Community Development District 1 supervisors are unhappy about Sumter County’s apparently premature dismissal of a traffic study to improve safety on Morse Boulevard.
CDD 1 invested more than $100,000 in the long-awaited Kimley-Horn & Associates Inc. study aimed at separating golf carts and automobiles on the busy thoroughfare between County Road 466 and U.S. Hwy. 27/441. Too many times, there have been fatal or near-fatal collisions between golf carts and automobiles.
The study was unveiled Friday morning at Savannah Center with a 30-minute presentation by Kimley-Horn’s Amber Gartner.
The options for separating golf carts and automobiles could cost between $12 and $15 million. You can view the entire report at this link: Kimley-Horn report
Sumter County owns Morse Boulevard, so the five elected commissioners essentially have veto power over the project.
The presentation included Sumter County’s concerns which include inconsistencies and worrisome crossings of golf carts across sections of Morse Boulevard.
CDD 1 supervisors were quick to read between the lines.
“Basically what Sumter County is telling us is, ‘We are not interested in this project and we don’t want to listen to what the residents are saying,’” said CDD 1 Board Chairman Rocky Hyder, who has been working on this endeavor since his earliest days on the board.
Hyder added that he was “disappointed in the study” and the “two extremely expensive alternatives.”
He said he never expected the burden for the improvements to be entirely shouldered by the 3,400 homeowners in CDD 1. He also said he did not expect Sumter County’s rejection.
“What we lack is representation and cooperation from our county government,” Hyder said.
“They are at least trying to find things that work,” Hyder said.
He also questioned the staff level rejection of the Morse Boulevard study.
He said it should be “a policy decision by the Sumter County Board of Commissioners.”
Supervisor Ellen Cora was more direct in her criticism of Sumter County.
“This is totally unacceptable. We are government by the people and for the people,” Cora said. “They should be ashamed of their attitude toward this project.”
Supervisor Kathy Porter agreed that the next step is to “hammer” Sumter County officials.
“They are ignoring the will of the people,” she said.
Supervisor Judy Biebesheimer pointed out that his impacts more than just the residents of CDD 1 as all residents use that stretch of Morse Boulevard.
She also suggested Sumter County’s arrogant disregard should be a warning to Meggison Road residents who have been similarly disregarded.
“In a few short years, they’ll be where we are,” Biebesheimer predicted.
CDD 1 supervisors will hold a town hall meeting to discuss the study with residents. That meeting will take place from 6 to 8 p.m. Wednesday, Aug. 30, at La Hacienda Recreation Center.
The CDD 1 board chairman formally extended an invitation to Sumter County officials, asking them to attend the town hall meeting.
“Maybe they can enlighten us with regard to what they have done to improve safety on Morse Boulevard,” Hyder said.
