Heritage Harbour South CDD — Seat 2: Michelle Patterson

Age: 58

Occupation: Executive in Organizational Development & Performance Management.

Hometown: Billings, Mont.

About: Patterson has 30 years’ corporate experience working with the Fortune 100 companies, including 15 years at the executive level. In her professional career, she was recruited to participate in a startup that went public as Nextel Communications, and helped take the company from 50 to 16,000 employees.

She has served as Adjunct Professor in the MBA programs at Rochester Institute of Technology in Rochester, N.Y. and George Mason University in Fairfax, Va. She has four children and five grandchildren and is a motorcycle enthusiast.

Why are you running for office?

As a working member of the community, I care about our property values and I am passionate about protecting our environment. As a member of the CDD board of supervisors, my investment of time and energy is given to protect the investments we have all made in our homes – and this community.

At all levels of government, I feel there is an overwhelming need for accountability, responsibility and transparency, and I am committed to scrutinizing the issues that affect our district. With approximately 1,500 homes in our district, equitable resolutions are key. I support policies and plans that are in the best interest of all district residents living in Heritage Harbour South CDD.

What experiences do you have that make you believe you are the right candidate for the job?

Having lived as a permanent resident in this district since 2003, I have spent an enormous amount of time researching the area — and the issues. Serving on the current Board of Supervisors, including the past two years as board chairwoman, and having worked cooperatively with my fellow supervisors in a respectful and cooperative manner, we have collectively forged a new productive protocol of open, effective dialogue that has allowed the district to successfully:

• Resolve two costly lawsuits.
• Mend partnerships between various organizations in the community.
• Retain professional contractors who are accountable to the board and who support the district agenda over their personal agenda.
• Manage the budget for low-to-no increase in annual assessments.
• Revitalize the reserve fund for the looming financial crisis to repair district roadways and pond erosion.
• As promised four years ago, I have served the Board best by prioritizing and resolving district issues based on facts, benefits and costs. Using proven business skills, I have been able to negotiate and mediate controversial issues; organize and reduce complex information into a productive format, and prioritize problem areas for resident homeowners.

What do you see as the biggest challenge the district faces and how do you plan address it?

Our CDD has faced, and continues to confront, unique financial stresses some of which are still linked to the developer. In my opinion, and as I already mentioned, the looming financial crisis in our district unquestionably involves our roadways and the erosion of our lakes and ponds.

According to extensive district surveys, the repair process for our ponds and roadways should begin now. Based on damage assessment, an annual priority list will allow the district to repair eroding ponds and unsafe roadways in aggregate.

These two projects require significant understanding and experience with the district budget including the use of reserves.  My plan is to vigilantly manage the annual maintenance schedule for ponds and roadways with funds from our annual budget which includes wisely funding our reserves. My overall goal is to fund the projects without having to float another bond or create a special assessment.

There has been a lot of discussion at meetings related to the maintenance of ponds, as it relates to community aesthetics. What changes do you believe are needed, if any? Why?

This continues to be an emotionally-charged subject where sturdy leadership is required.

Understandably, some of our resident’s critique and take issue with the cyclical aesthetic condition of our ponds and wetlands. There isn’t a megaphone big enough to comfortably reassure these residents that the district’s ponds and wetlands are rigidly and rigorously maintained by highly certified professional engineers and marine biologists. 

Resident education and communication is key. The board must continue to work cooperatively with our community partners.

Florida weather creates a vicious cycle of fertilizing and cutting grass with clippings and excess being blown or carried into our ponds and wetlands. Treatment ensues, but given repeated fertilizer, cuttings and clippings, treatments begin again and the unhealthy cycle spirals.

District professionals have repeatedly shared the following:

In the near future, regulatory agencies will forbid the use of certain frequently used herbicides and pesticides. Ergo, we need to plan now for ponds and wetlands that aerate naturally.

The district is aging. We can’t turn back the clock on 13-year old ponds and wetlands.  It might be time to appreciate the maturity by planting and treating in harmony with the natural growth.