The recent oil spill at the BP rig in the Gulf of Mexico should give everyone pause about any plans to expand offshore oil drilling.
It's a proven fact that an oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico would risk all of Florida's beaches, with oil coming to St. Augustine from the Gulf Stream.
City Manager WILLIAM B. HARRISS, who unduly influenced Commissioners against Commissioner Leeanna Freeman's resolution, was exposed by her as a charlatan at a City Commission meeting.
HARRISS may have (again) engaged in illegal polling in violation of the Sunshine law, while pressuring Commissioners not to support anything "controversial" Of course, HARRISS is the most controversial thing in town and we're glad he's going.
ST. AUGUSTINE CITY MANAGER WILLIAM B. HARRISS (a/k/a "WILL HARASS")
Photo credit: J.D. Pleasant (and a cast of thousands)
Now HARRISS is retiring. Could Freeman's blowing the whistle be a contributing factor?
In any event, the St. Augustine Record didn't cover the Commission debate accurately or thoroughly, in a story so bad the reporter may have asked that his name be removed from it. Here's the strange story the St. Augustine Record ran on it:
COMMISSION DUMPS DRILLING RESOLUTION
A city resolution Monday night to add St. Augustine to a long list of cities and counties opposing offshore oil drilling failed for lack of support.
Commissioner Leanna Freeman, who proposed the measure and made the motion to pass it, could not get a second and her motion died.
She cited the risk of spills and contamination of Florida waters if a hurricane struck oil pipes and rigs.
She said she knows oil drilling in Florida happens mainly in the Gulf of Mexico, and that there are no known oil deposits or oil leases off St. Augustine.
But, she said, that doesn't mean the city should ignore the issue.
"Be a leader," she said.
About 63 governmental entities have already passed similar resolutions, even East Coast cities such as Fort Lauderdale and Miami.
Freeman said she hoped to send "a message" to Tallahassee that drilling is not welcome.
Several city residents spoke in support of her initiative. One spoke against.
Some cited the need to grow less dependent on foreign oil. Others said there's only enough oil in the Gulf to last the nation a few weeks, and that would take five years to obtain.
Other commissioners said that, while they might support the measure, the city should not consider resolutions on controversial issues that don't involve St. Augustine.
(end of sappy story published in the St. Augustine Record).
ST. AUGUSTINE CITY MANAGER WILLIAM B. HARRISS (a/k/a "WILL HARASS")
Photo credit: J.D. Pleasant (and a cast of thousands)
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