Only a few American Presidents (Lincoln, FDR, JFK, Clinton and Obama) faced challenges not unlike that faced by Mayor Nancy Shaver and City Commissioners: transforming dysfunctional institutions.
Our City of St. Augustine city government reminds me of what JFK said about Washington, D.C.: "a city of northern charm and southern efficiency."
Like the seven labors of Hercules (cleaning the Augean stables), the task before us daunting: after so many years of corruption, we are making real progress. But it is deeply hurtful to hear how people are treated by city employees, and how many have turned off to involvement in government.
Since April 11, 2005, we've attended government meetings, even in the face of threats by threatening officials who lack respect for the law. The 2014 election proves there are more of us (We the People) than there are of them (deluded lugubrious goobers).
Keep asking questions.
Demand answers.
It's our government.
We need City charter amendments, including one making permanent the 35 foot building height limit, already threatened by dandies and damned developers who don't appreciate the need for protecting "our village" (in the words of Henry Dean, former executive director of two Florida Water Management Districts, a lawyer who helped persuade St. Augustine Beach to put the measure on the 2014 ballot, with 2/3 of the voters supporting it).
What do y'all reckon?
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