Thanks to four out of five Commissioners at COSA (but not Crichlow).
Thanks especially to Robin Nadeau, Gina Burrell, Dr. Patricia Gill, and other local activists for turning out.
Decisions are made by people who show up.
No thanks to the St. Augustine Record, whose editor, Peter Ellis, wrote me hostile E-mails last week, stating that this issue was not "important," refusing to cover the story until nine (9) days after SAB had voted.
The Record ran front page stories on COSA considering but not approving the resolution.
The Record buried today's story on page A-3, with lackluster coverage that failed to convey the informed nature of the debate before SAB in particular.
Does the Record wish to discourage civic activism by "cutting off the news at its source," in the immortal words of the late investigative reporting columnist Jack Anderson?
What do you reckon?
Here's the Record's meek story today:
Commissions oppose offshore drilling
City, Beach officials reverse anti-ban stance
What a difference a major oil spill makes.
Two cities that previously rejected calls to ban offshore oil drilling have revised their stands and passed resolutions calling for a ban.
St. Augustine Commissioners voted 4-1 Monday on a resolution to ban drilling, with Commissioner Don Crichlow voting against it.
In late March, when Commissioner Leanna Freeman first proposed that the City Commission pass a resolution opposing offshore oil drilling, the motion failed because no one would second it.
That was a week before President Barack Obama proposed oil drilling off the U.S. East Coast and a month before the major BP oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico off the coast of Louisiana.
When Freeman brought up the resolution again this week, she had no trouble getting support.
"It sends a message as to what our priorities are and what we think is important for the state and federal leaders," Freeman said.
The St. Augustine Beach City Commission passed a similar resolution last week, which pointed to possible threats drilling may pose to the environment and tourism.
Resident Robin Nadeau first suggested the ban to commissioners before BP's massive Gulf Coast spill. That proposal failed 3-2 with Commissioners Frank Charles and Rich O'Brien and Mayor Brud Helhoski voting against it. The resolution passed in the second discussion May 3 with Charles in opposition.
"The East Coast of Florida is not a prime drilling area," Helhoski said. "It was more or less a gesture by the City Commission to show our support of the folks that want to stop offshore drilling."
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