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Blair Attends Meeting

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By HAROLD VALENTINE, The Tampa Tribune

Published: January 16, 2008

FOREST HILLS - The recurring theme at a North Forest Hills Neighborhood Association meeting was staying on top of issues.

"If you don't squeak, they're not going to move," said Hillsborough County Commissioner Brian Blair. "That's the whole thing about government that I don't like."

Blair spoke at the meeting in reference to the many lakes covered in the association, including Noreast, Pine, and East and West Cedar lakes.

A lake clean-up project was approved after a county drainage project completed in 2004 is thought to have contributed to a dramatic increase in algae.

Blair, who owns property bordering Noreast Lake, has faced media criticism because he advocated for lake improvements. Blair said county attorney Renee Lee found the commissioner had no conflict voting on lake improvements because they would benefit the entire neighborhood.

Blair's district as commissioner, District 6, does not include Forest Hills. Blair said he is not a member of the association, but attended the meeting "as a concerned neighbor."

""I came by just to assure them people were working on the issues," Blair said

He encouraged the association to take problems, such as those affecting the lakes, to Commissioner Kevin White, whose district covers the neighborhood. Blair added he would ask the county attorney if he has a conflict in any vote affecting his neighborhood.

"What's wrong with looking out for your own neighborhood?" Blair said. "I watch out for every neighborhood." Blair, 51, said he has lived in the neighborhood since age 23.

Tina Johnson said that as an association member "we got to look out for each other and try to stay on top of the lake situation."

Kim Cox, the association's recently elected president, said the neighborhood is beginning a membership drive. "We just really want to get people involved in the neighborhood," he said.

NORTH FOREST HILLS NEIGHBORHOOD

ASSOCIATION

PRESIDENT: Kim Cox

NUMBER OF HOMES: 600

PARAMETERS: from Fletcher Avenue to the north to Country Club Drive at the south; N. Boulevard from the east to Rome Avenue in the west

DUES: $10 a year

Reporter Harold Valentine can be reached at (813) 865-1526 or hvalentine@tampatrib.com.

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