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1. TIMELY CITY MINUTES
MAYOR BARRINGER: The City Clerk works for you. Tell him to put the CURRENT minutes up at the next meeting? He has until your next meeting in the middle of January. The five month delay in place now is deplorable and it is your responsibility to fix.
PERMITTING THE MINUTES TO BE FIVE MONTHS OVERDUE, LIMITING FREE SPEECH, AND USING THE CONSENT CALANDAR TO PREVENT OPEN DISCUSSION OF IMPORTANT ISSUES IS NOT A DESCRIPTION OF AN OPEN OR TRANSPARENT SOCIETY!
2. STOP THE NONESENSE OF BOYCOTTING LOCAL MERCHANTS
Our local merchants have a hard enough time making a living without a couple of Scrooges urging a senseless Boycott. But then again, didn’t someone spend taxpayer money to bring a sandy oiled plastic sheet to Flagler and call it an ice rink. There is sand on the rink and no one is skating is using it. Great retutn on investment, what!
December 27, 2010
THE 10 WORST DECISIONS OR LACK THEREOF OF THE CITY COMMISSION FOR 2010
1. THREE PERCENT (3%) TAX INCREASE SO THEY COULD CONTINUE TO PAY BLOATED EMPLOYEE WAGES. CITY MANAGER DENIES THERE WAS A TAX INCREASE. SHE IS INCORRECT!;
2. THE REMOVAL OF THE OLD HIGH SCHOOL SITE FROM THE TAX ROLLS WAS, AND IS, A HUGE ECONOMIC LOSS ( OVER $15 MILLION IN SALE PRICE , $1,000,000 A YEAR IN LOST TAXES, AND A DEMAND FOR A COMMITMENT TO A $30 T0 $40 MILLION DOLLAR LIFE SUPPORT PROGRAM). ALL FOR A FANTASY VENTURE THAT WILL NEVER COVER ITS COSTS;
3. FAILURE TO ADDRESS UNION PENSION PLANS WHICH CONTINUED HUGE OBLIGATIONS FOR UNFUNDED DEBT IN THE MILLIONS. ASK WHY PORT ORANGE COULD FIX THE PROBLEM AND OVERPAID PAM WOULD NOT EVEN ADDRESS IT?;
4. SETTING UNION PENSION FUND RETURN ON INVESTMENT AT 8% AND REFUSAL TO ADDRESS WHY CITY IS CONTINUING TO GUARANTEE AND PAY DIFFERENCE WHEN THERE IS A SHORTFALL; [READ MORE]
1. ASBESTOS IN THE OLD HIGH SCHOOL BUILDING
The surprise is not that asbestos is in the Old High School building. The surprise and astonishment is that the would-be developers failed to show in their plans any costs for asbestos removal. The Shadow does not believe that they obtained a copy of the reports (last one in 2004) of the independent contractor whose report to the Volusia County School Board shows a lot of asbestos (SEE LINK). The report is six years old and there is no question that there has been further deterioration. That means that some of the asbestos is probably friable. Friable asbestos is the stuff that gets into the lungs of healthy people and causes lung cancer and mesothelioma. Check out the television ads (CNN and other channels).
What is wrong with these people? If it was the MDC’S money and their health at issue we think they would act differently. Asbestos abatement requires experienced and licensed contractors. It is also expensive. Their failure to address this problem properly is dangerous to the community. It also hides the high costs of the project and is no more than a flim-flam scheme.
If you go with the current plan approved by ECHO and the City of New Smyrna Beach, we can just see the asbestos cloud drifting across Venetia! The MDC hiding this surprise and expense is like selling someone a cow pie and giving them a certificate that says it is a diamond. It also means that the proponents will go to almost any length to keep alive this project no matter how insane and costly.
2. A PLASTIC OILED ICE SKATE RINK IN A TEA CUP---WITH OCEAN SAND ON TOP
There are several real ice rinks in the area, like in Port Orange and Daytona [Google or Bing]. What they have in common is real ice and a surface area that is larger than a tea cup (here, 32 ft x 50 f t). It takes a real desire to try something this absurd as an experience that lets you brag that you skated on oiled plastic next to the 22 bars on Flagler. It is a Daffy Duck moment thought up by Borat in Kazakhstan. Now, Bert Fish might gain a little business with a fractured elbow or knee. If the skaters are “liquored” up enough the casualties can have their bones set without extra anesthetic. It will already have provided a little work to the local fire department.
And think of the spin off. Karen Clancy will demand money (at least $5,000 from the Advertising Authority) for a plastic ice rink event that will put New Smyrna Beach on the world map-----like her surf Board fiasco that also put accident victims in beds at Bert Fish and the City on the World map. What a joke! The Shadow can see the campaign now. “Plastic Ice Rink Capital of the World—oiled and sanded”. Brought to you by the surf queen! It “may” put three more heads in beds. As already stated, the CRA and Advertising Authority can be expected to give her money.
3. COMPARING GERMANY 1933 AND NEW SMYRNA BEACH 2010
First you cut off the possibility that the taxpayers can address elected officials directly. Then you perfect the use of the consent calendar so that all important or controversial issues can be handled without open discussion of the issues. The Shadow believes that all contracts with City employees last year and this year were on the consent calendar---also called the “stick it to the taxpayer” calendar. Then you make sure that the financial reports are so obfuscated that only a forensic auditor can decipher the junk put in the financial statements to hide losses.
Coupled with slush fund financing like the “Tree Mitigation Fund”, increased taxes and fees at the construction permit office, and refusing to put back into the permit office account of the money improperly spent, provides all sorts of money for paying off the troops. There is no need to burn down the Reichstag. The government already controls the money and the news. Well, not all of the news. [READ MORE]
BLOGS
Date: 12/25/2010, 9:27 am
12/25/2010, 9:27 amName: Pension in NSB
Pension in NSBWell Port Orange got what it wanted and the cops caved in and increased their contribution to their pensions as well as took a pay cut. And the firemen are not far behind. So where is the re-opener in good old NSB? Where is Adam, Judy, Jack, Lynn, and Jim, along with their over the hill CM?
No effort here to fix the problem and it will only get tougher next year. In fact we might even have to sell the goof course and the marina just to pay the greedy public safety workers pensions.
Just keep day dreaming CCs.
Date: 12/21/2010, 4:16 am
12/21/2010, 4:16 amName: Early Morning Elaine
Early Morning ElaineSpending taxes on drunken street parties makes sense in a charming place. A local told me CRA stands for Community Refreshment Account. So what’s the problem?
Date: 12/14/2010, 4:06 pm
12/14/2010, 4:06 pmName: No Worries
No WorriesI think we agree. Except for that we differ as to whose money should be spent in a business district. I believe business district improvement should be at the expense of the property business owners in the district (sans upkeep of the public right of way) not the taxpayers at large. Moreover, since 87 munis in Fl have moved business districts out of CRA into BID by choice and by court rulings. FL AG has opined against CRA spending on businesses and for the formation of BIDs. You need only call a reputable City planning consultant or law firm (this excludes FL League of Cities). Many believe NSB is too lazy to do it right and the City's infractions are too small to get the attention of the State (County doesn't care much right now).
Doubt me. That's fine. Call around - Miami, Winter park, Delray Beach, and Orlando...they've all been through it already. Commissioners and beneficiaries went to jail.
1. DEMOCRACY IN NEW SMYRNA BEACH—NYET
As stated above, stopping any ability of taxpayers to address the Commissioners on issues on the agenda unless the Mayor chooses to permit discussion shows that the City Manager and Commissioners have no regard for “democratic” principles. Some wag suggested that next week she will suggest burning books---like starting with the City financial reports which continue to hide losses in badly run businesses, large continued unfunded payments due to the pension funds, and continued employment of unneeded personnel. Then there is the $25 check they collect from the Anglers Club.
2. THAT PLASTIC CHRISMAS TREE ON CANAL
Nobody on the street and half of the lights on the fake plastic Christmas tree are not lit. Good going Liz!
