Guest Column: Mosquito board stifles free speech

Guest Column: Mosquito board stifles free speech



DON GIRVAN
St. Augustine
Publication Date: 09/02/07


In early June, I read an article in The Record stating that the Anastasia Mosquito Control District, which is a separate taxing authority had signed a contract to purchase a $1.8 million Bell Jet Long Ranger helicopter for mosquito control.

In a conversation with retired U.S. Army Col. Bob Gross, who served as an aviation battalion commander, I mentioned this purchase and he laughed and said, "that is as smart as buying a new Rolls Royce to put a snow plow on it.''

This comment caused me to look into alternatives.

Appointed Commissioner Linda Wampler stated in a guest column on Aug. 19, "Do you know that the helicopter is a sole source that doesn't require competitive bidding.'' As commentator Paul Harvey says, you need to know the rest of the story.

The Bell Jet Long Ranger is an exceptionally fine helicopter suitable for the governor or Donald Trump and has been ordered with many luxury features including: Custom 3 color paint job for $28,710 when the aircraft comes with standard paint, power doors for $1,764 rather than ordinary handles, map pockets for $1,347 when it will be used for local flying and has a sophisticated $23,548 GPS navigation system, five very nice David Clark headsets to receive signals through the five place ICS cabin call and a cell phone to headset interface for $14,328.

Is the pilot going to fly around with five commissioners to observe the mosquito treatment?

Wampler says in her column, "Do you know how much research went into choosing the particular helicopter?'' It appears either not very much or they were sold a bill of goods because in St. Augustine, the dealer for Robinson Helicopter stated that a brand new well-equipped model that could handle the larviciding would cost about $400,000, with a single-color paint job.

The Sikorsky company makes a Schweizer model 300C that can handle larvicide or emergency spraying for $350,000 well-equipped with a single-color paint job.

The Schweizer is designed for mosquito control and the Robinson can be easily adapted.

When I went to the budget meeting to discuss saving $1.4 million of our taxpayer money with a different helicopter, I was treated in a rude manner by Wampler when she said, "you are out of order, we've already voted on this.''

Barbara Bosanko, the chairman, started hitting the chairman's gavel when I said, "point of order this is a budget meeting and you have spent nearly one half-hour debating a $4,000 copier and you are not willing to listen for a few minutes.''

With this Bosanko said, "we're calling the sheriff ... we're going to have (you) arrested.''

I never raised my voice and waited at the podium for the sheriff to arrive. When two deputies entered the meeting room I was asked to step outside and they asked "what is going on here'' and I explained the helicopter and they said, let's go back inside.

Commissioner John Sundeman told the deputies the only people who were out of order were Wampler and Bosanko. The deputies were calm and professional and stated there was no offense and they were leaving.

Motions have been made by Commissioners Jeannie Moeller and Sundeman to have the Mosquito District attorney investigate if the purchase was illegal so the contract could be canceled.

This has been voted down by the three votes of Bosanko, Wampler, and Commissioner Emily Hummell who seem to vote as a block on other matters as well.

I have attended four meetings and have no axe to grind but have observed an attitude that tries to stop constructive free speech.

Upon leaving the meeting just before attorney Carolyn Ansay resigned from the Mosquito District, she came up to me and said, "I really think I should be allowed to research the contract to see if the helicopter purchase is legal without competitive bids but they won't let me.'' She told Sundeman and Moeller the same thing.

Whether the Mosquito District becomes part of St. Johns County government or not, it needs to clean up the helicopter situation and move forward with wisdom and care.



Don Girvan was a captain in the U.S. Army and flew helicopters.


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