By PETER GUINTA
A proposed 13-day cultural exchange trip to Spain by four St. Augustine commissioners and three staffers has been trimmed down to 10 days, one commissioner and two staffers, City Manager John Regan said Thursday.
The delegation leaves Aug. 25 for the Spanish cities of Aviles, Malaga and Cadiz, returning Sept. 4.
"Only the city can open the doors to relations and opportunities that recognize our Spanish heritage," Regan said. "Through diplomatic functions, (our city officials) can make things happen."
Flying out are Vice Mayor Errol Jones, Regan and City Comptroller Mark Litzinger.
At the last city meeting, some residents noted that commissioners doing business in Spain could violate Florida's Sunshine Law because they would be out of the public eye.
In addition, the same people protested the $25,000 price tag of the trip.
Regan said any Sunshine Law question is now moot because only one commissioner is going. In addition, a smaller delegation and fewer days means the cost has dropped to about $6,000 to $8,000.
Also not going is Don Wallis, chairman of the First America Foundation, who had at first wanted to go. Regan said Wallis decided to stay home because he "had more important priorities for the Foundation right now." Mayor Joseph Boles, who had planned to attend, was the first to drop out of the trip.
Dropping out
Commissioners Leanna Freeman and Don Crichlow, both on the city's initial travel list, decided not to go.
Freeman, the city's representative for the Sister Cities program, issued a statement Thursday morning saying that the controversy over the trip has "required far too much of the city's time and resources. The simplest solution is for me not to participate."
She supports government transparency and compliance with the Sunshine Law.
"However, given our completely legal agendas and history of non-violations during past trips, I believe the reaction to the current trip has ultimately hindered our ability to maintain and develop further relations and programs with our foreign partners."
She'll be home now that her children are starting their first week of school.
"My time will be well-spent working on our $50 million budget and resolving local issues, which must take priority over this controversy," she said.
Crichlow, who leaves the board in November, went on his first and only trip to Spain last year with his daughter.
He said a commissioner's duty is to promote the city, "especially right now with the 450th (birthday celebration) coming up."
But some residents have threatened legal action if the delegation left, he said.
"These people are obstructionists and no friends of St. Augustine. It's almost like they have a vendetta against (us). They're harming taxpayers. They're enemies of the city."
Crichlow did not give names.
Dropping out would save him a lot of work. "I'm not going to miss not having to do that. From 9 a.m. in the morning to 11 p.m. at night, you're either at dinners, receptions, parades or church. It's tiring and stressful."
All business conducted was done by the mayor.
"We did ceremonial things together," he said. "We were never part of any business."
Tall ships
Going with the city delegation is Dr. Sam Turner, a representative of the Lighthouse Archeological Maritime Program in St. Augustine.
His passage and accommodations will be funded by his hosts in Malaga.
Turner's trip is to work with Astilleros Nereo, a shipyard in Malaga, which has been building the tall ship Galveztown, a replica "18th century ship which figured prominently in Spain's assistance to the United States during the American Revolution," according to a proclamation by Mayor Joe Boles that will be issued Monday night.
LAMP will be building a period-accurate support boat for the Galveztown.
Regan said St. Augustine sent 13 tons of live oak wood from trees felled on Sevilla Street that will be blended with oak from Aviles to make the vessel's frame.
"That will be a symbol of our Sister Cities friendship," Regan said. "We sent them 60 containers of wood to accelerate construction of the vessel."
The Spanish factor
"Art and culture in St. Augustine have been influenced by our relationship with Spain," Regan said. "Much of what we do in the city is rooted in our European heritage."
Spain gave St. Augustine the bronze statue of Pedro Menendez that stands in front of City Hall, he said.
In addition, the Aviles Street upgrade illustrates the city's Spanish influence and close relationship with Spain. Specific design elements are distinctly Spanish and when completed, the street will display a European flair.
"Cadiz is epicenter of Spain's 200th anniversary celebration of its constitution in 2012," Regan said. "St. Augustine may have the last remaining monument to that constitution in the Western Hemisphere, dating from 1812."
He believes St. Augustine could be this nation's best location for Hispanics to come and celebrate that event, becoming an opportunity to market the community.
"Christopher Columbus sailed out of Cadiz." Regan said. "We're a one-factory town and that factory is heritage tourism. We're working to become an international city. To do that, you need international outreach."
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Comments (21)
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dangerdogs
TRIP TO SPAIN
By dangerdogs | 08/20/10 - 02:53 am
IT'S TELLING THAT CRICHLOW TOOK HIS DAUGHTER TO SPAIN LAST YEAR. WASN'T IT NICE OF ST AUGUSTINE TO FOOT THE BILL FOR HER EUROPEAN VACATION?
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gtki4mna
Yea nice vacation for you
By gtki4mna | 08/20/10 - 06:23 am
Yea nice vacation for you folks. Not the way to spend taxpayers money you can try to justify it anyway you want but it is not right for the city to foot your vacation bill. Pay for it out of your own pocket if you really had the Cities interest at hart or take a pay cut Mr. City Manager!!!!!!!
OLE MINORCAN
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tammyjk1021
you have that backwards Crichlow
By tammyjk1021 | 08/20/10 - 07:12 am
"These people are obstructionists and no friends of St. Augustine. It's almost like they have a vendetta against (us). They're harming taxpayers. They're enemies of the city."
Thank you to the gadflies for calling them on this. The true enemies of the city are those that choose to spend for their own pleasure. Those that spend without regard to the cities financial problems. Those that cut paychecks and leave for vactions.....those are the ones that do harm to the taxpayers.
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StAugLover
Enemies of the City????
By StAugLover | 08/20/10 - 07:32 am
St. Augustine Spanish Junket
I am appalled at the continued arrogance of the St. Augustine government ruling class. If you recall in previous blogs, that John Regan (City Manger) was called out for being a member of the St. Augustine Nomenklatura. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nomenklatura).
This Spanish junket follows less than two and half months after his controversial appointment as city manager. Just to jog everyone’s memory, there was serious public opposition to permitting John to ascend to his current thrown following the retirement of former St. Augustine “good ole boy’s club member” John Harris. John is a serious sacred cow amongst the St. Augustine political ruling class. There was wide spread opposition to his appointment to city manager and the extremely controversial terms of his five year contract. Despite the huge opposition to him being hired by the local public, he was appointed by the vanguards of the people like Don Crichlow that put an in your face poison pill in his contract that screws the city out of 10 months of pay and 20 months of insurance coverage should he be terminated without cause. (http://www.historiccity.com/2010/staugustine/news/florida/harriss-and-re...)
The case could have successfully been made that the pending “Michelle Obama like” Spanish vacation/junket could have been considered grounds for termination with cause. How so, one might asks? Had there been another Politburo (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Politburo) member on the trip like Don Crichlow, there would have been a clear criminal violation of several articles and subsections of the Florida Sunshine laws. (http://www.leg.state.fl.us/statutes/index.cfm?App_mode=Display_Statute&Search_String=&URL=Ch0119/SEC01.HTM&Title=->2008->Ch0119->Section%2001#0119.01). I see this as an opportunity missed.
For the modest sum of $25,000, we could have cleansed the city of John and several city commissioners and other political appointees for waste, fraud and abuse of the public trust and city funds.
To quote Don Crichlow in this article, "These people are obstructionists and no friends of St. Augustine. It's almost like they have a vendetta against (us). They're harming taxpayers. They're enemies of the city." Who are the true enemies of city? The Politburo and other members of the Nomenklatura or the people that dare to shine the light on old school local political and social corruption.
What I find most farcical about this junket and the indignation of the other pigs at the city trough is that this trip follows so closely on the heels of Michelle Antoinette Obama’s recent waste of tax payers money in Spain.
“A popular Government, without popular information, or the means of acquiring it, is but a Prologue to a Farce or a Tragedy; or, perhaps both. “
— James Madison
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me
huh??
By me | 08/20/10 - 07:42 am
"Had there been another Politburo (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Politburo) member on the trip like Don Crichlow" Unclear on your definions, for sure.
"permitting John to ascend to his current thrown" ?? 'throne', perhaps?
You can't have a monarchy, communism and whatever else you're referencing in the same system.
"pending “Michelle Obama like” Spanish vacation/junket " "Michelle Antoinette Obama’s" - had to find a place to stick that in twice, did you? It has nothing to do with local politics at all, but it did contain the word 'Spain'.............
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paradisefl1
Disconnected Officials
By paradisefl1 | 08/20/10 - 07:43 am
Those statements made are proof. How many times do they have to be reminded; You ARE a PUBLIC SERVANT! The fact you get paid to do it is a BONUS!
Abe Lincoln paraphrased: " All men will rise against adversity but to see a man's true character give him power"!
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TheOldManandtheSea
I'd love to see an educational video :-)
By TheOldManandtheSea | 08/20/10 - 08:31 am
Could someone take a camera or video recorder so we can see how this investment is going to pay off and how BIG the payback is gonna be?? UNREAL
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cptnbuzz
More waist of tax payers money...
By cptnbuzz | 08/20/10 - 08:54 am
So, what happened to webex, or video confrencing? This is a boondoggle for sure.
"In God We Trust"
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citizen
From the Boles Notebook...
By citizen | 08/20/10 - 09:41 am
"NOTE TO SELF: When the 450th isn't quite as successful as we have been promoting, remember to bring up this Spanish trip as an 'I told you so.'
"If only we all went to Spain things would have been different..."
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tammyjk1021
Citizen
By tammyjk1021 | 08/20/10 - 10:14 am
I think we should all go; do you think they would pick up the tab? Yea probably not.
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jackiejones
When I read this article
By jackiejones | 08/20/10 - 10:08 am
I was convinced that the "enemies of the city" had actually done something good for the city by exposing the vacation/business, er... I'm sorry, cultural exchange, for what it was. Yet, "citizen" makes a good point. I'll bet that the city powers believe that this 450th party ought to be bigger and better than the 400th in Jamestown and I'll bet that no matter what, it won't be. And now these same powers will have something and someone to blame, namely the disappointment with not being able to take this trip plus the gadflys and the obstructionists who started the opposition to the trip. I believe The Record finally had the editiorial stating the trip was not in the best interest of the community. The question becomes...will Mayor Boles be a city leader during the 450th so he can remind us later?
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dionysus
The trip
By dionysus | 08/20/10 - 10:13 am
Cancel the trip, period!!! Where do you have the nerve to tell that the trip will only cost six to eight thousand dollars for the delegation? Break it down please. At these figures I just might join them and pay my own way. I would like someone to clarify how the figures were arrived to. A R/T coach (sardine class) is at least $1,000.00 per passenger, what about meals, lodging, transportation, incidentals? You must be kidding! These individuals will go, spend taxpayers' money, everything will die down, it will be spending as usual, they have nothing but contempt for us, the will and interests of the population is totally ignored.
dionysus
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jackiejones
And another point...
By jackiejones | 08/20/10 - 10:16 am
it appears the correct number of people are now attending. If was truly in the best interest of the city for those representives to be going, politics would have been set aside for the good of the community. It appears by the subsequent withdrawal of those attending, the community complaints as well as the Record's editiorial were correct in exposing the boondoggle.
What happens to the plane tickets that were purchased? Do we think they were refundable?
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Nunya Bidniss
Look at that Photo
By Nunya Bidniss | 08/20/10 - 11:00 am
Martin Short isn't aging well, is he?
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pcakepal
Spain trip
By pcakepal | 08/20/10 - 11:03 am
Spain, like Greece, Portugal, etc, etc, etc, are financial basket cases looking for direct or indirect bale-out money any whichaway they can get it. Granted our local ancestry dates back in history to less civilized times and the role Spanish influence played... Nice... Let's move on, recognizing history for what it protrays and get with demonstrating quality leadership by solving gigantic civic problems currently plaguing our future as a community...
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jackiejones
Nunya...
By jackiejones | 08/20/10 - 11:36 am
now that's funny!
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skurvey
We CAN Fight City Hall
By skurvey | 08/20/10 - 12:07 pm
and win. Although the entire trip was not cancelled, as it should have been, the cutbacks are substantial. Congratulations to the gadflies, the vendetta-istas, and the courageous for speaking out. Although I want to know why Litzinger is still going, this is progress.
The people have spoken.
Citizen, that's a horrible thought. Next thing we do is sweep Mayor Bowels out of office. Take him OUT of the 450th equation. Out of running the city. Voters?
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56er
Nunya...
By 56er | 08/20/10 - 12:14 pm
Thanks for the laugh! I also wonder who his dentist might be...
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tammyjk1021
Crichlow
By tammyjk1021 | 08/20/10 - 03:14 pm
sounds a tad angry that his vacation plans were called off.
"These people are obstructionists and no friends of St. Augustine. It's almost like they have a vendetta against (us). They're harming taxpayers. They're enemies of the city."
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southernman
Sir Don of St. Augustine
By southernman | 08/20/10 - 02:40 pm
Don Crichlow said "These people are obstructionists and no friends of St. Augustine. It's almost like they have a vendetta against (us). They're harming taxpayers. They're enemies of the city."
This is without a doubt the most arrogant statement I have ever heard coming from a sitting, publicly elected official aimed at citizens with valid concerns and if his term of office was not almost over I would say he needs to step down or face a recall petition, maybe he was "Knighted" during his last trip to Spain and now considers himself royalty.
Don Crichlow stated. Dropping out would save him a lot of work. "I'm not going to miss not having to do that. From 9 a.m. in the morning to 11 p.m. at night, you're either at dinners, receptions, parades or church. It's tiring and stressful."
Give me a break! All work and no play makes Don an unhappy fellow.
It's a good thing you are not up for reelection because you might get 3 votes, yours, your daughter's and you mother's and that's assuming they are residents of the city and qualified to vote in city elections.
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tammyjk1021
well............
By tammyjk1021 | 08/20/10 - 03:25 pm
When Spain wants to come build a factory, hit us up for a vacation.
Every couple of years they visit...I see no big boost in tourism from Spain or am I missing something?
"Christopher Columbus sailed out of Cadiz." Regan said. "We're a one-factory town and that factory is heritage tourism. We're working to become an international city. To do that, you need international outreach."
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