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Four Candidates Seek Two Council Seats

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By JOYCE McKENZIE

jmckenzie@tampatrib.com

Published: October 8, 2008

TEMPLE TERRACE - Four candidates vying for two open city council seats have distinctly different interests and professional backgrounds.

They have at least one thing in common, however: All say they are passionate about Temple Terrace and want to serve as leaders.

Ted Grevencamp, 63; Mary Jane Neale, 71; David Penoyer, 35; and incumbent Councilman Ron Govin, 68, hope to fill two four-year seats on the five-member Temple Terrace City Council.

Govin's current position and one occupied by outgoing councilman Frank Chillura, 40, comprise the two open seats. The two top vote-getters among the four contenders will win election to the board.

Each candidate has lived in Temple Terrace for at least 10 years and is involved in organizations meant to enhance the municipality's quality of living.

Grevencamp, a retired Army colonel who served in the military for 29 years, is a past president of the Temple Terrace Civitan Club; chairman of the long range planning committee for the Hillsborough County Public Library Cooperative Council; and a past president and treasurer of Friends of the Temple Terrace Public Library.

Neale, a former budget administrator for the Jewish Endowment Foundation and past director of field services for the Girl Scouts of Tropical Florida, is a board member of the University of South Florida College of Education Development. She is president of the Temple Terrace Arts Council and past president of Masque Community Theatre and the Temple Terrace Woman's Club.

Penoyer is an environmental engineer, employed by SCS Engineers. He is also Temple Terrace's representative on the Citizens Advisory Council of the Metropolitan Planning Organization and is a volunteer youth sports coach.

Govin is the chief executive officer of MarkMaster, a family-owned business that manufactures rubber stamps and name badges. In addition to serving four years on the Temple Terrace City Council and being its representative in meetings between city officials and developers of Temple Terrace's downtown redevelopment project, he is chairman of the Hillsborough Area Regional Transit Authority board of directors. He is also an eight-year member and past chairman of the Hillsborough County Planning Commission as well as a member and former president of the Greater Temple Terrace Chamber of Commerce.

Grevencamp, father of three grown daughters and grandfather of four, considers running for a seat on the city council as a continuation of his community service work in the city in which he chose to retire with his wife, Mary.

"My extensive training and experience in decision-making processes and their application to complex issues are what I think qualify me for the position," said Grevencamp, who oversaw large military budgets, managed large programs and directed the operations of more than 3,500 people.

Neal, the mother of two grown daughters and grandmother of one who will celebrate 50 years of marriage to husband, Ronald, in May, contends her volunteer efforts in Temple Terrace in the last 15 years qualify her to be an effective council member.

"My leadership speaks for itself," she said. "I have worked overseeing big budgets and small budgets, large groups of volunteers and groups of paid employees."

Penoyer, who has been married to his wife, Jennifer, for 13 years and is the father of two daughters who attend Lewis Elementary School in Temple Terrace, considers his professional background, his "work hard" ethic and his ability to look at both sides of an issue as assets for the position.

"As an engineer, I think I will bring a unique set of skills to the council which I think are important, given that a number of the big projects on the horizon are public works-related projects," he said.

Govin, the father of two sons and grandfather of four who has been married to his wife, Judy, 47 years, also describes himself as a person willing to work hard for the city's goals.

"I have a passion for the improvement of Temple Terrace shown by my involvement in the leadership of the redevelopment project," Govin said. "My 40 years of business management and my financial skills also are beneficial as a councilman."

All Support Revitalizing Downtown

Each of the candidates favors continuing with the city's decade-old vision of redeveloping 20.36 acres of the city's core commercial district at 56th and Bullard Parkway. Despite an in-the-works plan that had many believing the project could become a reality by early next year, the effort to rejuvenate the city's downtown came to a standstill in mid September.

Following months of negotiations between city leaders and prospective property owners/developers Ram Development Co. and Pinnacle Realty Advisors - the firms planned to create a pedestrian-friendly town center consisting of retail, restaurant, residential and cultural components - the pact fell through when Ram/Pinnacle announced it could not meet various benchmarks by the projected Sept. 30 closing date.

"The project must go on," said Grevencamp, who prefers, however, that city leaders not act hastily toward that end. ""Now is not the time for quick decisions, but a time to step back, reflect and repair, and prepare our minds for new thinking."

Neale concurred.

"The city must reassess its original plan and return to the basis on which this project was originally built," she said.

Penoyer expressed frustration over how long the project has languished, but little disappointment regarding Ram/Pinnacle's dismissal.

"We now have the opportunity to start fresh and to do this project right," Penoyer said. "We need the process to be more planner-driven, rather than developer-driven. Council need not be afraid to hire a planer with the expertise and knowledge to guide us."

Govin, however, prefers to proceed with the project as quickly as possible.

"About a third of the work done with Ram/Pinnacle was basic and took us forward," the councilman said. "We should be able to start way ahead of where we were two years ago."

Along with casting their votes for U.S. president, registered Temple Terrace voters will be able to choose two council members from among the four in the municipal race on Nov. 4. Mayor Joe Affronti faced no challengers in his re-election bid for a second four-year term.

Early voting will take place from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Oct. 20 through Nov. 1 at the Temple Terrace Public Library, k202 Bullard Parkway.

Reporter Joyce McKenzie can be reached at (813) 865-4849.

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