As St. Augustine Record columnist Peter Guinta wrote in Editor & Publisher magazine, this is a "small but cosmopolitan city." Our City has all of the colors of the Rainbow and we celebrate our diversity. We love St. Augustine "thattaway," whether we're born here or moved here.
Our City government must be made more responsive to our diverse citizenry and its reasonable expectations of fairness.
230 years ago, our American Founders dedicated their lives, fortunes and sacred honor to the cause of Liberty. Those values have been neglected by City leaders who are indifferent to public opinion and wasteful of public funds.
Our City has taken too many major actions without adequate planning and thought. We have a right to expect a LOT from our government -- Listening, Openness and Thought (LOT). Instead, Commissioners don't listen well, our government lacks openness and our leaders are lacking in thoughtfulness. Every neighborhood has seemingly shared the same experience -- citizens too often being treated disrespectfully by their City Commissioners whenever citizens speak out on neighborhood concerns. Commissioners have been noticed rolling their eyes and looking at their watches while they prevent citizens from sharing facts to counter developers and even frustrating the use of photos and videotapes on the City-controlled cable TV broadcasts.
Our 440 year old City's government has grown too big for its britches. City officials are too often cynical and TIRED, full of Timidity, Irritability, Rejection, Excuses and Delays (TIRED).
St. Augustine needs fresh ideas and a new start.
Faster than a speeding developer's dump truck, our Ancient City is losing its character. Are we losing our right to enjoy our City's peaceful, quiet beauty?
As several Commissioners said in the past, as candidates, our Commission is a "rubberstamp." Is our Nation's Oldest City's future decided in secret?
Is our City's future t-shirts and chain stores in our historic downtown? Can the future of St. Augustine be made nobler and more faithful to peoples' traditions and small town values (learning from the example of Colonial Williamsburg)?
St. Augustine stands at a crossroads. Please see below.
No comments:
Post a Comment