Circa 1970, my Mother and Father and I spoke together to the Mantua Township Committee in Mantua, Gloucester County, N.J. about barrels deposited by a trucking company adjoining our ten acre property. Our local township burghers refused to act, falsely claiming the dumping was "grandfathered." We lost. I was about thirteen years old. Sadly, my late Father told me, as generations of hardworking Americans told their own children, "You can't fight City Hall." I Our landmark t environmental laws had not yet been enacted. We, the People have fought authoritarians for generations, winning victory after victory. My Dad and his 82nd ABN DIVN "band of brothers" helped liberate the first French town. from the Nazis on D-Day (June 6, 1944), before the sun even after rose that day. After our Appalachian Observer newspaper won declassification of the world's largest mercury pollution event (Union Carbide, Oak Ridge, Tennessee, 4.2 million pounds of mercury in 1983), Dad said, "Son, you're fighting City Hall, and you're winning." As JFK said, "the torch has been passed to a new generation." Young people since have been fighting and winning environmental battles, and winning. Here's the column that I published in the St. Augustine Record in 2008, after then-Editor Anne Schindler wrote in her December 18, 2007 Editor's Column in Folio Weekly, calling me an "environmental hero" for exposing the City of St. Augustine's dumping of a landfill in a lake (Old City Reservoir, which was a backup supply for City water, after City sunk wells in Twelve Mile Swamp).
Guest Column: Public can fight St. Augustine 'City Hall'
Publication Date: 02/02/08
Folio Weekly termed me an "environmental hero" on illegal dumping. I merely did my job as a citizen.
Since February 2006, I have endeavored to learn about City Manager William B. Harriss and the illegal dumping. Questions were stymied by city ommissioners interrupting me with ridicule, rodomontade, and non sequiturs. Whenever a community or constituency goes to the City Commission to express their concerns, they're treated disdainfully, often leaving disillusioned, hurt.
Commissioners' hubris is nearly fatal to democracy and our environment - including forgiving a $15,000 tree-killing fine and approving the shipping back of solid waste to Lincolnville - without allowing any public comment, violating specific promises in each case.
Violations of free speech rights are indefensible and must be ended.
America was founded by visionaries who cherished free speech: Robert F. Kennedy said that if our Constitution were written in St. Paul's style, it would say: "But the most important of these is speech."
Free speech is everywhere under attack - locally, nationally and globally. Embittered, controlling, manipulative organizational oligarchs hate dissent and retaliate, yielding to immoral, infernal lusts to "reach out, reach out and crush someone."
From Harriss to President George Walker Bush to Russia's Vladimir Putin, "they know not that they know not that they know not."
Apparently not even oligarchs' own family members are safe from "gag orders" and efforts to chill/punish dissent. Mayor Joseph Leroy Boles, Jr. allegedly told his mother Maurine (a member of our city's history advisory board) to stop commenting on public issues (after I quoted her in The Record last year as supporting the proposed St. Augustine National Historical Park, National Seashore and National Scenic Highway). Joseph Boles opposes "federalizing" history and park functions (neglected by our city and state).
"How low can City Hall go?" Threatening citizens with arrest, violating free speech rights, refusing to answer budget hearing questions (or televise budget hearings); attacking artists and entertainers (St. George Street and Slave Market Square a/k/a Plaza de la Constitucion); discouraging meeting attendance (removing 60 seats from the Alcazar Room); reducing your available time for public comments outside scheduled agenda items (from 8 minutes to 3 minutes per meeting); insulting persons asking questions; threatening to seek attorney fees against Dr. Dwight Hines for filing his successful Open Records lawsuit, with Boles demanding to make him "pay the piper" (our city wrongfully withheld more than 45 pounds of public records it claimed did not exist).
Where are the "sanctions"/prosecutions for City Hall's criminal, anti-social, anti-environmental, anti-worker acts?
Our St. Augustine government embarrasses us all: illegal dumping in the Old City Reservoir (risking the health of untrained employees); wasteful spending ($22 million "White Elephant Parking Garage"); and suppressing free speech. It detracts from the beauty, history and image of our town.
Michael Dukakis said, "the fish rots from the head." City managers/staff are often surly, during commission meetings actually laughing and talking on cell phones when citizens and commissioners are speaking. Where are their manners?
Our city manager and city attorney sit with their backs to the public, never shown on-camera on cable-TV, speaking without being identified by name. Employees live in fear of retaliation if they speak the truth about Harriss and his reign of ruin.
Meanwhile, our county officials are more protective and vigilant to protect free speech rights, expanding public comment rights and clarifying First Amendment rights on county property (Amphitheater/Farmer's Market, Fairground and World Golf Village Convention Center).
Virtually all-white, all-male City Hall officialdom is isolated and an anachronism.
Every time St. Augustine City Commissioners violate First Amendment rights, a part of the soul of our city dies. Our Nation's Oldest City and its history and beauty are worth saving. We need greater transparency and accountability. See Clean Up City of St. Augustine, www.cleanupcityofstaugustine.blogspot.com for pollution and other scandals and solutions.
Get involved. Run for office. Support reformers. Vote. Write. Speak out.
We need a "clean sweep" - "a new broom sweeps clean." Why not display a broom in your car/pickup/lawn/porch? Prove wrong those naysayers who complain, "you can't fight City Hall."
Ask questions. Demand answers. This is advanced citizenship. Smile. It's 2008.
Ed Slavin is former legal counsel for constitutional rights with Government Accountability Project; worked for three U.S. senators (Ted Kennedy, Gary Hart and Jim Sasser); clerked for Chief Judge Nahum Litt of the U.S. Department of Labor; and wrote a biography of President Jimmy Carter for young readers (forward by Arthur M. Schlesinger, Jr.).
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5 comments:
Ed banned from City Hall once for harassment? Tell us the story about that one lest we draw incorrect conclusions.
Illegal order. City Manager John Patrick Rewgan, P.E. tried to create a controversy in 2014, fearing he would be fired after Nancy Shaver was elected Mayor. He and police chief drove to my house with a retaliatory letter-order. No "harassment," must First Amendment protected activity. Our former St. Augustine City Attorney James Patrick Wilson represented me pro bono, solving the contretemps with one (1) telephone call.. St. Augustine City Attorney Jim Wilson resigned in. protest over City Manager WILLIAM BARRY HARRISS' illegal dumping a landfill in our Old City Reservoir (a coquina pit lake) after fourteen (14) years with City. Later, when he was applying for the job of St. Augustine Beach City Attorney, Jim Wilson told St. Augustine Beach Commission that he "worked for the City for fourteen years. Then they dumped a landfill in a lake. They didn't ask me and they didn't tell me. So I figured it was time to move on." City of St. Augustine Beach hired Jim as SAB City Attorney, partly based on my recommendation, and those of others who knew Jim to be ethical and honorable. Mr. Wilson was not willing too go to prison for HARRISS & Co. Good man.
You didn't say anything offensive or stay around in his presence longer than he wished? Public forum ok but if one on one maybe not. What did you say there?
Huh? Your question is void for vagueness. Regan was afraid that Nancy Shaver was going to fire him, after I raised concerns about why our elders and disables had to stand during her inauguration by Florida Supreme Court Justice Peggy Quince because City Hall staff refused to remove the tables at the back of the room. Dozens of people were standing because our City maladministration was so stiff-necked that they wouldn't move the tables, even for that special night. Check out the photo of the crowd standing, taken by then-Commissioner Nancy Sikes-Kline. Your question seems to assume that I said something "offensive," and assumes facts not in evidence. "Longer" than who "wished." Your question is freighted with authoritarian animus, blaming the victim. Ex-Mayor CLAUDE LEONARD WEEKS, JR. had the St. Augustine Record story about it on the door in his office, triumphing over my being embarrassed. Thanks to former St. Augustine City Attorney James Patrick Wilson for taking on my case pro bono. He has character. REGAN lacked character when he abused his office with a six month no-trespass order (outside of attending meetings or appointments). City Hall burghers fear and loathe First Amendment protected activity. Thanks to the Rainbow flags case and the City's illegal dumping of a landfill in a lake, we taught them some manners and respect for our fundamental freedoms as Americans. If you want, go to City Hall and ask for the file on the "case" that REGAN demanded the SAPD build. There was no "case" against me. REGAN 's insecurities were on display when he and Chief LUEDERS served me with a snooty "no trespass" letter, which backfired. What do you reckon?
Uh no. There is no assumption.. only a question. That implies that no assumption has been made when I'm asking you about it. It's an acknowledgement that I don't have the information. If I'd gone ahead and assumed then there would be no question. Were you lead out of the building or not?
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