Garrison Keillor
Syndicated Columnist
Publication Date: 08/15/09
You know it's going to be a difficult day when you wake up with "Guantanamera, Guajira Guantanamera, Guantanamera, Guajira Guantanamera" going around and around in your head and it won't stop. You know that probably you should not tackle health care reform today though brainlessness has not stopped other people from weighing in on it.
Here are mobs of flannel-mouthed robots denouncing Socialist Gummint Takeover as Medicare goes rolling along rather tidily and the private schemes resemble railroads of the early 19th century, when each line decided its own gauge and each stationmaster decided what time it is. Anyone who has tried to coax authorization for payment from Federated Amalgamated Health knows that, for incomprehensible standards and voluminous rules and implacable bureaucrats, the health insurance industry carries on where the Italian postal service left off. But don't mind me, I'm a man with a viral song in my head and I should go soak it.
The goons who go to town hall meetings and shout down the congressmen are museum pieces. They can shout until the bats fall off the rafters, but if you really want to know about health insurance, you just look around on the Internet and it's all there and more. The president gave a good solid tutorial on the subject back in June to the AMA, and you can still find it at YouTube. When you come to choose between him and the goons, you don't have to think too hard.
This is the beauty of new media: It isn't so transitory as newspapers and TV. Good stuff sticks around and people e-mail it to friends and slowly it floods the country.
What the new media age also means is that there won't be newspapers to send reporters to cover the next war, but there will be 6 million teenage girls blogging about their plans for the weekend. There will be no TV networks to put on dramas in which actors in costume strut and orate and gesticulate, but you can see home video of dogs and anybody's high school graduation anywhere in America. We will be a nation of unpaid freelance journalists and memoirists. This is not necessarily a bad thing.
It comes too late for Richard Nixon or Bill Clinton. In the new media age, there would not be a Watergate or a Monica Lewinsky. The president could conspire to break the law or canoodle with anybody within arm's reach and likely there would be nobody in the forest to hear that particular tree fall. And that would be just fine. All we got from those enormous Old Media events, frankly, was entertainment. They were no more enlightening than a Harold Robbins novel.
I'm an old media guy and I love newspapers, but they were brought down by a long period of gluttonous profits when they were run as monopolies by large, phlegmatic, semi-literate men who endowed schools of journalism that labored mightily to stamp out any style or originality and to create a cadre of reliable transcribers. That was their role, crushing writers and rolling them into cookie dough. Nobody who compares newspaper writing to the swashbuckling world of blogging can have any doubt where the future lies. Bloggers are writers who've been liberated from editors, and some of them take you back to the thrilling days of frontier journalism, before the colleges squashed the profession.
The Internet is a powerful tide that is washing away some enormous castles and releasing a lovely sense of independence and playfulness in the American people. Millions of people have discovered the joys of seeing yourself in print Ñ your own words! the unique essence of yourself, your stories, your jokes, your own peculiar take on the world Ñ out there where anybody can see it! Wowser.
Unfortunately, nobody is earning a dime from this. So much work, so little pay. It's tragic.
But one door closes and a window opens. The health care industry is wide open and there's a need for writers. Old people are lonely, old people want to be listened to and their stories written down, old people need entertainment. That's why I am opposed to the current health care reform bill -- there is nothing in there for creative therapy and the artistic fulfillment of the sick and elderly. A humorist in every hospital ward. Laughter is the best medicine. Sick people need distraction. When you wake up in the morning with "Guantanamera" going around in your head, you forget about your troubles except for that one.
*
Garrison Keillor is the author of "77 Love Sonnets," published by Common Good Books.
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© The St. Augustine Record
Saturday, August 15, 2009
Friday, August 14, 2009
Abuse of Judicial Authority
A six month sentence for yawning in court? (See ABA Journal article below).
A man serving three weeks in jail for yawning in court?
It sounds like this imperious Illinois Judge is the sort of tyrant whom our Founding Fathers fought the Revolutionary War to defeat.
The Judge has power over "his" courtroom, but not the right to violate civil rights.
Will the judge be questioned, sued, removed or indicted for his human rights violation?
Or will this case be covered up?
What do you reckon?
A man serving three weeks in jail for yawning in court?
It sounds like this imperious Illinois Judge is the sort of tyrant whom our Founding Fathers fought the Revolutionary War to defeat.
The Judge has power over "his" courtroom, but not the right to violate civil rights.
Will the judge be questioned, sued, removed or indicted for his human rights violation?
Or will this case be covered up?
What do you reckon?
American Bar Association Journal: Loud Yawn Lands Court Spectator in Jail; 6-Month Sentence Later Reduced
Posted Aug 10, 2009, 09:42 am CDT
By Debra Cassens Weiss
Updated: A spectator in an Illinois courtroom who let out a loud yawn as his cousin was being sentenced for a felony drug charge soon found himself in jail.
Clifton Williams was sentenced to six months in jail for criminal contempt, the Chicago Tribune reports. His cousin was luckier—he received two years’ probation for his offense.
Spokesman Chuck Pelkie of the Will County State's Attorney's office told the Chicago Tribune that the yawn was not a quiet one, according to the prosecutor who observed it. "It was not a simple yawn,” Pelkie said. “It was a loud and boisterous attempt to disrupt the proceedings."
The sentencing judge was Daniel Rozak of Joliet, who has brought more than a third of contempt charges in Will County south of Chicago, even though he is one of 30 judges there, according to the story. Rozak has brought four out of five criminal contempt charges by Will County judges this year.
He is known for running well-managed trials and a strict courtroom, according to the story. Said Joliet defense lawyer David Carlson: "I think he's terrific—he understands how the world works."
Williams doesn’t agree. “I really can't believe I'm in jail," he wrote his family in a letter. "I done set in this [expletive] a week so far for nothing."
Rozak later reversed course and freed Williams after he served three weeks in jail, but not before delivering a short lecture, according to the Associated Press and the Chicago Tribune. Rozak told Williams he wasn't jailed for just yawning. Instead he was punished for making a sound "that was offensive to the court."
Updated on Aug. 14 to include news of Williams' release.
By Debra Cassens Weiss
Updated: A spectator in an Illinois courtroom who let out a loud yawn as his cousin was being sentenced for a felony drug charge soon found himself in jail.
Clifton Williams was sentenced to six months in jail for criminal contempt, the Chicago Tribune reports. His cousin was luckier—he received two years’ probation for his offense.
Spokesman Chuck Pelkie of the Will County State's Attorney's office told the Chicago Tribune that the yawn was not a quiet one, according to the prosecutor who observed it. "It was not a simple yawn,” Pelkie said. “It was a loud and boisterous attempt to disrupt the proceedings."
The sentencing judge was Daniel Rozak of Joliet, who has brought more than a third of contempt charges in Will County south of Chicago, even though he is one of 30 judges there, according to the story. Rozak has brought four out of five criminal contempt charges by Will County judges this year.
He is known for running well-managed trials and a strict courtroom, according to the story. Said Joliet defense lawyer David Carlson: "I think he's terrific—he understands how the world works."
Williams doesn’t agree. “I really can't believe I'm in jail," he wrote his family in a letter. "I done set in this [expletive] a week so far for nothing."
Rozak later reversed course and freed Williams after he served three weeks in jail, but not before delivering a short lecture, according to the Associated Press and the Chicago Tribune. Rozak told Williams he wasn't jailed for just yawning. Instead he was punished for making a sound "that was offensive to the court."
Updated on Aug. 14 to include news of Williams' release.
City Taxpayers Should Not Pay for Architect FRED HALBACK's Faliure to Include Berm in Skate Park -- Record Editorial (Below) Is Spot On!
FRED HALBACK
www.halback.com
Margo Pope wrote an excellent editorial (below).
The term “Amateur Hour” came to mind Monday night as City Chief Operations Officer John Regan described how the required skate park berm was deleted by local architect FRED HALBACK without talking to anyone.
Architect FRED HALBACK should notify his professional liability insurance carrier that the City may have a claim. FRED HALBACK is Chair of the City's Historic Architectural Review Board (HARB). FRED HALACK has his fingers in a number of projects of questionable taste, several of which would destroy our history and environment.
Sounds like HALBACK goofed on the skate park berms. City Chief Operations Officer JOHN REGAN made clear that it was HALBACK who failed to include berms in the design, despite clear instructions from the PZB and City Commission,
Rather than taking tax money to pay for the construction of a berm, FRED HALBACK (or his insurance company) must pay.
"Fair is fair," as MARGO POPE's editorial about the Plaza de la Constitucion artists put it.
When MARGO POPE is allowed to research she tends to do a good job.
It seems that when WRecKord Publisher DEREK MAY gives MARGO POPE unreasonable assignments, her editorials ring hollow – they read like something the cat dragged in, as if they were written under duress.
Therefore, my comments yesterday (below) about MARGO POPE may have been too harsh and hasty.
When you have a 30-something Publisher (he comes from an IT and advertising background), it’s natural that he will be overbearing and attempt to tell experienced journalists what to do.
Does DEREK MAY somehow think that marrying into the MORRIS COMMUNICATIONS family suddenly makes him an expert on St. Augustine or Florida or politics or editorials or investigative journalism?
There is precious little investigative journalism now the WrecKord now that it only has two full-time reporters. This is the direct and proximate result of the financial mismanagement, which Folio Weekly reported in 2007.
Extending Record Editorial Page Editor MARGO POPE the benefit of the doubt, it occurs to me that being obliged to obey overbearing instructions from DEREK MAY may be exactly what happened when the WRecKord:
1. Endorsed turkeys like JOHN LUIGI MICA, ERROL JONES, NANCY SIKES-KLINE and RANDY BRUNSON for Congress and for City and County Commission.
2. Heaped praise on outgoing U.S. Senator Mel Martinez.
3. Endorsed violating artists’ God-given First Amendment rights in the Plaza de la Constitucion and St. George Street.
4. Fired political cartoonist Ed Hall for a cartoon it had approved (lampooning a fungible Florida School Superintendent), based on spurious whining from School Superintendent JOSEPH JOYNER and acolytes including PHIL McDANIEL.
That’s why I hereby apologize to MARGO POPE and hope that she stands up to DEREK MAY in the future and insists on printing only editorials that are well-researched and factually based. We have no patience with editorials based on flummery and dupery, like those that give aid and comfort to “KKK Lite.”
"KKK Lite" is the precise technical term for dangerously demagogic homophobic Senator MEL MARTINEZ, who used illegal campaign contributions, naked appeals to prejudice and falsehoods to steal two elections in 2004 (Primary and General Election), making MARTINEZ a stench in the nostrils of the Nation).
FBI agents refer to their last year on the job as their "go to hell year," because they can stand up to bad managers, inspect and criticize investigations, and speak their minds without fear or favor. That's why I hope MARGO POPE does now until she retires, secure in the knowledge that she knows more about journalism than DEREK MAY.
Skate park neighbors deserve fair shake
Publication Date: 08/14/09
The new Upchurch Skate Park is a wonderful addition to recreation on Anastasia Island. But its back-fence neighbors on Flamingo Drive are not as overjoyed as the skateboarders.
That doesn't surprise us. The Borde del Mar neighborhood has new sounds to contend with: the near-constant "clack-clack, clack-clack" of the skateboards against the concrete throughout the day and early evening. A skateboard park is loud, and the noise is constant because of the nature of the activity. But that's not what the residents expected. They were promised noise barriers. That didn't happen because the barrier design got lost in the plan's emphasis on a stormwater runoff system for the site behind the city's Anastasia Island Fire Station.
In response to the neighbors, the city is fast-tracking an earthen berm to attack the noise problem. The target completion time is three months. That's short time for government, but we are confident the city will come through on time. The neighbors don't deserve the noise. They didn't ask for it. They were there before the park was built. Promises were made that didn't happen.
But the city is on the right track now. Mayor Joe Boles set the bar higher for public-private partnerships on Monday night at the city commission meeting when he said partnerships won't proceed to construction until all the funds are in hand and the public affected is part of the decision-making process.
We'd add to his intention: greater oversight by the city from start to finish. Private groups mean well, but often they have goals in mind that do not always mesh with a local government's best practices in reaching the finished project in a manner respectful of all interested.
City officials say that in the interim of the noise barrier being built, there will be a visual screening of the park from the neighborhood and greater enforcement of park operation rules by the police department so that skaters are not in the park when it is closed.
Upchurch Park was meant to be a fun place for the community's youngsters and young adults to skateboard, away from the perils of city streets and traffic. It can still be that way with the city's expedited construction of a berm. The neighbors deserve more consideration than they were initially given.
Click here to return to story:
http://staugustine.com/stories/081409/opinions_1848764.shtml
© The St. Augustine Record
The new Upchurch Skate Park is a wonderful addition to recreation on Anastasia Island. But its back-fence neighbors on Flamingo Drive are not as overjoyed as the skateboarders.
That doesn't surprise us. The Borde del Mar neighborhood has new sounds to contend with: the near-constant "clack-clack, clack-clack" of the skateboards against the concrete throughout the day and early evening. A skateboard park is loud, and the noise is constant because of the nature of the activity. But that's not what the residents expected. They were promised noise barriers. That didn't happen because the barrier design got lost in the plan's emphasis on a stormwater runoff system for the site behind the city's Anastasia Island Fire Station.
In response to the neighbors, the city is fast-tracking an earthen berm to attack the noise problem. The target completion time is three months. That's short time for government, but we are confident the city will come through on time. The neighbors don't deserve the noise. They didn't ask for it. They were there before the park was built. Promises were made that didn't happen.
But the city is on the right track now. Mayor Joe Boles set the bar higher for public-private partnerships on Monday night at the city commission meeting when he said partnerships won't proceed to construction until all the funds are in hand and the public affected is part of the decision-making process.
We'd add to his intention: greater oversight by the city from start to finish. Private groups mean well, but often they have goals in mind that do not always mesh with a local government's best practices in reaching the finished project in a manner respectful of all interested.
City officials say that in the interim of the noise barrier being built, there will be a visual screening of the park from the neighborhood and greater enforcement of park operation rules by the police department so that skaters are not in the park when it is closed.
Upchurch Park was meant to be a fun place for the community's youngsters and young adults to skateboard, away from the perils of city streets and traffic. It can still be that way with the city's expedited construction of a berm. The neighbors deserve more consideration than they were initially given.
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http://staugustine.com/stories/081409/opinions_1848764.shtml
© The St. Augustine Record
Thursday, August 13, 2009
Yellow Journaism Editorial (below) typifies the genre of mediocrity in newspapers directed by City Manager WILLIAM B. HARRISS.
If I owned a newspaper, I would not hire anyone to write news or editorials if they were overly trusting in abusers of authority.
That would apply to MARGO POPE.
Her editorial (below) is the latest of several insipid editorials that have led people to believe it is time for her to retire.
MARGO POPE is easily led by RONALD WAYNE BROWN (City Attorney) and WILLIAM B. HARRIS (City Manager), expressing herself in logical fallacies:
1. "{i]t's time for the state of Florida to enforce sales tax collections." Who says they're not enforcing it?
2. "Because of court orders, the Plaza is a wide-open marketplace with sales of virtually anything allowed." Sounds like a Jim Crow segregationist newspaper (which the Record once was, taking KKK-style potshots against federal courts. How gauche. The courts freed artists from unconstitutional infringements on FIRST AMENDMENT RIGHTS, something a real newspaper (rather than a right-wing Republican rag) would inveigh against. Allowing "a wide-open marketplace with sales of virtually anything allowed" was the City's idea, to create a crisis, to exploit fears and divide our community. Enough! See blog entry below the editorial
3. There is only hearsay, no economic study, to support the claim that "sales of similar articles in their own stores or those of others have declined because of Plaza vendors."
4. There is no proof that anyone is not collecting taxes. That's defamatory. If you libel an identifiable group, it's called group libel. Any one of the artists could sue MARGO POPE, DERRECK MAY and the St. Augustine Record and win.
5. In MARGO POPE-ese, "we hope that the State investigates all the St. Augustine Record and Times-Union managers and investigates their employment practices -- sure are an awful lot of civil rights cases reported on PACER. We hope the merchants who won't hire any minority employees are investigated. We hope the landlords who may commit antitrust violations get prosecuted. We hope the public officials taking bribes get nailed. {POPE wrote, "One merchant said she has complained to the state that the vendors are not collecting sales tax. We hope the state takes her complaint seriously and investigates any violations."
6. POPE worships and channels City Manager WILLIAM B. HARRISS (a/k/a "WILL HARASS") who was not at Monday's meeting. Did she call him on vacation? Or nudge him in bed.(She wrote, "City Manager Bill Harriss said only the state can enforce sales tax collections. He said that the proposed Plaza vendor sales ordinance will require a prospective vendor to have a sales tax permit. That's good news for everyone.")
7. POPE introduces a red herring: "The state has lost billions of dollars in sales tax revenue because of the declining economy. Fewer people spending means less sales tax collected. When sales tax isn't collected, that loss also affects state revenue that comes back to St. Johns County, the City of St. Augustine and other municipalities. The Department of Revenue needs to ensure that vendors in the Plaza now are following the same laws store merchants do. Fair is fair."
8. Demagogic is demagogic.
9. Unfair is unfair.
10. The WRecKord is once again unfair and demagogic.
11. The WReckord is declining in quality.
12. The WReckord had much better editorials when Pete Ellis wrote editorials.
13. The chauvinistic WRecKord editorial writer and publisher obviously hate artists, love soon-to-be-ex Senator MEL MARTINEZ, love louche loutish developer lobbyist GEORGE McCLURE, and run Anne Coulter and other haters. Call them KKK Lite.
14. I thank God I never took a journalism course. When I was at Georgetown, journalism wasn't offered. (I read the book on the plane to East Tennessee before becoming Editor of the Appalachian Observer.) Too many journalism majors are airheads who party heartily but never learn to stand up and question authority. See Tom Wicker, On Press (1977). If I had a newspaper, I'd hire reporters who knew stuff, instead of how to talk down to people. I'd rather read articles by reporters who know stuff (like the NY Times) than reporters who know not that they know not that they know not.
15. The WRecKOrd editorial writer will soon retire after 35 years of service, the last year of which has been a disservice to her readers and a reward for her friends in power, whom she no longer hesitates to reward with mash notes, like some sixteen year old writing letters with hearts handwritten on the envelopes.
16. In the words of Edward R. Murrow, "Good Night and Good Luck." It's time for MARGO POPE (and City Manager WILLIAM B. HARRISS) to retire. Say goodnight, graceless ones.
Record editorial: Plaza vendors shouldn't escape sales tax collection
Publication Date: 08/13/09
As St. Augustine City Attorney Ron Brown rewrites proposed rules for vendor sales in the Plaza de la Constitucion, it's time for the state of Florida to enforce sales tax collections.
During Monday's city commission meeting, downtown merchants weighed in on their competition in the Plaza for sales.
Because of court orders, the Plaza is a wide-open marketplace with sales of virtually anything allowed. A recent federal court order allowed artists to return to the Plaza to sell their work, and a county judge has ruled that the city's Plaza sales rules were unconstitutional.
The commission asked Brown to write a new ordinance, but it won't take effect until late September.
Some merchants who spoke Monday said sales of similar articles in their own stores or those of others have declined because of Plaza vendors. One merchant said she has complained to the state that the vendors are not collecting sales tax. We hope the state takes her complaint seriously and investigates any violations.
City Manager Bill Harriss said only the state can enforce sales tax collections. He said that the proposed Plaza vendor sales ordinance will require a prospective vendor to have a sales tax permit. That's good news for everyone.
The state has lost billions of dollars in sales tax revenue because of the declining economy. Fewer people spending means less sales tax collected.
When sales tax isn't collected, that loss also affects state revenue that comes back to St. Johns County, the City of St. Augustine and other municipalities.
The Department of Revenue needs to ensure that vendors in the Plaza now are following the same laws store merchants do.
Fair is fair.
Click here to return to story:
http://staugustine.com/stories/081309/opinions_1843241.shtml
© The St. Augustine Record
As St. Augustine City Attorney Ron Brown rewrites proposed rules for vendor sales in the Plaza de la Constitucion, it's time for the state of Florida to enforce sales tax collections.
During Monday's city commission meeting, downtown merchants weighed in on their competition in the Plaza for sales.
Because of court orders, the Plaza is a wide-open marketplace with sales of virtually anything allowed. A recent federal court order allowed artists to return to the Plaza to sell their work, and a county judge has ruled that the city's Plaza sales rules were unconstitutional.
The commission asked Brown to write a new ordinance, but it won't take effect until late September.
Some merchants who spoke Monday said sales of similar articles in their own stores or those of others have declined because of Plaza vendors. One merchant said she has complained to the state that the vendors are not collecting sales tax. We hope the state takes her complaint seriously and investigates any violations.
City Manager Bill Harriss said only the state can enforce sales tax collections. He said that the proposed Plaza vendor sales ordinance will require a prospective vendor to have a sales tax permit. That's good news for everyone.
The state has lost billions of dollars in sales tax revenue because of the declining economy. Fewer people spending means less sales tax collected.
When sales tax isn't collected, that loss also affects state revenue that comes back to St. Johns County, the City of St. Augustine and other municipalities.
The Department of Revenue needs to ensure that vendors in the Plaza now are following the same laws store merchants do.
Fair is fair.
Click here to return to story:
http://staugustine.com/stories/081309/opinions_1843241.shtml
© The St. Augustine Record
Wednesday, August 12, 2009
City Manager WILLIAM B. HARRISS Creates Another Phony "Crisis"
Photo credit: J.D. Pleasant
So City Manager WILLIAM B. HARRISS has created another crisis. He wasn't even here to enjoy it. What a card. What a self-aggrandizing narcissistic manipulator. He should be fired.
See below.
The Federal Court didn't order hot dog sellers (or anyone other than visual artists) be allowed to sell products in the Plaza de la Constitucion (a/k/a Slave Market Square).
Those orders were given by City Manager WILLIAM B. HARRISS.
He's counting on manipulating merchants to suppress artists.
In his absence Monday night, City Attorney RONALD WAYNE BROWN offered Commissioners a menu of way they could fee-grab, hornswoggle, cabin, corral, gull and diddle the artists and the people of the City of St. Augustine with another hare-brained scheme.
Just leave the artists alone, please, Mr. HARRISS. As revealed by your ample abdomen, it's obvious that all your taste is in your mouth. We don't need you or your Republican pals (ex-Mayor LEONARD WEEKS, self-appointed arts maven PHIL McDANIEL) deciding what "art" is.
And as for St. George Street, the notion of City Attorney RONALD WAYNE BROWN that St. George Street is still "protected" (from artists) is a joke. Our corrupt City Manager had a 78-year old woman frog-marched down St. George Street in handcuffs for painting. Our City of St. Augustine is an embarrassment in front of the entire Free World.
We need to be protected from Dumb and Dumber -- the City Manager and the City Attorney, as sebaceous a pair of fatties as ever made expensive chairs squeak (and break). (For that last line, hats off to Robert Penn Warren from All the King's Men).
We need to be protected from the formidable forces of fascism, who think government works for corporate landlords in downtown St. Augustine.
How bizarre that when merchants complained about high rents and non-compete clauses in their leases, not one City Commissioner asked them about it.
How odd that RONALD WAYNE BROWN, our estimable City Attorney, said he was going to request a transcript of the merchants' comments in support of the latest anti-artist ordinance that he's licking his chops to write.
Yet BROWN repeatedly mocks and orders Commissioners to ignore what he terms "the clamor of the crowd" whenever citizens exercise their constitutional right to give expert testimony on the destruction of our city by greedy developers.
Coincidentally, at least one of the merchants whose comments BROWN agreed with organized all the other merchants to oppose the ugly proposed building on Cathedral Place and St. George Street (which conflicted City Commissioner DONALD CRICHLOW designed).
So when the lady opposes BROWN's masters, the "clamor of the crowd" is invoked.
But when the lady agrees with BROWN, he directs the transcription of her talk.
RONALD WAYNE BROWN is the ex-law partner of GEOFFREY DOBSON, the former City Attorney for the City of St. Augustine and the City of St. Augustine Beach. The two of them represented for years speculator PIERRE THOMPSON (grandson of the founder of the St. Augustine Record).
PIERRE THOMPSON owns a real estate company that was most noted for being federally prosecuted in 2008 for THOMPSON's having ordered the cutting down of an eagle nest tree near Fish Island on October 8, 2001, in violation of three federal felony statutes. THOMPSON was only prosecuted in 2008 after the Collective Press reported in 2005 the Justice Department's refusal to prosecute.
GEOFFREY DOBSON nearly cost taxpayers $1.8 million with one act of legal malpractice, when he rubberstamped no-bid purchase of a luxury Textron Bell Jet Long Ranger helicopter (he said it was "sole source" and he was wrong). To its everlasting credit, the Anastasia Mosquito Control Commission of St. Johns County canceled the helicopter and got a full refund after BROWN (and two others lawyers) left (one of the second pair of malfeasant Mosquito Control District lawyers was involved in a Sunshine Law violation (which was videotaped, with six photos on the front page of the St. Augustine REcord).
WILLIAM B. HARRISS and RONALD WAYNE BROWN typify the ancien regime here in St. Augustine and St. Johns County. They vote the straight Republican ticket, they don't care about people, they sup with developers and they sap our public fisc.
Our City has been found guilty of First Amendment violations (resulting in orders to allow artists back in the Plaza and to allow Rainbow flags to be flown on our Bridge of Lions in honor of GLBT rights).
Our City has deposited 40,000 cubic yards of solid waste in our Old City Reservoir (then tried to bring it back to Linconville). Our City was fined.
Our City has polluted our saltwater marsh for years with semi-treated sewage effluent, Our City Manager and City Commissioners kept it secret from us.
Our City voted 4-1 to sell out to the Fish Island developer (in a Bert Harris Act case that involved a signature by none other than PIERRE THOMPSON, BROWN's former client. Joe LoPinto has rightly taken our City to Court.
Our ancien regime rips off taxpayers together, destroys our environment together, violates human rights together, suppresses and arrests artists together, and expects us to like it.
Nope. Not a chance. Not any longer. Corruption isn't cute and cuddly. This isn't Hollywood and WILLIAM B. HARRISS isn't "Boss Hogg" in the Dukes of Hazzard. This isn't Louisiana. We don't find our local rogues charming. Not in this economy. Not with what they keep trying to do to our environment(as with their Fish Island sellout).
St. Augustine City Commission should be packed August 24th when they try to raise our fire and trash collection fees, and talk about putting all the artists in the Slave Market, subject to illegal fees, unconstitutional regulations and illogical rules (like closing up at 9 PM).
City Manager WILLIAM B. HARRISS was hired in a Sunshine violation April 13, 1998, without public notice a decision would be made.
City Attorney RONALD WAYNE BROWN was hired in two Sunshine violations on October 13, 2006 (temporarily) and again in December 2006 (permanently), without public notice.
City Manager WILLIAM B. HARRISS (a/k/a "WILL HARASS") must be fired. His replacement must be picked from a national search. I don't care if the best candidate is from Kansas -- hire her!
City Attorney RONALD WAYNE BROWN (a/k/a "No Nickname Necessary")must be fired. BROWN's replacement must be picked from at least a statewide search. S/he needs to give legal advice (instead of counting to three, which is all that BROWN ever learned from GEOFFREY DOBSON).
Merchants want plaza reform -- Downtown businesses being 'strangled' by untaxed vendors nearby
PETER GUINTA
peter.guinta@staugustine.com
Publication Date: 08/11/09
Twenty unlicensed, untaxed and unregulated vendors on the Plaza de la Constitution are selling the same product as she is, Carrie White of Carrie's Beads, 162 St. George St., said Monday night.
White told St. Augustine City Commission that her business is 15 percent of what it was before the city allowed the Plaza to become an open-air flea market.
"One day there were five vendors. The next day there were 20," she said. "We pay high rent, insurance, taxes and have non-compete clauses. They don't. It's putting us out of business."
Several other merchants echoed her problem.
Kimmarie Bouza, also a merchant, said she saw vendors selling marijuana pipes called bongs, food and drinks ,and posting handwritten signs.
"Business owners can't even put (little signs) in front of their shops," Bouza said.
The commission voted 5-0 to pass on first reading an ordinance rescinding City Code 22-6, which regulates vending on the Plaza.
City Attorney Ron Brown said 22-6 is unenforceable because of "a federal injunction that it's unconstitutional as applied. (However) the effect on business is a criteria that the federal courts look at. We're going to eliminate this ordinance and get another one ready to go."
This one will be more focused and not allow specific products, such as jewelry, sunglasses, food, beverages, housewares, appliances, clothing, oils and incense, perfumes, stuffed animals and toys, with more items possibly included.
Mayor Joe Boles said the commission regretted the situation as much as the merchants.
"We've had our hands tied," he said. "We can't enforce it and the county court is not going to enforce it either."
Brown said his office will write a new ordinance ready so by the time of the second reading of the ordinance deleting 22-6, a new ordinance controlling sales on the Plaza will be read on second reading at the same time and go into effect immediately.
Gina Kabamba, whose parents have an African art shop on St. George Street, said cheap knockoffs of African masks and drums are being sold on the Plaza and her family's shop had no sales at all.
"That's not fair to my parents," she said. "People don't know the difference."
Lorraine Bender of Sanford Street said she counted 35 tables in the Plaza on Saturday.
"I called the state Department of Revenue (which collects sales tax) and I'm going to have these people checked," she said. "This shows disrespect for us as merchants. A friend on St. George Street sells silver jewelry but sold nothing in the last month because there are three tables of silver jewelry set up in the Plaza.
Mitchell Levy, a new businessman on King Street, said the vendors block sidewalks in the Plaza, don't pay taxes or obey city regulations.
"It's gotten out of hand," Levy said. "This (delay in regulation) is making things worse. I don't feel like the city is backing us."
White said that now is the merchants' busy season.
"It drops off in September and that lasts until March," she said. "We're being strangled."
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© The St. Augustine Record
peter.guinta@staugustine.com
Publication Date: 08/11/09
Twenty unlicensed, untaxed and unregulated vendors on the Plaza de la Constitution are selling the same product as she is, Carrie White of Carrie's Beads, 162 St. George St., said Monday night.
White told St. Augustine City Commission that her business is 15 percent of what it was before the city allowed the Plaza to become an open-air flea market.
"One day there were five vendors. The next day there were 20," she said. "We pay high rent, insurance, taxes and have non-compete clauses. They don't. It's putting us out of business."
Several other merchants echoed her problem.
Kimmarie Bouza, also a merchant, said she saw vendors selling marijuana pipes called bongs, food and drinks ,and posting handwritten signs.
"Business owners can't even put (little signs) in front of their shops," Bouza said.
The commission voted 5-0 to pass on first reading an ordinance rescinding City Code 22-6, which regulates vending on the Plaza.
City Attorney Ron Brown said 22-6 is unenforceable because of "a federal injunction that it's unconstitutional as applied. (However) the effect on business is a criteria that the federal courts look at. We're going to eliminate this ordinance and get another one ready to go."
This one will be more focused and not allow specific products, such as jewelry, sunglasses, food, beverages, housewares, appliances, clothing, oils and incense, perfumes, stuffed animals and toys, with more items possibly included.
Mayor Joe Boles said the commission regretted the situation as much as the merchants.
"We've had our hands tied," he said. "We can't enforce it and the county court is not going to enforce it either."
Brown said his office will write a new ordinance ready so by the time of the second reading of the ordinance deleting 22-6, a new ordinance controlling sales on the Plaza will be read on second reading at the same time and go into effect immediately.
Gina Kabamba, whose parents have an African art shop on St. George Street, said cheap knockoffs of African masks and drums are being sold on the Plaza and her family's shop had no sales at all.
"That's not fair to my parents," she said. "People don't know the difference."
Lorraine Bender of Sanford Street said she counted 35 tables in the Plaza on Saturday.
"I called the state Department of Revenue (which collects sales tax) and I'm going to have these people checked," she said. "This shows disrespect for us as merchants. A friend on St. George Street sells silver jewelry but sold nothing in the last month because there are three tables of silver jewelry set up in the Plaza.
Mitchell Levy, a new businessman on King Street, said the vendors block sidewalks in the Plaza, don't pay taxes or obey city regulations.
"It's gotten out of hand," Levy said. "This (delay in regulation) is making things worse. I don't feel like the city is backing us."
White said that now is the merchants' busy season.
"It drops off in September and that lasts until March," she said. "We're being strangled."
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© The St. Augustine Record
The Tragedy of the St. Augustine Record
The St. Augustine Record is no longer printing in St. Augustine for the first time in more than 114 years. Outsourced to the Times-Union in Jacksonville.
See the Pollyanna-ish editorial (below), which raises more questions than it answers.
There's not one Newspaper Guild chapter in the entire state of Florida.
We need more free democratic trade unions to represent workers, including printers and journalists.
We need more worker-owned companies.
We need journalists who can investigate, instead of equivocate.
We need to save our democracy from the formidable forces of authoritarianism.
Starting with newspapers that tell the truth without fear or favor (like the New York Times).
So what became of the "behemoth Goss Urbanite" printing press?
Gone but not forgoten.
And what of the printers and mailroom workers?
No union contract. What kind of severance pay? Does Bill Morris even know their names?
The answer, my friends, is blowing in the wind: Vote Democratic. Vote against the cartels (and the cartelists) who have stolen our jobs, pensions and futures for the short-term Politics of Greed.
Record press staff pros to the end
Publication Date: 08/08/09
Sunday night was special and sad as The St. Augustine Record closed out its printing press operation after 114-plus years in four buildings.
Presses of all sizes have produced The St. Augustine Record since its first edition as The Daily Herald on Oct. 21, 1894 from the office of Record founder Charles F. Hopkins in the vicinity of 18 Hypolita St.
For years, the company kept a hand-cranked press "just in case." At least two times in the Record's modern era on Cordova Street, it actually produced a half-sheet edition so The Record could keep its streak alive of continuous publication since 1894.
The first was in 1944, during the height of an unnamed September hurricane and again in October 1950 during a nor'easter and devastating downtown flood.
As the modern press prepared Sunday night for its last Record run, all the ghosts of pressmen and presses past were likely watching over the operation. It went like clockwork, business as usual.
Prepress made the plates from the pages of news and advertising. Each page moved on time to prepress from the newsroom. The plates made from the page negatives were attached to the press.
And then the moment came, the switch was thrown and the behemoth Goss Urbanite slowly turned the ribbon of paper. It became The Record somewhere in that process as it moved to the bottom of the press.
The press crew continued to pull papers intermittently from the stack to check them for any imperfections, including color balance and possible page plate slips that would cause the print to look slanted on the page. Nothing was out of order. The press gained speed and papers move faster to the stack.
The mailroom staff lined up the paper bundles from the press conveyer, stacked them on a pallet for transport to the nearby insert machine. Then the papers moved on another conveyer belt and out the door to waiting carriers.
The energy flowed. A few people snapped photos and many people shook hands; the only indications that this was a landmark night.
Outside around 12:30 a.m. Monday, carriers moved about as usual.
It was more like the first night the press ran in the new building in October 2001 than the last. The excitement and the feeling of accomplishment that always comes when the paper comes off the press hadn't changed.
The people who transformed the work of the newsroom and advertising department into the finished product were professional to the end. It was a job well done turned over to the circulation department on time.
Click here to return to story:
http://staugustine.com/stories/080809/opinions_080809_016.shtml
© The St. Augustine Record
Sunday night was special and sad as The St. Augustine Record closed out its printing press operation after 114-plus years in four buildings.
Presses of all sizes have produced The St. Augustine Record since its first edition as The Daily Herald on Oct. 21, 1894 from the office of Record founder Charles F. Hopkins in the vicinity of 18 Hypolita St.
For years, the company kept a hand-cranked press "just in case." At least two times in the Record's modern era on Cordova Street, it actually produced a half-sheet edition so The Record could keep its streak alive of continuous publication since 1894.
The first was in 1944, during the height of an unnamed September hurricane and again in October 1950 during a nor'easter and devastating downtown flood.
As the modern press prepared Sunday night for its last Record run, all the ghosts of pressmen and presses past were likely watching over the operation. It went like clockwork, business as usual.
Prepress made the plates from the pages of news and advertising. Each page moved on time to prepress from the newsroom. The plates made from the page negatives were attached to the press.
And then the moment came, the switch was thrown and the behemoth Goss Urbanite slowly turned the ribbon of paper. It became The Record somewhere in that process as it moved to the bottom of the press.
The press crew continued to pull papers intermittently from the stack to check them for any imperfections, including color balance and possible page plate slips that would cause the print to look slanted on the page. Nothing was out of order. The press gained speed and papers move faster to the stack.
The mailroom staff lined up the paper bundles from the press conveyer, stacked them on a pallet for transport to the nearby insert machine. Then the papers moved on another conveyer belt and out the door to waiting carriers.
The energy flowed. A few people snapped photos and many people shook hands; the only indications that this was a landmark night.
Outside around 12:30 a.m. Monday, carriers moved about as usual.
It was more like the first night the press ran in the new building in October 2001 than the last. The excitement and the feeling of accomplishment that always comes when the paper comes off the press hadn't changed.
The people who transformed the work of the newsroom and advertising department into the finished product were professional to the end. It was a job well done turned over to the circulation department on time.
Click here to return to story:
http://staugustine.com/stories/080809/opinions_080809_016.shtml
© The St. Augustine Record
Letter: Lifeguards' acute sense averts tragedy
Edward D. Hood, M.D.
St. Augustine
Publication Date: 08/07/09
Editor: On July 23 at about 4:15 p.m. at beach exit Ocean Trace, my wife and myself were relaxing on the beach and watching our grandson enjoying the ocean waves. We noticed a life guard truck stop and (its occupant) converse with the life guard. Suddenly one life guard pulled a large surf board out from the bed of the truck and ran into the ocean. The other life guard followed with an oblong life preserver. They were swimming rapidly toward two people who were hardly visible at a distance.
Other people began to notice the action and stood watching the excitement unveil. Soon a third life guard possessing a large, oblong life preserver started swimming toward the almost invisible twosome.
My wife and myself realized the two people were in distress. I walked into the water to try and observe more closely and met a gentlemen who was visiting with his wife and five children from Ohio also observing the excitement of a rescue.
My vacationing new friend and I learned the two people were indeed being pulled out by the strong current. They were unable to return to shore, with impending panic and possible disaster.
The distressed people were at a distance from the shore that you would almost need binoculars to locate their location. My friend and I reasoned that the life guard had been observing their gradual distance from the shore and then recognized their distress.
The distressed twosome were brought to shore and a tragedy was avoided by the acuteness of a lifeguard's observation and the quick response rescue action by the three young lifeguards.
My new visiting vacationer said, after a deep breath, "well trained and professional rescue at its pinnacle. The safety of St. Augustine Beach should be appreciated by all.''
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© The St. Augustine Record
St. Augustine
Publication Date: 08/07/09
Editor: On July 23 at about 4:15 p.m. at beach exit Ocean Trace, my wife and myself were relaxing on the beach and watching our grandson enjoying the ocean waves. We noticed a life guard truck stop and (its occupant) converse with the life guard. Suddenly one life guard pulled a large surf board out from the bed of the truck and ran into the ocean. The other life guard followed with an oblong life preserver. They were swimming rapidly toward two people who were hardly visible at a distance.
Other people began to notice the action and stood watching the excitement unveil. Soon a third life guard possessing a large, oblong life preserver started swimming toward the almost invisible twosome.
My wife and myself realized the two people were in distress. I walked into the water to try and observe more closely and met a gentlemen who was visiting with his wife and five children from Ohio also observing the excitement of a rescue.
My vacationing new friend and I learned the two people were indeed being pulled out by the strong current. They were unable to return to shore, with impending panic and possible disaster.
The distressed people were at a distance from the shore that you would almost need binoculars to locate their location. My friend and I reasoned that the life guard had been observing their gradual distance from the shore and then recognized their distress.
The distressed twosome were brought to shore and a tragedy was avoided by the acuteness of a lifeguard's observation and the quick response rescue action by the three young lifeguards.
My new visiting vacationer said, after a deep breath, "well trained and professional rescue at its pinnacle. The safety of St. Augustine Beach should be appreciated by all.''
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http://staugustine.com/stories/080709/opinions_1814666.shtml
© The St. Augustine Record
Letter: Objects to local tax increases
Fred Green
St. Augustine
Publication Date: 08/10/09
Editor: "Read our lips, no new taxes." That familiar outcry may soon get louder in St. Johns County in protest of the proposed tax increases city and county commissioners say are needed to balance their 2010 budgets.
I personally am surprised that both the St. Johns County Commission and the St. Augustine City Commission would even think about raising taxes at a time when the entire country is in recession and so many local residents are losing their jobs and their homes. The economic climate calls for cutting rather than hiking taxes.
I am even more surprised that the city's new budget proposes double-dipping of a sort. In addition to a millage increase, the city wants to tax residents for fire service and utilities, services that have never been taxed. All this should give local organizers of "tea parties'' that are staged to urge lowering of taxes, plenty to think about.
Where is the compassion of these people who control how the hard-earned dollars of county residents are spent? If commissioners consider providing for the homeless to be a problem now, how much could the problem grow in the coming year if more people lose property because they can't afford to pay the taxes?
I suggest that board members search their budgets for fat to trim. As a former county commissioner, I know first hand that if one really tries, fat can be found in every budget.
All city services have a reserve fund for emergencies. Why not dip into this fund rather than increase or propose new taxes, a move that would help an already suffering economy?
Property values have dropped and taxes have been lowered on some properties in the county. Why not just bite the bullet and leave well enough alone?
People need all the breaks they can get.
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© The St. Augustine Record
St. Augustine
Publication Date: 08/10/09
Editor: "Read our lips, no new taxes." That familiar outcry may soon get louder in St. Johns County in protest of the proposed tax increases city and county commissioners say are needed to balance their 2010 budgets.
I personally am surprised that both the St. Johns County Commission and the St. Augustine City Commission would even think about raising taxes at a time when the entire country is in recession and so many local residents are losing their jobs and their homes. The economic climate calls for cutting rather than hiking taxes.
I am even more surprised that the city's new budget proposes double-dipping of a sort. In addition to a millage increase, the city wants to tax residents for fire service and utilities, services that have never been taxed. All this should give local organizers of "tea parties'' that are staged to urge lowering of taxes, plenty to think about.
Where is the compassion of these people who control how the hard-earned dollars of county residents are spent? If commissioners consider providing for the homeless to be a problem now, how much could the problem grow in the coming year if more people lose property because they can't afford to pay the taxes?
I suggest that board members search their budgets for fat to trim. As a former county commissioner, I know first hand that if one really tries, fat can be found in every budget.
All city services have a reserve fund for emergencies. Why not dip into this fund rather than increase or propose new taxes, a move that would help an already suffering economy?
Property values have dropped and taxes have been lowered on some properties in the county. Why not just bite the bullet and leave well enough alone?
People need all the breaks they can get.
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© The St. Augustine Record
Bill Leary For St. Augustine City Commissioner
I'm a fan of Bill Leary, who serves on the PZB here in St. Augustine. He knows environmental law and policy, having worked it much of his life in Washington, D.C. and Tallahassee. He would make an excellent City Commissioner for the City of St. Augustine. See his column (below) on Venice Beach.
Lessons from Venice Beach
BILL LEARY
St. Augustine
Publication Date: 08/09/09
So I'm in Los Angeles anyway to give a speech when I'm asked to visit the Venice Beach Boardwalk to see how they regulate the sale of art and other stuff in that public place and if it might work for St. Augustine.
The boardwalk is a mile-long stretch of sidewalk near the ocean and there are shops all along the landward side. The controversy was over the beach side where vendors, performers and persons expressing their views competed with one another for space, which, as of late, had led to violence.
Last year, the City of Venice Beach passed an ordinance regulating the beach side by creating performance zones and commercial zones with 100 numbered spaces each. You need a permit to occupy those paved spaces and each week you enter a lottery to win a space for either the upcoming weekend or Monday through Friday. In the performance or P-Zones, permitted venders can perform or sell newspapers, buttons, leaflets and the like or books or recordings they create.
In the commercial or I-Zones, they can also sell "expressive" items they create or expressive items "inextricably intertwined" with their religious, political, philosophical, or ideological message.
All other selling, including food and beverage, is prohibited in those zones.
How it works
A stroll down the bustling boardwalk revealed some talented musicians in the P-Zone and others opining about local and national issues. In the I-Zone, there were people selling all kinds of hand-made stuff. From jewelry and sculpture to kaleidoscopes and magic wands. There were booths selling Rastafarian items and others featuring peace symbols.
You could sell oil and incense if tied to your religious, philosophical or ideological beliefs.
You could sell clothing if it was intertwined in your message, but not if it was simply clothing.
You could get a henna tattoo that lasts two weeks, but not a massage because of health code restrictions.
You could get a tarot reading or a caricature, but not a pair of sunglasses.
You could even get "your name engraved on a grain of rice." There were some nice original paintings, prints and photographs.
The ordinance is run by the city's recreation department, which issues a plastic photo ID card that serves as the permit. It's good for one calendar year and costs $25. Annual renewals are $10. You can have your permit thrown in the lottery barrel each Tuesday, lottery day. Once the spaces are full the lottery stops and you can request a specific space if available.
Recreation staff monitor compliance and seek police help if necessary. Violators are subject to suspension from the lottery or fines for repeat violations.
There are also time, place and manner restrictions on that portion of the boardwalk not in these zones. In those areas, one can do what is allowed in a P-Zone or sell expressive items inextricably intertwined with the message of the vendor. Limits are placed on the size of tables, easels and umbrellas in those areas of the boardwalk outside the zones.
It's California and all a little "crunchy," if you get my drift, but it seems to be working.
At least there has been no recurrence of violence and no one has sued the city over it. Occasionally a vendor complains about lack of sales, but the city staffs' view is that true artists are primarily interested in the freedom to express their message.
Could a similar permitting and lottery program work for activities in the Plaza de Constitution?
Perhaps. But it's probably going to require the level of goodwill I found in the very relaxed atmosphere of Venice Beach.
*
Bill Leary is a member of the Planning and Zoning Board of the City of St. Augustine. He invites your thoughts and comments to The Record at letters@staugustine.com or at bill.leary4@yahoo.com.
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© The St. Augustine Record
Letter: Health care breakdown breaks small businesses
Kristeen Carney
St. Augustine
Publication Date: 08/07/09
Editor: Our health care system is broken, and American small businesses urgently need a solution.
Across the country, more than one third of small businesses have been forced to reduce benefits in recent years.
Since the early 1990s, about a third of small business owners have had to drop coverage for employees altogether.
It's hard for small business to create jobs if they also have to bear the weight of skyrocketing premiums.
Congress must pass real health insurance reform in 2009. If we fail to act:
More Americans will lose their coverage, more businesses will close their doors and rising costs will continue to explode our deficits.
Within a decade, one out of every five dollars we earn will be spent on health care.
The amount our government spends on Medicare and Medicaid will eventually grow larger than what our government spends today on everything else combined.
We're counting on Congress to pass real health insurance reform in 2009.
All should consider sharing their personal stories about how the impact of high costs, restrictive plans or insufficient coverage have affected them, their businesses and their loved ones.
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© The St. Augustine Record
St. Augustine
Publication Date: 08/07/09
Editor: Our health care system is broken, and American small businesses urgently need a solution.
Across the country, more than one third of small businesses have been forced to reduce benefits in recent years.
Since the early 1990s, about a third of small business owners have had to drop coverage for employees altogether.
It's hard for small business to create jobs if they also have to bear the weight of skyrocketing premiums.
Congress must pass real health insurance reform in 2009. If we fail to act:
More Americans will lose their coverage, more businesses will close their doors and rising costs will continue to explode our deficits.
Within a decade, one out of every five dollars we earn will be spent on health care.
The amount our government spends on Medicare and Medicaid will eventually grow larger than what our government spends today on everything else combined.
We're counting on Congress to pass real health insurance reform in 2009.
All should consider sharing their personal stories about how the impact of high costs, restrictive plans or insufficient coverage have affected them, their businesses and their loved ones.
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© The St. Augustine Record
Letter: Police patrols needed on bayfront
Dave Smith
St. Augustine
Publication Date: 08/10/09
Editor: I drive downtown several times a week and at different times. I do not see carriages or trolleys as the main problem. I see vehicles speeding while others are sightseeing and not paying attention, and some doing both. I also do not see cars stopping at the crosswalks, and if they do, the car behind them may not stop.
What I do not see is any police presence.
I would suggest that the speed limit be lowered to 20 mph northbound along Avenida Menendez where the carriages park, not just at the curve. Install several speed bumps possibly before the crosswalks with openings to allow the carriages to pass through. Then, lower the crosswalk signs to eye level like stop signs, and put one in the middle of the crosswalk.
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© The St. Augustine Record
St. Augustine
Publication Date: 08/10/09
Editor: I drive downtown several times a week and at different times. I do not see carriages or trolleys as the main problem. I see vehicles speeding while others are sightseeing and not paying attention, and some doing both. I also do not see cars stopping at the crosswalks, and if they do, the car behind them may not stop.
What I do not see is any police presence.
I would suggest that the speed limit be lowered to 20 mph northbound along Avenida Menendez where the carriages park, not just at the curve. Install several speed bumps possibly before the crosswalks with openings to allow the carriages to pass through. Then, lower the crosswalk signs to eye level like stop signs, and put one in the middle of the crosswalk.
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© The St. Augustine Record
Beach city has become the new arts and conservation destination
ROBIN NADEAU
St. Augustine
Publication Date: 08/09/09
St. Augustine Beach, an outstanding arts destination?
It sounds pretty far-fetched for a little city with less than 10,000 population, but it looks as though that just might happen soon.
We already have the Cultural Arts Center, housed in the restored oceanfront building that used to be City Hall.
The City Commission is working out the final details for accepting the generous gift by sculptors Thomas Glover, Marianne Lerbs and other sculptors, to convert our City Hall Lakeside Park into a permanent Sculpture Park.
There also is the prospect of displaying works from other local artists on the mostly blank walls of the 'shot-gun' lobby of City Hall that accesses the various offices and meeting rooms.
At a future City Commission meeting, members of the St. Augustine Beach Tree Protection and Beautification Committee might be approved to be arbiters for the artistic displays that could grace (either as temporary, or permanent displays) our City Hall and environs.
I hope that St. Augustine Beach could also become an outstanding example for Xeriscaping. I feel that we shouldn't be preaching to our citizens that they must conserve water by planting native plants in their gardens that do not require frequent watering, while the city fails to give the good example, and keeps planting sod on city properties that requires not only regular sprinkling, but also mowing, fertilizing and weeding.
If you haven't yet recycled the 'Gardens" section of the St. Augustine Record of July 4, (or download it from staugustine.com/garden), you will find on Page 1D, an article that features pictures of Isabelle Lopez's beautiful, almost care-free garden. She chose her own notably wise way of beautifying her new home. Instead of using the standard grass, she purchased her wild seeds.
Her doesn't have the attendant demand for mowing, fertilizing, watering and spraying with toxic weed killers, all of which are expensive, time-consuming, and air-polluting, not to mention the dangerous run-off into our waterways, which eventually penetrates our drinking water supply.
Readers might ask our agricultural agent, Joe Seward, who teaches classes in Xeriscaping, if they can have some of the seed heads from the wild flowers growing at the County Agricultural Center, (904) 209-0430).
Besides the lovely coreopsis, we have rich diversity of flame-colored wild gaillardias, which seem to thrive especially well near the ocean, as well as blue spiderworts; pink, mauve and white wild stock; white and purple violets; and my special favorite, the lovely small, pink rain lilies, and the more rare zephyr lilies, as well as some colorful grasses.
If we consult the savvy naturalist, Gail Compton, she can come up with others.
Our city is in the midst of construction of a walkway to the beach, along the southern boundary of the Maratea park that we are preserving for the permanent enjoyment of our citizens, visiting tourists and students. Nothing could be more appropriate, in keeping with this natural treasure, than Xeriscaped landscaping of naturally compatible wild-flowers and shrubs.
We might ask the Florida Department of Transportation if, instead of planting grass on the islands that divide our boulevards and highways, they would sew wildflower seeds instead. Someone stated that there were complaints from some citizens that the wildflowers looked "untidy." But, after the seed heads have had a chance to scatter their seeds for the next crop of flowers, they can be mowed (a rare requirement as compared to grass) to tidy them up.
The city might take a poll of citizens' wishes. Readers can let the city know their preference of wild flowers or grass sod on highway medians by calling 471-2122.
*
Robin Nadeau and her family came to Gainesville, Fla., in 1959 after various postings worldwide with the U.S. State Department. The family moved to St. Augustine Beach 30 years ago. Nadeau is on St. Johns County's Conservation Committee and the St. Augustine Beach Tree Protection and Beautification Committee. She says she is an "adopted Florida cracker."
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© The St. Augustine Record
St. Augustine
Publication Date: 08/09/09
St. Augustine Beach, an outstanding arts destination?
It sounds pretty far-fetched for a little city with less than 10,000 population, but it looks as though that just might happen soon.
We already have the Cultural Arts Center, housed in the restored oceanfront building that used to be City Hall.
The City Commission is working out the final details for accepting the generous gift by sculptors Thomas Glover, Marianne Lerbs and other sculptors, to convert our City Hall Lakeside Park into a permanent Sculpture Park.
There also is the prospect of displaying works from other local artists on the mostly blank walls of the 'shot-gun' lobby of City Hall that accesses the various offices and meeting rooms.
At a future City Commission meeting, members of the St. Augustine Beach Tree Protection and Beautification Committee might be approved to be arbiters for the artistic displays that could grace (either as temporary, or permanent displays) our City Hall and environs.
I hope that St. Augustine Beach could also become an outstanding example for Xeriscaping. I feel that we shouldn't be preaching to our citizens that they must conserve water by planting native plants in their gardens that do not require frequent watering, while the city fails to give the good example, and keeps planting sod on city properties that requires not only regular sprinkling, but also mowing, fertilizing and weeding.
If you haven't yet recycled the 'Gardens" section of the St. Augustine Record of July 4, (or download it from staugustine.com/garden), you will find on Page 1D, an article that features pictures of Isabelle Lopez's beautiful, almost care-free garden. She chose her own notably wise way of beautifying her new home. Instead of using the standard grass, she purchased her wild seeds.
Her doesn't have the attendant demand for mowing, fertilizing, watering and spraying with toxic weed killers, all of which are expensive, time-consuming, and air-polluting, not to mention the dangerous run-off into our waterways, which eventually penetrates our drinking water supply.
Readers might ask our agricultural agent, Joe Seward, who teaches classes in Xeriscaping, if they can have some of the seed heads from the wild flowers growing at the County Agricultural Center, (904) 209-0430).
Besides the lovely coreopsis, we have rich diversity of flame-colored wild gaillardias, which seem to thrive especially well near the ocean, as well as blue spiderworts; pink, mauve and white wild stock; white and purple violets; and my special favorite, the lovely small, pink rain lilies, and the more rare zephyr lilies, as well as some colorful grasses.
If we consult the savvy naturalist, Gail Compton, she can come up with others.
Our city is in the midst of construction of a walkway to the beach, along the southern boundary of the Maratea park that we are preserving for the permanent enjoyment of our citizens, visiting tourists and students. Nothing could be more appropriate, in keeping with this natural treasure, than Xeriscaped landscaping of naturally compatible wild-flowers and shrubs.
We might ask the Florida Department of Transportation if, instead of planting grass on the islands that divide our boulevards and highways, they would sew wildflower seeds instead. Someone stated that there were complaints from some citizens that the wildflowers looked "untidy." But, after the seed heads have had a chance to scatter their seeds for the next crop of flowers, they can be mowed (a rare requirement as compared to grass) to tidy them up.
The city might take a poll of citizens' wishes. Readers can let the city know their preference of wild flowers or grass sod on highway medians by calling 471-2122.
*
Robin Nadeau and her family came to Gainesville, Fla., in 1959 after various postings worldwide with the U.S. State Department. The family moved to St. Augustine Beach 30 years ago. Nadeau is on St. Johns County's Conservation Committee and the St. Augustine Beach Tree Protection and Beautification Committee. She says she is an "adopted Florida cracker."
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© The St. Augustine Record
TIME FOR A NO-BRIBERY CAMPAIGN IN ST. JOHNS COUNTY
We need an anti-bribery campaign in St. Johns County and St. Augustine and the other government agencies here. The St. Augustine Record editorial (below) didn't quite call for that, as I have for months. Instead, it acts like bribery was a one-time event instead of commonplace.
How revealing -- the Record ignores the evidence of its own senses, refuses to print the news and praises GEORGE McCLURE (of all people), a seedy lobbyist for environmental devastators, who gets off on his representing speculators like ROBERT MICHAEL GRAUBARD.
Of course, people who are offered bribes should turn in the bribepayer.
Of course, people who are asked to give bribes should turn in the public official.
A culture of corruption can be changed one day at a time, just as courageous citizens have done in Sicily.
Stand up to bribepayers and bribetakers, who destroy our democracy.
Interesting that there's still never been one editorial in local newspapers against bribery and calling for an anti-bribery campaign, even though our former Republican County Commission Chair THOMAS MANUEL is pleading guilty tomorrow, after ndictment for bribery,for accepting $60,000.
In fact, when MANUEL pled guilty, the WRecKord omitted the fact that MANUEL was a REPUBLICAN. One-party rule wasn't even relevant to the two reporters who covered the MANUEL plea. (A chronology did say "GOP", but neither article said "REPUBLICAN.")
Oleaginous St. Augustine corporate lawyer GEORGE McCLURE, longtime developer lawyer who shows his open contempt for public particpation in govenment, was scheduled to be a witness against MANUEL. Did McCLURE get a deal from federal prosecutors? If not, why would be McCLURE testifying? Is this a sudden pang of conscience after inflicting so many ugly, tree-killing, wetland-destroying projects on our community?
What do you reckon?
So Is GEORGE McCLURE A WHISTLEBLOWER?
The St. Augustine Record thinks so. See below.
I proudly represented whistleblowers across America.
I have watched in disgust as GEORGE McCLURE manipulate governments for tree-killing, wetland-filling monsters funded by foreigners.
GEORGE McCLURE, you're no whistleblower. GEORGE McCLURE is an influence-peddler and an oleaginous one at that -- he doesn;t just walk into a room, he oozes.
The truth will come out eventually after former County Commission Chairman THOMAS G. MANUEL is sentenced and we can get the FBI transcripts and tapes and 302s under the Freedom of Information Act. Was McCLURE in trouble for something else? Did the FBI "flip" him? Was McCLURE worried that his association with the likes of ROBERT MICHAEL GRAUBARD and his alleged Conch House fraud might get him in trouble?
We shall see. What do you reckon?
I proudly represented whistleblowers across America.
I have watched in disgust as GEORGE McCLURE manipulate governments for tree-killing, wetland-filling monsters funded by foreigners.
GEORGE McCLURE, you're no whistleblower. GEORGE McCLURE is an influence-peddler and an oleaginous one at that -- he doesn;t just walk into a room, he oozes.
The truth will come out eventually after former County Commission Chairman THOMAS G. MANUEL is sentenced and we can get the FBI transcripts and tapes and 302s under the Freedom of Information Act. Was McCLURE in trouble for something else? Did the FBI "flip" him? Was McCLURE worried that his association with the likes of ROBERT MICHAEL GRAUBARD and his alleged Conch House fraud might get him in trouble?
We shall see. What do you reckon?
Editorial: Courage shown by Manuel whistleblowers ?
Publication Date: 08/09/09
St. Augustine attorney George McClure and Bruce Robbins, an Atlantic Beach developer consultant, in the face of threats and demands for money from suspended St. Johns County Commissioner Tom Manuel, took steps to end that illegal pressure.
They blew the whistle to the FBI.
The federal bribery case against Manuel began with an FBI investigation in 2007 but court documents show McClure and Robbins were first approached by him in November 2006, shortly after his election to the county commission. In early 2007, concerned about what had transpired, they went to the FBI. They became confidential informants. Manuel was indicted in June 2008. Their identities were revealed in December in pre-trial documents.
After several delays in his trial, Manuel on July 31, entered a plea of guilty to one charge of bribery for accepting $10,000. A second charge of bribery based on his taped acceptance of $50,000 was dropped. He is awaiting sentencing which could include some prison time and up to $250,000 in fines.
McClure's practice focuses on business and corporate law with an emphasis on real estate development and land use. Robbins was his client representing Falcone Group, LLC and its Twin Creeks project in the northwest county.
A whistleblower lives in two worlds simultaneously. For about 20 months, McClure worked with other clients, and Robbins continued to represent Falcone and to respond to Manuel under FBI watch.
Manuel told Robbins, according to court documents, that Falcone's future business before the County Commission would be in jeopardy, if the company did not contribute to certain charitable organizations and to Manuel's own fund, "Committee of Continuing Excellence." Court documents said he accepted $10,000 in cash on April 10, 2008 and was recorded on tape accepting another $50,000 on June 5, 2008, the night he was arrested by the FBI outside a Jacksonville Beach restaurant.
McClure and Robbins put their careers in great jeopardy. Some people tend to be skeptical of someone's future actions after learning the person was a confidential informant. McClure and Robbins carry that heavy burden now with the support and thanks of many in St. Johns County.
What if they had not gone to the FBI?
We can't believe they were the only developer representative and attorney sought out by Manuel for contributions in exchange for votes when this county is prized by developers. How many others quietly complied fearing Manuel's influence?
McClure and Robbins raised the bar for others confronted with the same situation. They've put elected officials on notice, too, that shakedowns won't be tolerated. They acted courageously to ensure county government isn't tainted again.
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© The St. Augustine Record
St. Augustine attorney George McClure and Bruce Robbins, an Atlantic Beach developer consultant, in the face of threats and demands for money from suspended St. Johns County Commissioner Tom Manuel, took steps to end that illegal pressure.
They blew the whistle to the FBI.
The federal bribery case against Manuel began with an FBI investigation in 2007 but court documents show McClure and Robbins were first approached by him in November 2006, shortly after his election to the county commission. In early 2007, concerned about what had transpired, they went to the FBI. They became confidential informants. Manuel was indicted in June 2008. Their identities were revealed in December in pre-trial documents.
After several delays in his trial, Manuel on July 31, entered a plea of guilty to one charge of bribery for accepting $10,000. A second charge of bribery based on his taped acceptance of $50,000 was dropped. He is awaiting sentencing which could include some prison time and up to $250,000 in fines.
McClure's practice focuses on business and corporate law with an emphasis on real estate development and land use. Robbins was his client representing Falcone Group, LLC and its Twin Creeks project in the northwest county.
A whistleblower lives in two worlds simultaneously. For about 20 months, McClure worked with other clients, and Robbins continued to represent Falcone and to respond to Manuel under FBI watch.
Manuel told Robbins, according to court documents, that Falcone's future business before the County Commission would be in jeopardy, if the company did not contribute to certain charitable organizations and to Manuel's own fund, "Committee of Continuing Excellence." Court documents said he accepted $10,000 in cash on April 10, 2008 and was recorded on tape accepting another $50,000 on June 5, 2008, the night he was arrested by the FBI outside a Jacksonville Beach restaurant.
McClure and Robbins put their careers in great jeopardy. Some people tend to be skeptical of someone's future actions after learning the person was a confidential informant. McClure and Robbins carry that heavy burden now with the support and thanks of many in St. Johns County.
What if they had not gone to the FBI?
We can't believe they were the only developer representative and attorney sought out by Manuel for contributions in exchange for votes when this county is prized by developers. How many others quietly complied fearing Manuel's influence?
McClure and Robbins raised the bar for others confronted with the same situation. They've put elected officials on notice, too, that shakedowns won't be tolerated. They acted courageously to ensure county government isn't tainted again.
Click here to return to story:
http://staugustine.com/stories/080909/opinions_1833579.shtml
© The St. Augustine Record
Letter: Other creatures lost with mosquito spraying
Barbara Garris
St. Augustine
Publication Date: 08/11/09
Editor: I live in an area of many large trees and there have always been hundreds of beautiful birds in this area. They provide many hours of pleasure; watching and listening to their songs.
Several days ago, I noticed that the birds have almost disappeared. No mockingbirds, blue jays, cardinals or sparrows. Only a very few left.
No frogs, butterflies, bees, very few wasps on the ground.
Some time ago there was an intense spraying of the whole county with something known as Dibrom. This spraying was done for a period of eight days by the Anastasia Mosquito Control District.
Of course, the mosquitoes have almost disappeared as well; which probably makes some people very happy. I would rather have the birds and deal with the mosquitoes.
I would like an answer as to when this topic spray will be gone, if ever.
The commissioners should never do this again. They should find a better option or go back to what the district was doing this before.
If this Dibrom can hurt these creatures, it's possible other animals can be hurt as well.
I'm sure that the district had had endless calls complaining about mosquitoes, but that's no reason to subject the whole county to this toxic spray.
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© The St. Augustine Record
St. Augustine
Publication Date: 08/11/09
Editor: I live in an area of many large trees and there have always been hundreds of beautiful birds in this area. They provide many hours of pleasure; watching and listening to their songs.
Several days ago, I noticed that the birds have almost disappeared. No mockingbirds, blue jays, cardinals or sparrows. Only a very few left.
No frogs, butterflies, bees, very few wasps on the ground.
Some time ago there was an intense spraying of the whole county with something known as Dibrom. This spraying was done for a period of eight days by the Anastasia Mosquito Control District.
Of course, the mosquitoes have almost disappeared as well; which probably makes some people very happy. I would rather have the birds and deal with the mosquitoes.
I would like an answer as to when this topic spray will be gone, if ever.
The commissioners should never do this again. They should find a better option or go back to what the district was doing this before.
If this Dibrom can hurt these creatures, it's possible other animals can be hurt as well.
I'm sure that the district had had endless calls complaining about mosquitoes, but that's no reason to subject the whole county to this toxic spray.
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© The St. Augustine Record
County needs to cut back as residents do
Editor: My comments are prompted by the recent headline "County proposes millage hike."
Is there something that happens to people once they are elected to public office? Do all those promises to reduce taxes and control spending suddenly disappear from view?
I don't know who voted for any elected official because he or she was going to increase taxes. On second thought, there may be some who did vote for increases if they themselves were not paying taxes but were benefiting from those of us who do. This is a problem at all levels of government.
Local officials, who propose a millage increase, best look over their shoulders. They are facing reduced revenues because of lower property values, so they plan to put that burden on us who own property here, who also face increased insurance costs, higher unemployment, and higher taxes because our elected officials don't like us very much. The recommended county budget for 2010, at $632 million, is less than for 2009 ($654 million) by $22 million, or 3.4 percent. If county officials can't figure out how to cut 3.4 percent out of the budget, then they shouldn't be in office, nor should the administrators they hire.
Give me five good people and two weeks. I'll show the county where the cuts can be made. The county should stop hiding behind the reduced services excuse. In a tough economy I must not eat out as often, not take a vacation and reduce my overall spending. If all of us can do it, so can the county.
I'll bet that we won't suffer much because of reduced services. If we do, the county can house us, as we become homeless, in the new county administration building. It is a Taj Mahal and virtually empty; a good use of our tax dollars.
Hugh Peter
St. Augustine
Is there something that happens to people once they are elected to public office? Do all those promises to reduce taxes and control spending suddenly disappear from view?
I don't know who voted for any elected official because he or she was going to increase taxes. On second thought, there may be some who did vote for increases if they themselves were not paying taxes but were benefiting from those of us who do. This is a problem at all levels of government.
Local officials, who propose a millage increase, best look over their shoulders. They are facing reduced revenues because of lower property values, so they plan to put that burden on us who own property here, who also face increased insurance costs, higher unemployment, and higher taxes because our elected officials don't like us very much. The recommended county budget for 2010, at $632 million, is less than for 2009 ($654 million) by $22 million, or 3.4 percent. If county officials can't figure out how to cut 3.4 percent out of the budget, then they shouldn't be in office, nor should the administrators they hire.
Give me five good people and two weeks. I'll show the county where the cuts can be made. The county should stop hiding behind the reduced services excuse. In a tough economy I must not eat out as often, not take a vacation and reduce my overall spending. If all of us can do it, so can the county.
I'll bet that we won't suffer much because of reduced services. If we do, the county can house us, as we become homeless, in the new county administration building. It is a Taj Mahal and virtually empty; a good use of our tax dollars.
Hugh Peter
St. Augustine
Joyner rejects salary increase
MARCIA LANE
marcia.lane@staugustine.com
Publication Date: 08/12/09
St. Johns County School Superintendent Joe Joyner once again received glowing reviews from the District School Board but said he would not accept any increase in his base salary at Tuesday's meeting.
This is the third year he has rejected an increase in base salary, citing financial drops in state funding that have caused the district to repeatedly cut back.
Joyner turned down a merit pay raise of almost 10 percent because of funding cuts.
Joyner's base salary is $143,663.27. He receives several additional benefits, including a deferred compensation plan whereby the district makes annual contributions of 8 percent of his base salary, $600 per month, 18 vacation days a year and $600 a month for automobile and expense allowances.
He also receives life and health insurance.
Board members were indignant about a strong recommendation from the Florida Legislature that superintendents should receive a 5 percent reduction in pay.
District 1 Board Member Bev Slough said it would be "slap in the face" to lower Joyner's salary, noting the district's number one standing in test scores.
"I refuse to even consider lowering (the salary)," Slough said.
District 4 Board Member Bill Fehling said it was another case of the Florida Legislature "trying to take control" when they were hundreds of miles away "assuming that they know best."
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marcia.lane@staugustine.com
Publication Date: 08/12/09
St. Johns County School Superintendent Joe Joyner once again received glowing reviews from the District School Board but said he would not accept any increase in his base salary at Tuesday's meeting.
This is the third year he has rejected an increase in base salary, citing financial drops in state funding that have caused the district to repeatedly cut back.
Joyner turned down a merit pay raise of almost 10 percent because of funding cuts.
Joyner's base salary is $143,663.27. He receives several additional benefits, including a deferred compensation plan whereby the district makes annual contributions of 8 percent of his base salary, $600 per month, 18 vacation days a year and $600 a month for automobile and expense allowances.
He also receives life and health insurance.
Board members were indignant about a strong recommendation from the Florida Legislature that superintendents should receive a 5 percent reduction in pay.
District 1 Board Member Bev Slough said it would be "slap in the face" to lower Joyner's salary, noting the district's number one standing in test scores.
"I refuse to even consider lowering (the salary)," Slough said.
District 4 Board Member Bill Fehling said it was another case of the Florida Legislature "trying to take control" when they were hundreds of miles away "assuming that they know best."
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Kudos For County Commission For Starting Over On Tourist Development Council
Commissioners were right and just to sunset the controversial TDC. See below.
TDC badly needs an audit, including examination of every single purchase over $1000 and comparison of every single ad invoice to the tear-sheets.
TDC needs cool new members, including well-informed and cultured people who will help to promote the arts and music and culture and the St. Augustine National Historical Park, National Seashore and National Scenic Coastal Parkway.
See www.staugustgreen.com
As Commissioner Mark Miner said, "It's a signal to the county that we're going to start fresh." As Commissioner J. Kenneth Bryan said, "We need an outside auditor... We don't really know what we've been doing the last 10 of 15 years that's been successful."
As a result of the sunsetting, TDC will delay its Destination Master Plan until Dec. 31. This means that the overpaid "branding" consultants who failed to appreciate St. Augustine's African-American history and our community's natural beauty will have a chance to redeem themselves
They need to discuss "branding" in the context of the proposed St. Augustine National Historical Park, National Seashore and National Scenic Coastal Parkway. See www.staugustgreen.com
As for support for the Arts -- two words (courtesy of the Chairman of the National Endowment for the Arts: "Art Works." As the Record reported:
Jay Dick, director of state and local government affairs for Americans For The Arts, of Washington, D.C., said the arts are a $166.2 billion a year industry which produces $30 billion a year in tax revenues.
"The arts receive government funding of about $4 billion a year, so you see the arts are a great investment," Dick said. "In St. Johns County, it is an $18.7 million industry that brings in $577,000 in tax revenues."
St. Johns has 564 arts jobs employing 1,645 people.
"People don't realize how many people are out there who get their paycheck from the arts," Dick said. "A little bit of money invested in the arts goes a long way."
Meanwhile, the City of St. Augustine continues to try to find ways to harass and aggravate our artists, whom City Manager WILLIAM B. HARRIS prefers to arrest instead of encouraging them to live and work downtown, as the National Endowment for the Arts is working on. That's why we need to fire HARRISS (a/k/a "WILL HARASS" and defeat his compliant "Gang of Four" Commissioners in next year's City Commission elections.
What do you reckon?
TDC badly needs an audit, including examination of every single purchase over $1000 and comparison of every single ad invoice to the tear-sheets.
TDC needs cool new members, including well-informed and cultured people who will help to promote the arts and music and culture and the St. Augustine National Historical Park, National Seashore and National Scenic Coastal Parkway.
See www.staugustgreen.com
As Commissioner Mark Miner said, "It's a signal to the county that we're going to start fresh." As Commissioner J. Kenneth Bryan said, "We need an outside auditor... We don't really know what we've been doing the last 10 of 15 years that's been successful."
As a result of the sunsetting, TDC will delay its Destination Master Plan until Dec. 31. This means that the overpaid "branding" consultants who failed to appreciate St. Augustine's African-American history and our community's natural beauty will have a chance to redeem themselves
They need to discuss "branding" in the context of the proposed St. Augustine National Historical Park, National Seashore and National Scenic Coastal Parkway. See www.staugustgreen.com
As for support for the Arts -- two words (courtesy of the Chairman of the National Endowment for the Arts: "Art Works." As the Record reported:
Jay Dick, director of state and local government affairs for Americans For The Arts, of Washington, D.C., said the arts are a $166.2 billion a year industry which produces $30 billion a year in tax revenues.
"The arts receive government funding of about $4 billion a year, so you see the arts are a great investment," Dick said. "In St. Johns County, it is an $18.7 million industry that brings in $577,000 in tax revenues."
St. Johns has 564 arts jobs employing 1,645 people.
"People don't realize how many people are out there who get their paycheck from the arts," Dick said. "A little bit of money invested in the arts goes a long way."
Meanwhile, the City of St. Augustine continues to try to find ways to harass and aggravate our artists, whom City Manager WILLIAM B. HARRIS prefers to arrest instead of encouraging them to live and work downtown, as the National Endowment for the Arts is working on. That's why we need to fire HARRISS (a/k/a "WILL HARASS" and defeat his compliant "Gang of Four" Commissioners in next year's City Commission elections.
What do you reckon?
County 'sunsets' TDC board -- Commission accepting member applications
PETER GUINTA
peter.guinta@staugustine.com
Publication Date: 08/12/09
St. Johns County commissioners on Tuesday voted to remove the eight members of the Tourist Development Council's board of directors, effective Aug. 25, promising that replacements would be chosen within two weeks.
The commission made no bones about considering this option, so it was no surprise to anyone.
Commission Chairwoman Cyndi Stevenson said 20 people had already submitted applications and that the last date to apply was Aug. 7. A new deadline was set for Friday.
"We'll be looking at geographic balance," Stevenson said.
County Attorney Patrick McCormack noted that state law prohibits firing the board members, but said the commission may "sunset" them, meaning end their terms of service.
Commissioner Ken Bryan moved for a "top-down" clearing of board members to "set the stage for restructuring the TDC."
The vote to approve was 3-2, with Stevenson and Vice Chairman Ron Sanchez dissenting.
Stevenson said the removed board members could apply again and that the removal was not about individuals.
Sanchez said he didn't have a problem with any board members.
"I don't think we're sending a real good signal," Sanchez said.
But Commissioner Mark Miner looked at the sunsetting as a positive move.
"Relieving the board is not an indictment of its (members)," Miner said. "It's a signal to the county that we're going to start fresh."
One TDC board member in the audience, Frank Usina, said the commission had the authority to do what it did and was just exercising its prerogative.
"I'm too old to get upset," he said. "But I didn't like the way (the news about the board's removal) was bandied about."
His four-year term ended months ago, Usina said, but he decided to stay until the county found a replacement. He said his wife Betty had served on the TDC board and he had served his first term in the 1980s.
Usina, founding chairman of the Visitor and Convention Bureau, said he was "born into tourism; my father, too."
About the money
The TDC brings in $5.5 million a year and is split somewhat unevenly between tourism advertising and cultural and artistic events.
The County Commission's "to-do" list on the TDC reorganization contained items, such as adding a fourth cent to the three cent tax, that were only lightly touched.
Still, some commissioners and some members of the public liked the idea of the fourth cent.
Scott Singleton, owner of Saltwater Cowboys restaurant in St. Augustine Beach, said the additional $1.8 million collected by the extra penny could be used for "developing greater quality events (between September and January) when the beaches are no longer a draw."
Bryan said the county should implement the fourth cent now and escrow that money until the TDC restructuring is completed.
"We need an outside auditor," Bryan said. "We don't really know what we've been doing the last 10 of 15 years that's been successful."
On the list was a clarification of the word "cultural," because, as Stevenson pointed out, "Many things supported by Category II (cultural and artistic events) funding don't seem to fit into the cultural category, such as fishing and fireworks."
Tourism industry professionals and hoteliers want to keep the third bed tax penny, added in 1991 solely for advertising, kept as it is. McCormack said the third penny was added legally, but without input or permission by voters.
Bryant said, "In 1991, trust in government was violated."
Commissioner Phil Mays spoke up for advertising. To his fellow commissioners, he said, "You can hold all the events you want, but if nobody comes to them...."
Arts and numbers
County Administrator Mike Wanchick said the County Commission had directed staff to improve the TDC's "transparency" by televising meetings and making it easier for residents to obtain or examine records.
"Sixty of Florida's 67 counties have bed taxes, and they range from 2 percent to 6 percent," Wanchick said. "Thirteen counties use a percentage of their bed tax for cultural tourism."
The TDC, he said, will delay work on its massive Destination Master Plan until Dec. 31, when the re-organization will be long completed.
Jay Dick, director of state and local government affairs for Americans For The Arts, of Washington, D.C., said the arts are a $166.2 billion a year industry which produces $30 billion a year in tax revenues.
"The arts receive government funding of about $4 billion a year, so you see the arts are a great investment," Dick said. "In St. Johns County, it is an $18.7 million industry that brings in $577,000 in tax revenues."
St. Johns has 564 arts jobs employing 1,645 people.
"People don't realize how many people are out there who get their paycheck from the arts," Dick said. "A little bit of money invested in the arts goes a long way."
Scott Bartosch of the St. Johns County Cultural Coalition said there's been no review of the TDC since 1994.
"The reason St. Johns County is a cultural destination is that everything a family or person wants to do is in close proximity," Bartosch said. "(But) immediate action is necessary. Escrow the fourth penny until the TDC changes are complete."
Click here to return to story:
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© The St. Augustine Record
peter.guinta@staugustine.com
Publication Date: 08/12/09
St. Johns County commissioners on Tuesday voted to remove the eight members of the Tourist Development Council's board of directors, effective Aug. 25, promising that replacements would be chosen within two weeks.
The commission made no bones about considering this option, so it was no surprise to anyone.
Commission Chairwoman Cyndi Stevenson said 20 people had already submitted applications and that the last date to apply was Aug. 7. A new deadline was set for Friday.
"We'll be looking at geographic balance," Stevenson said.
County Attorney Patrick McCormack noted that state law prohibits firing the board members, but said the commission may "sunset" them, meaning end their terms of service.
Commissioner Ken Bryan moved for a "top-down" clearing of board members to "set the stage for restructuring the TDC."
The vote to approve was 3-2, with Stevenson and Vice Chairman Ron Sanchez dissenting.
Stevenson said the removed board members could apply again and that the removal was not about individuals.
Sanchez said he didn't have a problem with any board members.
"I don't think we're sending a real good signal," Sanchez said.
But Commissioner Mark Miner looked at the sunsetting as a positive move.
"Relieving the board is not an indictment of its (members)," Miner said. "It's a signal to the county that we're going to start fresh."
One TDC board member in the audience, Frank Usina, said the commission had the authority to do what it did and was just exercising its prerogative.
"I'm too old to get upset," he said. "But I didn't like the way (the news about the board's removal) was bandied about."
His four-year term ended months ago, Usina said, but he decided to stay until the county found a replacement. He said his wife Betty had served on the TDC board and he had served his first term in the 1980s.
Usina, founding chairman of the Visitor and Convention Bureau, said he was "born into tourism; my father, too."
About the money
The TDC brings in $5.5 million a year and is split somewhat unevenly between tourism advertising and cultural and artistic events.
The County Commission's "to-do" list on the TDC reorganization contained items, such as adding a fourth cent to the three cent tax, that were only lightly touched.
Still, some commissioners and some members of the public liked the idea of the fourth cent.
Scott Singleton, owner of Saltwater Cowboys restaurant in St. Augustine Beach, said the additional $1.8 million collected by the extra penny could be used for "developing greater quality events (between September and January) when the beaches are no longer a draw."
Bryan said the county should implement the fourth cent now and escrow that money until the TDC restructuring is completed.
"We need an outside auditor," Bryan said. "We don't really know what we've been doing the last 10 of 15 years that's been successful."
On the list was a clarification of the word "cultural," because, as Stevenson pointed out, "Many things supported by Category II (cultural and artistic events) funding don't seem to fit into the cultural category, such as fishing and fireworks."
Tourism industry professionals and hoteliers want to keep the third bed tax penny, added in 1991 solely for advertising, kept as it is. McCormack said the third penny was added legally, but without input or permission by voters.
Bryant said, "In 1991, trust in government was violated."
Commissioner Phil Mays spoke up for advertising. To his fellow commissioners, he said, "You can hold all the events you want, but if nobody comes to them...."
Arts and numbers
County Administrator Mike Wanchick said the County Commission had directed staff to improve the TDC's "transparency" by televising meetings and making it easier for residents to obtain or examine records.
"Sixty of Florida's 67 counties have bed taxes, and they range from 2 percent to 6 percent," Wanchick said. "Thirteen counties use a percentage of their bed tax for cultural tourism."
The TDC, he said, will delay work on its massive Destination Master Plan until Dec. 31, when the re-organization will be long completed.
Jay Dick, director of state and local government affairs for Americans For The Arts, of Washington, D.C., said the arts are a $166.2 billion a year industry which produces $30 billion a year in tax revenues.
"The arts receive government funding of about $4 billion a year, so you see the arts are a great investment," Dick said. "In St. Johns County, it is an $18.7 million industry that brings in $577,000 in tax revenues."
St. Johns has 564 arts jobs employing 1,645 people.
"People don't realize how many people are out there who get their paycheck from the arts," Dick said. "A little bit of money invested in the arts goes a long way."
Scott Bartosch of the St. Johns County Cultural Coalition said there's been no review of the TDC since 1994.
"The reason St. Johns County is a cultural destination is that everything a family or person wants to do is in close proximity," Bartosch said. "(But) immediate action is necessary. Escrow the fourth penny until the TDC changes are complete."
Click here to return to story:
http://staugustine.com/stories/081209/news_081209_023.shtml
© The St. Augustine Record
St. Augustine Record Heaps Undeserved Praise on Mendacious Mel Martinez, Our Bigoted Soon-to-be Ex-Senator from Florida
The St. Augustine WREckord editorialized this morning, "We're (sic) disappointed that [Senator Mel Martinez] is leaving office 18 months early."
Who is "we"? The rich trite white guys who owns the WRecKord and the right-wing pomposities they must hang out with?
Only a hack would write such sickeningly trite tropes as these:
"There is still so much more work to be done on behalf of all Floridians on issues including stimulus money and its use in the state, the bailout and the federal health care reform. A sitting senator has more rank and expertise than a short-term placeholder will have."
"Martinez said he was ready to come back to Florida and that he wanted to spend more time with his family now. We (sic) can understand because Martinez has had to do a major balancing act with his family in Orlando and himself in Washington. That's a tough commute with irregular hours, for sure. So, if he is tired of it, then it is time for him to move on and time for us to give special thanks."
"We just wish we had a longer time to work with him."
Oh, please, Ms. Thing. Hang it up.
Martinez was a very bad man with a very bad record. See Friday's blog analysis, below.
It takes a wretched, repulsive, Republican House Organ like the St. Augustine WRecKord to try to make a saint out of a snake.
God forgive them.
Let the N.Y Times buy the WRecKord so we can have journalism in St. Augustine again.
Who is "we"? The rich trite white guys who owns the WRecKord and the right-wing pomposities they must hang out with?
Only a hack would write such sickeningly trite tropes as these:
"There is still so much more work to be done on behalf of all Floridians on issues including stimulus money and its use in the state, the bailout and the federal health care reform. A sitting senator has more rank and expertise than a short-term placeholder will have."
"Martinez said he was ready to come back to Florida and that he wanted to spend more time with his family now. We (sic) can understand because Martinez has had to do a major balancing act with his family in Orlando and himself in Washington. That's a tough commute with irregular hours, for sure. So, if he is tired of it, then it is time for him to move on and time for us to give special thanks."
"We just wish we had a longer time to work with him."
Oh, please, Ms. Thing. Hang it up.
Martinez was a very bad man with a very bad record. See Friday's blog analysis, below.
It takes a wretched, repulsive, Republican House Organ like the St. Augustine WRecKord to try to make a saint out of a snake.
God forgive them.
Let the N.Y Times buy the WRecKord so we can have journalism in St. Augustine again.
St. Augustine Record Editorial: Martinez helped city's 450th event off the ground
Publication Date: 08/12/09
United States Sen. Mel Martinez's decision to leave his United States Senate seat more than a year early brings on mixed emotions.
We're glad he was around to push through his bill last spring to create a federal St. Augustine 450th Commemoration Commission with operational funding.
If St. Augustine is going to make its 450th world class, it needs help from a federal panel to raise money and awareness of the city's place in the world's history. We await appointment of the federal panel by the U.S. secretary of interior. We hope Martinez has provided some insight into the appointments or will do so before he leaves the U.S. Senate.
St. Augustine, founded in 1565 by the Spanish, is the nation's oldest permanently occupied European settlement in America. It deserves the world stage for its 450th. Martinez's bill gives us that ability.
We're disappointed that he is leaving office 18 months early. There is still so much more work to be done on behalf of all Floridians on issues including stimulus money and its use in the state, the bailout and the federal health care reform. A sitting senator has more rank and expertise than a short-term placeholder will have.
Martinez said he was ready to come back to Florida and that he wanted to spend more time with his family now. We can understand because Martinez has had to do a major balancing act with his family in Orlando and himself in Washington. That's a tough commute with irregular hours, for sure. So, if he is tired of it, then it is time for him to move on and time for us to give special thanks.
We appreciate again everything Martinez has done to get the 450th commission into law and funded. During his four years in Washington, he also has worked with our congressman, U.S. Rep. John Mica, on a multitude of community projects related to the elderly, veterans, transportation, education, beach renourishment, economic recovery and Northrop Grumman's continuing military contracts, to name a few.
We just wish we had a longer time to work with him.
Click here to return to story:
http://www.staugustine.com/stories/081209/opinions_081209_030.shtml
© The St. Augustine Recor
United States Sen. Mel Martinez's decision to leave his United States Senate seat more than a year early brings on mixed emotions.
We're glad he was around to push through his bill last spring to create a federal St. Augustine 450th Commemoration Commission with operational funding.
If St. Augustine is going to make its 450th world class, it needs help from a federal panel to raise money and awareness of the city's place in the world's history. We await appointment of the federal panel by the U.S. secretary of interior. We hope Martinez has provided some insight into the appointments or will do so before he leaves the U.S. Senate.
St. Augustine, founded in 1565 by the Spanish, is the nation's oldest permanently occupied European settlement in America. It deserves the world stage for its 450th. Martinez's bill gives us that ability.
We're disappointed that he is leaving office 18 months early. There is still so much more work to be done on behalf of all Floridians on issues including stimulus money and its use in the state, the bailout and the federal health care reform. A sitting senator has more rank and expertise than a short-term placeholder will have.
Martinez said he was ready to come back to Florida and that he wanted to spend more time with his family now. We can understand because Martinez has had to do a major balancing act with his family in Orlando and himself in Washington. That's a tough commute with irregular hours, for sure. So, if he is tired of it, then it is time for him to move on and time for us to give special thanks.
We appreciate again everything Martinez has done to get the 450th commission into law and funded. During his four years in Washington, he also has worked with our congressman, U.S. Rep. John Mica, on a multitude of community projects related to the elderly, veterans, transportation, education, beach renourishment, economic recovery and Northrop Grumman's continuing military contracts, to name a few.
We just wish we had a longer time to work with him.
Click here to return to story:
http://www.staugustine.com/stories/081209/opinions_081209_030.shtml
© The St. Augustine Recor
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