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CDD Is Seeking Developer's Eviction

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By KENNETH KNIGHT

kknight@tampatrib.com

Published: January 28, 2009

CORY LAKE ISLES - Developer Gene Thomason may end up in court again over a dispute with residents.

The latest action could be by the hands of the Cory Lake Isles Community Development District, the taxing authority board on which Thomason founded and served until his resignation last year.

The CDD board is ready to seek an emergency order to gain access to an office at the Beach Club, where Thomason's wife and son operated a real estate agency until late last year.

The supervisors want Thomason to turn over the office key and district materials believed to be inside. They say attempts to get him to comply have failed.

At its Jan. 15 meeting, the five-member board voted unanimously to direct its attorney Mark Straley to find another lawyer who could proceed with the district's efforts to evict Thomason.

Straley was hired to represent the CDD when the board was under developer control.

District manager John Daugirda said he and Straley have asked Thomason to turn over the district materials stored in the Beach Club office, but nothing had been delivered.

Chairman Dan Morford, one of three new supervisors elected in November, said he had received two letters from Thomason's attorneys in response to the request.

Morford, who has been a vocal critic of Thomason, said the first letter asked the board to specify what district-owned material it was seeking. The second letter suggested the district was violating its lease agreement with Thomason.

In the meantime, the board has authorized changing all door locks at the Beach Club with the exception of the office that Thomason leases.
Morford said the board's action was to ensure the office is only accessible during business hours.

Straley encouraged the board to make specific requests for any records that they know are there.

The supervisors said they should have a key to the office to access computers and databases stored there.

Reporter Kenneth Knight can be reached at (813) 865-4842.

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