When George Gardner Was Mayor, Public Rights to Speak Out Were Better Protected Than Under Mayor JOSEPH LEROY BOLES, JR.

See below re: visual artists being denied the right to speak in Monday's workshop.


Under Mayor George Gardner, public comment was allowed at all workshops.

Under Mayor JOSEPH LEROY BOLES, JR., public comment is refused in workshops.

Under Mayor Gardner, public comment was at the beginning and end of meetings.

Under Mayor JOSEPH LEROY BOLES, JR., public comment is a movable thing, moved around by BOLES' whim, manipulating, making up and breaking rules to prevent the public to be heard Monday on the Fish Island issue.

Under Mayor Gardner, public hearing witnesses were sworn in.

Under Mayor JOSEPH LEROY BOLES, JR., public hearing witnesses are hardly ever sworn in.

Under Mayor Gardner, public comment was allowed on resolutions, not just ordinances.


Under Mayor JOSEPH LEROY BOLES, JR., public comment is denied by calling a matter a resolution.

Under Mayor Gardner, the public was often treated with respect, instead of disdain. (But not always -- on the illegal dumping issue, he and his colleagues heaped scorn).

Under Mayor JOSEPH LEROY BOLES, JR., the public is treated with disdain (unless they are "affluent" or "influential," with those two words used to describe the persons our very Republican City burghers want to inflict on a Federal Advisory Committee whose members will be appointed pursuant to Public Law 111-11, Section 7404 ("St. Augustine 4t0th Celebration Commission).

Under Mayor Gardner, the mayor worked very hard, never leaving town for years for fear our City Manager would do something crooked or wrongheaded.

Under Mayor JOSEPH LEROY BOLES, JR., our Mayor hardly ever works -- he avoids work, deferring to City Manager WILIAM B. HARRISS & Co., refusing even to read documents Judith Seraphin tried to share with him on E. coli in our waters.

Gee, I never thought I'd say this, but it's true: I miss Mayor George Gardner. He showed humility, he meant well, he worked hard and he cared about people. I guess that's the difference between a Democrat (Gardner) and a man who caters to the "affluent" and the "influential"(BOLES). See below.