Right direction?

On February 6, 2007, the Hernando County Board of Commissioners agreed to sell the old Brooksville Regional Hospital. I thought it was rather odd that the name of the company winning the hearts of the county commissioners was the mirror image of the address of the old hospital site. The newspaper listed the company as 55 Ponce de Leon, LLC which is oddly enough the address of the old Brooksville Regional Hospital. Curiosity got the best of me so I looked up this 55 Ponce de Leon, LLC at the Florida Department of State, Division of Corporations to see who were the principals in this business.

Guess what? There was no listing for this limited liability corporation when this deal was brokered with our county commissioners. This 55 Ponce de Leon, LLC submitted a contract for review on February 8, 2007 and still no indication of valid corporation at the Florida Department of State.

Today, nine days after the deal was brokered between 55 Ponce de Leon, LLC and the Hernando County Commissioners a document was filed with the Florida Department of Corporations. Guess what? This filing by Holland & Knight for 55 Ponce de Leon, LLC was a rejected filing.

It is really amazing that the Hernando County Office of Business Development did not check out the documents of this limited liability corporation with the Florida Department of State before this presentation was made to the commissioners. It was really odd that this 55 Ponce de Leon, LLC had time to have artist renderings made for their presentation to the commissioners but failed to make themselves legal with the Florida Division of Corporations.

It was said by Commissioner Rocco after the deal was brokered, "It's not how fast or slow but that we moved in the right direction." Is brokering a deal a group that has yet to file proper corporate documents the right direction? It looks like the county commissioners moved just a wee bit too fast on this deal and swerved off course...