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November 12th, 2007
1. After the Russian Revolution Vladimir Lenin was asked by his subordinates what to do with the Czar's secret police that had terrorized the population and were brutal to the emerging communist movement. “Hire them,” he said. “They are very good at what they do, and do not care who they work for.” Trust us, it is well documented. Under the circumstances, we think that if the new City Commission majority gives it a thought they will retain the City Attorney, Mr. Gummey. He does not torture people or do nasty physical things, but he is eminently practiced in spending our money to defend anything they choose to do and within legal limits and will represent them well. Of course you pay dearly for this kind of service, but if you are bent on stopping beach construction and do not care how much taxpayer money you waste to achieve your goal, you do not want to get rid of a lawyer like him.
2. Which brings to mind the allegory of pig in the barn yard with a wooden leg? The farmer was asked by a visitor how he got the wooden leg changed the subject and told how the pig had warned them about a fire in the house, summoned help when he was pinned under a tractor, and stopped his five year old kid from starting the combine. When the visitor persisted in asking about the wooden leg, the farmer said “You wouldn't want to eat a pig like that all at once!” Sort of reminds you of how the City Commission might be approaching its finance department. Reduce its staff so that it can not do a proper job of monitoring how the City spends its money. Most organizations augment that function in bad times, but we cut its personnel--i.e. to give it a wooden leg.
W-2S REVISITED
The W-2's published over the last few weeks are again presented this week as an EXCEL file so that you can manipulate the data as you wish. Additionally, we provide a number of analyses regarding pay and benefits. We have added charts in columns showing each employee and the percentage of increase that includes the benefit package for each employee. NEW LINK
PLATITUDES AND PABULUM, WILL THEY ADDRESS THEM?
ISSUES FOR OUR ELECTED OFFICIALS
(FIRST PUBLISHED JULY 16, 2006, Revised)
No more beauty contests for electing our Mayor and Commissioners. That was the position of the Shadow last July and the Shadow was disappointed that this election was no different than those in the past--platitudes and pabulum for the masses. We were disappointed that the only candidate willing to talk about issues was the newby, Thomas C. Kelly, and not only did the local newspapers do him in, but he was not impressive in his first outing and did poorly in the first so-called debate. So much for a campaign on the issues. No other candidate took a public position on any of the issues, and all of their public statements were couched in generalities, such as how they were going to listen to the public and do what was right. Claiming that the incumbent had real estate deals that they thought were inside jobs is not corruption, and is usually reserved for stealing hundreds of millions of dollars in the manner of Boss Tweed (Tammany Hall).
The time has arrived for a serious discussion of how we are going to fix the problems now facing the City, and how we are going to restructure the spending machine so that employee compensation is fair and not excessive, that pensions are reasonable for the services rendered, that construction and maintenance costs for facilities we want, like the sports arena and the municipal golf course, are consistent with what citizens believe are reasonable subsidies and within the limits of our budgets. The biggest problems are transparency, as well as the willingness to reexamine decisions when new facts are presented that call for revisiting issues--like the needless new fire house and the tortured path of the decision on just fixing the Pavilion at the Beach at Flagler.
We have a crisis in spending because of bad planning, when decisions were made over the last five years to spend the windfall from increases in property values rather than only spend increases that flowed from the increases assessed on homestead properties. If they had limited expenditures to only a three percent factor over inflation for non homestead as well as homestead, we would not be in the current fiscal conundrum. Over five years the City spent 35% more than inflation with an adjustment for growth. It also over built the Sports Complex and threw away, it seems, $3.5 million on the golf course.
1. Budget and Spending:
The Commission should adopt Governor Crist's planned reduction in spending. Namely, the level of expenditures in 2001, increased by inflation and a factor to account for population growth. This formula yields a conclusion that the City of New Smyrna Beach has spent more almost 35% more than it should have, mostly for salary and pension increases for employees and for programs like the sports complex and the “loan” to the municipal golf course. It is long past the time when our elected officials should brag about not reducing wages for City employees or eliminating City jobs. The reductions this year of 10% on the millage rate went part way toward governor Crist's objective, but instead of funding all of it from spending cuts, they used reserves, taxes paid in the past. Before they do that again they should have an independent study as to whether the reserves can or should have been reduced. Those reserves are there for an emergency and we live in a pyroclastic and hurricane prone environment. We suggest more spending cuts are more appropriate than using the reserves.
2. Taxes:
The millage rate should be cut back commensurate with meaningful cut backs in spending. We already know that the rise for homestead is 2.1% in the property tax. Bert Fish raised its millage rate (see Note today). The City and County listened to your protests, but the current mandated cuts of 10% and in the City's millage rate has not required the City to do more than switch to eating diet food for a few months.
3. Capitol Expenditures
There should be a moratorium on construction of the needless fire station and the over the top design on the police station. With budget and spending cuts, these buildings represent an annual cost of over $1 million dollars in service costs on the bonds for over 30 years. With the sports complex running large annual deficits, and the unlikelihood of the municipal golf course going off the dole, construction of these buildings makes no sense at this time. Yes, the referendum to build them was passed, but the fire department map showing no increase in response time from the current station on Columbus avenue was never presented even to City management before the Shadow demanded it, and there was no discussion of how little it would cost ($25,000 if the private sector did it, at least double that if government does, but still a bargin) to refurbish that station. They can balance the budget and cut the millage rate almost in half this year by not building it.
4 The Utilities Commissioners
The next big issue is what has happened to our Utilities Commission. This administration has the opportunity to fix what they broke. The Shadow looks at the current Utilities Commissioners as a wrecking crew, whether deliberate as some believe or merely incompetent. Recently we find that at the same time they have turned the place from one of the best and most efficiently run municipal utilities into one with almost the highest rates in the State, they have been adding employees at an alarming rate, while reducing services. Astonishing! What is more astonishing is that the Chairman, Richard Spangler, is the hubby of the Mayor-elect.
5. Growth was and is the Non-Issue, unless you really voted for going back to a 1950's sleepy fishing village with no condominiums on what is left of the beach. If so, you should be careful of what you wish for.
A. The Beach:
Growth was not a real issue in this election. We made decisions a half a century ago and now we must live with the results. Some believe they were ill advised. Others want to protect the existing flow of water through the inlet for surfers, some find that beach renourishment as expensive and unnecessary, and others, mostly beach front owners, see it as not only protection for their property and its value but a necessary part of what makes New Smyrna Beach the gem of Volusia County. The effort to limit reconstruction of existing facilities is an issue that will likely be played out in court, and limitations on density, will likely be played out there as well.
B. Sub Divisions:
We have cast the die by annexing lands West of I-95 and changed the growth equation for the City forever. Venetian Bay is where we crossed the River Rubicon. Talk all you want, but we exact large development costs for infrastructure improvements in these sub divisions, and we tax them while providing almost no services for the next 20 years. It is like dope to the City, addictive and debilitating at the same time. It is unlikely that any road in Venetian Bay will need repair for the next 20 years, but the owners out there will cross subsidize road repairs for the rest of the City. Folks that is one of the reasons for growth. There will be more commercial centers, and the current plan for seven traffic lights between I-95 and Mission, on SR 44 will make it look like Lake Mary Avenue in Sanford. This growth will ebb and flow according to many factors that we can control, but we can adjust the level and the timing through demands like adequacy of roads and availability of schools,
NOTES
1. The Shadow has one objective when it comes to an election. Make the candidates discuss and debate the issues. We believe this would ensure an informed electorate who will vote on issues affecting their quality of life, rather than who seems to be the nicest person. There is no question that the Shadow's objective was not achieved for our most recent election. The North Peninsula Neighborhood Association has run beauty contest campaigns for the last four elections. Mr. Vandergrift’s real estate became the focus of a corruption charge, but the challenger’s real estate deals were more voluminous. Whether they were any more or less questionable should not have been the issue. The point is that the real issues that should matter big time to the community is the need to lower property taxes and reduce spending. Whether the Mayor or the Mayor-elect is sleazier than the other was not the issue. Of the 18% millage rate, the City’s take is only 3.1 mills, but given its other indirect revenue streams, it could cut expenditures to totally eliminate its portion of the property tax altogether. That would be $310 per $100,000 of taxes currently collected. Now that would be a real savings for a lot of folks. That was the issue and was never discussed.
2. Bert Fish Hospital raised its millage rate this year and gave $550,000 to the Community Redevelopment Agency. Last year it gave more than $450,000 if we remember correctly. We believe this money is to build a parking garage on the southeast corner of Live Oak and Lytle streets, and that the county will pony up a like amount to pay for this hospital addition. You will be paying for this little piece of business and we bet you were never asked if Bert Fish should build a garage with your money. Nor do we recall the City discussing whether this should be done. Keep asking yourself why? We published a couple of articles on these strange arrangements as to how only nine hospitals in the state of Florid had this authority to tax. The remainder of publically funded hospitals do not, and the Shadow believe this authority should be revoked. In a time of high property taxes, a revolt of the taxpayers, and a project whose justification is highly questionable you would think they could figure out that it was not a good year to raise the millage rate.
“Best Blog of the Week”
(Edited for grammar and punctuation)
A POTPOURRI OF CITIZEN COMMENTS IS
AGAIN PROVIDED THIS WEEK IN ORDER
FOR YOU TO GET IN TUNE WITH THE
MOOD OF OUR READERS
* To Sally: Remember you cannot serve to masters, Citizens first, That was the undoing of Jim Vandergrifft. In politics Remember complacency kills the election. You can rest on your laurels, and they will be placed on your casket. No matter what road you take in life, if you stand still you will get run over. Best wishes and Please Don't Let US Down.
* Walter Glenn I supported and voted for Jim Vandergrifft. Sally Mackay won! We should all get behind her now and help her be a Great Mayor. We have a GREAT Town; let’s help her to make it better. We need to come together and help our town and its people.
* lynn kingery MacKay's "Keep The Charm" mean-do whatever feels good-no code enforcements, no improvements, idolize disgusting buildings, instead of redevelopment, turtle power, grass up to our buns. If her personal looks have anything to do with "Keep the Charm" we are in trouble. She is the messiest human being, downright dirty looking (and hateful looking). By the way, Ms. MacKay- McKay is not McKi. Perhaps you felt the change in pronunciation would make it seem classier. MCKAY, maam'-come on and practice with me...... Also, regarding your British accent-not impressed not impressed at all. Your British credentials sound sophomoric, not even at par with vocational schools. We are not impressed with your self touted intellect, either. Give New Smyrnians credit, we aren't that dumb.
Email: mattchris@yahoo.com
* Lesley Heiser remarked, "Victory is sweet for the many of us who like and respect Sally (Mackay Spangler) and who appreciate her tremendous commitment to and effort on behalf of (her closest friends) in NSB. Best wishes to all. Sincerely, Lesley Heiser Sally MacKay’s loving daughter P. S. Sally kept her first married name so she would have the same name as her three kids. We really appreciated it. " SOOOOOO my question is, does Sally M. S. have a reputation for failure? She served on the P&Z for years did she not? Did she ever do anything that was a benefit to the general public? You say she kept her married name cause......You mean the same way you did, right Lesley Heiser Mackay Spangler... NOW I AM JUST SOOO CONFUSED... Does not look that way by the way you signed your name. Why is that? Guess your new hubby wouldn't have it right? Cause no self respecting man will marry and not have his wife take his surname. That's just not the American way....And if you’re all married and gone, then why did Sally not take the Spangler surname if you’re all grown up and so special? Is Sally the only one left to date that carries the Mackay Surname? Sounds like lies and manipulation. Everyone is going to be watching her and she is only going to get one chance, Better think twice is my only advice.
* Gay Kone I think your website is great and gets right to the heart of things...I wish we had one for the City Of Edgewater...My Hubby works for the UC NSB so I like to keep up with what goes on...Keep up the good work!!! From: Edgewater Web Site: My Space Email: tallsbrat@cfl.rr.com
* The Fire Union's Contract is going to be Sally's first test.....if she is perceived to be caving-in to the Union, its going to all downhill from there........Ann I'll write it all again; if she can't control the City's Unions, she can't control the City's Budget; therefore she has no control over TAXES! Lets face it; the Fire and Police Departments Budgets represent the vast majority of the City's Budget.......and over 80 percent of their budgets are salary related...meaning salary, medical benefits and PENSIONS! Email: where are you going to cut Sally?
* I think this defeat is a BLESSING IN DISGUISE for Mayor Vandergrift, all these spending items, such as Fire and Police salaries, and pension plan costs, are now no longer his problem- they are Sally's..........and Mr. and Mrs. Richenberg's.......Mayor Vandergrift: LET THEM FIGURE IT OUT FOR THEMSELVES...........( TAKE A BREAK!) It won't be too long before the people of this City will be banging on their doors, carrying pitch forks and torches.........to pay for all this......
* whaddaya mean, honeymoon for the Mayor. The walls are vibrating at City Hall from her screeching at Hagood and Gummey. Worse than cats in heat. Won't be long now...
DEAR SALLY
We know that Mayor-Elect Sally MacKay-Spangler must be inundated with transition issues, and does not have the time to deal with many of the challenges facing her. Therefore, we have decided to help by providing her with draft letters that propose solutions to serious issues facing the City and her administration. We believe this will allow her to concentrate on satisfying her campaign promise to engage all elements of the community in consensus building to plan what could be done if the City Commission decides to take action on any of the real issues facing the City.
James Dinneen
County Manager
County of Volusia
Thomas C. Kelly
Administration Center
123 W. Indiana Ave
RE: Bert Fish Hospital Funding
Dear Mr. Dinneen:
As the Mayor-elect, I am terribly concerned that you will provide matching funds to the Community Redevelopment Agency in this City for the construction of an unnecessary parking garage for Bert Fish Hospital. The hospital raised its millage rate this year to generate over $550,000 which it provided to us for that purpose, although allegedly it is in our discretion as to how we spend it. Moreover, as you probably know, this is an appointed hospital board with taxing authority and it does not appear to care that the citizens are in an uproar about high property taxes. For the County to match these funds which should not have been wrenched from our citizens in the first place, to build a structure that does not conform to our view of what should be built in this City, would be a serious blow to our “Save the Charm” concept.
Several citizens have suggested that the historic building across from the hospital on Lytle Avenue, that is owned by Bert Fish, or other buildings in disrepair, would be a better investment for those 1.1 million dollars. I would appreciate your assistance in convincing the hospital to support our alternative plan. The City Commission will direct the CRA to divert these funds from the hospital parking lot project to that purpose.
Thanking you in advance for your support,
Sally MacKay-Spangler, Mayor-elect
City of New Smyrna Beach
210 Sams Avenue
New Smyrna Beach, Florida 32168
FIRE DEPARTMENT STAFFING
We requested an answer to the article we printed on November 7, 2007 about fire department staffing and did not expect a response. The material we published that is the subject of the posting in the blog read:
“The usual argument for more personnel on a shift is that it is better service. The holy grail of the fire departments is four per shift, but so far this has not been implemented except possibly at some stations in large cities with older housing stock and where there may be many structural fires on any given shift. Think of New York Chicago, Boston, etc. But we had only eighteen calls all year in 2006, and that works out to a little over one per station every 3 months. OK, you do not need three firemen for a risk factor that low. The fire trucks sent from stations other than the first responder add the additional manpower and they arrive within minutes of the first responder in an urban area.”
This is the response:
RE: Fire Dept Staffing Wednesday, 11/7/07, 1:17 PM
Not debating the ENTIRE article.... just a few tidbits of mis-information. -- Four firefighters per engine is the minimum recommendation by the National Fire Protection Agency, not the "holy grail". NYFD and other departments with similar type buildings run 6 men on an engine. Newer cities such as Orlando and Tampa, Miami, and parts of Orange county run 4 men, but also have a lot more apparatus per square mile.--- As far as the "18 calls" all year fact... that doesn't include all the other events that require a lot of man-power. (Car accidents, possible or real Haz-Mat incidents, Small fires that didn't turn into "structure fires" because they had enough personnel to extinguish it quickly, mutual aid to other cities, serious medical calls) A patient in "critical" condition takes at least 4 personnel to properly treat him/her initially, trust me I've been there, done that. 3 men per engine should be the "minimum standard" to provide the level of services that the public has come to expect. If you go out to rural Georgia the public doesn't expect to call 911 and get "full service", but the older (and younger) population in central FL expects to get top-of-the-line Advanced Life Support and quick trip to the hospital for medical calls, and a full compliment of firefighters if their house is on fire. That is why the voters supported the bond for new fire stations. The Shadow clearly doesn't speak the voice of the majority and continues to try to persuade them with half-truths. ---
From: Daytona
Email: Speaking up for my brothers in NSB.
We thank the respondent for his input; however, we stand by our original statement. The so called “standard” is what the fire departments have stated should be used and they control the organization that sets the “standard”. Calling it the Holy Grail of the fire departments is appropriate because that is exactly what they press for in every jurisdiction. Secondly, the Shadow specifically stated that a large City such as New York with miles of 14 story buildings and even more miles of three and four story brownstones need more personnel a shift. But a rural area or a city with essentially 99% of its buildings less than 35 feet does not. We have not seen any building near us North of Orlando, and certainly not until they put up the condo in Port Orange North of Dunlawton, that would remotely be called a tall building.. We made the logical argument that the third fireman is superfluous and that any manpower needs at a site are easily met by the arrival of additional equipment which appears to be automatically dispatched.
The thrust of the Shadow article is that we are not a big city, and the staffing level of our local fire departments should not reflect what is necessary in a big City. Nothing in the response above in any way refutes that conclusion. Drive down to Orlando and you will see buildings of great height and concentration of buildings that warrant possibly greater staffing levels. Then drive around our fair town and compare the two.
We welcome all of you new readers brought to us by
the Hometown News attack on the Shadow !
FROM TIME TO TIME WE MAY USE LANGUAGE THAT IS NOT FAMILIAR TO YOU. IF SO, PLEASE VISIT THE FOLLOWING WEB SITE to OBTAIN THE MEANING OF THIS LANGUAGE. http://www.m-w.com/dictionary
THE SHADOW KNOWS, AND SO SHOULD YOU!
NSB Municipal Golf
By W.C. Denmark
I recently penned an article for Island Voice magazine that was so well read I received hate mail. That is a smashing success by any editorial standard. The Shadow posted the story and asked me to do another.
As you read, know in advance that I am a fiscal conservative and think government in any business is a bad idea. If you apply real world data, 99% of the time I will be correct. If you like the style or the content grab Island Voice and check out my latest article on the NSB City Marina.
I own a marketing company and have lived here for over twenty years. I have worked for four or five golf courses, and have actual hands on experience in the field. I will not subject you to wild speculation or false promises.
In my opinion, false promises are what keep the city municipal golf course alive. No that’s not right; your tax money is life support for this operation. Your money goes is spent even if you like me, don’t and won’t ever golf there. How much money you ask?
New Smyrna Beach recently spent 3.3 million tax dollars renovating their municipal golf course. Why are we literally forced to support 688 members of an unsuccessful golf course? I will bet you dinner we never get our money back.
Nationwide, golf rounds are flat. In areas like ours where new courses are being built individual course rounds are declining. Nine holes are open at Venetian Bay; soon they will open the other nine. Another slice of the golf pie is gone. This is a delicious choice for players but a rotten apple for the rest of us.
Golf course management can not force more people to play. If you hear this as part of their spiel understand they lie. If generating more rounds was that easy every golf course owner in the world would be a billionaire. In season they will do nearly 300 rounds before daylight runs out. In summer they might do 60 to 75 rounds a day because every fairway is a sweltering inferno. If they lower prices it will only increase wear not cash.
If you or I would invest three million three hundred thousand dollars in an existing business, we would expect it to increase in value and provide a higher return. Appraisers would consider property sold recently, replacement cost and most importantly income. Income multiplied out by ten years will be the single most important factor in setting a sale price for our investment. Since renovation there have been no increase in rounds played. No increase in rounds means zero increase in value. In fact the News Journal reported play dropped down so low our city had to kick in an additional $249,000 this year. We just threw 3.549 million dollars of our tax money down the drain by any investment standard. Those 688 members and city golf course employees must vote early and often. How about you?
While tax dollars fund the muni-favored 688’s hobby and prop up values of a few homes, other golf courses are held hostage. Taxpayers, property owners, and employees are forced into competition with their own money. Turnbull Bay Golf Course, Hidden Lakes, Sugar Mill Country Club, and Venetian Bay course are subsidizing their own competition. This happens only because the city fathers are permitted to redistribute our money to a few favored citizens.
Our golf course and marina do not pay property taxes. A property like this in the private sector pays about $30,000 a year in tax. Go ahead; tack that on to our government managed business losses.
Tell the commissioners to sell. City projects for small groups or special friends should not be happening. No doubt my detractors will scream bloody murder. Ask yourself this. Has anything the city ever done reduced your taxes or total annual payments. The key word is total it prevents city bean counters from fooling us.
Another course is slated for construction out on SR 44 in the next few years, as well as another one in Edgewater. What seems to be a small slice of golfing pie is really a reduction in your own disposable income. Lets get out of this before the NSB municipal golf course becomes another famous Florida sink hole. Remember it’s your wallet they’ll use for fill.
Tell the city to let entrepreneurs take care of business. Stop spending our taxes for other people’s hobbies.
MANDATE?
We do not know what the electorate told us in the last election. The North Peninsula Neighborhood Association would have you believe that they were given a mandate to go forward with their plans to limit beach development and set up historical districts that will dictate the color you can paint your house. Nor do we think that they intend to reform the pay, pensions or management of the fire and police departments. But analysis of the vote could tell a far different story. First, if you recall two years ago this group and both the fire and police department supported Mayor Vandergrifft. If you further recall Ken Taylor garnered about 1500 votes. He did not run on any of the issues that appeal to MacKay’s followers. These votes were more likely than not as much anti-mayor as pro Taylor. Subtracting these votes from the union and eco-centered votes that seem to energize the Mackay machine shows that she would have lost the election if she depended only upon their voting strength. Our analysis shows that they generated only about 480 votes for Mercy, and 680 votes for Mackay. Then consider that only 3700 voted out of the 13,000, 28%, who could have voted. You be the judge!
DEATH & TAXES NEW SMYRNA STYLE
(Can you even spell COMPREHENSIVE PLAN!)
By A Concerned Citizen
Stephen P. Sather
The reason a city is required to file a comprehensive plan with the Department of Community Affairs in Tallahassee is so that the state can look at the big picture of growth as cities and counties throughout the state move forward with their individual plans. Through this method, there is state oversight to make sure that the planning and growth in one area is compatible with the planning and growth of other municipalities and counties.
The City of New Smyrna Beach has a comprehensive plan that has been in place for about 10 years and is approved by DCA. We should follow it. It is what the state uses when making decisions affecting the county and surrounding communities.
Our Land Development Regulations and zoning should mirror our Comprehensive Plan and be done with it. We could do it in 90 days or less and begin enjoying the end of the political manipulation and bickering, all at a much lower cost to the citizens and taxpayers. With a much better economic and environmental picture for the community as a whole. We need sacrifice nothing to this end. The environmental regulations in place at this point will more than direct the preservation we really want and need. Moreover. there will be more jobs, better transportation, funding for beautification, and a tax base that will mitigate the tax burden for the average citizen....now.......not later after we're gone, and on behalf of those that will inherit this most wonderful city and the cost of maintaining it.
What we have is a group that has made an organized attempt to limit our growth as set forth in our Comprehensive Plan, and thereby our economic base, in a way that will see most of them and us, to our graves with little or no change to our quality of life. It sounds charming. However, it is an accident waiting to happen, an economic train wreck, so to speak. Not only that, but also what many fail to see is that we are paying for that approach today ad infinitum. We need to take the Comprehensive Plan and work backward. Not change our zoning and move forward. Other communities taking that approach are developing in an orderly fashion and at an accelerated, but well planned pace. The fruits of that labor are breathing sustainable economic life into those communities.
Talk about limiting government waste, how about legal fees for defending the city against law suits by citizens, investors and developers whose property rights and/or values have been impacted by recent decisions made by city and staff at the urging of special interest groups. Time and money, all for naught and out the window. State law requires a Comprehensive Plan and determines its viability in conjunction with the Comprehensive Plan set forth for the state as a whole. They cover all the bases. What a folly to spend all that time and money to develop a plan, have the state review and approve it, again at taxpayer expense, and then not adhere to it. What we need to do is to make our Zoning, Future Land Use, and Land Development Regulations conform in lock step with our Comprehensive Plan. All we need to do is draw the maps and redefine the existing LDR in accordance with the Comprehensive Plan we already have in place. This ends the mystery of what can be developed where and to what standards. Instead of special interest groups politically manipulating the development process to suit their own designs, thereby stagnating our economic picture both long and short term, as well as spending time and money on questions already answered and decisions already made. To encourage whatever investment in our community we prefer to have, we can and must provide to the potential investor a clear and easily definable vision that they can be sure will be in place long enough to make their commitment worth while.
The tax crises we all live with here in Florida area daily concern to most. Reducing the cost of government mismanagement & waste is a subject of concern to all and the focus well-meaning citizens. However, there is a much quicker fix at our doorstep. If the commercial components set down in our Comprehensive Plan were to be developed in fairly short order, the economic boost would provide both resources and relief for our tax base. It is urgent and quite necessary that we address this issue.
Florida has five primary economic resources: Maritime, Agriculture, Tourism & Growth. Maritime’s economic impact is well documented. Agriculture and its related industries quite obviously impact a very large part of our state. Tourism’s economic impact is concentrated in large part at its points of use. Last but far from least, Growth, which affects our citizens in every nook and cranny. It is the primary source of employment and income for a large and diverse segment in every community.
Moreover, it is at the hands of a small but potent cabal (with the cooperation of certain City Commissioners, Staff and Board members) that we find our future not only mortgaged, but stifled. Do these people only care about what we do in THEIR lifetimes? Maybe so!
Statewide referendums and decisions made in the legislature are all fine. This is something we can do for ourselves...HERE and NOW. Think hard; speak out to those we entrust with the future. We can control our economic destiny and the charm all at once, and in harmony with the needs of today and tomorrow, and we can do it now. "Time waits for no man". They say the only certainties in life are "death and taxes" but its how we get there that makes all the difference.
911-RCC EQUIPMENT,
STATE OF THE ART?
We have always wondered about the argument advanced by the Director of this mismanaged and terribly over priced 911 service that his organization had more advanced equipment than the Volusia County Sheriff’s office. Therefore, he posited, that its owners the Cities of Edgewater, New Smyrna Beach, and Port Orange, should not consider signing on for the Sheriff’s service, even though it was cheaper and more efficient. We have actually toyed with the thought that the City Manager of Port Orange is perpetuating a half million dollar cash cow for Port Orange by overcharging Edgewater and New Smyrna Beach, and that our elected officials go along with it because our fire and police departments are scared stiff that the County will be able to audit their ginned up statistics. We are not 33% sicker than our neighbors, but these inflated figures suggest the need for more fire department personnel. There is clearly a question as to the number of calls registered for our police department, as against the small number of reports written.
Mr. Bubb specifically stated at a budget meeting that the RCC equipment is newer and the County equipment is older, implying it is not as good. Nonsense is the most polite word we can use. We think since latching on to this statement is the major “reason” for continuing to spend between $300,000 and $400,000 more for this service, while scrounging for ways to save money and not adversely affect City employees. You would think that just like the average employee would want to mothball all of those SUVs; they would also like to save money on the waste represented by the RCC to protect their salaries this year.
So, we asked for pictures and specifications of the equipment used across the County and for the specifications of this 911-RCC equipment. We did not get the specifications, but were told that the equipment used by all services in the County is identical, and that the equipment used by the 911-RCC service was actually installed three months earlier than the rest of the new equipment. Computer software might be different but that is easily upgraded and is done frequently. All of it is purchased with funds from telephone and cell phone taxes. Look at your utility bill break down. Why do you want to give Port Orange more money for its employees when you can save the money for New Smyrna Beach employees if you want to give them another unjustified raise? Think of how much more money Liz and John need just to keep their heads above water. Flop-flip Jack did and he would probably want to do it next year, since he feels beholden to the North Beach Gang. Why not consolidate the 911-RCC service with that of the County. There is a direct correlation between what you save and what you can afford to spend. Saving $300,000 or $400,000 dollars from a $20,000,000 dollar budget by getting rid of a mismanaged business is a good start.
