Dear Mr. Ellis,
Concerning today's report in The St. Augustine Record, on the July 10th workshop of the Anastasia Mosquito Control Board.
I would like to elaborate on the telephone message that I left on your answering mail-box, this morning.
The paragraph describing ".....as audience members stopped the proceedings by YELLING AND REFUSING TO KEEP ORDER." Later Linda Wampler is described as stating: "They were screaming and yelling about civil rights...."
These are complete misrepresentations of the facts (as I believe the taped record illustrates). There was no "yelling or screaming."
Chair Bosanko has repeatedly allowed her "expert" witnesses to take an unlimited amount of time to describe the merits of the purchase of the $ 1.8 million helicopter. However, Public Comment is restricted to three minutes.
On July 10, an expert who testified against the purchase of the $1.8 million helicopter, Don Girvan, a former Army captain, pilot, and, since retirement, a businessman, stated that a Sikorski helicopter, specifically designed for spraying against mosquitoes, sells for $351,000. As he continued his testimony, underlining the fact that this purchase had not been open for bids, as is required by law, etc., Mrs. Bosanko wielded her gavel, interrupting his delivery, stating that his three minutes had elapsed. Mrs. Bosanko liberally uses her gavel to quash any commentary that goes against her wishes.
At this point, Ed Slavin (who is a 'burr under the saddle' for several of our local officials. because he points out their legal transgressions) stated, in a well-modulated voice -- certainly not anywhere near "yelling and screaming" (again, I refer you to the taped video) -- that Mrs. Bosanko was infringing on Mr. Girvan's First Amendment Right to Free Speech.
Although Mrs. Bosanko is quoted a stating that "the whole issue is being blown out of proportion," she is the one who caused the whole issue to be 'blown out of proportion' by her unrestrained use of her gavel, and by calling the Sheriff's office to arrest members of the audience. When the first officer arrived, she directed him to arrest Ed Slavin, even though the person she was trying to stop from making his commentary was Mr. Girvan. However, she has been aggravated over the past many meetings of the Mosquito Control Board by Mr. Slavin pointing out the transgressions of the law by the actions and decisions of the Board. When confronted by the deputy, Mr. Slavin stated that Mrs. Bosanko was infringing on HIS right to free speech, and the officer backed off, and consulted with another deputy; they decided to leave. Later, when I discussd this matter with Sheriff Shoar, I stated, and he agreed, that this was a waste of time for his deputies who are already in short supply.
Again, concerning the transgression against Government In The Sunshine Law, I stated that "it was highly unlikely that, when Mrs. Bosanko, Mrs. Hummel and Mrs. Wampler charged out of the meeting room to call the Sheriff's office, that they didn't discuss the matter for which they were making the call."
Finally, Mr. Guinta put his own spin on the "first Amendment protected activity (environmentalists criticizing purchase of a $1.8 million helicopter without competitive bidding) and their desire to contact (the newspaper)" It is as TAX-PAYERS that we are criticizing the outrageous costs incurred by the actions of the Board. As Environmentalists, we are striving to stop the use of toxic pesticides on the citizens and wildlife of our region, in favor of biological constraints on the mosquitoes.
Sincerely,
Robin Nadeau,
26 Mickler Blvd.,
St. Augustine, FL 32080-5906
Tel: 471-3713
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