way (to fund) economic development," said board member Frank Lillo.

"I think it's the only fair way we can raise the money to do what we want to do," board member Earl Thoms said.

The consultant's report, by Fishkind & Associates, justified charging the impact fee by arguing new residents will benefit from the jobs created by economic development. Christensen said new residents who have nothing to do with Burnham or spinoff biotech companies still would benefit from their presence by increased taxes that the commercial properties will pay.
"The point of bringing Burnham here is so residents aren't paying the brunt of taxes," she said.
She said if Burnham doesn't take the city's offer, which would be matched by the state, the impact fees would not take effect.

But the Council could bring back the ordinance for another high-profile company at a later date, she said.

Proposed fee

• The Planning & Zoning board recommended a $2,081 impact fee on all new homes to lure the Burnham Institute to the city.
• The fees would buy a 175,000 square-foot biotech center at a cost of $70 million.
• City Council members will consider the impact fee at Monday's regular meeting.

Tuesday, June 06, 2006

St. Lucie schools face big shake-up

By MARGOT SUSCA
Schools Superintendent Michael Lannon on Monday announced a major staff shake-up for the coming school year as the district faces new attendance zones, growth and increasing efforts to boost student achievement.

After an intensive staff review — which included analyzing FCAT scores — Lannon said at least 15 administrators will be in new jobs and six top-level positions have been filled in new schools. Another six administrative positions remain vacant.

Just as the district looks at testing data to determine whom to send where, Lannon said principals' personalities, education and strengths also were factored into the appointments.
"Ultimately it becomes a gut decision given everything we know about where is the best fit," Lannon said. "This is the best we can do for the individuals, for the schools and for the communities they're there to serve."

Lannon said he wanted the changes announced before the state Education Departments releases high-profile school grades that are based on FCAT scores. That announcement is expected this month.

Most of the shuffle is at the elementary or K-8 level.

No administrative changes are slated at high schools, where teenagers this year continued to show weak performance on standardized reading and math exams.

Lannon said Fort Pierce Westwood High Principal Lin Bushore is expected to retire at the end of the 2006-07 year. Fort Pierce Central High and Port St. Lucie High had major administrative overhauls at the start of the 2005-06 year.

"It takes more than a year to be able to make sustainable change," Lannon said. "Part of our job is to be able to analyze and coach and mentor and be part of that process to make sure change is happening."

Notable changes include the resignation of Oak Hammock K-8 Principal Daniel O'Keefe, who leaves after heading that school in its first year. O'Keefe, a longtime Broward County administrator who lives in Fellsmere, came out of retirement to take the top spot at Oak Hammock.

Oak Hammock, in Port St. Lucie, will have an entire new staff next year, including Principal Carmen Peterson who leaves Port St. Lucie Elementary.
Glenn Rustay, known for his quirky neckties and love of technology, will lead Port St. Lucie Elementary, an A-rated school slated for a major K-8 face-lift by August 2008. Rustay has been assistant principal there.

District officials project opening a new school a year for the next several years, including a K-8 on Jenkins Road that would open in August 2007. Lisa Cash leaves Southern Oaks to take the reins there.

John Lynch, former county testing head and principal at Garden City Elementary in Fort Pierce, will take over for Cash.

Cortina Gray leaves her assistant principal job at top- rated Frances K. Sweet Elementary School, a Fort Pierce magnet school, to lead Garden City.

Under the new attendance zones, Garden City's low- income student population is expected to jump. Gray says she can balance the high standards of F.K. Sweet with the issues Garden City children may bring to classrooms.

Key changes

Notable changes announced by Schools Superintendent Michael Lannon:
• Fort Pierce Westwood High Principal Lin Bushore is expected to retire at the end of the 2006-07 year.
• Oak Hammock K-8 to get an entire new slate of administrators.
• No changes at the high school level, but Fort Pierce Westwood and St. Lucie West Centennial will hire additional assistant principals.

Thursday, June 01, 2006

St. Lucie property tax roll will go up

By REBECCA PANOFF
FORT PIERCE – Even with the real estate market cooling off, St. Lucie County, Fort Pierce and Port St. Lucie will see at least a 16 percent increases in their tax rolls according to numbers released by Property Appraiser Jeff Furst.

According to the preliminary tax roll released by Furst to county and city officials to help them gauge their budgets, every municipality in the county saw an increase, although St. Lucie Village's increase was only estimated at 6 percent.

But Furst said Thursday his preliminary numbers are conservative and he thinks the final tax roll, released July 1, could be as high or higher than last year's numbers.