MOSQUITO CONTROL MENDACITY: ONLY ONE LAW FIRM "IN RUNNING" TO BE MOSQUITO DISTRICT'S LAWYER! WONDER WHY?

More de facto sole procurement at our Mosquito Control District, eschewing antitrust law compliance and public policy, as with its stinky controversial December 2006 no-bid $1.8 million helicopter contract, which We, the People helped halt, reverse and get a full refund of our 10% deposit.  

Our Anastasia Mosquito Control District of St. Johns County needs a lawyer.  Its dysfunctional management used a flawed process to recruit one after its longtime lawyer retired from his firm.  

Appointed in January 2024, the District's current maladroit new BigLaw Pensacola lawyer charges us travel time and lodging. She withdrew her proposed contract renewal before she was terminated.  

In the wake of her backward-bending labor supply curve, the District took my suggestion and advertised in the Florida Bar Journal, but it published an ad that was just going through the motions -- de minimus if not de micromis.  Only one (1) Atlanta law firm remains under consideration.  Two firms applied, but one withdrew. It appears to me that the process is flawed. The District put the cart before the horse, asking Commissioners to give numerical ratings without interviews first.  This is a gross tragicomedy of errors.

When the District did proper Florida Bar Journal advertising and search in 2010, fifteen (15) firms applied.  The District hired Lewis, Longman & Walker partner Wayne Flowers, who represented the District until 2023.  Mr. Flowers retired form the firm and did not apply to be the District's lawyer again, though he still has other government clients.  Wonder why?  

Amidst fraud, waste, abuse, mismanagement, malfeasance, misfeasance and nonfeasance issues, including 36% cost overruns on mosquito museum, Mosquito Control went dodgy in 2024, when one law firm was hired and quit.  Now, only two (2) firms applied.  One has bailed out.  One firm is left in the "running." See below. 

Curiously, the two firms were rated by Mosquito Commissioners before any interviews.  Are you as furious as I am at this governmental organizations mismanagement, continuing, without end?

The process is being mishandled by Business Manager RICHARD WEAVER, the same man who in 2005 told the District that purchase of a $1.8 million no-bid contract was illegal, contrary to the District's December 9, 1992 purchasing policy and the Restatement of Contracts, 2d, Section 178 (Contact Violations of Public Policy).  Mr. WEAVER is not at work today and won't be available until Monday. 

Tonight is the AMCD meeting, at 5 pm.

Here's my first candidate for Memo of the Month:

Commissioners & Director,

 

FYI

 

Please see email below. Douglas Law Firm has withdrawn from the running to be our attorney. 

 

Richard Weaver

Anastasia Mosquito Control District

120 EOC Drive

St. Augustine FL 32092

All government correspondence is subject to the public records law

Direct line: 904-484-7333

Main line: 904-471-3107 ex 333

NEW EMAIL ADDRESS: rweaver@amcdfl.org

 

From: John Steinmetz <john@dhclawyers.com> 
Sent: Wednesday, December 11, 2024 12:02 PM
To: Richard Weaver <rweaver@amcdfl.org>
Cc: Jeremiah Blocker <jeremiah@dhclawyers.com>; Charlie Douglas <charlie@dhclawyers.com>
Subject: RFP for legal services

 

Dear Mr. Weaver, 

 

We would like to thank you and the Board of Anastasia Mosquito Control for their consideration of Douglas Law Firm for legal services. 

 

With a heavy heart and a great deal of gratitude to the Board for its understanding, Douglas Law Firm must withdraw its RFP for Board Attorney to Anastasia Mosquito Control due to unexpected circumstances. 

 

We apologize sincerely for any hardship this may cause, and we wish Ms. Hodges of Smith Gambrell & Russell, LLP the best of luck in her presentation to the Board on December 12, 2024. 

 

Sincerely, 

 

John Steinmetz

 

 

 

CONFIDENTIALITY NOTICE: The information and all attachments contained in this electronic communication are legally privileged and confidential information, subject to the attorney-client privilege and intended only for the use of intended recipients. If the reader of this message is not an intended recipient, you are hereby notified that any review, use, dissemination, distribution or copying of this communication is strictly prohibited. If you have received this communication in error, please notify us immediately of the error by return email and please permanently remove any copies of this message from your system and do not retain any copies, whether in electronic or physical form or otherwise.

 

TAX ADVICE DISCLOSURE: Pursuant to the requirements of Internal Revenue Service Circular 230, we advise you that any federal tax advice contained in this communication (including any attachments) is not intended or written to be used, and cannot be used, for the purpose of: (1) avoiding penalties that may be imposed under the Internal Revenue Code or (2) promoting, marketing or recommending to another party any transaction or matter addressed in this communication.

 

Virus-free.www.avg.com