Letters to the Editor

Commissioners deserve raise

The focus and attention that the city of Winter Park City Commission pay raise has received in the press recently is less than fair to a group of very hard working and dedicated city servants.

As a member of the 2009 Winter Park Citizens Charter Review Task Force, I wish to contribute some additional perspective on this issue. The Citizens Task Force made the original recommendation to change the City Charter and allow the Commission to set its salary. And in March of 2010, the citizens did agree to allow the City Commission to increase their pay when they voted to approve all of the charter amendments that were proposed by the Citizens Review Task Force.

Regarding the current pay scale, the Task Force members were concerned with the following issues:

· Most Central Florida cities pay their city commissions considerably more than Winter Park.

· Compensation to city commissions should at least resemble a reasonable part-time wage so that less affluent candidates can consider serving the citizens of Winter Park. The current $200 per month barely covers office supplies and postage, and it certainly would not cover the cost of a babysitter to cover all of the meetings the commissioners must attend.

· The city of Winter Park Charter established the pay rate in 1953 (57 years ago) and in 1953, $200 per month was nearly a living wage. To put that in 2010 dollars, it equates to about $1,600 per month. It is past the time to update the city’s pay scale for the commissioners and the mayor.

· The total budget for the city of Winter Park is now more than $140 million. The city must ensure that all qualified candidates can consider service to the city, not just affluent individuals or members of special interest groups.

The proposed increase, in my opinion, is still inadequate, but it will put our city in line with other Central Florida cities and hopefully encourage more citizens to consider running for a Commission seat.

—Gene Randall, President

The Winter Park Good Government Group

Lower your operating costs with energy efficiency help from FPL

With many industries nationwide still reeling from the economic recession, local businesses should examine all ways to reduce overhead without sacrificing from core business operations. Energy costs can be a significant portion of a business’ operating costs, yet many companies mistakenly treat it as a fixed expense. You do have some control over your energy use and can take some simple steps to create a positive impact on your bottom line.

Florida Power & Light offers a quick, easy and no-cost way to reduce energy bills through the Business Energy Evaluation, a program that helps business customers better understand their electricity usage and identify potential ways to save through energy efficiency.

Through FPL’s in-person evaluation, an FPL Energy Expert will thoroughly examine your facility’s energy consumption and provide you with a personalized energy-efficiency analysis to help you understand where your energy dollars go and how your energy usage compares to similar businesses.

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You’ll get a list of low-cost measures that will help you save energy and money. These may include installing a programmable thermostat that automates temperature settings to maximize efficiency according to your hours of operation or occupancy sensors that automatically turn off lighting in areas with transient use.

If equipment upgrades are recommended, you’ll also get information about potential FPL rebates to help offset the cost of these investments. FPL’s energy-efficiency incentives can often be the deciding factor when determining if new equipment is the right decision for a business.

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A good energy plan is good business, whether your company is large or small. To register for a Business Energy Evaluation or for additional information about FPL tips, programs and incentives to help your business save money, visit www.FPL.com/BEE or call 877-748-4BEE.

—Larry Volenec, external affairs manager for Florida Power & Light in Seminole County