Letter: Give city's 'Greening' real meaning

Letter: Give city's 'Greening' real meaning
Ensure St. Augustine 'Greening' has meaning
Posted: October 21, 2015 - 7:00pm | Updated: October 22, 2015 - 12:00am

By ED SLAVIN
Ensure St. Augustine ‘Greening’ has meaning

Editor: The “Greening of St. Augustine” is everywhere: data-based decisions, street-paving, increased recycling, “lifeline” water rates — all promoting equality, honesty, environmental stewardship and historic preservation. Thanks to Mayor Nancy Shaver, et al., listening to “We, the People,” it’s a proud time for all St. Augustine residents!

Errant misguided mossbacks want “their” government “back.” They resent Mayor Shaver’s election. We need no unconstitutionally-vague ”decorum” restrictions on your free speech rights (“like a moose needs a hatrack”).

Wasn’t it “disruptive” for Commissioner Todd Neville to demand filing of a taxpayer-funded libel lawsuit? Does being Commissioner Neville “mean never having to say you’re sorry?”

City Hall needs: a welcoming spirit, no favoritism or no-bid contracts, transparency, Web-posting all contracts and spending — all helping us find and end waste, fraud, abuse, misfeasance, malfeasance and nonfeasance. We need no more First Amendment violations. “Our streets are not lively,” Mayor Shaver says. We need thorough legislative research — enough governmental guesswork and “ad hocracy.” We should enlarge boards, embracing more diversity, balance and fairness.

Let’s question board “service” by putative “professionals” (some are too often absent, late, leave early, interrupt, bark at citizens, advocate for clients before boards and commissioners, with frequent recusals and blurred ethical lines).

Enough.

Why not a series of voter-approved charter changes to improve our city government? Let’s enlarge the commission, with single-member districts, create a commission committee system. Expand boards with citizen-elected board members.

We should endorse a St. Augustine National Historical Park and National Seashore (staugustgreen.com), create strong, ethical laws, including full disclosure of all beneficial owners of secretive LLCs seeking zoning favors.

We should protect ethical whistleblowers, reform government contracting and create an elected city attorney, Inspector General/Ombuds/Public Advocate offices? We should enact building height limits forever preserving our village.

Defining our future is up to us. What do you reckon? What’s your vision?

St. Augustine


COMMENTS: Why do the BOLESIANS rage?

The predictable first and third comments are from the ever-aggressive and nasty ROGER KLINE and his City Commissioner wife, NANCY SIKES-KLINE, employee of land planner KAREN TAYLOR, whose 13 page list of projects may be read here: http://cleanupcityofstaugustine.blogspot.com/2015/10/query-to-sikes-kline-re-work-for.html


Just Asking Y 10/22/15 - 10:53 am 33Honesty and Diversity
To give Nancy Shaver credit for the ‘greening’ of St. Augustine is ludicrous and outright dishonest. All the items mentioned were either already implemented or well on the way to implementation (as are/were many projects), before she took office. However, it isn’t surprising that a certain segment of the population will continue with this propaganda in the hopes that if it’s repeated enough the rest of ‘we the people’ will eventually believe it to be true; that’s how propaganda works. One thing that is agreed upon is that there are certain times when a politician should say “I’m sorry”. Although, challenging the abuse of the First Amendment isn’t necessarily one of them. But, claiming that fraud and malfeasance is rampant in city hall and then proven wrong, does warrant an apology; wearing another person’s military medals in a public forum, does warrant an apology; not disclosing, ‘can you say transparency,’ a personal relationship with a local e-rag and personal website producer, does warrant an apology; and the list goes on. My ‘vision’ would be a citizenry that treats each other and government employees as they demand to be treated themselves. It’s important to keep government diverse. Diversity on all levels is important, whether it’s age, gender, points-of-view, race, etc. Demanding it all be ‘our way’ is wrong no matter whose way it is.

seminolesam 10/22/15 - 11:44 am 21Negligent & Nasty Narcissism
Mr Slavin certainly has a way with words but doesn't let facts get in his way. He's an ace at alliteration and was surely a shining star in creative writing class!
I do admire his tenacity but wish he would focus on being part of the solution instead of just conjuring up problems.

lifeisgood 10/22/15 - 06:42 pm 00agree....and agree......
Just Asking Y! tell it as it is! Love it! We must be twins, as I feel the same way about everything that you said, you just said it much more eloquently than I ever could.
I don't think anyone should be holding their breath waiting for an "apology", especially with the company that she continues to surround herself with. I was sort of hoping that after the election she would distance herself, but I guess like minds think alike, and apparently this "personal" relationship is stronger than ever. Remind yourself that the majority of people in our beautiful little city don't think that everyone is corrupt and don't buy into this propaganda. (Look how successful the 450th was, which, btw, had absolutely NOTHING to do with our lady mayor....). I think most people can see through the lies and the hatred. It doesn't take a rocket scientist to recognize that that "e-rag" you mentioned is one person and not a slew of "reporters". The crazy lies and hatred is then "stirred up" and supported by a handful of made-up fake "readers", who interestingly have been on facebook for awhile, however over the years they have only commented on this one e-rag site? Try and make a comment to call him out on the lies and present the facts? you are quickly deleted and blocked...hmmmm......and these are the same people who are waving their arms and demanding free speech? Hypocrisy right here at it's finest....
As far as Mr. Slavin goes....I actually like him, but I think it may be because I feel a little bit sorry for him. I don't think he realizes that the same people he supports so passionately, are not very supportive of him behind his back and really, quite simply, I think they use him and even make fun of him behind his back. I think this is a shame. I think he is super bright and well-versed, but agree with seminolesam, I wish he would spend some of those brilliant brain cells on coming up with solutions, and stop associating himself with people who are so far beneath him.

Jason Hamilton 10/22/15 - 07:00 pm 00How Many Times
did the Ed hit the Enter key by mistake when aiming for the apostrophe key while drafting this? Leaping lizards I had to hold a ruler up to the computer screen to stay on track. It's like reading Tolkien's "The Silmarillion".


Ed's note" The version sent to the newspaper was modified and lengthened -- here's what I submitted (300 words):

The "Greening of St. Augustine" is everywhere: data-based decisions, street-paving, increased recycling, "lifeline" water rates, promoting equality, honesty, environmental stewardship, historic preservation. Thanks to Mayor Nancy Shaver, et al. listening to "We, the People," it's a proud time for all St. Augustine residents!

Errant misguided mossbacks want "their" government "back." They resent Mayor Shaver's election. We need no unconstitutionally vague"decorum" restrictions on your free speech rights ("like a moose needs a hatrack"). Wasn't it "disruptive" for Commissioner Todd Neville to demand filing of a taxpayer-funded libel lawsuit (SLAPP)? Does being Commissioner Neville "mean never having to say you're sorry?"

City Hall needs:
1. A welcoming spirit.
2. No favoritism or no-bid contracts.
3. Transparency: web-posting all contracts and spending, helping us find and end waste, fraud, abuse, misfeasance, malfeasance, nonfeasance.
4. No more First Amendment violations. "Our streets are not lively," Mayor Shaver says.
5. Thorough legislative research -- enough governmental guesswork and "ad hocracy."
6. Enlarging boards, embracing more diversity, balance, fairness.
7. Questioning board "service" by putative "professionals" (some are too often absent, late, leave early, interrupt, bark at citizens, advocating for clients before boards and Commission, with frequent recusals and blurred ethical lines). Enough.
Why not a series of voter-approved Charter changes to improve our City government?:
1. Enlarging Commission, with single-member districts?
2. Creating a Commission committee system?
3. Expanding boards, with citizen-elected board members?
4. Endorsing St. Augustine National Historical Park and National Seashore? www.staugustgreen.com
5. Creating strong ethics laws, including full disclosure of all beneficial owners of secretive LLCs seeking zoning favors?
6. Protecting ethical whistleblowers, reforming government contracting and creating elected City Attorney, Inspector General/Ombuds/Public Advocate offices?
7. Enacting building height limits, forever preserving our village?
Defining our future is up to us. What do you reckon? What's your vision?