Mosquito Control Board On the Mend?

The Anastasia Mosquito Control District of St. Johns County (AMCD) hired a new lawyer on THursday and is expected to revisit the $1.8 million helicopter issue at its budget meeting later this month. That's a good thing.

When the AMCD board members hear their new lawyer's opinion on the helicopter purchase, they will remedy the situation. That's a good thing.

Citizens who were haraassed at the behest of AMCD Chair BARBARA BOSANKO and Vice Chair LINDA WAMPLER deserve an apology. BOSANKO and WAMPLER colluding and calling the Sheriff and making false police reports of disruption and engaging in apparent Sunshine violations is illegal and immoral. Their actions destroy their credibility.
As Justice Brandeis said (see below), when government becomes a lawbreaker, it erodes confidence and invites anarchy. As Thomas Jefferson said, "a public office is a public trust." See Don Girvan's column in today's St. Augustine Record (below).

Intiimidating citizens for engaging in First Amendment protected activity rights is contrary to the genius of a free people. Local governments in St. Johns County have often done it in the past. Chair BOSANKO must have learned it from her husband, DANIEL BOSANKO, the former St. Johns County Attorney. Chair BOSANKO must have felt like a deer in the headlights when she saw her Sunshine violations on television and in the St. Augustine Record and saw herself lose her cool and call the cops on former Army Captain Don Girvan, simply for questioning the helicopter purchase.

As in the time of civil rights protests in 1964, too many governments in these part rely upon abuse of police powers as a way of maintaining the political machine.

Those days are ending -- if you call the police on citizsens, you will be exposed as bullies and your actions will be strictly scrutinized. Will Captain Girvan and other citizens sue AMCD Chair Bosanko and Vice Chair LINDA WAMPLER for civil rights violations? Will they be hauled before a federal grand jury? Stay tuned.

Our City of St. Augustine has bullied people at public meetings. Former St. Augustine City Attorney JAMES PATRICK WILSON once threatened to have Dr. Dwight Hines and I arrested while we were asking for documents on St. Augustine's quesitonble purchasing practices (over 400 blanket purchase orders).

Meanwhile, City Commission has removed seats from its meeting room, reducing the number of seats for citizens to only 50. As in 1964, St. Augustine citizens are not intimidated. Abuse of power only makes people more determined for reforms.