November 30th, 2009
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1.DEFINITIONS AND PLATFORMS
The Shadow has been unable to find a definition of economic development that includes putting no income producing parasites on $15, OOO, OOO to $2O, OOO, OOO of prime property.
The Chamber of Commerce platform invariably stands for not spending money frivolously, such as on the Marine Discovery Center kayaks, $9, OOO plastic Christmas trees, and supporting encumbering prime real estate by losers who sponge money to run businesses that are failures in competition with real businesses that pay taxes.
2. VALLEJO AND BANKRUPTCY
The Bankruptcy Judge in Vallejo gave the parties until January 1 to settle the case. The IBEW did not settle and went to impasse. The Shadow bets that the City will figure out how to get a hearing in less than four months. That is what NSB set up before throwing in the towel to the fire department union last year.
“Best Blogs 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
I M Sad
Mosquito Lagoon Marine Enhancement Center project got $13OK of our City tax payments - all commissioners voted for it, even though it is an unbudgeted expenditure. Now Vo. County will donate another $1OOK of your money via ECHO.
State has no money for the project, Fed has no money for the project, but Volusia Co. (one of the poorest counties in FL) and NSB (a town with no jobs who dipped into reserves) have a spare $23OK to give to the Wildlife Foundation of Florida (a private not-for-profit corporation) to further the dream of a marine science law enforcement center for the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (State Government Agency who is the (somewhat disinterested) lessee of the site (and who has no money to maintain the site) , a dream that may or may not come to reality.
Double digit unemployment, inflation on the horizon, Shuttle program coming to a close, massive unemployment expected in the area...AND NSB has $13OK to give away on a site owned by the State with no written agreements or plans on how your money will be used. Right now only NSB has put up any money, Right now only NSB has dollars at risk.
I am sad. I expected better. We have huge financial crisis looming and our elected are giving our tax money away on a poorly defined idealogic "project" with little documentation. How can our elected give so much money away with so little documentation? How can our City attorney put forth a resolution with no stipulations guarding the use of the money or defining tangible returns to the City? We put more effort into buying a new digital camera.
11/27/2009, 12:46 pm
citizen
I voted for Judy but so far I am sorry I did. Her 'classy project' comments as well as her verbal dismissal of Hathaway's comments have left me thinking she's a bit empty in the head.
You only get one chance to make a first impression and she blew it for me. Her's seems to be a case of higher education not necessarily meaning smart. Try to do better Judy. This isn't a rehearsal.
11/27/2009, 12:46 pm
citizen
I voted for Judy but so far I am sorry I did. Her 'classy project' comment as well as her verbal dismissal of Hathaway's comments have left me thinking she's a bit empty in the head.
You only get one chance to make a first impression and she blew it for me. Her's seems to be a case of higher education not necessarily meaning smart. Try to do better Judy. This isn't a rehearsal.
11/27/2009, 11:50 am
NSBConcerned
To Love dem Ideas: Absolutely. This is where public private partnerships work well, with the private in the driver's seat and the public running permit and zoning interference. Saw it work several other places including Fort Pierce where our runner-up CM candidate was from and where he had fixed the downtown landscape and economy through such a partnership; wish we had him here now!!!! I don't think he would have bought off on the fish farm as our current CM has apparently done or as Reiker said in the Observer "...a classy project." So much for her reduction in spending.
The key is the economic plan in place before hometown democracy sneaks in and eliminates all growth opportunities in order to protect the charm. Before you jump at me about the bad things about master plan changes, think about the convoluted voter referendum approach of hometown democracy, which will essentially stagnate all development, not just the ones that were handled in the backroom.
So here we are with a Commission that apparently bought the pie in the sky myth of job creation from the bouy inventor and gave the MDC leeches another free home. We need to come down hard on the Commission and turn this thing around when the grant comes up for approval. Call Hayman and tell him you don't want this boondoggle. Call the CM and the Commission and tell them you do not want this leech farm. Get involved and lets see of we turn this Commission gone astray back on track to real economic development planning and just Fielding Cooley's Field of Dreams and weekly pay check.
By the way I wonder how the water Taxi is doing.
11/27/2009, 9:39 am
Tiny Tim
Is everyone ready for the FREE Bert Fish concert of love? How does Bert Fish love us, let me count the ways. Bert loves the feel of its warm hands in the taxpayers’ pocket. Bert loves the way it gives CRA the money to buy property. Bert loves the way taxpayers bow down and worship the management of what we have all paid for. Bert loves the way they put out over priced, under achievers management. Bert loves the way indigent care is explained away the use of hospital assessments. So many ways Bert loves us, it makes me proud. Thank you Fishes, one and all. Is Vaseline really given out as favors this year?
11/27/2009, 9:31 am
Where are the Crowds?
Drove thru Canal St. Where are the shopping crowds?
11/26/2OO9,
Palmer Wilson
To Watcher: You are absolutely wrong. I said I was opposed to the use of taxpayer money as there was a promise not to do so. If you read my interview during the campaign by the NJ, I was asked what the worst or dumbest idea of the campaign and I clearly said the Fish Farm. I also told Mr. Richenberg the same in one on one conversation. The idea is full of holes and the idea that it will somehow bring about future jobs has no track record or factual basis. The other night I said I did not have a problem with the stated organizational objectives and goals of the various groups supporting the project, their organizational goals being separate from the fish farm goal. I also stated that the city should not be paying for their projects in any manner. I am not sure where you get that I spoke in favor of the Fish Farm from that. I am opposed to the project as currently funded, period. I am not sure what else I can say.....
NOTES
1. WHY THE $9, OOO PLASTIC CHRISTMAS TREE
The Community Redevelopment Agency (CRA) throws away your money. It is easier to state that they spent $9, OOO on a useless plastic tree as a shorthand expression of all that is wrong with the CRA. The questionable decorations bought by the City for Canal are more of the same waste. But given the almost total refusal of the City Manager to assure information is available on any basis, much less a timely basis, it is not as an easy reference points for waste. We asked for the information, for example, that showed the municipal golf course losses in the first week in October, and, as of November 23, they had not been supplied. We think that the then Mayor continued to say that they would be operating in the black had a lot to do with the decision of the City Manager to hide this information before the election on November 2.
We think that she timed her move to present her reorganization plan for last week, Thanksgiving week, was to preclude public debate of her plan. Right now she is busy throwing bodies out of the City government so she can claim to be the great savior of the taxpayer. She could cement her argument if she agreed to a salary level of under $1OO, OOO with no golden parachute. Excluding the police and fire departments, it means that she only has other 14O employees. Does she really need an assistant with a salary of $1O2, 5OO and a benefits package of another $45, OOO in benefits? If she really thinks that it is good government to spring a reorganization plan with no notice for public discussion, maybe she should go to Jacksonville with the Personnel Director.
$8,200.
2. BOYCOTTS?
The demand that consumers Boycott Canal Street merchants is both mean spirited and wrong. Similarly the blog suggestion that various advertisers of the Nsbnews not be patronized is simply wrong and unfair. The Nsbnews not only reports news that benefits every taxpayer, but has entered the debate on City issues with both gusto and reasonably thought out positions. Buy where you want, but do not demand that others hurt free speech by punishing those who do not agree with your philosophy. Calls for boycotts are obnoxious to the Shadow and have no place in a small town like New Smyrna Beach. While we may differ with how City money is spent on projects, we certainly do not wish ill for any merchant trying to stay in business in hard economic times. We do not like Bert Fish Hospital using tax money to buy $85O 'feel good' advertising in the Observer while the owner of the Observer is on the hospital Board of Directors. But we certainly wish the Observer thrives as it is one more voice in the public exchange of information. The call for a boycott of advertisers at the Nsbnews is similarly ill advised.
DEAR PAM
As we have stated in the past, we realize that the City Manager is limited in the resources available to her for pursuing cost reduction projects, so we have decided to help her out and provide draft letters for her review. As we have said, this will free her up for important things, like dealing with all the serious problems of the police and fire department pensions.
Dear Adam,
Please do not make me convince you that the city will not clean up the old high school. The devil made me do it and he no longer is a city commissioner.
AN OP-ED LETTER FROM
CONGRESSWOMAN KOSMAS
The Shadow was astounded that a columnist of the Nsbnews attacked Congresswoman Kosmas as disingenuous. Putting aside the fact that he supported the more than tarnished ex Republican who lost despite the fact that he gerrymandered the district in his favor, the columnist is simply speculating that she has made some kind of tawdry deal. The Shadow does not think that such speculation is fair or is relevant to a reasonable debate.
The Shadow has received the following statement from Congessman Kosmas and has no opinion on its veracity or value to the ongoing debate.
Why We Need Fiscally Responsible Health Care Reform
By Congresswoman Suzanne Kosmas
Over the past several months, I have met with families, small business owners, doctors, and others across Central Florida to discuss health care. The concern I’ve heard most often is the fear that they will lose the ability to maintain or access quality health coverage due to skyrocketing health care costs.
In 2OO7, the U.S. spent 16.2% of GDP on health costs, nearly twice the average of other developed nations, and costs are projected to rise to 25% of GDP in 2O25. Small businesses have seen their premiums rise 129% over the last nine years. We are on an unsustainable path that is hurting job growth, overwhelming the federal budget, and creating debt for future generations.
While the health care reform bill before the U.S. House of Representatives has many positive elements, I believe that it does not do enough to slow the growth of health care costs or to rein in spending on care. That is why, after careful consideration and with great difficulty, I decided that I could not in good conscience support this bill.
According to the Congressional Budget Office, the House health care bill will actually increase federal health care spending over the long term, while proposals being considered by the Senate would have a net decrease. Furthermore, the total cost of the House bill is nearly $1.2 trillion, significantly more than the President’s stated goal. Because it is our obligation to be fiscally responsible, I cannot support a plan that spends so much, but doesn’t significantly slow the growth in health care costs. Read More
BAGGAGE WITH THE DECISION TO CLEAN UP
THE OLD HIGH SCHOOL SITE
There was only one issue that should have been discussed at the last Commission meeting on the subject of cleaning up the site of the old high school. First, the State of Florida owns the site and leased it to an entity which has not spent a nickel to clean it up. Why not? This project is starting to stink like the Dunn Lumber project. Use City money to clean it up rather than require the responsible party, the owner who is the State or its lessee, the so-called lobbying entity masquerading like wildlife preservation society. If is hazard because it is rat infested, send the code enforcement employee out there to condemn the building and send the State the clean up bill.
But even if the County and the City undertake to pay for the cleanup, what does that have to do with putting a couple of organizations looking for public donations to even exist have to do with cleaning up the property. Nothing. But the Marine Discovery bunch of grifters tied this to the resolution; it looks like with the help of the City Manager. There has been neither public discussion nor any opportunity for those that oppose this continuing expenditure of public funds, without any concern for the taxpayers, to express an opinion.
The fact that some of the funds were already in the budget is a testimony to how long ago this raid on the pubic treasury has been planned and executed under the table. Tax and spend. And it looks like that is what may be the hidden agenda of Commissioner Reiker.
We hope she reconsiders.
PLANNING IN THE DARK
About a month ago the Shadow understood that the City Manager and the personnel Director had concocted a reorganization plan. We requested the third draft which we understood from various informants created the position of Assistant City Manger and eliminates the Planning Manager and probably the Park and Recreation Director. Of course we were not given the reorganization plan. But then we also have not received the information over the last month about the kayak business of the Maine Discovery Center which we suspect as is dismal as the City subsidized water taxi. We think that the City Manager did not want that in the open. It looks like a public discussion of important issues is not foremost in the Kremlin or the City Manger's citadel.
We must admit that we did not contemplate that the Personnel Director would resign, but it makes sense since she was intimately involved in all sorts of rather unusual personnel activities that pleased her sponsors who lost the election. Think about the proposal to give the City Clerk a large pay raise and call it an “adjustment”. Remember those desultory negotiations with the fire department union that ended up in impasse with a six month delay for even having a mediator hear and decide the initial phase? Or the1 fireman that was supposed to be on disability because he cannot perform his job but is still on the payroll. The Shadow likes her because she is bright and competent, although she chose to lean over backwards for the old Commission. We like her even more now that she will be in Jacksonville.
BOX STORES VERSUS CANAL STREET
The Shadow does not support box stores over what one might call shopping at Canal Street. But the facts are what they are, and the facts are that more and more customers want box stores to the detriment of those stores on Canal Street. Parking, many stores in the same mall, greater selection and a choice that includes cheaper prices all are at issue. But from a City point of view, box stores pay big taxes and support initiatives that keep infrastructure in repair, like preserving charm, and defraying some of the costs of government. The Shadow believes that it is inevitable to give the consumer choices, and that any other course is not viable. We do not have the box stores here, so our citizens go to Port Orange that does. It would better if we collected the taxes here rather than the taxes go to Port Orange. Last the Shadow chronicled the reality and the trend. We do not make the facts, but our readers are entitled to know that throwing money to Canal Street will not encourage shoppers who see benefits to shop elsewhere.
SNEAKING THOUGH IMPORTANT ISSUES
ON HOLIDAYS
The Shadow thinks it is abut time that the City Manager stops the sneaky method of putting big ticket items on the agenda for the City Commission during a holiday week. The other hallmark is the failure to produce a memorandum in advance explaining the proposal.
At least two of these bombs were on the agenda last week;
A. The proposal to allocate money ostensibly to clean up the old high school buildings without saying by whom it would be spent and including in the proposal of an unrelated effort to plant a couple of questionable City grifter operations on the property (see article below);
B. The most sweeping reorganization plan in how City government would be organized, including creating a position of Assistant City Manager which may have arguments that can be made in its favor but seems unwarranted given how few City employees are involved.
As we say elsewhere neither of these should have been put on the agenda absent several weeks of public notice and an opportunity for the public to discuss the merits and speak to the Commissioners. Sort of democratic we think. So now the new Commission has voted money for the project without knowing who or how it will be spent, anything about the recipient organization, or whether that unknown organization will figure out how to give money to their friends or possibly pocket a chunk of it as a management overlay. That money is your money, but the Commission does not seem to care.
