This is so wrong. Yelling at a PZB member to silence him. Making citizens wait 200 minutes before they can speak on zoning changes, while allowing a favored architect-lobbyist-friend to speak for 20-30 minutes, lecturing Commissioners about building height measurement. This is outrageous, intentional invidious discrimination and a violation of the First and Fourteenth Amendments. Enough flummery, dupery and nincompoopery from St. Augustine Beach City Manager MAX ROYLE, Mayor RICHARD O'BRIEN and Commissioner ANDREA SAMUELS, dull rebarbative Republicans who are other-directed and ineffectual.
ST. AUGUSTINE BEACH CITY COMMISSIONER ANDREA SAMUELS
-----Original Message-----
From: Ed Slavin
To: mroyle
Sent: Fri, Jul 1, 2016 7:13 pm
Subject: Re: Request No. 2016-271: Legal authority for yelling at and censoring PZB member David Bradfield's First Amendment protected activity re: tree destruction at 6/30 meeting
Dear Max:
1. Please respond to my 11:30 AM 7/1/16 e-mail (below).
2. It seems like "civility" is a shibboleth here. Some misguided officials abuse rote incantations of the word "civility" to oppress our fundamental rights. Some abuse "civility" as a shield and a sword to defend against, and to attack, First Amendment protected activity. This is morally wrong and unconstitutional.
3. You, St. Augustine Beach Mayor Richard O'Brien and Commissioner Andrea Samuels all need to take personal responsibility for your misguided actions at last night's Special Meeting.
4. Max, you yelled at PZB member David Bradfield, last night, telling him that killing trees and substituting pavers is a forbidden topic. On what theory? On whose orders or advice?
5. You, the Mayor and Commissioners forced citizens to wait for 200 minutes before opening public comment on zoning law changes. (Except for one favored architect-lobbyist).
6. Commissioner Andrea Samuels interrupted me after I waited 200 minutes before being allowed to speak. Her husband, Robert Samuels, insulted me, saying that the idea of a national park and seashore -- and civil rights wade-in museum on a new St. Augustine Beach pier -- was "ridiculous." The root of "ridiculous" is "ridicule" -- that is not "civility." Not only does Mr. Samuels heckle public comment speakers, he communicates information between Commissioners in a way that may be a criminal violation of Florida's Sunshine laws. Mr. Samuels must cease and desist such activities, which are contrary to the genius of a free people.
7. To whom do y'all think you're talking? How unfriendly, gauche and louche -- we American citizens have a right to be treated with courtesy, dignity and respect by our government officials -- every single one of you.
8. Our Founding Fathers dealt with oppression from King George III, and we honor the 240th anniversary of our American Revolution on July 4th. You and some local officials too often demean our Founders' memory by attacking citizens' free speech rights.
9. Please call me to discuss the required apologies and the urgent need for promoting healing, required by basic principles of "civility."
10. As RFK once inscribed in a book he gave to segregationist Senator James O. Eastland, "Repent now, there's still time."
11. I look forward to formal written public apologies from you and from Mayor Richard O'Brien, Commissioner Andrea Samuels, et ux Robert Samuels.
12. Max, have you considered the possibility of retiring?
Thank you.With kindest regards, I am,
 | ||||
-----Original Message-----
From: Ed Slavin <easlavin@aol.com>
To: mroyle <mroyle@cityofsab.org>
Sent: Fri, Jul 1, 2016 11:30 am
Subject: Request No. 2016-271: Legal authority for yelling at and censoring PZB member David Bradfield's First Amendment protected activity re: tree destruction
From: Ed Slavin <easlavin@aol.com>
To: mroyle <mroyle@cityofsab.org>
Sent: Fri, Jul 1, 2016 11:30 am
Subject: Request No. 2016-271: Legal authority for yelling at and censoring PZB member David Bradfield's First Amendment protected activity re: tree destruction
Dear Max:
1. Please send me any legal authority for your yelling at St. Augustine Beach PZB member Mr. David Bradfield last night, June 30th, during the joint meeting of the St. Augustine Beach Commission, PZB and Tree Board, telling him he could not speak about trees being torn down and replaced by pavers: "YOU CAN'T TALK ABOUT THIS!"
2. Not only were you not recognized by the Mayor or the facilitator, but you did not identify yourself or state a legal basis for yelling at and censoring a PZB member. Why were you yelling?
3. You were out of order, in my opinion, and very disrespectful to First Amendment protected activity.
4. Also, the agenda that you prepared had no provision for public comment until the end of the meeting, some 200 minutes after it began.
5. Yet Commissioner Snodgrass asked Mr. Micheal Stauffer -- an architect-lobbyist seated next to his friend, Commissioner Samuels' husband, Mr. Robert Samuels -- to answer questions and speak, and he did so for 20-30 minutes on the 35 foot height limit in the City charter.
6. My responsive speaker card on the 35 foot height limit was ignored by Mayor O'Brien, et al. even though Mr. Stauffer was speaking extensively on the issue.
7. What's going on here?
8. Will you kindly apologize to Mr. Bradfield today?
9. Will you and Mayor Richard O'Brien please publicly apologize to the residents who wanted to speak, who were deprived of any speaking opportunities for three hours and 20 minutes, while favoritism was shown to architect Michael Stauffer? Several people were present, leaving in disgust after being denied any reasonable opportunity to speak.
10. Yelling at citizen board members, denying public comment for 200 minutes and interrupting and insulting public comment speakers must halt now. Such unfriendly, overbearing conduct at City of St. Augustine Beach meetings is indefensible, reprehensible, and must be ended at once.Thank you.
With kindest regards, I am,
| ||||
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