Neighborhood Council Office Citizens Library uprooted so three ladies can knit at Fabric Guild -- thanks to soon-to-be-ex-Mayor JOSEPH LESTER BOLES, JR. et kin
For St. Augustine residents, there's not a single helpful government employee on the first floor of City Hall.
No room at the inn.
No one there to answer questions.
Nunca.
Nada.
Never.
City Hall's First Floor consists mainly of retail stores, wedding venues and a museum.
The only non-commercial and non-museum space on the First Floor of our City Hall and Lightner Museum -- other than restrooms and the City Commission meeting and conference rooms -- is given over to three or four ladies from the Textile Guild of St. Augustine, Florida, Inc. (registered agent is none other than soon-to-be-ex-Mayor JOSEPH LESTER BOLES, JR.).
Since 2012, City Hall Suite 143 has been used by the Textile Guild of St. Augustine, Inc. three (3) hours per week. That's what three (3) ladies who were there told me at noon on Thursday.
The space is not available to anyone else. When I walked in Thursday and asked questions, the ladies seemed offended. Guild President Ms. Celeste Burns said, "Now it begins."
Her no-bid, fee-free "lease" expires on December 2014.
What a waste of valuable governmental office space.
These ladies encumber more than 500 square feet, prime real estate, for three (3) hours a week?
(The exact square footage is not listed in city spreadsheet; wonder why?)
"Free of charge," according to city records obtained under Florida Statute 119 and Article I, Section 24 of our Florida Constitution (Open Records).
What's going on here?
Was this no-bid, no-charge three-hour per week lease or license the devious means of Mayor JOSEPH LESTER BOLES, JR. of ditching the Neighborhood Council after Cathy DuPont retired?
You tell me.
The three ladies can find a new space. Now. Please.
Their deal expires on December 31, 2014.
Our City needs a public liaison office on the First Floor, and a 311 number for citizens to call, so they are no longer referred from office to office, mindlessly. What do you reckon?
Everyone needs a clubhouse, it seems.
ReplyDeleteThis guild has added much to our sense of history -- and I applaud them for it!
But, dear ladies, I think it is time to find a new place to meet. Space is at a premium, and your claim on it for 3 hours per week really isn't fair. Not when it ties up the space and prevents other, equally deserving tenants from getting more use from it.
Although I think Ed's is a good idea, I would like to see this space returned to the Neighborhood Associations -- is it Neighborhood Council, now? -- to be used as an office, meeting space (perhaps for board meetings), to house the archives of the different associations, and to answer questions from the public when their neighborhood wants to start a formal group.
IF it is done right, and why not, volunteers from the different associations can agree to "run" the office one morning per week. That way the onus of a 5-day week wouldn't be put upon only one group.
Something I hope the admin will consider!
Two rooms in suite 143. Could Neighborhood Council, Mayor, Commissioners and public liaison share the space? Looks like about 500 square feet. With room dividers, it could serve multiple uses. Also, why not at least one half hour free parking for people conducting business with City?
ReplyDeleteHmmmm, can one hear what's going on in the next room? I don't think a commissioner would go for that. Just sayin'. Don't they all have a space to go to on the 4th floor?
ReplyDeleteFree parking is a noble idea, but I think way too complicated.
Would be more convenient for Mayor and Commissioners to meet public on first floor.
ReplyDeleteFree parking could be in five reserved spots, half horn free.
And do Flagler College, National Guard and State of Florida offices get free parking?
We've given away the farm for long enough.
Would be more convenient for Mayor and Commissioners to meet public on first floor.
ReplyDeleteFree parking could be in five reserved spots, half horn free.
And do Flagler College, National Guard and State of Florida offices get free parking?
We've given away the farm for long enough.
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ReplyDeleteWould be more convenient for Mayor and Commissioners to meet public on first floor.
ReplyDeleteFree parking for conducting city business could be in five reserved spots, half hour free. First come, first served.
And do Flagler College, National Guard and State of Florida offices get free parking? Why?