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2 compete for unpaid board seat at PHCC
By JAMES THORNER, Times Staff Writer
Karen Wells is a graduate of Pasco-Her-nando Community College with 20 years as a computer systems analyst. Tom Weightman was for 22 years the superintendent of Pasco County's schools and has a middle school in Wesley Chapel named after him. Both are Republicans competing for a seat on the community college's board of trustees, an unpaid position that former Pasco County Commissioner Ed Collins will vacate May 31. Weightman's sheer weight of educational experience might tilt the choice toward him. But the political weather vane has clearly spun Wells' way. Wells is the wife of Pasco Property Appraiser Mike Wells, a Republican. Her husband's prominence helped her capture recommendations from three of the area's GOP state lawmakers: state Sen. Mike Fasano and state Reps. Ken Littlefield and David Russell. The choice belongs to Gov. Jeb Bush -- the appointments aren't expected before April -- but Bush usually filters his selection through local legislators. The nine-member board, policymakers for the four-campus community college system, consists of five Pasco members and four from Hernando County. Pasco-Hernando educated about 10,000 full- and part-time students last year on its Dade City, New Port Richey, Spring Hill and Brooksville campuses. College president Robert Judson said he would support the appointment of either candidate, although he is much better acquainted with Weightman than Wells. Although acknowledging the political nature of the appointment, Judson questioned why some would consider a job without compensation as a political prize. "I would not call it a raw patronage job," Judson said. "I think it's a job for people who are interested in this institution and making it better." Karen Wells, 53, said she wants to join the board in gratitude for the fine job the college did in educating her and her family. Wells heard about the vacancy while in Tallahassee on business with her husband last month. She promptly visited the offices of the local delegation, including Fasano. She sent Bush a letter of interest. "This is really the first board I've really been interested in," Wells said. "If it weren't for community college, and PHCC in particular, my life would have been a lot different." Weightman, too, sought out Fasano but learned he had already promised to back Wells. The 67-year-old Dade City resident retired as Pasco superintendent in 1996. Until three months ago, he was chief executive officer of the state superintendents association. Weightman stressed his experience running educational institutions and his firm understanding of how boards work. "I think I could make a contribution," he said Tuesday. "But if I can't, it's okay." Both applicants fit the geographic bill. Judson stressed the need for an east Pasco resident to help balance the board. Of Pasco's five trustees, all are from the west side of the county. Also leaving the board is James Yant, a Spring Hill insurance agent, forced out by state term limits after eight years. Several Hernando residents have applied for Yant's position, but Judson declined to reveal their names. And at Monday night's trustees meeting in Brooksville, yet another board member announced she was bowing out by May 31: New Port Richey businesswoman Judy Case. She cited poor health. Although Judson said he'd prefer one of the two vacant Pasco seats go to a person from the Land O'Lakes area, he didn't rule out Weightman should Wells succeed in getting appointed. Fasano has other ideas. He has recommended west Pasco resident Maureen Shore for Case's seat. Weightman came to him too late to be considered, Fasano said. "Once you make a commitment, you keep it," Fasano said. "Tom Weightman would be excellent for the position as well." Weightman said his application to the governor suffices for both open seats. One thing he doesn't plan to do is lobby legislators anymore. The rejections have been enough. "I just put an application in, and I'm not going to do anything else," Weightman said. "I'll let the application speak for itself."
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