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November 7th, 2007
The new $40,000 Charger, provided to the City through a grant, was spotted Friday night on U.S. 1 at around 9 PM just north of the airport. Now, you ask, how was this supposedly stealth pursuit vehicle identified since it is supposed to be an undercover unmarked traffic control vehicle to catch speeders who do not know it is there. Pretty easy, when the Police Chief ordered it emblazoned with police markings that can be spotted half a mile away in each direction when approached from anyone traveling on a road perpendicular to where it was waiting at an intersection. Now the grant says it is to be an unmarked car. However, our stealth police chief ordered it to be otherwise. We can only conclude that he thought the publicity of having this little bugger marked outweighed its intended purpose, and violation of the federal grant terms and conditions was of no consequence, after all, he is the Police Chief. We know from the time it was spotted, 9 pm that it is unlikely any of his four commanders was behind the wheel. Of course maybe it is a take-home car?
So the guy we allegedly support for Mayor according to the Sally Mackay group said that the State legislature might want to address regulating internet bulletin boards (blog) like the one on the Shadow. Now if he is the alleged beneficiary of the Shadow, why would he favor seeing web site newspapers like the Shadow curtailed. Perhaps he is unhappy because we pointed out the political slight of hand he was attempting to pull with the budget, or their failure to address the staffing improprieties at the Golf Course, the unconscionable situation of both the rental and assessments at the Anglers Club or the fact that they gave a 9 ½ % pay raise over two years to all City employees when inflation was less than 7% for the two year period. We will print the Constitution of the United States provisions on this subject if there is a need for more clarity on this issue. We think he was just playing to Gracye Barck, and consoling her for being “outed” as a political activist. We do not approve of “outing” gays, but we think it is a public service to “out” what we think of as a stealth political machine that does not want you to understand their agenda. But remember, on our side is the U.S. Constitution and traditions that go back to the Magna Carta. The enemy is government and free speech protects everybody.
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
WHERE WE GO NEXT
We have no intention of entering the National debate. We have too much to do here, and it did not matter who won, the amount of waste and abuse just in our little City will keep us busy. We can not fix it alone and need the help of an informed electorate. Regardless of how you voted, we can not believe that you want to keep a bloated fire department with 12 lieutenants who supervise no one and are paid extra because we created a title. We do not believe that you want four police Commanders instead of one, and have 9 detectives when Port Orange with 2 ½ times the population also has only 9. Police cars that slept in Deland and Ormond Beach, the highest utility rates in Florida, and a refusal to set aside the Anglers Club lease. We plan to tell the City about the line of cases that set aside these “leases” whose purpose was to keep valuable City facilities in the South from being made available to African Americans., and in 1944 Catholics, Jews, and Hispanics. A $25 a year lease in 1944 was invalid the day it was signed and not seeking to set it aside as the discriminatory instrument it is, can only be because the City attorney has been told not to try. My, my, so much to do. No we see no reason to change our focus. By our calculation, we have already goaded the City into saving at least a million dollars a year, and see no reason why we cannot chalk up another million this year. Getting rid of the 911-RCC will put us at almost half the goal with one fell swoop. Other suggestions we have made over the past year should result in significant spending reductions for the next fiscal year, if our elected officials are truly interested in serving their constituents, and have the intestinal fortitude to vote for implementing them.
NOTES
The usual nonsense of purporting to present the views of the candidates in an unbiased fashion while subtly harming them is still followed by our local newspapers. In the Sentinel the Sunday election issue on the primary posted pictures and short statements about each candidate. But whereas Commissioner James Hathaway was described as an experienced incumbent, which he is, Thomas C. Kelly was described as a novice and his squib somehow omits that he has 15 years of business management experience with AT&T and Lucent and his undergraduate degree is in law enforcement. WOW, just an innocent omission. In a separate article last week we described the Daytona Beach News Journal, and its abuse of continuing to print allegations that its own reporters could have easily checked on their own. Forget the Hometown News which covered its front page over the last few weeks with pictures and articles displaying the Mayor. Last week, after we figure a bunch of complaints by the Mackay group, the Hometown News dredged up the ethics complaint by MacKay’s campaign manager against the Mayor as its front page “being even” approach. How about an in depth analysis by these “newspapers” of the real issues and an in depth questioning of the candidates. We are giving it a try, but we would not need to do so if they did their job.
Talking about the Hometown News, the publisher responded to a call from one of its reporters last Tuesday who wanted to do a telephone interview because she had a “deadline” of that afternoon. In fairness, she had tried the week before, so we do not think it is the same as that urgent emergency telephone call engineered to end an interview. But after a spirited exchange the publisher agreed to have an interview at a later date. It was clear, however, that the reporter had been supplied with the little information that the Shadow's detractors have been able to dig up and was primed to cover those issues. We suggested that rather than write about the Shadow, she might write a story about the Angler's Club. When she said she could not rely on articles in the Shadow, we suggested that she should call the property appraiser who refuses to properly assess the property and ask the City for a copy of the $25 per year lease. Do not hold your breath waiting for that article.
“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
Saturday, 11/3/07, 7:14 AM
I saw the Hometown News article regarding this blog. At least THEY have the gumption to acknowledge this site. The News Journal is worthless in uncovering any of the issues regarding New Smyrna Beach...I have written a few times on this site, and signed my name. This site has been the best thing to happen to our town...it has exposed a lot of the undermined, indiscriminate nature of those who made certain decisions and the Shadow has opened up the wounds of how we got to now.........good ole boy politics, nepotism, dumb and dumber making decisions with our money. Too bad the article quoted Diesen. That was a shame. She's a lying, opportunist who has contributed to the downfall of us all. Hey, look at your Utility Bills...I'm not making it up!!! If she has the best interests of anyone in mind other than herself...tell me and I'll listen...show me and I will then believe it. The Shadow did because the Shadow knows. Vote on Tuesday. We need to heal.
Saturday, 11/3/07, 8:34 AM
From 9/2004 to 9/2007 FPL rates increased 19.66%, UC rated increased 30.92%. Water rates are next. They are going for a bond issue that they don't need and will blow that money too. Go Diesen Rodi Go
MacKay’s union deal: one for the price of four!
Saturday, 11/3/07, 11:40 AM
This is an interesting little stat. Sergeant Eugene Griffith who signed for the police union's endorsement for Mackay was making $38,153.43 in 2001. By 2006 his salary had gone up 43% to $67,447.17. Oh don't forget he gets to retire after twenty years. So if we hired Mr. Griffith when he was twenty something he will be done by the time he is 40 something. Then we will hire another police officer and be supporting Griffith in his retirement and his replacement. When Griffith's replacement turns 40 something he will retire and then we will be supporting Griffith and his replacement and his replacement's replacement (three officers. Griffith will be sixty something. In another twenty years we will support #1 Griffith (age 80) or his wife, #2 Griffith's replacement (age 60), #3 the replacement's replacement (age 40), #4 and the police officer we hired to replace all of them. If you retire at 40 you know that guy is going to live a nice long life. We have to fund enough money to pay for all of this now (state law). This is what has to be fixed and Mackay and Plaskett are against fixing it.
Saturday, 11/3/07, 3:09 PM
Just heard about this site from a conversation on Flagler avenue about the election and high utility rates. They were all saying that the Home Town News has made this site famous. But the best was their reference to Richenberg, Plaskett and Grasty as the "Three Blind Mice" when utility issues are voted on.
airportnoiseisstupid
Saturday, 11/3/07, 4:10 PM
The airport has been there since WWII. You all built around it without considering that an airport must expand to meet the needs of an equally expanding city. If you live by the airport and hate the noise, you should have considered buying a home without a runway in the backyard. I say bring the jetport.
Sunday, 11/4/07, 3:14 AM
Take notice'' several school boards in Florida are suing their county governments and commissioners for proposed budget cuts. Sadly, the public education systems are our biggest expense and waste of tax dollars. Public education is a logistical nightmare with unfeasible needs for buildings, equipment, buses, fuel, over-paid teachers and administrators. An authentic "tax cut" can not happen--will not happen. It was just lip service from the start, Email: Ucan'tFightCityHall@get-real.com
Sunday, 11/4/07, 8:03 AM
Why do you think the Unions dumped Vandy and endorsed Sally? It's because they know Vandy won't roll over when it comes to their new contract, and Sally will...............This political pandering to the Unions has got to stop before we are taxed to death! These Union contracts are bankrupting the City!.....It should be getting pretty obvious to everyone in this city by now that the commission can not be trusted to negotiate a union contract. All union contracts should be approved by the voters! Let’s start a petition drive and put it on the ballot before it’s too late!
DEAR JOHN
We know of the limited resources available to John Hagood, the City Manager, and to his inability to get all of the important letters written that he would like to send. So we decided to help him and provide him drafts that will simplify his tasks and free him up for important.
TO: The Mayor and Commissioners
FROM: John Hagood
Subject: IAFF contract
Well the election is over and I need guidance from the Commission regarding your desired negotiation points for the IAFF contract. They remain adamant about pay and benefits, we have offered 0% increase, but you gave non-union employees 3%, and I also know there is an undercurrent among the electorate that strongly suggests we not give in. There are even rumblings that perhaps the new contract should be put to a referendum for the voters to decide. I will implement whatever policy you set, just please set it so that I can get on with negotiations, put the contract to bed, and get on with other important City business.
Thanking you in advance for your assistance,
John Hagood
FIRE DEPARTMENT STAFFING
How many firemen does it take to fight a house fire? If we are correct in our memory the fire Chief in Port Orange said that you need about 16 firemen at the scene and that a commercial fire required about 25. One or two trucks doesn't do it and that is why when one of the few structural fires that occur in any jurisdiction it commands trucks and equipment be brought in from almost all of the neighbors. In addition to first response arrangements, such as the Silver Sand's station on A1A responding to most of the south beach area of New Smyrna proper, a call that there is a structural fire will have equipment flocking to the scene from Edgewater, Port Orange, and probably South Daytona and the County stations West of the City center. In reality, since most houses that catch fire are not going to be saved from total destruction, it does not really matter how many vehicles or fireman are on the scene other than to protect other nearby structures from burning down. The recent commercial fire destroyed the furniture store, but the fire departments saved the neighboring buildings. It appears that all 18 house fires in New Smyrna Beach in 2006 also were total losses.
This brings up the question of what staffing level is required to provide adequate public protection and what is gained by adding additional personnel. First, we have an interesting benchmark here because both of our neighboring cities function with much smaller fire departments than we do---Edgewater with roughly the same number of residents and territory has a little over half of our force and Port Orange has only 40% or so more staff but the same territory and 2.7 times the population. and many more residences. If you just use the comparison of our neighbors we are overstaffed by almost 100%.
Now this is doubly brought home as not easily rationally understood, because Edgewater has only two stations and we have four. But Port Orange also has four and it still has only 64 personnel against our 49. Mathematically one could argue that they need only 49, or one could suggest that on a basis of population they should have 120—
in that they have many more buildings at risk.
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.
So we turn to the second argument. The fire departments operate on a “standard” that unless a life is at issue, fireman can not enter a burning structure unless there are four firemen present. This is called the two out, two in rule. We know of no recent fires in South East Volusia County where this was at issue, and we have heard of no recent case where firemen have been called to make such a rescue. But that begs the question any way; because the second truck arrives within minutes of a structural fire call and that would put four firefighters on the scene whether there were two or three on a shift. Two trucks with two each equals four and that is the “standard” if there is a fire where entering the building is desirable if not necessary.
These logical arguments were presented to a former Mayor of Edgewater, and he stated that it was the med/rescue issue which required the third fireman. We were perplexed and the rationale turned out to be that in the case where the EVAC ambulance had a severely injured patient, the protocol was that the EMT person on the fire truck would join the EMT on the EVAC vehicle to care for the patient on the dash to the hospital. Well this turns out to be about once a month for New Smyrna. Same for Edgewater, once a month. Your car can get to Bert Fish in less than 9 or maybe 10 minutes from anywhere in New Smyrna East of I-95, and we bet you could get there sooner with a siren and flashing lights. EVAC provides for a taxicab back to the station or to wherever the fire truck is sent if there were an emergency call during that 20 to 30 minutes once a month. We think this is a specious argument for adding one fireman a shift seven days a week, to four fire stations.
Now practically, because of the alleged abuse of sick leave by the fire department personnel (referred to by Chief Hawver in his July 14,2006, memo to the City Manager), many of these stations in the City have been functioning with only two per shift for the last six or eight months. There has been no loss of public protection that we have heard about. There is no loss in public safety. The law of possibility says that anything can happen. The law of probability says that what the fire department cites as going to happen to scare you is not likely to happen in a carload of lifetimes. Remember you are paying for 12 to 15 additional personnel for no additional protection and no added public safety.
We asked for the specific reports as to last year's 18 fires and after a month were given a piece of paper which showed that a lawyer or two had been advising the Deputy Fire Chief to be obtuse in how it would be provided. We think that he did not think up his response on his own because he must have recognized, even if his handlers did not, that the reports could refute the notion shown in the fire/loss ratios that his department could not put out a fire. That's right. Total loss is shown as the same as value of property at risk.We chose not to play that game, and we are only supposing it is a game. Again, if they, the department, want to supply the reports which show that anything in this article is wrong or unfair, we welcome it. We believe that the Deputy would like to, but we also know he is not a free agent.
NOTE BENE!
The Shadow published a special election edition on November 2, 2007. Normally, this edition would have been published on November 5,2007. Our next normal edition will be published on schedule November 12th.
QUESTIONS FOR THE HOMETOWN NEWS
It is amazing that the Hometown News would publish an article on the Shadow that spewed innuendo and allegations by those who have hidden in the cracks while arranging the chairs for the total take over of the City's political life. They did this without verifying their information for accuracy, and published these accusations in the issue just prior to the election clearly designed to benefit the faction that is trying to retain Plaskett and elect Mackay. We believe the Hometown News would benefit from a tutorial in fair and balanced journalism, but are not confident that they could pass the course. They know their article was unfair and deliberately published to bias the election, as was their placement of advertising paid for by the candidates.
Let us start with something simple. Is it a lie that the Angler's Club has an unconscionable lease and that it has a property assessment of about $250,000 for property that is worth over $5,000,000? Hey, could you call the County Appraiser (Morgan Gilreath, Volusia. Com) and find out if what we said is true before publishing that a political machine thinks we are unfair for outing them. Read the Archives.
Is it a lie that Jeanne Diesen is a lobbyist for Davis-O'Connell, Inc, that lists her as involved in “Government Relations”? That firm receives money from Florida Power and Light and Bell South. (See PDF attached and Goggle Davis-O'Connell) In her Form 1 that all elected and appointed officials must file she lists that she has an HR Block Overseas Account. Is that a lie? OK, they have lost millions of dollars since she took over, closed down telecommunications that was operating in the black when she took office, closed down fiber optics because Rodi, her CEO, and formerly a “consultant for Bell South, had no clue how to run it despite having worked in Sioux Falls Iowa where it does work, and is now closing out wireless because he stated he can not run it at a profit. Clearwater, Fl can, however. Is this a lie? How about the fact that all three operations now closed out were competitive with Davis-O'Connell’s corporate sponsors who pay her lobbying money. Remember too, we do not know what they pay in consulting fees, just the tip of the iceberg that they label as lobbying money. Is this a lie? Now that they have eliminated two businesses and going after a third, why all the additional employees? Is this a lie?
Grayce Barck was told by a blogger to take the gun out of her mouth. She is offended! Give us a break. Poor political operative who failed in her effort to push someone down the voters’ throats. She was probably aware of, if not engaged in the planning of the complaint accusing Tom Kelly that he committed a felony by saying he lived in Sugar Mill. Instead of the 1500 votes the North Peninsula Neighborhood Association, that is Diesen, Barck, etc, promised to produce to keep office holders in line, they produced less than 500. Is that a lie? She supports the police and fire unions, and she and her group think that Cindy Richenberg’s $91,000 salary and $64, 000 benefits package is appropriate. That is why the unions are campaigning for her candidate. Is that a lie? She does not like being exposed for what she is, a political activist, and a mover and shaker. Much of what she has pushed, like her candidate Sally MacKay and her supplicants, Commissioners Plaskett and Richenberg, have agendas for the City. She and Jeanne do not like the publicity. That is not a lie. But what about this analysis of her influence on the City. Is that a lie? Remember that just a few years ago she ran for office and was defeated. Remember that she is the local Florida Inland Navigation District (FIND) representative, and, can and does influence large grants of State money to the City and County. Are we to believe she is not a political figure? Is it a lie that the Shadow tells the public who she is and what she wants for the City?
Is it a lie that Cindy Richenberg earned $91,000 in fiscal 2006 and 2007, and that her benefits package is $64, 000?
Is it a lie that we are paying the 911-RCC service which we own with Edgewater and Port Orange, between $300,000 and $400,000 more a year than what the County Sheriff has stated he will charge?
Is it a lie that we have almost twice the number of both fire and police personnel than Edgewater which is the same size as New Smyrna Beach?
Is it a lie to say that management and operations costs at the New Smyrna Beach Municipal Golf Course apparently are twice what it is at three other privately owned and managed golf courses within the City limits?
Is it a lie that the cut in the millage rate reduced the revenue flow, and that instead of cutting spending to match they sought to make up some of the loss by tapping the reserve account?
Is it a lie that all five of the Commissioners voted to not cut more expenses, like the golf course green's keeper or buying Tahoes, and use reserves?
Why bother to go on. The Shadow stands by its articles and the facts printed. Tell us where we erred, and we will correct it if you provide us with supportable facts. Do not complain if you do not tell us. Sally Mackay is disingenuous to state that the Litmus Test was unfair. It ran for four weeks, she was offered the opportunity to correct anything she found in error and she did not. It is pathetic that the Hometown News article performed a little bee's waggle when returning to the hive to divert your attention. And then there is the effort to throw mud at the publisher—15 year old mud. The fire department union, or was it the police department union, tried all year to get this canard out. We believe they sent that stuff to everyone in town last year, and apparently even the News Journal would not publish it. We figured it was someone in uniform since it had inadequate postage, and since the stamp was hand canceled. It had to be someone whom the postal clerk did not ask for additional postage. Ever not see a postal clerk not weigh an envelope, particularly a very heavy one? Well, if we were as nasty as the Hometown News we would bring the question of what happened in Deltona that would cause Hispanics not want to read a paper which hired what most Hispanics think of as bigot. (LINK). Since whether she is a bigot or not does not go to the merits, we would not do that. We would be charged with being unethical. Think about it!
CONGRATULATIONS
Congratulations are clearly in order for Sally Mackay and Lynn Plaskett. They won and whether by many votes or a few, our elections are “winner takes all.” They ran a very slick campaign. It was again what has been the norm for New Smyrna Beach. A beauty contest. The Mayor ran a lousy campaign. He carried a lot of baggage, dabbled in real estate and was at the helm when most of the bad decisions were made that have resulted in our overpaid and mismanaged government services. But be that as it may, and whether you agree or disagree with this analysis, the facts are that Sally Mackay is now the Mayor and she has an unassailable majority with Plaskett and Richenberg. There is an old saying, if you broke it you bought it. It will apply here.
There is a silver lining. The Shadow would rather run out of material to bring to your attention but thinks that it will be coming over the transom by the bushel load. Running a slick campaign and running the government are entirely different. Sally, we wish you well because we need a more rational City with lower taxes and spending cuts, which includes things like not building a needless fire station and abolishing the 911-RCC money drain. We will be hoping for the best and preparing for the worst.
