I have thoroughly enjoyed the Daytona Beach News-Journal’s exposé, “Tarnished Jewel – Daytona’s Troubled Beachside.”

In my view, Eileen Zaffiro-Kean hit this one out of the park.

It’s not often that our newspaper of record puts it all out there – the good, the bad and the ugly – and allows us yokels an opportunity to see all the players, money trails and projects in one convenient location.

In my view, the series has been incredibly refreshing – and I hope our friends down on Sixth Street understand how valuable these in-depth investigative pieces are to bringing historical perspective and quality information to these important issues.

A smart friend of mine said he thought that the News-Journal read like a bad Barker’s View post this week – and noted that if the newspaper kept up this level of journalistic oversight, and continued to shine a spotlight on these issues and others facing Volusia County, perhaps things will change.

Then – just when I was feeling good about our friends at the News-Journal – on Friday the editorial page went all goo-goo over the dubious Hard Rock announcement, apparently without any real digging into the facts beyond what they were told by Summit Hospitality Group, their attorney and County Chairman Ed Kelley.

In my view, that’s dangerous – and wholly embarrassing if it later turns out all is not as it seems.

Sometimes we trust people – hoping against hope that they will follow the rules and perform as advertised.

It’s human nature, I suppose.

We also place a lot of faith in our elected and appointed officials, confident that they will serve in our best interests and set high standards – even assist people and businesses with the resources necessary to meet those standards – then provide monitoring and enforcement mechanisms to ensure that everyone continues to toe established lines.

We also have a right to expect that when they give us their word, they mean to keep it.

We trust that when hard deadlines and performance metrics are established by force of law, that our County Council will hold firm and enforce those ordinance provisions – including preserving beach driving behind the Desert Inn/Westin/Hard Rock – without going softheaded just because the developer du jour waves something shiny in front of their eyes.

That’s how we ensure that our collective investment is protected – and that our system of government retains the trust, respect and support of the people.

 Angels & Assholes

Hey, Kids!

It’s time once again for our new weekly feature where we turn a jaundiced eye toward the newsmakers of the day – the winners and losers – who in my view either contributed to our quality of life, or detracted from it, in a significant way during the week that was:

Angel              Eileen Zaffiro-Kean, Pat Rice and the Daytona Beach News-Journal

Wow.  The Daytona Beach News-Journal’s autopsy of the festering remains of the Main Street Redevelopment Area and public exposure of the ancillary blight, greed and mismanagement was a real eye-opener.

Kudo’s to everyone on the team who worked so diligently to bring such a thoughtful – and revelatory – story to the page.

In addition, on Thursday evening, the News-Journal hosted a town hall to discuss topical issues regarding Daytona’s festering beachside.  Over 230 people attended the event.

Complaint-driven Code Enforcement, hordes of homeless invading residential and vacant commercial space, the greed of slumlords and the chaos of Bike Week and other special events were all brought to the table.

Looks like our elected and appointed officials have a lot of work ahead.

Clearly, the people are fed-up – and they are not going to take it anymore.

Asshole           The City of Daytona Beach Redevelopment Department

With over three-decades and $120-million in public funds passed through the goose – with literally nothing to show for it but an increasingly down-at-the-heels Ocean Walk and a perpetually “For Sale” hotel – people feel angry, disillusioned and disenfranchised.

And they are beginning to ask the difficult questions.

Unfortunately, sparks of progress, like the Streamline Hotel renovation and WC Grand neighborhood, are far too few and scattered to make any substantive difference – and the “Buy High, Sell Low” strategies, the lack of oversight and monitoring of CRA grants, the inability to account for millions in public funds that were earmarked for revitalization efforts, and a host of other sickening missteps simply cannot continue.

It’s time to hold people accountable.

In my view, it appears that those in positions of great responsibility – ostensibly smart people who receive public funds to serve in the public interest – have breached their sacred fiduciary duty to the people they represent.

The result of that malfeasance is excruciatingly visible everywhere you look on Daytona’s beachside.

It’s time for the Daytona Beach City Commission to call for an outside, independent audit of the Main Street CRA and let the chips fall where they will.

Is it possible that over $16-million dollars can simply evaporate – or is there something more sinister at play?

The people deserve better.

Angel               The Marc Bernier Show – Sheriff’s Forum

Earlier this week, I had the opportunity to attend a most interesting forum hosted by WNDB’s Marc Bernier Show at the News-Journal Center.  The two-hour moderated discussion focused on Sheriff Mike Chitwood’s efforts to return constitutional sovereignty to the Volusia County Sheriff’s Office.

County manager Jim Dinneen did not attend.

In my view, this broadcast provided an excellent opportunity for Sheriff Chitwood to cut through the obstructionist mini-moves and bullshit proffered by County Manager Jim Dinneen, County Councilman “Sleepy” Pat Patterson, and others to expose the outright misinformation that has been supported by our elected officials.

It was also enlightening to hear the unique perspectives of Sheriff Rick Staley of Flagler County – a true Constitutional sheriff – and Sheriff Wayne Ivey of Brevard.

I’ll have more thoughts on Sheriff Chitwood’s fight to change the Volusia County charter and return autonomy to his important office next week.

Asshole           The Volusia County Council

In typical fashion, during this week’s Volusia County Council meeting, County Manager Jim Dinneen came forward with yet another surprise party when he announced that developers of the long-delayed Desert Inn project would be asking for an extension of the date of completion.

To sweeten the pie, he used that old line favored by the master con artist “Wait, I’ve got something even better!” 

Then we all learned that Westin was out – and Hard Rock was in (well, with a “letter of intent” anyway).

Naturally, without hearing the first shred of supporting evidence or statement of need for the extension – which would put Summit Hospitality Group nearly eight-months over the drop-dead completion date of May 7, 2017 – our hapless elected officials collectively rolled-over and pissed all over themselves in a virtual orgy of support and admiration.

It also didn’t help that Chairman Kelley was caught on an open microphone taking his marching orders from Jim Dinneen on just how the “grand reveal” would be orchestrated during the council meeting.

Poor form, really.

So is telegraphing to everyone how you plan to vote – especially within seconds of hearing the news. . .

In fact, Ed Kelley was so thunderstruck by the news that he spontaneously uttered his desire to have the County Attorney figure a way to add an open completion date to the amended ordinance, you know, so the developers don’t have to keep coming back and asking for additional extensions.

That gets embarrassing.

Whenever you’re asked why Volusia County government cannot be trusted – on anything – please pull this out of your pocket.

In Volusia, hard dates and deadlines mean nothing.

Performance guarantees mean nothing.

And most important – empty promises from our elected officials – you know, commitments to the people they represent – mean nothing.

It’s Despicable – and the worst example of bait-and-switch political chicanery in recent memory.

Quote of the Week:

“So I am on record.  I’m not changing.  I have the courage of my convictions.  Even if I’m the one vote.”

–County Councilwoman Deb Denys expressing her unequivocal commitment to never remove cars from the beach behind the Desert Inn during an April 2015 News-Journal political forum.  She now openly supports extending the developments completion date, and name change, while allowing the legislative provisions removing beach driving to stand.

I don’t make this shit up, folks!

Have a great weekend.

 

This piece was originally published on April 7, 2017, in the immediate aftermath of County Manager Jim Dinneen’s surprise announcement that Summit Hospitality Group would be requesting a franchise change for the languishing Desert Inn/Westin/Hard Rock project – to include an extension of the completion date to February 28, 2018.

If the performance standards set in the ordinance were not met by that date, we were assured that beach driving would not be removed from the strand behind the hotel.

It is increasingly clear that construction on the “Hard Rock” won’t be completed by the date specified in the ordinance.

Now, we will get a unique opportunity to see who’s interests our elected officials – and county attorney – really represent as the bait-and-switch games begin. 

How stupid do they think we are?

When it comes to the intrigues of the Volusia County Council, I’ve had my intelligence insulted more than once – so have you – but Thursday’s “breaking news” act by County Manager Jim Dinneen takes the cake.

Hell, it takes the whole damn bakery.

Just after the prayer and pledge, Sneaky Jimmy creeped his way onto the dais, leaned over Chairman Ed Kelley’s shoulder – speaking sotto voce – and gave Old Ed his marching orders for some whale shit-level political flimflam.

It’s amazing what a microphone picks up, eh?

Jimmy:             (Whispering) “Mr. Chair, I want to bring up the thing with Abbas.”

Ed:                   “Okay”

Jimmy:            “And then we start right after consent – before you get into the public   hearing.”

Ed:                   “Bring it in then?”

Jimmy:             “Yeah.  So it’ll be – right before we do public hearing – before you do number two (yeah).  If you’ll give it to me I’ll introduce him and tell about the letter we got on the Hard Rock – okay?”

Ed:                   “Okay”

What happened next was something straight out of a Theater of the Absurd – with you and I playing the starring role of the hapless dupes who are supposed to be overtly astonished by the grand revelations of the Boss Clown.

As directed by his handler, Chairman Kelley dutifully threw it to Little Jimmy right on Que.

With all the dramatic flair of a fart in church, Mr. Dinneen proceeded to tell us what we all knew in our heart-of-hearts was coming, sooner or later:

It appears that Mr. Abbas Abdulhussein, the owner of Summit Hospitality Group, who for over two-years now has been renovating that haunted house formerly known as the Desert Inn into what we were originally told would be a “4-Star” Westin hotel – a languishing project that looks like it’s being finished by two guys working on weekends – needs more time.

Among other things.

According to Little Jimmy, Mr. Adbulhussein is requesting an extension of the date of completion – and permission to change the franchise from Westin to – wait for it – Hard Rock.

The reason?

Something about Starwood Hotels being sold to Marriott Corporation, yada, yada, yada.

Hummmm.  What difference would that make?

Something tells me there’s more to that story than meets the eye. . .

Regardless – when the announcement was made, the room fell apart in over-the-top ebullience and unbridled joy.

The cheers, applause and faux excitement in the chamber added weight and drama to Little Jimmy’s “Grand Reveal.”

Just eight months after Canadian developer Henry Wolfond packed up his troubles in his old kit bag and publicly called us all a bunch of obstructionist assholes for not bending over for his elegant plan to bring a Hard Rock hotel and condominium to Daytona Beach – at the expense of having even more beach driving areas removed – it looks like we’re getting one anyway.

In 2015, the county council passed an ordinance which would remove traffic from 410 linear feet of the beach behind the Desert Inn, so long as certain extremely specific performance guarantees were met.

The developers agreed to complete the project, with the Westin name confirmed and all standards for opening met by May 7, 2017.

If Summit failed to meet this exacting deadline, we were promised by our elected officials that the deal would be off the table and there would be no curtailment of beach driving.  Period.

But since when did things like “date certain” or “standards of performance” mean a twiddling-shit in Volusia County?

Just one month before the drop-dead date of May 7^th – Jim Dinneen once again throws one of his patented “Surprise Partys” – bringing an incredibly controversial issue before the council – completely outside the printed agenda – and cloaked as some “This just in – Breaking news!” bullshit to deflect attention from his true intentions.

It’s public policy by ambush, and Jim Dinneen is a past-master at it.

Then, the very people we have elected to represent our collective interests, immediately succumb to excited incontinence and piss all over themselves in mock surprise and jubilation – immediately voicing their complete and utter support for the developer’s request without hearing the first shred of testimony, analyzing a statement of need, or even receiving a basic explanation for the extension request.

Then, in some weird spontaneous utterance, that doddering fool Ed Kelley blurts out that he would prefer that the amended ordinance – authorizing every substantive change the developer asked for and more – should include an open-ended completion date, you know, in case we have a hurricane or other “Act of God.”

My ass.

(Trust me.  If God were in anyway involved in this farce, the Desert Inn would have been publicly razed during an ancient exorcism ritual and the earth beneath it incinerated to cleanse the horrific atrocities that ruined the lives of so many children within its cursed walls.)   

In similar fashion, the mean-spirited Councilwoman Deb Deny’s, and the unfortunate “Sleepy” Pat Patterson, quickly got in on the Desert Inn/Westin/Hard Rock orgy of adulation – fawning and cooing about how “fantastic” it all is – and ensuring us yokels, for the umpteenth time, how this panacea project will be the nostrum for all the ills and horrors of Daytona’s festering beachside.

Tragic.

In my view, this political bait-and-switch serves as a crystal example of why nothing – and I mean nothing – these shit-heels say can be trusted.

Ever.

In their world, the uber-rich power brokers pull the strings – and promises, hard deadlines and specific standards of performance mean nothing.

To our elected officials, these exacting requirements are no more than an arbitrary whim – empty words designed to calm the immediate fears and concerns of the villagers, knowing full-well that when the time is right, they will openly lie to us and simply pass “amended legislation” which will allow the developer du jour anything and everything he desires – including the removal of our heritage of beach driving.

In Volusia County, nothing is as it seems – and “standards” are meaningless.

Having read the Daytona Beach News-Journal’s exposé on the squalor that is Daytona’s beachside, I’ve come to the following conclusion:

The reason no one wants to throw good money after bad down this festering cesspool is that they have watched the skimming by special interests and influential insiders – and they have seen first-hand the abject corruption inherent to the process that has made Volusia County generally – and Daytona Beach specifically – look like a fucking Banana Republic.

The open chicanery and bald-ass lies we have been subjected to by these wobbling fools we elected represents the worst form of political cowardice and treachery.

Rather than hold firm to the promises they made to the people of Volusia County – or even have the common human decency to advertise this incredibly contentious issue and allow public input before aggressively supporting the change request – this Confederacy of Dunces sells us out at the first opportunity.

In perhaps the most egregious slap in the face to Volusia County residents since former Councilman Josh Wagner turned-tail and stabbed us in the collective back on the beach driving issue, that excruciatingly pompous ass, Councilwoman Deb Denys, was quick to make a motion placing Summit’s wants and whims on the very next council agenda for April 20, 2017.

This from the same Deb Denys who, at an April 2015 News-Journal political forum, stated unequivocally that she would never vote to have cars taken off the beach behind the Westin.

In the video, Denys bravely crowed, “So I am on record.  I’m not changing.  I have the courage of my convictions.  Even if I’m the one vote.”

Yep.  It’s amazing what a microphone picks up – and keeps for all eternity, eh Deb?

In my view, these scumbags have taken our faith in the best traditions of government and democracy and shit on them, repeatedly abandoning their sacred responsibilities to the people who elevated them to high office and power – pissing backwards on their promises and putting a dubious “letter of intent” from Hard Rock corporate over the true wants and needs of their long-suffering constituents.

Disgusting.

There is much more to this sordid story, folks – trust me – all is not as it seems.

Stay tuned.

Still need empirical evidence as to why not one incumbent on the Volusia County Council should be retained?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

March 2017 was quite a month here at Barker’s View HQ!

Thanks to you, for the first time since I began this little experiment in providing an alternative opinion to the canned government press releases, skewed news reports, and the backroom pranks of our local ‘movers and shakers,’ our blog closed the month with nearly 10,000 views.

Wow!  Thank you!

Earlier this week, I was contacted by a few folks, one of whom is a prominent elected official, who encouraged me to continue “keeping them honest.”  I also heard from a former local politico, who called Barker’s View an “important local voice” – an outlet that has apparently become a regular read for elected and appointed officials in Volusia County.

Now, I don’t know about all that – but it sure swelled my aching old head.

I explained that if our elected and appointed officials simply kept themselves honest, I could go back to drinking Cajun martinis all afternoon, practicing my cigarette smoking habit, and napping for a living.

At its core, this forum remains the wacky opinions and rants of a pudgy nobody hunched over a computer in his boxer shorts, railing against the machine and venting about the news and newsmakers of the day.

If someone finds a kernel of insight – or a differing view point that causes them to think – I believe that’s a positive thing.

All I really know is that I’m eternally grateful for all of you who read, discuss and share this blog – whether you agree with me or not.  In this salon, we can still be friends regardless of our views or the brutality of our criticism.

Your support means the world to me.

Barker’s View is adding a new feature – I call it “Angels and Assholes of the Week” – a rip-off of those “winners & losers” columns, featuring snippets on how those in positions of great power and influence either contributed, or detracted, to our lives and livelihoods here on the Fun Coast during the week that was.

Why that title, Barker?

Well, because the “Angels and Assholes” thing kind of rhymes – and because I wasn’t bright enough to come up with anything clever on my own.

Here’s our first installment:

Asshole:          The Volusia County Council

At the March 16^th meeting of the Volusia County Council, some members took freshman Councilwoman Heather Post to the proverbial woodshed and publicly spanked her like a recalcitrant child for daring to step out of the traditional obstructionist role of a county official and express her support for efforts to find a compassionate solution to the homeless problem.

For her trouble, Council Chair Ed Kelley bashed Ms. Post for violating some weird “Unwritten Protocol” – something he pulled out of his ass – while Deb Denys, the hapless Billie Wheeler, and “Sleepy” Pat Patterson took their own cheap shots from the Peanut Gallery.

Frankly, the county council should be ashamed of their chronic unwillingness to support the valiant efforts of the City of Daytona Beach and others who are working hard to find solutions to our most pressing social, economic and humanitarian problem of homelessness.

Let’s hope our elected and appointed officials in Deland find a way to work cooperatively and provide much-needed funding and support for the proposed shelter.

Asshole:          Councilwoman Heather Post

In my view, Ms. Post showed her true willingness to serve in the public interest when she unhesitatingly expressed her support and enthusiasm for ongoing efforts to find a solution to the homeless issue.

In fact – depending upon who you talk to – she was appointed to serve on the First Step Shelter, Inc. board, outside her position on the county council.

Unfortunately, Ms. Post lacked the courage of her convictions.

When called on the carpet by her cowardly colleagues, Ms. Post began this weird tap dance, clumsily swaying between the truth and a lie, and at one point actually denying that she had been appointed to the First Step board at all.

The result was watching a newly elected official completely unravel in public view.

Had Ms. Post simply stood-up for what she felt was right, she would have brought much-needed attention to Volusia County’s persistent obstructionism on this important issue – a courageous stance that would have made her a hero in the eyes of her constituents.

Instead, the rest of her term will be compromised by her abject quibbling, deflection of responsibility, and cringe-worthy lack of ethical courage when pressured by a cabal of political cowards.

Angel:             Daytona Beach City Commissioner Aaron Delgado

A tip ‘o the hat to Commissioner Delgado, who stood tall in an arena of ethical and mental midgets when he so eloquently expressed exactly what many have wanted to hear for years.

Mr. Delgado was quoted in the Daytona Beach News-Journal commenting on the brouhaha over Heather Post’s pillorying by her fellow county council members for her involvement – or non-involvement – in the homeless efforts:

“The last thing I want to do is see political maneuvering endangering what is really a great project.”

 “This is the kind of thing I feared would happen: people will make a stand on something silly like this instead of seeing the project through.  We need to leave our personalities and egos out of this and just get the job done.”

 In my view, Commissioner Delgado is a refreshing example of a forward-thinking first-year politician who is turning the status quo of stall tactics and time-wasting on its ear.

Unlike most local elected officials, Delgado apparently has no concern for his political future, or an obvious desire to hopscotch through the chairs to higher office.

He is committed to the simple prospect of building a better community and enhancing the quality of life for his constituents in Daytona Beach.

In my view, Aaron Delgado is a man working collegially with other leaders in the Halifax area –  without ego or need for personal recognition – to find compassionate and sustainable solutions to a problem that has dominated our local landscape, hampered true economic development and contributed to the appearance of blight and dilapidation in Volusia County for years.

Quote of the Week:

“A nice (for our lawns) thunder and lightning with rain this morning. Now watch all the grass green up from the NITROGEN created by the lightning.  And some wonder why there is nitrogen in our rivers.”

–Volusia County Council Chairman Ed Kelley, March 23^rd, on Facebook

I don’t make this shit up, folks!

Have a great weekend – and thanks again for your support of Barker’s View.