Monday, March 02, 2015

Suggestion Boxes, St. Augustine and St. Johns County Style





During the 1970s, the office of Georgetown University School of Foreign Service Dean Peter F. Krogh had a suggestion box. There was no hole in it.

Tonight, there was a wonderful presentation to the Historic Architectural Review Board in the City of St. Augustine. Not enough seats, though there was ninety minutes within which to reconfigure the room after the Visioning Committee meeting. Little tiny pieces of paper on which to write suggestions.

And unfriendly HARB Vice Chair Paul Weaver rudely, cruelly and arbitrarily limited public comment to two minutes -- instead of the usual three. Is Weaver a developer thrall? City Attorney ISABELLE LOPEZ passed a note to WEAVER or a staffer during the meeting. I have asked for it.

Our City protection of history and nature needs reforming and we must have a St. Augustine National Historical Park and National Seashore.

Recently, HARB considered a matter involving developer DAVID BARTON CORNEAL, with only three of seven HARB members voting. Three recused himself because they were CORNEAL's hirelings. One seat was vacant because HARB Chair CLAUDE LEONARD WEEKS a/k/a "LEN WEEKS," ex-Mayor, destroyed an 211-year old historic building without permits and was fined for it and and had to resign.

Toothless tigers, be gone. Lugubrious goobers, be gone. PAUL WEAVER must apologize. I appreciate his support for the park and seashore. But don't ever cut off public comment again.

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