Burkhardt Family Demands Free Parking for Old St. Augustine Beach City Hall Dance "Business"

"You won't get the government off your back until you get your hands out of its pockets." 
--  Retired U.S. Senator Gary W. Hart (D-Colorado).



PAID PARKING DISCRIMINATION IN ST. AUGUSTINE BEACH, FLORI-DUH: BRUCE MAX ROYLE, the other-directed City Manager of the City of St. Augustine Beach, wants to start charging for 300 City-owned parking spaces, but NOT for the Burkhardt beer-distributing family and its "non-profit," its "place of business," the Dance Studio at the Old City Hall at the St. Augustine Beach pier park. Charging for parking is untenable if it is twisted to collect money from only some residents, but not affecting the 1%. Democracy is not a spectator sport. Ask questions, demand answers, expect democracy. Come listen, learn and speak out at St. Augustine Beach Commission special meeting, Monday, December 17, 2018 at 5 PM.


JFK said, "Ask not what your country can do for you, but ask what you can do for your country."

That does not apply to rich guys, who want it all.

The process of implementing pay-to-park-rules with a smartphone app in St. Augustine Beach includes a number of misguided decisions being made by City of St. Augustine Beach staff.

Commissioners: wake up.

One of those decisions gives free parking to the family of the Burkhardt beer distributorship, who  operate a "non-profit" dance studio in the former St. Augustine Beach City Hall.

Rather than pay what others are paying, the Burkhardts are asking for a legal loophole. As Stephanie Burkhardt wrote St. Augustine Beach City Manager BRUCE MAX ROYLE: "We do have 350 dancers currently enrolled and 16 employees currently serving at our place of business, so it will be a huge deal for us. I greatly appreciate you thinking through the logistics of how these St. Augustine Beach locals will be able to continue their children's after school activities without financially burdening them and keeping the flow of traffic consistent."

Never thought I would see the day when the politically-connected Dance Company chintzed on paying for parking, when others will pay.

What a travesty.

As Bill Clinton said in his Second Inaugural, "Nothing great was ever accomplished by being small."

Pay for your parking, dammit.

St. Augustine Beach City Commission meets Monday, December 17, 2018 at 5 pm.

Full backup materials here:  http://www.staugbch.com/sites/default/files/fileattachments/city_commission/meeting/packets/40011/commission_book_12-17-2018.pdf

Here's the paperwork on the Burkhardt's demand for free parking on behalf of themselves and their dance customers:

Max Royle

From: Sent: To:Cc:Subject:
Stephanie,

Max Royle
Friday, November 30,2018 3:38 PM'The Dance Company'
Comm GeorgeRE: SAB Proposed Paid Parkíng

Correct. The areas of concern aren't the pier parking lot and County streets, such as Pope Road. The County may decideat some time in the future to require paid parking for the pier parking lot and itiroads.The City's proposed pay-by-phone plan will apply only to City-owned parking areas and the rights-of-way of City-ownedstreets. However, the Commission has decided to exclude from the plan the 12 parking spaces that are on city property west of the former city hall and along the alley between the former city hall and the former garage. The reason is that
. these spaces are shared with The Dance Company and the Art Studio Group.Max
From: The Dance Company  Sent: Friday, November 30, 2018 2:23 PMTo: Max Royle 
Subject: Re: SAB Proposed Paid Parking
Thank you for replying, Max. So the areas of concern are not the Pier parking lot at this time? I was under theimptession that was why we were notifi.ed, but it is it the other, now free, SAB parking spaces that the letter wastefetdng to? It didn't speci$r area so I assumed it included pier.
Stephanie
The Dance Company370 A1A Beach Blvd.St. Augustine, FL 32080 904-471-4946
On Friday, November 30, 2018, 1:58:10 PM EST, Max Royle  wrote:
Ms. Burkhardt,

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ln reply to your recent email: The 12 parking spaces west of the former city hall are considered shared parking spacesand the City doesn't intend to designate them for paid parking. However, as these are public spaces, the City can'tdesignate them for a particular group. What will happen is what has been the case for years: persons going to the ArtStudio or to the city hall for purposes related to The Dance Company's events can park at any one of the 12 spaces that'sunoccupied.
What you may want to keep in mind is that the County may eventual designate the pier parking lot for paid parking andthat may affect events that The Dance Company puts on. I can't say when the County will decide about the paid parking.
Max
From: The Dance Company 
Sent: Friday, November 30, 2018 1:24 PMTo: Max Royle 
Subject: Fw: SAB Proposed Paid Parking
I typed your emailwrong when I originally sent this! Please see below---- Fonuarded Message ---From: The Dance Company 
. To: mrovle@cityofsab.ord ; comuqeorqe(@cityofsab.orq Sent: Friday, November30,2018, 1.21:03 PM ESTSubject: SAB Proposed Paid Parking
Hello,
Thank you for your letter, Mayor George, regarding the upcoming meeting addressing the new pa¡dparking system.
I'm trying to understand how it will be set up- will there be a local/residential option? I know that someof the details have yet to be discussed and I'm working on getting someone to sub my classes so Ican attend the meeting, but wanted to gather as much information as possible beforehand.

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