Friday, July 31, 2015

UNPRECEDENTED, UNETHICAL?: Commissioner TODD NEVILLE's spouse lobbying for DAVID BARTON CORNEAL's DOW MUSEUM OF HISTORIC HOMES


Carpenter House, which survived 70 years with its unique lean, did not survive the 2-1 vote of the St. Augustine Historic Architectural Review Board -- two members recused themselves because they are consultants paid by "developer" DAVID BARTON CORNEAL, who wants to put a Planned Unit Development and hotel for the wealthy in our last remaining primarily residential historic area, HP-1.

DAVID BARTON CORNEAL, of State College, Pennsylvania, patronizes neighbors.


VELO FEST COMMUNITY INITIATIVE PRESIDENT HEATHER NEVILLE and City of St. Augustine CITY COMMISSIONER TODD NEVILLE, C.P.A. (right) at a Flagler Health Care Foundation Gala
(Ex-Mayor JOSEPH LESTER BOLES, JR. was the officiant at the NEVILLES' wedding and arranged to put Ms. Neville on the Northeast Florida Transportation Planning Organization, or TPO: BOLES had secret meetings with DAVID BARTON CORNEAL for hours before the November 4, election: the deed for the DOW MUSEUM was recorded on November 5, 2015).


Commissioner TODD NEVILLE lunches weekly with DAVID BARTON CORNEAL's son, and is observed in public doing so, openly and notoriously.
TODD NEVILLE, C.P.A., (R-PROCTORVILLE) is under a legal duty to consider and vote on the DAVID BARTON CORNEAL DOW Planned Unit Development (DOW PUD) application in a quasi-judicial hearing on August 24, 2015.
Like a judge, NEVILLE must be impartial, without fear or favor: it's a quasi-judicial hearing for a reasons.
In the past, no sitting City Commissioner's spouse has lobbied for such a controversial construction project.
While spouses may have causes (like bicycling or quilting or history), they do not act as developer thralls and toadies and cat's paws and lobbyists.
Until now.
Commissioner TODD NEVILLE's wife, HEATHER NEVILLE, is carrying water for the DOW PUD and:
This stinks.

"HATERS?"  
What does HEATHER NEVILLE mean by that?
How can TODD NEVILLE possible be impartial when his wife, HEATHER NEVILLE, knowingly acts as a lobbyist for the DOW MUSEUM of HISTORIC HOMES PLANNED UNIT DEVELOPMENT, as controversial and half-haked a project ever to be foisted in St. Augustine by a dodgy developer?
TODD NEVILLE might wish to consider recusing himself as it is an appearance of impropriety for him to vote on a project on which his wife is confusing people with a Facebook campaign, using CORNEAL's false dichotomy (hotel vs. rentals), eschewing discussion of the overt and illegal acts of the DAYTONA MUSEUM OF ARTS and SCIENCES and GARY LIBBY in taking state funds ($2.1 million), taking Mr. DOW's donation, and then selling it all to a dodgy developer).
TODD NEVILLE, the "CYA CPA" who viciously and vigorously opposed 450th audits, may face state ethics charges over his wife's activities if he does not disclose his knowledge of them or recuse himself -- is she writing these sweet nothings from their home computer? Is he egging her on? Does he help her with grammar, spelling and punctuation? Is there "pillow talk" involved?
Update: HEATHER NEVILLE stated on her Facebook page that she now carries "Mace," and is angry that her Facebook comments were "revealed."
What do y'all reckon?
Here's HEATHER NEVILLE's Facebook posts from yesterday:

17 hrs ·
Heather Neville
So much discussion about vision for our community, it is sad to see so much hate (sic) and lack of vision (sic) as it pertains to the DOW. Want to talk about traffic, safety, and a nuisance to the beautiful historic residential area? Put in some rentals. How many complaints come into SAPD about B&Bs versus rentals? Lets multiply car loads by a factor of 3 per housing unit. It will destroy (sic) the roads, the coquina walls, and underground utilities exponentially (sic) if that type of car traffic starts with rentals. I dont know Mr. Corneal personally, i've heard he is quite the character, but so are most very successful (sic) individuals. The man lives about 2 blocks from this property, do you think he would do something to hurt himself? Different angle? How about if it's a B&B I will actually be able to visit it? What are we preserving all this history for exactly? And who is monitoring the standards of the homes in HP1, some of them look down right sad including a home that I looked into, it is literally melting into the ground and has a big ugly yard sign in it against this amazing project that has already, just with what renovations have been made, greatly improved the area. Please, if you can, email the commissioners, come in force on the 24th, support our commissioners who listen to all of the community and not the 15 who show up to every meeting and HATE everything. We need the commission to know we support this, we support our communities long term vision, and we support their decisions. This passed first reading thanks to 3 commissioners, let's be able to write a thank you letter to the other two because of overwhelming support! It is a good project.


Heather Neville Adam I don't disagree that downtown needs more rentals. I don't disagree that those other properties are beautiful. And I agree with having zoning. But this has been a commercial property for a long time, it has been sitting in terrible (sic) condition and outside (sic) the financial reach of anyone I know (sic) to help it. It's locked in as far as parking so it can't support parking like the other buildings and the sheer purchase price would make these extremely expensive rentals so it wouldn't help the rentals that we need just give places for expensive rents which would also bring more cars and safety issues. The property proposal has been well vetted (sic) thanks to the list of issues that were presented which is great but a huge (sic) number of rentals would be not good or safe (sic) and would damage those roads to the various properties. City average on occupancy is around 80% when doing well which leaves a much smaller foot print. You could see nearly 30 rentals between all those buildings and with potential for 90 cars I just don't see how that's a better solution for that property. I know I (sic) can't afford to fix it and keep it as a museum so there has to be some compromise.
1 · 14 hrs

Heather Neville Occupancy rate is on hotel stays not on long term rentals. The same people that are against this PUd also came out against a rental complex in Lincolnville that had parking and prices more appropriate for our market needs. And I overheard a few people discussing that "if it becomes apartments we will block that too." I don't understand this sheer hate and meanness. The people who live directly next to and across from this property are for it. The people whose family built it are for it. Thanks to the thorough review it will be a better project for all. I personally think it is a good project.
1 · 14 h








3 comments:

Anonymous said...

She is atrocious. Did anyone tell her that she was not elected? Time for her to butt out of city business, she isnt anyone here - a former Jax Beach Real Estate Sales Agent, slimy is as slimy does. She wouldnt even have Velofest if it werent for the direction and financial support of the clients of her husband, Odd Todd Neville. Something is definitely distasteful there.

Anonymous said...

Exact;y - she has no business representing St Augustine at the TPO - she has nothing to offer them, no education, no experience - only a political crony appointment. Nancy Sikes Kline did her job for Boles, to who shes indebted for life apparently.

Heather Neville should be removed from the TPO - she does not represent us, the voters of St Augustine. She's a one-trick pony, self indulgent, self promoting to absurd levels.

What has she brought us? bicycle racks paid for by Todd Neville's client list. What else? nothing. Zero.
She tried to bring races into downtown, without regard for all the businesses in closing off accessible streets for a full day to allow her race to occur. The merchants of the city really handed her her hat then, so why is she still bothering us like a gnat who wont go away?

Heather doesnt get it, likely never will get it. She's just not that bright, the poor dear.

Ed Slavin said...

Do they remind anyone of the Clintons?