ITS WELL BEING OF PRIMARY CONCERN

By SUZANNE M. SCHMIDT

Temple Terrace resident Susan Grzybowski had a specific issue dealing with the Hillsborough River.
“I am interested in the quality of the water,” Grzybowski said. “I was hoping to get more involved.”
Others share her same concern.
For that very reason the City Council last month established the Temple Terrace River Watch Task Force. In its first meeting last week a group, headed by councilman Frank Chillura, met to outline the group’s main goals and objectives.
In addition to Chillura, the task force consists of Carl Avari-Cooper, Temple Terrace Police Department Marine Officer; and residents Terry McMahon, Ronald Smith, Robert Collins Jr. and Jack Westberry.
Chillura said the main reason for the task force is to insure Temple Terrace has a voice in the management of the river in areas it runs through the city.
“Many people have expressed concerns, but we haven’t had much of a voice with Swiftmud,” Chillura said. “We organized the task force so we can be recognized. We want this to be very open and we would like to encourage involvement from anyone in the public who is interested.”
Although only a handful of residents attended the first meeting, the new task force is hoping to gain more support from the community.
“We will be taking public comment,” Chillura said. “The river is one of the greatest assets of Temple Terrace. Our main objective is to be a conduit to Swiftmud. We will hone in on what we want to discuss and then invite an official from Swiftmud to the next meeting.”
Each member of the team came on board because of their concerns about the river. But, not everyone’s are the same.
Avari-Cooper said he is worried about the river’s low water level.
“I am appalled by the dramatic drops of the river levels,” Avari-Cooper said. “They are plummeting earlier and earlier each year. What they do on the river doesn’t just affect Tampa residents, it affects our citizens as well. They have done studies, but they don’t consider our part of the river.”
Avari-Cooper is also worried about its impact on living creatures in the community.
“It is not just going to impact people, it will impact wildlife,” Avari-Cooper said. “I understand we are a small city, but at the same time we have a lot vested in the river. We wanted to at least become a factor in the discussions and decision-making process.”
Westberry lives by the river and spoke about an all together different issue.
“My main concern is the river flooding out people in Temple Terrace,” Westberry said. “I have had a river level gauge in my backyard for years. I have been plotting the levels of the river over the years. When there is a problem it takes an act of Congress to get the water diverted. It is dangerous when the river floods and it is tearing up people’s yards.”
Because he has the gauge in his backyard, he said he is willing to help the task force.
“No matter what we decide, I can keep checking the gauge everyday and I can tell the rate the river is going up,” Westberry said. “I want the river to stay pretty, but my main concern is to keep the people of Temple Terrace from being flooded.”
Smith said he was concerned about flooding as well.
“The flooding issue is a major concern,” Smith said. “I am also concerned about low levels as well. I have seen boats stuck on the river bank. I have even seen people on canoes having a hard time getting through.”
Another big concern of his is the new development and how that will affect the river.
“As more development goes in along the river banks, I am sure it will alter the quality of the river. I think for a large part, boaters are getting the message. I think the new minimum wake signs are a lot of help,” Smith said.
McMahon also lives on the river and he would like to establish a notification process for when the river fluctuates.
“If the river is running really well it is fine, but if the river drops we need to have a plan,” McMahon said. “There needs to be notification so we know when the river is rising.”
Swiftmud makes the decisions about the river’s management. It bases its decisions on the well-being of its fish and wildlife, and the quality of its navigation, aesthetics, recreation and water supply.
“The river is more than a bathtub to draw from,” Avari-Cooper said. “All they focus on is if they can get 88 gallons a day from the river.”
In addition to the river discussion, Chillura talked about getting more residents who live on the river’s edge involved in a simple location identification process.
“I have been trying to get people on the river to post their address on their docks,” Chillura said. “That would be ideal if there was an emergency situation on the river.”
Avari-Cooper said it would help his job tremendously.
“I want to make people aware that even if they are on the river, 911 is still available to them,” Avari-Cooper said.
The next meeting will be April 24 at 6 p.m. in the workroom behind the council chambers at Temple Terrace City Hall.