Watch Comcast Cable Channel 3 (Government TV) at 7 PM, Monday for Replay of November 13, 2007 City Commission Meeting (re: Plaza Vendors, City's Illegal Dumping Settlement)
City Commission held a meeting at 8 AM on November 13, depriving the public of the right to attend or watch it at the regular time.
This is one of seven un-televised meetings City Commission held in the last two years. The others were two Sunshine violations where Ron Brown was hired as City Attorney and four Budget meetings where our City's budget was rubberstamped while the public was treated rudely, with questions never answered.
At the November 13th meeting, SUSAN BURK complained about Mayor JOSEPH LEROY BOLES, JR. privatizing the tree-lighting ceremony for a charity, leaving Commissioners out of it. Priceless. Then Commissioners had a dog-and-pony show, finally allowed public testimony and voted 5-0 to kick artists out of the Plaza.
Then they approved the supposed "settlement" of their illegal dumping (Commissioners GEORGE GARDNER, ex- Mayor and SUSAN BURK, ex-Vice-Mayor, both having left the meeting), with no public comment allowed. See below. Tune in at 7 PM on Monday and sit down for 3 hours and 45 minutes.
Watch these Scrooges with your family and friends -- watch for yourself government cloddishness at its very worst and despicable. Then think about who needs to run for City Commission next year. How about you?
Then contemplate who needs to resign. See below.
Thursday, November 29, 2007
Monday, November 26, 2007
The "Gotcha" Government of the Nation's Oldest City is In Disrepute and the Whole World is Watching
City Manager WILLIAM B. HARRISS, photo by J.D. Plesaant
From illegal dumping to attacking and arresting artists on St. George Street and the oldest common market in North America, the illegitimate government of the city of St. Augustine knows no bounds. Will City Manager WILLIAM B. HARRISS resign or be arrested before he ruins plans for our 450th birthday? See below. Stay tuned.
Guest Column: City wrong to ban artists, merchants from Plaza
Guest Column: City wrong to ban artists, merchants from Plaza
DAVID THUNDERSHIELD QUEEN
St. Augustine
Publication Date: 11/26/07
Shame on the St. Augustine City Commission for voting unanimously, 5-0, to ban all visual artists, other artists and "vendors" from the downtown Historic Preservations districts (HP-2 and HP-3) in St. Augustine. This includes the Plaza de la Constitution that has fostered street artists and commerce for centuries.
About a dozen people spoke out against the ban with none speaking in favor of it but the commissioners enacted their callous, if not downright-fascist, ordinance anyway.
The 8 a.m. meeting time which I'm sure was chosen carefully by the commissioners to make it difficult for most working people to attend certainly made attendance problematic.
The public hearing was likely only a legally-required protocol for a decision that had already been made behind closed doors.
The City Commission at a previous meeting voted 3-2 to push all non-agenda public comments which had been formerly allowed near the start of meetings, to the end of meetings.
This is a big slap-in-the-face to participatory democracy and public input.
With Ordinance 2007-23, street artists if they continue to want to work in St. Augustine will now be pushed out to peripheral, un-trafficked areas of the city where it's unlikely they'll be able to make a living.
In a market economy, sales are essential for artists to keep practicing their craft.
They'll also be legally-confined to a 3 foot by 3 foot square of space that's barely large enough to stand in.
The commission's decision is a sad chapter in St. Augustine's long-history. It begs for a reversal.
The once colorful Plaza that served art, culture, commerce and fun from paintings, jewelry and sculpture; to professional, seated chair massage, to hair wraps and eclectic entertainment now lies bare and lifeless.
Commerce has been monopolized by the wealthy-few.
Dozens of hard-working locals, who made a decent living or just enough extra income to get by in this low wage, tourist-factory town, will now find themselves either unemployed or under-employed while local arts and culture suffer further.
This especially hurts local families during the holiday season and reeks of a scrooge-mentality.
Before January 2007, the Plaza was overcrowded on certain weekends and holidays with merchandise-vendors not artists.
To address that legitimate concern, the City Commission could have simply and legally limited the number of permits for non-artist "vendors" to a manageable size.
Or they could have prohibited merchandise-sellers (sunglasses, etc.,) while supporting all artists and a few service providers.
Professional seated chair massage was loved by countless visitors and locals who left de-stressed and pain-free.
Many other towns encourage street-artists and some commercial vending of goods and/or services.
Those towns are lively and fun like St. Augustine used to be.
Following Judge Charles Tinlin's court ruling, the commissioners had pursued that course for the past month with no problems.
The City Commission's most recent attack on even the visual artists is outrageous and likely unconstitutional.
After 442 years we've had our local, public commons stolen.
This follows an earlier ban on music, art and "buskers" on St. George Street that thrilled multitudes.
That action semi-privatized and culturally sterilized St. Augustine's main thoroughfare due to pressure from a few greedy, monopolistic, downtown landlords and their political allies.
Unfortunately the City Commission's action has made further legal challenges and public protest necessary while robbing St. Augustine of much of its former local charm.
David Thundershield Queen lives in St. Augustine and is a writer/activist. He is a former Plaza permit holder.
Click here to return to story:
http://staugustine.com/stories/112607/opinions_112607032.shtml
© The St. Augustine Record
DAVID THUNDERSHIELD QUEEN
St. Augustine
Publication Date: 11/26/07
Shame on the St. Augustine City Commission for voting unanimously, 5-0, to ban all visual artists, other artists and "vendors" from the downtown Historic Preservations districts (HP-2 and HP-3) in St. Augustine. This includes the Plaza de la Constitution that has fostered street artists and commerce for centuries.
About a dozen people spoke out against the ban with none speaking in favor of it but the commissioners enacted their callous, if not downright-fascist, ordinance anyway.
The 8 a.m. meeting time which I'm sure was chosen carefully by the commissioners to make it difficult for most working people to attend certainly made attendance problematic.
The public hearing was likely only a legally-required protocol for a decision that had already been made behind closed doors.
The City Commission at a previous meeting voted 3-2 to push all non-agenda public comments which had been formerly allowed near the start of meetings, to the end of meetings.
This is a big slap-in-the-face to participatory democracy and public input.
With Ordinance 2007-23, street artists if they continue to want to work in St. Augustine will now be pushed out to peripheral, un-trafficked areas of the city where it's unlikely they'll be able to make a living.
In a market economy, sales are essential for artists to keep practicing their craft.
They'll also be legally-confined to a 3 foot by 3 foot square of space that's barely large enough to stand in.
The commission's decision is a sad chapter in St. Augustine's long-history. It begs for a reversal.
The once colorful Plaza that served art, culture, commerce and fun from paintings, jewelry and sculpture; to professional, seated chair massage, to hair wraps and eclectic entertainment now lies bare and lifeless.
Commerce has been monopolized by the wealthy-few.
Dozens of hard-working locals, who made a decent living or just enough extra income to get by in this low wage, tourist-factory town, will now find themselves either unemployed or under-employed while local arts and culture suffer further.
This especially hurts local families during the holiday season and reeks of a scrooge-mentality.
Before January 2007, the Plaza was overcrowded on certain weekends and holidays with merchandise-vendors not artists.
To address that legitimate concern, the City Commission could have simply and legally limited the number of permits for non-artist "vendors" to a manageable size.
Or they could have prohibited merchandise-sellers (sunglasses, etc.,) while supporting all artists and a few service providers.
Professional seated chair massage was loved by countless visitors and locals who left de-stressed and pain-free.
Many other towns encourage street-artists and some commercial vending of goods and/or services.
Those towns are lively and fun like St. Augustine used to be.
Following Judge Charles Tinlin's court ruling, the commissioners had pursued that course for the past month with no problems.
The City Commission's most recent attack on even the visual artists is outrageous and likely unconstitutional.
After 442 years we've had our local, public commons stolen.
This follows an earlier ban on music, art and "buskers" on St. George Street that thrilled multitudes.
That action semi-privatized and culturally sterilized St. Augustine's main thoroughfare due to pressure from a few greedy, monopolistic, downtown landlords and their political allies.
Unfortunately the City Commission's action has made further legal challenges and public protest necessary while robbing St. Augustine of much of its former local charm.
David Thundershield Queen lives in St. Augustine and is a writer/activist. He is a former Plaza permit holder.
Click here to return to story:
http://staugustine.com/stories/112607/opinions_112607032.shtml
© The St. Augustine Record
Sunday, November 25, 2007
Guest Column: Giving thanks for people who speak out
Guest Column: Giving thanks for people who speak out
Ed Slavin
St. Augustine
Publication Date: 11/25/07
At Thanksgiving, I give thanks for:
1. St. Augustine's civil rights "foot soldiers," who changed history. They deserve a prominent museum.
2. Our American Founding Fathers and those who work for democracy and transparency everywhere.
3. Nature and those who work to protect it everywhere be especially thankful whenever Congress enacts a St. Augustine National Historical Park, National Seashore and National Scenic Coastal Highway Act, including electric trolley-cars.
4. People of faith for speaking out for global environmental protection and against war and poverty.
5. Veterans for defending our liberties.
6. Flagler College for recognizing student rights (Club Unity and Gargoyle newspaper).
7. St. Johns County Commissioners, better listeners than St. Augustine City Commissioners (whose antics rightly earn Folio Weekly "brickbats" and improved St. Augustine Record coverage).
8. Anastasia Mosquito Control District commissioners for canceling its $1.8 million luxury jet helicopter and ending risks to people, pets, butterflies, frogs and other "non-target organisms" from spraying organophosphates. Thanks to three AMCD Commissioners (Emily Hummel, Barbara Bosanko, Linda Wampler) for changing their minds and two others (Jeanne Moeller and John Sundeman) for persisting in speaking their truths. Courage.
9. The Burrell, Mills, Ponce and other local families for standing up to land speculators like Robert Michael Graubard. Expose "developers" (a/k/a land-raping, tree-killing, wetland-destroying speculators, whom County Commission Chairman Ben Rich calls "worse than any carpetbagger").
10. FBI for investigating/prosecuting political corruption, including convicting two Miami PBS&J engineering chief executive officers for illegal campaign contributions/bribery/embezzlement. Follow the money.
11. Congress and investigative reporters for uncovering corruption. Be thankful whenever the House Judiciary Committee finally begins impeachment hearings.
12. Our city of St. Augustine for admitting wrongdoing in its illegally:
a. polluting Lincolnville for decades with illegal dumps;
b. moving illegal dumps' contaminants into our Old City Reservoir 2005-2006. No thanks to Florida Department of Environmental Protection (a/k/a "Don't Expect Protection") for allowing our city to move 20,000 cubic yards of contaminants back to Lincolnville. Environmental racism? No thanks to St. Augustine City Manager William Harriss, who blamed former subordinates, recently yelling "I've done nothing wrong." Be thankful when sworn witnesses testify about environmental crimes.
13. John and Elizabeth Edwards, for running a clean lobbyist-free presidential campaign and exposing Ann Coulter's bigotry.
14. Al Gore for winning Nobel Peace Prize and Oscar for "An Inconvenient Truth." Florida proudly voted for Gore in 2000, with recounts wrongfully ordered halted.
15. My parents, family, teachers, professors, friends and mentors for teaching me to question large organizations and how they mistreat people. Always ask, "why" (and "why not?"). Uncovering uncaring governments' massive, secretive pollution in Oak Ridge, Tenn., mercury (1983) and St. Augustine Old City Reservoir confirmed my mother's wisdom: "Trust your mother, but cut the cards." "The truth will set you free."
16. Congressional Democrats for raising the minimum wage (first time in nine years), while voting to protect whistleblowers and our environment.
17. Progressives, activists, performers, whistleblowers, artists, scientists, reporters/writers and truth-tellers. They've enriched our lives.
18. People willing to work for new leadership in Washington. Our U.S. Rep. John Mica voted against whistleblowers and against raising federal minimum wages. In 2004, 72 percent of Floridians voted to raise our minimum wage. Mica sought to halt investigations of Abu Ghraib and Guantanamo. Mica defends Big Oil company price-gouging and offshore oil drilling demands. Enough.
Be thankful we get to overthrow our governments every two years. We need new leaders, including a "humble" president who "restores honor and dignity to the White House" (as Bush falsely promised). Too many politicians are arrogant, waste money and won't admit mistakes.
As Mosquito Control Commissioner Jeanne Moeller says, "there are more people like us than there are people like them."
Thank you for working to improve our future.
Robert Kennedy said, "it is from numberless diverse acts of courage and belief that human history is shaped. Each time a [person] stands up for an ideal, or acts to improve the lot of others, or strikes out against injustice, [s]he sends forth a tiny ripple of hope, and crossing each other from a million different centers of energy and daring, those ripples build a current that can sweep down the mightiest walls of oppression and resistance."
Ed Slavin is a Georgetown University School of Foreign Service graduate, journalist, advocate/activist who first proposed a St. Augustine National Historical Park, Seashore and Scenic Coastal Highway on Nov. 13, 2006.
Click here to return to story:
http://staugustine.com/stories/112507/opinions_033.shtml
© The St. Augustine Record
Ed Slavin
St. Augustine
Publication Date: 11/25/07
At Thanksgiving, I give thanks for:
1. St. Augustine's civil rights "foot soldiers," who changed history. They deserve a prominent museum.
2. Our American Founding Fathers and those who work for democracy and transparency everywhere.
3. Nature and those who work to protect it everywhere be especially thankful whenever Congress enacts a St. Augustine National Historical Park, National Seashore and National Scenic Coastal Highway Act, including electric trolley-cars.
4. People of faith for speaking out for global environmental protection and against war and poverty.
5. Veterans for defending our liberties.
6. Flagler College for recognizing student rights (Club Unity and Gargoyle newspaper).
7. St. Johns County Commissioners, better listeners than St. Augustine City Commissioners (whose antics rightly earn Folio Weekly "brickbats" and improved St. Augustine Record coverage).
8. Anastasia Mosquito Control District commissioners for canceling its $1.8 million luxury jet helicopter and ending risks to people, pets, butterflies, frogs and other "non-target organisms" from spraying organophosphates. Thanks to three AMCD Commissioners (Emily Hummel, Barbara Bosanko, Linda Wampler) for changing their minds and two others (Jeanne Moeller and John Sundeman) for persisting in speaking their truths. Courage.
9. The Burrell, Mills, Ponce and other local families for standing up to land speculators like Robert Michael Graubard. Expose "developers" (a/k/a land-raping, tree-killing, wetland-destroying speculators, whom County Commission Chairman Ben Rich calls "worse than any carpetbagger").
10. FBI for investigating/prosecuting political corruption, including convicting two Miami PBS&J engineering chief executive officers for illegal campaign contributions/bribery/embezzlement. Follow the money.
11. Congress and investigative reporters for uncovering corruption. Be thankful whenever the House Judiciary Committee finally begins impeachment hearings.
12. Our city of St. Augustine for admitting wrongdoing in its illegally:
a. polluting Lincolnville for decades with illegal dumps;
b. moving illegal dumps' contaminants into our Old City Reservoir 2005-2006. No thanks to Florida Department of Environmental Protection (a/k/a "Don't Expect Protection") for allowing our city to move 20,000 cubic yards of contaminants back to Lincolnville. Environmental racism? No thanks to St. Augustine City Manager William Harriss, who blamed former subordinates, recently yelling "I've done nothing wrong." Be thankful when sworn witnesses testify about environmental crimes.
13. John and Elizabeth Edwards, for running a clean lobbyist-free presidential campaign and exposing Ann Coulter's bigotry.
14. Al Gore for winning Nobel Peace Prize and Oscar for "An Inconvenient Truth." Florida proudly voted for Gore in 2000, with recounts wrongfully ordered halted.
15. My parents, family, teachers, professors, friends and mentors for teaching me to question large organizations and how they mistreat people. Always ask, "why" (and "why not?"). Uncovering uncaring governments' massive, secretive pollution in Oak Ridge, Tenn., mercury (1983) and St. Augustine Old City Reservoir confirmed my mother's wisdom: "Trust your mother, but cut the cards." "The truth will set you free."
16. Congressional Democrats for raising the minimum wage (first time in nine years), while voting to protect whistleblowers and our environment.
17. Progressives, activists, performers, whistleblowers, artists, scientists, reporters/writers and truth-tellers. They've enriched our lives.
18. People willing to work for new leadership in Washington. Our U.S. Rep. John Mica voted against whistleblowers and against raising federal minimum wages. In 2004, 72 percent of Floridians voted to raise our minimum wage. Mica sought to halt investigations of Abu Ghraib and Guantanamo. Mica defends Big Oil company price-gouging and offshore oil drilling demands. Enough.
Be thankful we get to overthrow our governments every two years. We need new leaders, including a "humble" president who "restores honor and dignity to the White House" (as Bush falsely promised). Too many politicians are arrogant, waste money and won't admit mistakes.
As Mosquito Control Commissioner Jeanne Moeller says, "there are more people like us than there are people like them."
Thank you for working to improve our future.
Robert Kennedy said, "it is from numberless diverse acts of courage and belief that human history is shaped. Each time a [person] stands up for an ideal, or acts to improve the lot of others, or strikes out against injustice, [s]he sends forth a tiny ripple of hope, and crossing each other from a million different centers of energy and daring, those ripples build a current that can sweep down the mightiest walls of oppression and resistance."
Ed Slavin is a Georgetown University School of Foreign Service graduate, journalist, advocate/activist who first proposed a St. Augustine National Historical Park, Seashore and Scenic Coastal Highway on Nov. 13, 2006.
Click here to return to story:
http://staugustine.com/stories/112507/opinions_033.shtml
© The St. Augustine Record
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