LOAN FORGIVEN…RESIDENTS UPSET IN NORTH PORT

NORTH PORT TAXPAYERS ARE HAVING TO MUNCH ON A $225,000 LOSS ON THE HOME OF FORMER CITY MANAGER STEVE CROWELL, AND THEY’RE NOT HAPPY ABOUT IT.  CROWELL WAS FORCED OUT OF HIS POSITION IN OCTOBER AFTER PUTTING HIS HAT IN THE RING FOR THE CITY MANAGER’S JOB IN IOWA CITY, AND AS PART OF THE SEPARATION AGREEMENT, COMMISSIONERS FORGAVE A LOAN CROWELL TOOK OUT FROM THEM FOR THE PURCHASE OF HIS BOBCAT TRAIL HOME, WHICH HE BOUGHT FOR A HALF-A-MILLION DOLLARS BACK IN 2005.  THE HOME WAS ON THE MARKET FOR THREE DAYS BEFORE A CONTRACT ON THE HOME WAS MADE FOR $274,000 DOLLARS.  MIKE TREUBERT, ONE OF THE CITY COMMISSIONERS WHO VOTED TO FORGIVE THE LOAN, SAID “I WANT TO SEND MR. CROWELL OFF…HOPEFULLY NEVER TO HEAR HIS NAME AGAIN.”  THAT WON’T HAPPEN AS COMMISSIONERS WILL DISCUSS IT AGAIN AT THEIR NEXT MEETING, BUT A CHANGE COULD NULL THE AGREEMENT IN PLACE AND CREATE LEGAL ISSUES FOR THE CITY.  CROWELL IS A FINALIST FOR THE CITY MANAGER JOB IN HOMESTEAD IN DADE COUNTY.