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Candidate Profiles: County Commission District 3 (R)

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SUNCOAST NEWS STAFF

Published: August 9, 2008

Below are profiles of the Republican candidates in the District 3 Pasco County Commission primaries, Ann Hildebrand, Wil Nickerson and Matt Matey.

County Commission District 3
Republicans

•ANN HILDEBRAND, the incumbent, will face two challengers, Wil Nickerson and Matt Matey, in the Aug. 26 County Commission District 3 Republican primary.

Hildebrand believes transportation will be among some of the biggest challenges. She serves on the executive committee for Tampa Bay Regional Transportation Authority, known as TBARTA. The county has revised impact fees in an effort to continue improving roads.

The county is following advice from the Urban Land Institute to overhaul county growth management ordinances. "The slowdown (in the housing market) will allow us to streamline and be creative."

HILDEBRAND

Because of the statewide Amendment 1 property tax system changes, "We are looking at all areas of government to get more bang for the buck and do more with less."

To draw more high-paying jobs, she believes the county has streamlined procedures and offered incentives through Pasco Economic Development Council. SYSCO Food Service and Opinicus have located here.

For energy needs, "conservation and efficiency is vital," plus more "green" projects. She has been on a leadership team working with Progress Energy Florida.

As for a proposal to hire only nonsmokers, she comments that the county wants a "healthy staff and hopefully can see a reduction in our insurance premiums."

Bio snapshot

A Pasco resident since 1971, Hildebrand, 70, lives in New Port Richey with her husband. They have two sons, Lance and Clay.

Education: Bachelor's degree in social services from Michigan State University.

Experience: Elected to the County Commission in 1984. Commission chairwoman five times; Tampa Bay Water board member and two-time chairwoman; secretary-treasurer TBARTA; chairwoman U.S. 19 Task Force; past chairwoman Tourist Development Council and Metropolitan Planning Organization; past member Economic Development Council.

Memberships: Secretary and past president PACE Center for Girls; Youth and Family Alternatives board and past president; co-founder, chair for 15 years and board member Good Samaritan Health Clinic; chairwoman Keep Pasco Beautiful; chairwoman United Way of Pasco board; CARES past president; Safety Town board; Morton Plant North Bay Hospital board; Gulf Coast Jewish Family Services advisory board; and many more.

Awards: Women of Distinction Award from Girl Scouts of America; West Pasco Chamber Public Service Award and Eminent Pioneer Award; United Way of Florida Outstanding Public Official in the state; YFA Outstanding Volunteer; Queen Chasco; and many more.

•WIL NICKERSON, candidate for County Commission District 3, will run against the incumbent, Ann Hildebrand, and challenger Matt Matey in the Aug. 26 GOP primary.

Nickerson believes the biggest challenges will include budget cuts while preserving vital services such as fire, police, elderly care and education.

NICKERSON

He pledges to look for "frivolous and/or wasteful" budget items. Staffing and fuel consumption might be areas to streamline.

Infrastructure is "seriously lacking in many aspects," Nickerson believes. "We need to stop the residential building," which had been "out of control" before the current slowdown, until a plan can be formed.

To tailor business incentives, county officials should study lists of companies looking to build or move. "We do not have a good tax base from industry which would offset the residential burden," he said. One possibility might be to stagger incentives over 10 years.

"We definitely need tighter regulation" on growth management, Nickerson continued. He criticized the county spending $100,000 for an Urban Land Institute study that offered little more than "common sense" conclusions. The county must not allow variances just for the developer's benefit.

As for energy costs, Nickerson believes the state might need more nuclear power plants while the county can promote "greener building," which now is cost effective and efficient.

A proposal for the county to hire only nonsmokers has "great potential" for a discrimination lawsuit." Perhaps smokers on the county payroll can get their own health insurance with county reimbursement based on the amount of coverage for nonsmokers.

Bio snapshot

Wilbert "Wil" Richard Nickerson, 62, married his high school sweetheart, Cheryl Brackett, in 1966. They have one daughter, Marcy. The family moved to Holiday in 1984. The "biggest thrill" in his life was locating his biological sister, in 2004.

Education: Attended Cornwall Academy, in Great Barrington, Mass., and the University of Bridgeport, Conn., where he was an industrial design major.

Experience: In Florida, licensed real estate agent and then broker in 1980s; Classic Car Care restoration shop owner from early 1990s through 2004.

Memberships: Homeowners for Affordable (insurance) Coverage board member; Forest Hills East Civic Association president since 2006; president Spring Hill Cruisers Classic Car Club, 1995-2005; and more.

Hobbies: Classic cars, scuba diving, travel by cruise ship and playing the piano.

•MATT MATEY, candidate for County Commission District 3, will run against the incumbent, Ann Hildebrand, and challenger Wil Nickerson in the Aug. 26 GOP primary.

Among the biggest challenges, Matey would combat crime by working with the Sheriff's Office to recruit more volunteers for citizen service units to free up deputies. He also would re-activate neighborhood crime watches. He wants pay scale increases for deputies. He wants to see and more deputies assigned to investigate gangs.

He would look for ways to patrol more often for code violations, and seek stricter penalties for people who don't correct code violations.

MATEY

A safer and more attractive Pasco will attract more industry, Matey believes.
As for business incentives, the "county has in the past relied on the housing boom to develop revenue and provide jobs for our citizens. Incentives are only a part of the picture." Attractive and safe communities with enough infrastructure will lure more business here.

When it comes to growth management, Matey thinks "residential growth without a corresponding growth in businesses here in Pasco strains county services, schools, roads and public safety resources."

As for energy needs, commissioners can encourage conservation and raise awareness. "Leading by example can be effective."

The county would hire only nonsmokers under one proposal. But Matey believes "there are other ways of saving on health insurance premiums. Deductibles and co-pays can be increased, for example."

Bio snapshot

A 14-year resident of Pasco, Matthew Matey, 53, resides in New Port Richey with wife Danielle, a fifth-generation Pasco native. He has a son and daughter from a previous marriage and two grown and married step-sons. Four granddaughters are seventh-generation Pasco natives.
It's Matey's first attempt at elected office.

Matey was arrested for DUI in 1992, He filed for bankruptcy in September 1993.

Education: Graduate of the U.S. Military Academy, West Point, N.Y., with B.S. in general education.

Experience: Various Army assignments in Germany before being promoted to captain stationed at Fort Knox, Ky., in research and development; worked in the electrical industry for more than a decade.

Memberships: Member and treasurer, West Elfers Cemetery Preservation Association, 2006-08; West Point Association of Graduates; a social member of the Marine Corps League; "I am a born-again Christian and a Baptist."

Hobbies: Writing fiction, collecting political and governmental books, architectural drafting, furniture refinishing, collecting patriotic memorabilia.

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