Hi, kids!

It’s time once again to turn a jaundiced eye toward the newsmakers of the day – the winners and losers – who, in my cynical opinion, either contributed to our quality of life, or detracted from it, in some significant way.

Let’s look at who tried to screw us – and who tried to save us – during the week that was:

Asshole           Saw Palmetto Pirates

It’s that time of the year. . .

Last week, I was invited to go fishing at a spot so remote that you really have to know where you’re going to get there.

The circuitous route to the wilderness pond requires that you traverse washboard dirt roads, fire trails and a series of overgrown one lane wilderness paths that take you deep in the heart of the south Flagler County swamps.

Trust me.  It’s out in the sticks.

Those who spend time in the woods understand that fences and gates are to be respected – only crossed with the express permission of the property owner.

Violations of those rules can result in serious confrontations and criminal prosecution.

I was surprised to find that these idyllic backwoods were being patrolled by noisy out-of-state pick-up trucks filled with rough men in search of saw palmetto berries – a species that the State of Florida has listed as a “commercially exploited plant” – due to its demand as a natural remedy for enlarged prostate.

The vehicles I saw were openly trespassing on private property – I assume searching for areas that had yet to be picked – totally disregarding the rules – which require both a permit from the Department of Agriculture and written permission of the landowner.

The exploitation isn’t limited to rural areas.

Saw palmetto pirates can be found trespassing on private property in subdivisions, backyards,  public parks, along interstate highways – anywhere they can find access to the profitable berries.

Kudos to the Volusia County and Flagler County Sheriff’s Offices for the recent arrest of several suspects who allegedly disregarded regulations governing the harvest of Saw Palmetto berries.

Thank you for your efforts to curb the exploitation of this important natural resource that also serves as a food source for black bears and other wildlife – and for protecting the private property of landowners throughout Volusia and Flagler Counties.

 Angel              Daytona State College

 My one great regret is not pursuing higher education.

Throughout my youth I struggled academically – probably the result of what would today be diagnosed as “learning disabilities” – a condition aggravated by old-fashioned laziness.

Back when teachers hand-wrote telling notes on the back of report cards to summarize a student’s performance during the grading period – mine read, “Needs to apply himself” (whatever that means) or “Easily distracted daydreamer.”

As a result, I struggled through my life and career with a serious inferiority complex – always feeling less than friends and colleagues with advanced degrees.

For instance, when I was appointed Chief of Police, it was based upon my experience and past performance, not formal education – a mustang of sorts.

As a result, I rarely participated in formal group discussions with my “peers” from other agencies, avoided leadership positions in professional associations and was always self-conscious of the fact I hadn’t earned the requisite academic credentials for a seat at the table.

Without the fundamentals, it meant that I had to work twice as hard, yet, I always made the feeble excuse that I didn’t have the time or it was too expensive to pursue a degree.

Now, in my dotage, I’m afraid that ship has sailed. . .

So, I have stumbled down the path like the uncultivated bumpkin I am, doomed to the most expensive education there is – a lifetime of experiential learning and its grudging release from ignorance.

Whenever a young person asks for advice, I invariably tell them to pursue a college degree, master a trade – or, if all else fails – get a job in government, claw your way to middle-management, and hang on by your fingernails until you vest. . .

Fortunately, the Halifax area is blessed with some of the finest institutions of higher education in the world – a diversity of technical training, research and liberal arts tracks that consistently rank among the best anywhere.

From the high-flying Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University to the prestigious Stetson University and Bethune-Cookman – new students and mid-career professional have local access to a wide variety of quality programs to suit their unique educational needs.

This week we learned that the editors of the Bachelor’s Degree Center, a site that helps degree-seeking students “find the best educational program most suited to their financial, educational, and personal situation,” recently ranked Daytona State College’s bachelor of science in engineering technology as the most “affordable online program in the nation.”

In addition, DSC’s online transition program for registered nurses with associate degrees seeking to earn a Bachelor of Science in nursing has been recognized as the most reasonably priced as well!

Wow! 

Given the exorbitant cost of tuition and other fees that can lead to crippling student debt that hamstring many young students before their lives and careers truly begin, it’s refreshing to known that we have superior programs at competitive prices right here in the Halifax area.

Kudos to Daytona State College for placing higher education and the lifelong opportunities it provides within financial reach of everyone.      

Asshole           First Step Shelter Board

 When considering the plight of the First Step Shelter Board, I am of the opinion that it is physically impossible for ostensibly bright and successful individuals with extensive business and political experience to step in large piles of shit with such frightening regularity – then get down and wallow in it in such a public way – time and time and time again. . .

It simply defies logic. . .

Yet, that has been the unfortunate legacy of the First Step board – the horribly abused and much maligned issue of the Daytona Beach City Commission – who are now the sole caretakers of this sordid mess.

On Tuesday – with taxpayers still reeling from the news that the shelter’s completion date has been pushed back an unconscionable fourth time – board members inexplicably cloaked the process of selecting the shelter’s executive director from public view – adding to the sense of utter chaos and confusion that has destroyed the public’s faith in the project and all but ensured an end to municipal funding sources and private donations.

After conducting private interviews with six short list candidates “out of the public eye,” three finalists emerged from the mysterious process to compete for the leadership role worth $48,000 to $60,000 in public funds annually.

Now, after creating the wholly unnecessary skepticism and speculation that naturally comes when public entities intentionally sidestep Florida’s Sunshine Law, some members are mewing and cooing about the public’s perception of this backroom chicanery.

According to a quote attributed to board member Chase Tramont by Eileen Zaffiro-Kean in The Daytona Beach News-Journal:

“I didn’t think it was anything inappropriate in spite of how some of that has been portrayed,” said Tramont, a Port Orange City Council member. “I have great understanding, though, for the desire to do it all out in public. I think its bad optics that we have done it this way, but there’s no ill will toward it. I’m fully behind how we did it.”

It’s not just “bad optics” – it openly flaunts the letter and spirit of the law – and there was absolutely no need for any of it!

Even Ormond Beach City Commissioner Dwight Selby, who (for reasons known only to him) continues to ‘serve’ on this cheap rubber stamp committee, realized how damaging a backroom selection process would be to the public’s fragile trust in the struggling homeless assistance center.

“If we were to make a final decision tonight, the public would not have an opportunity to weigh in on that,” said Selby.

Unfortunately – for everyone involved, to include the three finalists – nobody with any degree of self-respect cares to “weigh in” at this point.

The damage is done.

You see, the process has been forever marred, tainted by the toxic stench of secrecy wafting from behind firmly closed doors, where the public who funds this expensive experiment were clearly not welcome.

But why?  

As sitting elected officials, both Tramont and Selby understand better than most the importance of openness – conducting the people’s business in the public eye – especially when decisions regarding the future leadership of our horribly challenged shelter are made.

Let’s face it, this entire farce transcends “bad optics” and raises serious questions about the ultimate viability and management of this much needed social service – and the utter dysfunction that dominates our local system of governance at every level.

If the First Step Shelter is to regain the public trust and move beyond the horrific gaffs and mismanagement of the past, what remains of the politically accountable segment of the board must begin to demonstrate strong leadership, and stand firm to the highest principles of our participatory democracy – truth, transparency and inclusiveness.

Asshole           City of Daytona Beach Economic Development

One valuable lesson I learned over three decades in public service is that you can’t have more than one “high profile” issue going at a time.

You can have a bad day – even a major mistake – but when you get too many plates spinning at once, people begin to notice, and that doesn’t bode well for a senior bureaucrat’s longevity.

In government, dealing with multiple highly publicized problems at one time requires that the organization spend a lot of political energy to spin internal and external opinion and protect the status quo, least the dysfunction become apparent.

Unfortunately, the City of Daytona Beach is experiencing the embarrassing results of what happens when senior staff members allow more than one wheel to come off the cart at a time.

From the ongoing nightmare that is the First Step Shelter – to concerns over drastic changes to the downtown streetscape, the secret negotiations for the wholesale development of City Island and the serious traffic and congestion concerns on Boomtown Boulevard and beyond, etc. – Daytona Beach officials are getting further behind the proverbial eight ball every day.

Earlier this week, the intrepid Eileen Zaffiro-Kean, writing in The Daytona Beach News-Journal, reported that a $60 million oceanfront hotel project which would have connected to the challenged Daytona Beach Boardwalk has fallen “off the radar.” 

“Some feared the plan to build a nearly 300-room Marriott hotel just south of Main Street had the life choked out of it by an impasse between top city staff and the private developer trying to make it happen.”

Not good. . .

For years, many have openly wondered why Daytona Beach Redevelopment Director Reed Berger has been allowed to virtually ignore the pressing needs of the tarnished beachside – now marked by the potential loss of a synergistic hotel/entertainment complex near the city’s struggling core tourist area.

For years, entrepreneurial investors have lamented the byzantine bureaucratic roadblocks to opening small businesses in Daytona Beach – that cannot continue – not if we hope to pull ourselves out of this fetid quagmire that is ruining “the brand” and slowly destroying our tourism industry.

In my view, it took The Daytona Beach News-Journal’s excellent investigative series on beachside blight to bring substantive attention to the deplorable condition and open corruption that doomed our core tourist areas for decades – and I have joined the many in the Halifax area who are openly cheering the City’s new code enforcement initiatives – but its high time that those in the city’s economic development apparatus, who accept public funds to serve in the public interest, be held accountable for their abysmal inaction.

Frankly, it’s high time elected officials determine exactly which “top city staff” stand as a perennial impediment to the community’s economic progress.

We simply cannot move forward with the same tired ideas, lack of organizational enthusiasm and bureaucratic impediments that continue to dash transformational projects, discourage investment and allow economic stagnation to continue on our imperiled beachside and beyond.

Quote of the Week

“. . .at the Sept. 18 Daytona Beach City Commission meeting, Commissioner Quanita May victoriously confirmed with City Attorney Bob Jagger that a magistrate can impose fines of up to $15,000/day for homeowners who operate what the city deems “illegal” vacation rentals. (She originally made this request at the Aug. 7 City Commission meeting). All that is needed is to demonstrate these rentals cause “irreparable harm” to the community.

Do I understand this correctly?

The city has to “consider” whether or not to fine a large construction company that has repeatedly failed to meet its obligations to build an important community resource (First Step Shelter).  At the same time, the city could fine a citizen immediately, at five times the rate that may possibly be imposed on APM, for hosting a tourist in his home.

The only irreparable harm being done here is to the hard-working, tax-paying citizens who are exercising their constitutionally protected property rights.”

–Mary Synk, Daytona Beach, pointing out the disparate treatment of short-term rental owners by the City of Daytona Beach and Volusia County, writing in The Daytona Beach News-Journal Letters to the Editor, “Daytona pursues skewed penalties,” September 23, 2019

As I’ve said before, when it comes to the issue of short-term vacation rentals, local governments must retain the right to enact common-sense rules to alleviate nuisance issues and ensure the health, safety and quality of life for all residents – and a means to ensure short-term rentals pay applicable taxes is a given – but property owners should be permitted to market their properties in an open and responsible way without oppressive government regulation.

The use of draconian fines that can crush a property owner under the iron boot of a compromised municipal and county government is not fair – and it’s not healthy to our local economy.

To learn more, please go to www.SAVEDaytona.org

There you will find a link to a petition requesting reasonably regulated short-term rentals in Daytona Beach.  Take time to educate yourself.

Even if you disagree with the concept of short-term rentals – I think you will agree that the Halifax Area Advertising Authority’s push for excessively harsh government intrusion in the marketplace is wrong.

After all, if it can happen to them – it can happen to you. . .

And Another Thing!

I have a cardinal rule here at Barker’s View – I don’t accept advertising dollars or financial “support” from anyone.

Let’s face it, most of my blog posts are hyper-political – one man’s critical opinion on the issues and newsmakers of the day, yadda, yadda – and taking money to hype goods, services or (God forbid) political candidates would, in my view, cheapen the message and give rise to favoritism.

After all, my hypocrisy knows no bounds – and once I got snout-deep in the trough, well, who knows where that would end – so why tempt it, right?

(Besides, my wife claims I have a physiological aversion to making money – which is why she will have to work well into her 80’s to keep us in the lifestyle I’ve become accustomed to. . .) 

So, whenever you see an occasional review in Barker’s View for an enterprise I feel is doing it right – you can take my word for it – safe in the knowledge my recommendation comes from the heart, not someone’s marketing budget.

This week, Simply Gina’s – a long-established Holly Hill eatery – recently moved to impressive new digs at 841 Ridgewood Avenue – and I’m very happy to report the restaurant opened this week to huge crowds!

Look, I couldn’t be happier for Gina and Dan Farmer.  They’re good people who hold firm to high standards and present an exceptional variety of incredibly tasty meals.

For over fifteen-years, Gina’s 6^th Street Deli served the community in a small space just across the street from The Daytona Beach News-Journal.

Now, Simply Gina’s is open seven days a week for breakfast and lunch from 6:00am to 3:00pm – including dinner on Thursday, Friday and Saturday – when they remain open until 8:00pm.

Trust me.  If you haven’t been to Simply Gina’s for breakfast – you’re doing it wrong. . .

Kudos to my friend Robin Hanger – a trusted Holly Hill entrepreneur and successful businessman who owns and operates The Car Shop and Best Price Trailers on Ridgewood Avenue – who purchased the former Denny’s building and invested in renovations for the expansion of Simply Gina’s. 

I’m proud to report that Robin is a big part of the renaissance of The City with a Heart!

If you’re looking for a great meal at a fair price – in a true hometown atmosphere where I guarantee you will feel welcome – please give Simply Gina’s a try!

That’s all for me – have a great weekend, friends!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

(Cue Rod Serling)

“There is a fifth dimension beyond that which is known to man.  It is a dimension as vast as space and as timeless as infinity. It is the middle ground between light and shadow, between science and superstition, and it lies between the pit of man’s fears, and the summit of his knowledge. This is the dimension of imagination. It is an area which we call … The Twilight Zone.”

At the risk of sounding like a conspiratorial nutjob – what if a simple inquiry into an annual community parade exposed one of the most profound scandals in Volusia County history – evidence that the County Attorney’s Office has run a sophisticated con job on the Volusia County Council and the public for years?

This summer, organizers of the Historic North Turn Legends Beach Parade – an annual event celebrating the history of auto racing on the old beach course that was used in Ponce Inlet until the late 1950’s – were formally advised by Volusia County officials that the popular event would not be permitted in 2020.

But why?

Since 2012, the county has routinely permitted vintage race cars to briefly access the beach section of the course as the low speed parade completes one loop of the former track, creating a spectacular visual for hundreds of spectators who gather for the event during Race Weeks each February.

In July, our weaponized County Attorney, Dan “Cujo” Eckert, sent a letter to the sponsor explaining, in essence, that Volusia County had allowed the event by “mistake,” claiming authoritatively that permitting vehicles on that section of the beach constituted a violation of the county’s Incidental Take Permit (ITP) issued by the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service designed to protect sea turtle nests.

According to Mr. Eckert’s correspondence, “The ITP must be renewed in 2030.  It would be ironic if an event whose purpose in part is to celebrate the history of racing on the beach factored in the ultimate demise of all vehicular access on the beach.” 

Jesus.  Strong stuff. . .

Fortunately, it appears Ol’ Cujo’s frightening prognostication was complete horseshit. . .

Last week, long-time organizer and Ponce Inlet resident Rhonda Glasnak received an extremely thorough explanation from United States Congressman Bill Posey, who represents Florida’s 8^th District and describes himself as a supporter, attendee and participant in past Legend’s Parades, detailing his investigation into Volusia County’s odd refusal to permit next year’s event.

According to the report, after Representative Posey made “numerous attempts” to contact County Manager Recktenwald over “several weeks,” he finally directed his staff to reach out to the United States Fish & Wildlife Service to discuss the issue – you know, get it from the horse’s mouth, as it were. . .

According to the USFWS:

“Historically, the Service supported Volusia County’s decision to permit the event as we do not see a conflict with their existing Incidental Take Permit (ITP) and Habitat Conservation Plan (HCP).  The HCP allows for some vehicular access for special events if approved by the County and with concurrence of the USFWS.  For this event, the Service has concurred with the County’s decision since the event takes place outside of sea turtle nesting season and precautions are taken to minimize adverse impacts.  County staff reached out to Service again this year to discuss their position on the event.  As before, the Service will support the County in whatever decision they make.  Ultimately, the decision on whether to permit the event rest solely with Volusia County, not the Fish and Wildlife Service.”

In other words, so long as Volusia County takes reasonable precautions under the conservation plan, the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service could care less if the historic parade rolls on the beach for a few minutes once each year.

That’s certainly a far cry from Mr. Eckert’s gloom and doom legal prophesy. . .

Well, apparently that incredibly soft interpretation by the very federal agency that issued the ITP didn’t satisfy Mr. Eckert – or his militant sidekick – assistant county attorney Jamie Seaman. . .

Then, things got even weirder. . .

On September 18, Representative Posey’s staff took a conference call with Volusia County’s Do-Nothing Director of Governmental Affairs, John Booker, and Attorney Seaman.

Inexplicably, during the call, the County Attorney’s Office openly disagreed with the USFWS regarding the Incidental Take Permit – even going so far as to claim that the parade (which has been allowed for the past eight years) is a violation of Florida law governing vehicular traffic on coastal beaches.

Say what?

You read that right – Jamie Seaman literally argued against the findings of the United States Fish & Wildlife Service – then cited, chapter and verse, how the whole idea was in violation of state law!

According to Representative Posey, “My staff was also told that the County Attorney’s office would stand firm on their stance regarding this issue but did not have final say as the Volusia County Council would ultimately be the elected body making that call, should they wish to address it.”

My God.

Does anyone believe the Volusia County Council would openly disregard the legal recommendation of the County Attorney’s Office on a matter of grave importance to our most important natural and economic resource? 

That’s why the opinions of Mr. Eckert and his staff have such a direct impact on the public policies that effect our lives and livelihoods.    

Once again, Dan Eckert and his raging Hellhounds in the county attorney’s office have unleashed Pandora’s Box – and the questions from concerned constituents are pouring out fast and furious. . .

Why would County Attorney Eckert give demonstrably misleading information to a citizen and our elected officials, then create a fictitious nightmare scenario linking a long-time special event with the potential demise of our tradition of beach driving and access?    

Why would Jamie Seaman – who is intimately familiar with the county’s Incidental Take Permit – vehemently oppose an incredibly favorable interpretation of the ITP by the United States Fish & Wildlife Service which effectively cedes complete decision-making authority for special beach access to Volusia County?

Now, I’m just spit-balling here, but was the County Attorney’s response designed to cover other bullshit ‘legal’ opinions issued over years which shaped beach driving and access policy by misconstruing key provisions of the Incidental Take Permit to further the objectives of speculative developers and government insiders with a profit motive?

I’m asking.

And why won’t our highly compensated “new” County Manager George Recktenwald return telephone calls to a sitting United States Congressman on matters of community concern? 

Councilwoman Billie Wheeler, for one, has worked tirelessly to see the Legends Parade continue in 2020.  Now, it appears it will be up to our elected officials to investigate this matter and determine where the truth lies.

In my view, it’s time Chairman Ed Kelley and our elected representatives on the Volusia County Council finally leave the Twilight Zone, join us here in the “Real World,” and find hard answers to our mounting questions now that Representative Posey has exposed these glaring contradictions.

 

Photo Credit: The Daytona Beach News-Journal

Much of what I post here on Barker’s View is a lighthearted take on our goofy local political climate  – a snarky look at our lives and livelihoods here on Florida’s fabled Fun Coast.

This isn’t one of those.

It’s a generally accepted fact that the murky circumstances surrounding the First Step Shelter debacle stink like ripe Limburger – a series of unprecedented missteps, blunders and bureaucratic sleight-of-hand that has seen the resignation of the shelter’s first executive director – the abrupt departure of two respected local leaders who stepped away from the Board of Directors in open disgust – while others inexplicably hold on, providing tacit approval to this sordid charade.

Now, things have taken an even darker turn. . .

One of the most obvious clues that our elected and appointed representatives no longer have our best interests at heart is when they use publicly compensated attorneys to devise a quasi-legal means to conduct the people’s business in the shadows.

Given the turmoil that has surrounded this tawdry shit show from the beginning, it is easy to forget that the money the City of Daytona Beach, County of Volusia, and, ultimately, the First Step Shelter Board are charged with stewarding belongs to us – public funds that originated from our pockets – collected from the individual citizen for the betterment and protection of the whole – not just the well-connected few.

The allocation and expenditure of this community treasure places an awesome fiduciary responsibility – a legal and ethical relationship of trust – with those we elect.

I think anyone paying attention will agree that the power grabs, mini-moves and political chicanery between the City of Daytona Beach and its horribly abused child, the First Step Shelter Board, have been a gross waste of time and money that has allowed the homeless assistance center to languish for years and driven the completion price to astronomical heights.

Now, the First Step board has found a way to corrupt and confuse even the relatively straightforward process for selecting the shelter’s next executive director by concocting a ruse to sidestep Florida’s Sunshine Law and interview candidates individually behind closed doors. . .

But why? 

I mean, does anyone really care to listen to some middle-aged not-for-profit middle-manager describe their leadership style? 

It’s the idea of a publicly funded social service embracing inclusiveness, transparency and bringing those of us who ultimately pay the bills into the room.

It’s about building a culture that values community input in the decision-making process from the start.

Right. . .

A total of 122 applicants from around the nation were whittled down to just six locals by volunteer-turned-$5,500-a-month public employee, Jane Bloom, and her partner in a bizarre co-executive director scheme, Leslie Bonner – using mysterious selection criteria known but to God.

(Who’da thunk that all the “high functioning multi-taskers” in the United States live right here in the Deltona–Daytona–Ormond Metropolitan Statistical Area?  Weird, right?)

This afternoon, board members will question the finalists privately, in a weird round robin format “outside the public eye.”

With taxpayers still reeling from the news that the shelter’s completion date has been pushed back an unconscionable fourth time – these witless assholes have cloaked the process of selecting the shelter’s leadership from public view – adding to the sense of utter chaos and confusion that has destroyed the public’s faith in the project and all but ensured an end to municipal funding sources and private donations.

Shocking.

In Florida, the Government in the Sunshine Law contains standards of ethical conduct applicable to all public officers and employees, to include governmental entities, boards and committees which set public policy and steward public funds.

In addition, Florida statutes specifically require that all meetings of state or local governmental boards or commissions be open and accessible to the public unless there is a specific statutory exemption.

And arbitrarily deciding that they don’t want us to listen in isn’t one of them. . . 

These laws allow citizens to bear witness and observe the machinations of our government firsthand – to ensure our elected and appointed representatives are serving our collective interests in a transparent, legal and ethical way.

In my view, Florida’s hard-fought open meeting laws are sacrosanct – and should be celebrated and embraced by sitting public officials as the ne plus ultra of a participatory democracy – not shit on, evaded  and dismissed as a cheap means of political expediency.

Anyone who would participate in this pernicious backroom scam – on either side of the table – has already lost my confidence.  And my vote. . .

In my view, this miscarriage of our sacred governmental principles by what has become a shameless rubber stamp goes a step too far.

Asking a municipal attorney to devise a workaround to state law is beyond just another governmental screw job and transcends the stupid ideations of a horribly compromised political insulation committee.

And this has nothing to do with helping those less fortunate get back on their feet.

No, this is infinitely more sinister – somehow dirtier than before – and, in my view, it speaks to the “systems” pernicious need to be alone when it decides on just the right marionette to administrate this $1.1 million annual cash incinerator in the long term. . .

The fight for survival normally takes one of two forms – vigorous combat and strenuous effort that uses all of one’s resources in a no-holds-barred, tooth and nail fight for life – or the ability to adapt to a changing environment in order to survive.

Unfortunately, over the past decade, the Daytona Beach tourism and hospitality apparatus has done neither – standing lead-footed in almost paralytic inaction as the death spiral of the beachside gained speed and corrosive blight, civic neglect and economic stagnation blanketed our core tourist areas like a shroud.

Rather than demand that economic development officials, and our long-winded tourism gurus (with their malleable marketing analysts), develop a comprehensive vision for breathing life into this once world famous destination – or standing on the chest of elected officials until they turn their fickle attention from Boomtown Boulevard to solving the grave issue of beachside revitalization – local hoteliers have stood idle while their cash cow slowly gave up the ghost.

Now, with occupancy and average daily rates slipping, tourism and lodging officials have joined forces with the do-nothing Halifax Area Advertising Authority to lash out at their self-created enemy – the local short-term rental market – demanding that city and county government use the ultimate power of crippling fines to crush one of the most successful segments of the hospitality industry.

On Wednesday, the HAAA board of directors – whose normal role is to piss away bed tax revenues on nonsensical marketing slogans like “Wide. Open. Fun!” or “Seize the Daytona” and shovel funds to the equally ineffectual Daytona Beach Area Convention & Visitors Bureau – issued a demand that local officials begin enforcing zoning codes against the owners of short-term rental properties.

For Daytona Beach investors who rent their property for less than six-months, that could mean devastating fines of up to $15,000 per day.

In my view, many local hotel/motel operators are part of the problem.

For years they have refused to reinvest in their product, squeezed profits while paying shit wages for scullery work and allowed their facilities and amenities to deteriorate.

While some hoteliers have kept up with the times, many others on Atlantic Avenue and beyond have become little more than fleabags – or stand vacant, rotting monoliths circled in ratty chain-link fencing – which contributes to the seedy sense of hopelessness that continues to plague revitalization efforts.

And don’t get me started on the once famous Daytona Beach Boardwalk. . .

Rather than incorporate innovation and alternatives into area tourism initiatives, the City of Daytona Beach fights these entrepreneurial investors like a rabid badger – still kowtowing to the tired whims of our horribly uninspired tourism and lodging officials.

Given the current economic environment on much of the beachside, it’s time for local government to get the hell out of the marketplace and stop this withering assault on small business.

When investors purchase dilapidated properties and renovate them into a marketable short-term rental – it has a radiating effect in the surrounding area, slows the spread of blight and proves that pride in appearance can be equally contagious.

According to the intrepid Mary Synk, who has worked tirelessly for smart regulations and responsible ownership, these renovations are performed at private expense, without tax abatement or government incentives, and the construction and ongoing maintenance provides jobs, such as landscaping, property management and other trades while increasing sales at local businesses which contributes to the economic health of our community.

Ms. Synk reports that over the past month, the “war against vacation rentals in Daytona Beach has gotten more aggressive than ever before.” 

In May, a judge upheld the City of Daytona Beach’s argument that short-term vacation rentals are only allowed in “tourist zoning districts,” certain community redevelopment areas and established historic districts.

That ruling is currently under appeal.

A free and open marketplace begins with creating a demand – a product or service that consumers want – that creates competition leading to innovation and constant improvement in an environment where fair and equitable regulation and management ensures a level playing field.

I frequently use peer-to-peer rentals whenever I travel.

Let’s face it, if you’ve seen one cookie-cutter chain hotel room – you’ve seen them all. . .

I like the experience – feeling part of the community, meeting new people and experiencing an unfamiliar place like a “local.”

Because of the personal nature of staying in someone’s home – I always strive to be a good guest and leave the property better than I found it.

Most people do.

If properly regulated, managed and taxed fairly – I believe the peer-to-peer vacation market can play an important role in the revitalization of our lagging tourism economy.

In my view, that begins when government, and their friends in the hotel/motel industry, stop the strong-arm tactics and permit a level playing field.

To put it in perspective, Ms. Synk recently noted that the City of Daytona Beach – which has failed to impose the $3,000 per day fine on the contractor for the repeatedly delayed First Step Shelter – is perfectly willing to impose a crushing $15,000 per day fine on any citizen who “illegally” rents space to a tourist.

What gives?

As I’ve said before, local governments must retain the right to enact common-sense rules to alleviate nuisance issues and ensure the health, safety and quality of life for all residents – and a means to ensure short-term rentals pay applicable taxes is a given – but property owners should be permitted to market their properties in an open and responsible way without oppressive government regulation.

The use of draconian fines that can crush a property owner under the iron boot of a compromised municipal and county government is not fair – and it’s not healthy to our local economy.

To learn more, please go to www.SAVEDaytona.org

There you will find a link to a petition requesting reasonably regulated short-term rentals in Daytona Beach.  Take time to educate yourself.

Even if you disagree with the concept of short-term rentals – I think you will agree that the Halifax Area Advertising Authority’s push for excessively harsh government intrusion in the marketplace is wrong.

 

Hi, kids!

It’s time once again to turn a jaundiced eye toward the newsmakers of the day – the winners and losers – who, in my cynical opinion, either contributed to our quality of life, or detracted from it, in some significant way.

Let’s look at who tried to screw us – and who tried to save us – during the week that was:

Asshole           Florida’s Crippled Campaign Finance System

Way back in November 2016, I wrote a little ditty called “The Biggest Whorehouse in the World,” after former Governor “Slick” Rick Scott reappointed his buddy, Long John Miklos, to an unprecedented umpteenth term as head of the St. John’s River Water Management District’s governing board.

As you may recall, Mr. Miklos owned a prolific environmental consultancy that had an incredible run of success ensuring his clients – generally big-time real estate developers – got what they damn well wanted from the very regulatory agency he oversaw.

In my view, Slick Rick was the poster boy for the statewide problem of quid pro quo corruption – and he had no qualms selling his soul, or the State of Florida, to anyone who passed a buck in his direction.

Over time, watching gubernatorial appointments and access to the highest echelons of political power sold to the highest bidder cemented my belief that we live in the most corrupt state in the union.

What’s changed?

This week, Gatehouse Media – who owns The Daytona Beach News-Journal – published a piece in the “painfully obvious” column about Governor Ron DeSantis’ penchant for openly selling influential appointments to various statewide boards and committees.

The Gatehouse reporter exposed a growing laundry list of campaign donors to something called “Friends of Ron DeSantis,” who magically ascended to posts on powerful boards from the State University System to the Jacksonville Port Authority, Florida Fish & Wildlife Conservation Commission and beyond.

To add insult, the Tampa Bay Times recently uncovered internal memorandums prepared by DeSantis campaign strategists that laid out a virtual smorgasbord of pay-to-play access – from golf outings, to dinners and short grip-n-grin meetings – the exorbitant price list made it clear that admittance to the inner sanctum remains out of reach for most Floridians.

The governor’s staffers made it clear that the pricing scheme was never implemented, but reality is in the eye of the beholder. . .

For instance, according to the Gatehouse report:

“Ron Howse, president of a Cocoa engineering and land planning company, was reappointed in August to the St. Johns Water Management District, after contributing more than $14,700 last year.  Howse also is chair of the Florida Transportation Commission, and last year helped DeSantis’s campaign by making his airplane available to the governor.”

Wow.  Friends indeed. . .

Look, I could have easily headed this Asshole segment with Governor DeSantis – or the name of any current or former politician from either party who has held statewide office in the last millennium – but the fact is, they’re just trying to stay afloat in the cesspit.

The real problem remains Florida’s sketchy campaign finance rules that have turned our political system into a cheap livestock auction.

And if you think its any different at the local level – think again.

In my view, we are “governed” by an entrenched oligarchy, where uber-wealthy individuals and industries have the ability to control their environment by purchasing the malleable loyalties of these uninspired dullards they perennially return to office.

Unfortunately – for reasons I’ve blathered about for years – We, The People are at least partially to blame.

Earlier this week, a long-time friend and loyal Barker’s View reader reminded me of an apt quote by the Savoyard philosopher, Joseph de Maistre, who said: “We get the government we deserve.”

Perhaps it’s time we stop deluding ourselves that our “rich and powerful” overseers are going to step-up and do what’s best for us, and begin populating the halls of power at all levels of government with responsive, independent and ethical servant-leaders with our best interests at heart.

Only then can we begin the monumental process of reforming local and state campaign finance laws and put an end to this pernicious pay-to-play system that has had such a damaging influence on our lives and livelihoods.

Angel               Jeff Brower, Candidate for Volusia County Council Chair

Speaking of responsive and ethical government. . .

Earlier this week, Volusia County residents got the first piece of good news we’ve had in a long while when Jeff Brower formally announced his candidacy for Volusia County Council Chair.

In my view, it’s time to change the cycle of ‘politics as usual’ in DeLand – and it’s good to see quality candidates like Jeff stand up and fight to return a sense of values-based governance to this dry and weary land.

In many ways, this is a true David and Goliath story – a simple man of integrity standing honorably against a money-fueled machine that seeks to perpetuate the status quo at all costs.

In my view, our doddering fool of a County Chair, Ed Kelley, has presided over one of the most dysfunctional eras in our illustrious history – a time when unchecked growth and suburban sprawl was mistaken for “progress” – and obfuscation, political sleight-of-hand and the brutalization of those with opposing viewpoints replaced ethical leadership.

When you consider how long Old Ed has championed the wants and whims of the Donor Class – virtually ignoring the needs of his long-suffering constituents to the exclusion of any reasonable sense of fairness – it becomes clear that Chairman Ed Kelley epitomizes the self-serving nature of the lopsided “system” he has worked so hard to protect.

I think we’ve had enough, don’t you?

Jeff Brower is an impressive guy.  He get’s it.

For many years, Jeff has worked diligently to identify waste, inefficiencies and mismanagement in County government and has served as a tireless advocate for accountability and responsive representation.

I also admire his community involvement, volunteerism and personal commitment to preserving our unique heritage of beach driving and access.

Most important, Jeff Brower knows that character counts.

I was impressed by the following from Jeff’s campaign website:

“Like you, Jeff is tired of voting for someone only to be pushed aside for the wishes of Volusia’s power brokers.  He  will be your voice and your vote on the council regardless of your economic or personal status.  You should be the special interest our county government is concerned about.  Our American principles and personal desire for a safe and secure life are in danger as families are confronted with an ever-growing tax burden, rising crime rates, intrusive government, and fiscal irresponsibility that leaves essential services under funded.  It seems as if our votes and voices no longer matter to the people we elect to represent us.”

“The county is the first line of defense to protect our liberty, neighborhoods and beautiful environment.  County government should provide an effective environment for superior public safety, transportation, education, recreation, and a safe and clean environment.  It should also encourage small business establishment and opportunity without picking winners and losers.”

To learn more about Jeff’s impressive commitment to the citizens of Volusia County, please go to: www.jeffbrowervcc1.com

Asshole           First Step Shelter Board

It’s official:  The First Step Shelter Board now has no one to blame but themselves. 

Last week, Daytona Beach City Manager Jim Chisholm issued a memorandum extending the construction deadline on the beleaguered homeless assistance center for a fourth time – pushing the earliest possible completion date to November 11.

Look, I’m not going to call it a deadline, because experience has proven that things like performance guarantees or expecting contractors to live up to reasonable expectations, are unheard of in this festering quagmire we find ourselves in.

According to reports, even P$S Paving – the beneficiary of an incredibly lucrative land deal which allows them to mine and sell profitable fill dirt in exchange for site preparations – has only completed 85% of the required work. . .

Now, the contractor claims work was hampered when crews had to make “adjustments” to the building foundation built by P&S Paving (?) – along with months-long delays in getting electricity to the building (?).

Say what?

According to a report in The Daytona Beach News-Journal, setbacks also include “Getting the concrete slab the building sits on dried out has also been slowed down by the site being prone to sogginess. . .”

Whoa.  I guess First Step should have used a smidgen of that fill dirt for its own needs, eh?

Whatever.

On Wednesday, the City of Daytona Beach approved the convoluted lease agreement – before the building is even habitable – so, it’s the neutered First Step Shelter Board’s problem now. . .

My God.  What a damnable mess.

Asshole           Volusia County Council

For those of you tuning in late:  On Tuesday, the Volusia County Council raised our property taxes by 4.8% – bringing the parasitic behemoth’s total annual budget to $980 million. 

You read that right.  Nearly One Billion Dollars.

In an article announcing the rate hike, Daytona Beach News-Journal reporter Mark Harper quoted freshman Councilman Ben Johnson’s rather callous take on the county’s voracious appetite after voting to increase the burden on thousands of already tax-strapped constituents:

“I feel pretty good about it,” he said Wednesday. “You see the kind of audience we had, people thanking us for what we did.  We’ve had several letters to the editor, and most of them have been favorable. … I felt like we were very responsible with it.”

I don’t make this shit up, folks. . .

Councilman Johnson (I hope) was referring to representatives of a few government-funded programs who appeared before their benefactors, hat in hand, and thanked the council for their very livelihoods – because I can assure him that none of my neighbors here in the “Real World” are looking at this obscene tax increase “favorably.”

In fact, everyone I’ve spoken with – from homeowners to businesses to elderly neighbors on fixed incomes to the guy on the barstool next to me – are pissed off beyond belief.

Some even speculate that the increase is punishment for our rejection of the half-cent sales tax. . .

Unfortunately, what our elected dullards are too arrogant to admit is that the collective silence of over 538,000 citizens does not equate to our tacit approval.

To the contrary.  It speaks to our longanimity.

Our deafening quiet is borne of a crippling resignation – the terrible realization that the average citizen can no longer afford political representation – so, we have no choice but to bend over and bear it.

We also learned this week that Volusia County’s wholesale attack on the will of the people in the form of its incessant challenge of Amendment 10 – a voter-approved measure to return constitutional sovereignty to several important county offices – will be heard by a state appeals court early next month.

Even before the election, Volusia County insiders worked hard to get the initiative removed from the ballot altogether, fearing that returning independence and external oversight to our sheriff, property appraiser, elections supervisor and tax collector – which, under the current charter, are relegated to little more than elected department heads reporting to a politically unaccountable manager – would disrupt the solidification of power.

When that initial challenge was denied – and the amendment was approved by voters statewide – a fractured county council directed our weaponized County Attorney Dan “Cujo” Eckert to fight tooth-and-nail to overturn the vote of the people and shit on the very idea of a participatory democracy.

Now, the battle continues, with long-time political hangers-on crowing, ad nauseum, that the county charter – a governing document that was cobbled together in 1970 by a group of entrenched insiders to consolidate power in the hands of a few – should remain sacrosanct.

These tired graybeards – who ferociously preserve and protect the sanctity of their charter by strategically populating the once-per-decade review commissions with many who stand to directly benefit from the status quo – will fight to our last dollar to preserve a bastardized oligarchy that has worked well (for all the right last names, anyway) for nearly a half-century.

See why I’m so fond of campaign finance reform? 

Here’s hoping the appeals court stands on the foundational principles of our democracy and sides with We, The People in returning constitutional sovereignty and political accountability to these important county offices and put an end to Volusia County’s misguided assault on the citizens ability to control our system of governance.

Asshole           City of DeBary

I covered this in a piece last year about the fallout from the ‘Debacle in DeBary’ – and it’s hard to believe the reputation of a conscientious former employee is still being drug through the mud. . .

During the long, hot summer of 2016, I wrote a series of opinion essays on the political maelstrom that wracked the City of DeBary.

People still ask me why I expended so much stomach acid on the small west Volusia town, and I explain that if you care about good government in your community – you should care about good governance everywhere.

I live in God’s Country here in Ormond Beach (seriously, I heard he has a home in IL Villaggio. . .) but what happened in DeBary really bothered me.

DeBary’s disgraced former city manager, Dan Parrott – in my view, a congenitally crooked douchebag whose brand of ham-fisted revenge politics and open misogyny ultimately cost two good women their careers and the duly elected mayor his seat on the council – was ultimately responsible for this civic disaster.

He also cost the citizens of DeBary a ton of money.

One segment of the saga ended last spring when the taxpayers of DeBary (through their insurance premiums) paid for the sins of Dan Parrott by compensating former Assistant City Manager Kassandra Blissett some $250,000 to settle a federal gender discrimination suit.

In my view, that wasn’t nearly enough.

I’ve had the pleasure of knowing Kassandra since her first job in municipal government.

In my experience, she is a consummate professional – bright, articulate, with a style and sense of humor that endeared her to staff, elected officials and the citizens she served.

Unfortunately, when Parrott took the helm of DeBary government, Ms. Blissett’s career trajectory arced like a lawn dart.

According to her March 2015 complaint to the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, female staff members were “subjected to ongoing, pervasive and offensive remarks and discriminatory actions on account of her gender” by Mr. Parrott.

An amended complaint alleged Parrott called Blissett and then city clerk, Stacey Tebo, “bitches,” and sullied Kassandra’s reputation by referring to her as “the county whore.”

In addition, the complaint accused Parrott of making other despicable comments in the workplace, opining that “women don’t think clearly because they are too emotional,” and complaining there was “too much estrogen” on staff.

Jesus.

Of course, neither Parrott, nor the City of DeBary, admitted wrongdoing – claiming Tebo’s suit was all part of some sinister plot to “undermine” the city manager.

Initially, Ms. Tebo lost her gender discrimination and retaliation suit against the City of DeBary and former City Manager Parrott – and she appealed the judgement to the United States Court of Appeals.

Earlier this month, the appellate court upheld the summary judgement dismissing Ms. Tebo’s discrimination suit; however, they reversed the district court’s decision as to her claim of retaliation, remanding it back to the federal district court.

How long will this ugliness continue?

In my view, DeBary’s City Attorney Kurt Ardaman has always been extremely generous when it comes to making work for his colleagues in Central Florida law firms – hiring outside counsel and dragging out issues, ad infinitum, has long been his stock in trade.

From the sloppy coup d’etat that toppled the former mayor, to countless investigations, nasty lawsuits, claims and negotiations – God knows what DeBary residents have paid in outside legal fees over the last five years. . .

In my view, it is high time the citizens of DeBary demand that the municipal government end this ongoing and incredibly expensive defense of the indefensible – reach an amicable settlement with Ms. Tebo – and put the ‘bad old days’ behind them once and for all.

Angel               City of Port Orange

Heroes remembered never die. . .

Kudos to the City of Port Orange for recently dedicating a boat ramp under the Dunlawton Avenue Bridge to the cherished memory of Senior Deputy Frank Scofield of the Volusia County Sheriff’s Office, who tragically lost his life in June while training for a law enforcement memorial bicycle ride.

During his impressive career, Senior Deputy Schofield served as a patrol deputy, a SWAT team member and spent the last 22-years as a proud member of the Marine Unit.

How appropriate to use this unique location – where families, friends and fishermen launch on adventures – to memorialize the life and legacy of a man who dedicated much of his career to protecting those who enjoy the waterways of Volusia County.

A fitting tribute to a gentle man who epitomized service above self.

Quote of the Week  

“I will not accept that. That should have been left outside. There’s no reason to bring in a twig. This is a place of  business.  I wouldn’t have that in my house, nor would you.” 

–County Chair Ed Kelley, curtly admonishing DeLand resident Tanner Andrews when he attempted to enter tree branches and leaves into the public record to demonstrate his utter frustration over the lack of dependable solid waste collection, Volusia County Council Chambers, September 17, 2019

When the curtain opens on the Kabuki theater that passes for Volusia County Council meetings, our doddering fool of a County Chair, Ed Kelley, mumbles through a stern warning to any subject of the realm with the temerity to prostrate themselves at the feet of the monarchy and attempt to seek information or make a point to the Ruling Class.

He begins the boorish admonition by ordering those who have “filled out a card” to direct their silly questions to him alone, then reminds the assembled serfs not to expect a reply – or even acknowledgement of their physical existence – by the Great and Powerful seated on the publicly owned thrones before them.

Our exalted Chairman runs a tight ship (when it comes to citizen participation, anyway) holding the 30-minutes set aside for constituents to address their representatives inviolate – even to the point of cheating citizens out of their three-minute audience should there be more speakers than time allotted. . .

On Tuesday, DeLand resident Tanner Andrews patiently waited his turn to address The Crown.

Upon assuming the podium, Mr. Andrews brilliantly took command of the room – expertly defined the Pecking Order of Power under the Volusia County Charter – and accurately called those dullards on the dais mere “decoration” when reminding everyone that, under the charter, County Manager George Recktenwald actually makes the decisions. . .

In superb fashion, Andrew’s articulately explained that what passes for Volusia County’s Solid Waste department is useless – pointing out that yard trimmings from Hurricane Dorian preparations had yet to be removed from a county road near his home.

In turn, the sharp-witted Mr. Andrew’s asked that a bough of dry leaves and branches be entered into the public record and Old Ed recoiled – jowls aquiver – sputtering and fuming that the Council Chambers is a “place of business.”

Priceless.

Listening to Tanner Andrew’s take this shameless buffoon behind the woodshed restored my faith in the incredible courage and citizenship of those who speak truth to power.

Well done, sir!

And Another Thing!

On behalf of the Barker’s View Tribe, I want to extend all best wishes to Volusia County Vice Chair Dr. Fred Lowry who has been under the weather this week.

I don’t always agree with Dr. Lowry’s politics – but I have always respected his commitment and willingness to serve others in such a meaningful way.

Here’s wishing Vice Chairman Lowry a most speedy recovery.

Have a wonderful weekend, friends.

 

Photo Credit: Mark Harper, The Daytona Beach News-Journal (@markharper36)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

​

 

Naturally, I assume that Barker’s View readers fall on the “informed voter” spectrum.

After all, if you take the time to read alternative opinions and stay conversant on the issues of the day, I’ll just bet you’re cognizant of the serious threats we face, and the weird players who contribute to the problem by masquerading as “public servants.”

I follow the ebb-and-flow of political discourse on social media, local newspapers and beyond – keeping my cauliflowered ears open like a pitifully punch-drunk, over-the-hill heavyweight – hoping against hope I can anticipate where the next low blow will come from.

Look, I understand that not everyone has the luxury of time to maintain focus on the machinations of our local governments – and that’s okay – you don’t have to be a hopeless gadfly like me to remain reasonably conscious of current events and their context.

Like knowing who is running for political office, gaining a basic understanding of their platform – and, most important – which factions are financially supporting their campaign.

Then performing your sacred civic duty to vote. . .

I’ve come to the conclusion that many times we denizens of Florida’s Fun Coast wait until the damage is done, then boil into something akin to a disturbed fire ant nest – rather than keep a watchful eye on the fate of our tax dollars – then respond to threats like an organized electorate with differing views but the common goal of protecting our quality of life.

Unfortunately, the majority of Volusia County voters have the political acumen of a narcoleptic ground sloth – snoring soundly, delightfully unaware, while their tax dollars are squandered, or worse, funneled to the private projects of those who own the rights to our elected representatives – only awakening when some neighborhood-level issue threatens their ‘ignorance is bliss’ existence.

Then, they look for all the world like lambs lost in the woods – and that gullible naïveté only emboldens the paid-for politicians and the entrenched insiders who seek to victimize them. . .

That’s when it becomes painfully apparent just how woefully uninformed many of our neighbors are.

I was reminded of this during the growing septic-to-sewer brouhaha on the north peninsula – where the fear of annexation and aggression from the City of Ormond Beach on the quaint seaside community of Ormond-by-the-Sea – has resulted in a storm of disorganized fury and argumentative dissonance.

The Ormond-by-the-Sea Association was formed by a group of concerned citizens to fight for the community’s right to self-determination and freedom from what they perceive as governmental interference in their lives and property.

Unfortunately, some members of the fledgling organization are telling me they have become disillusioned by the tone of certain highly vocal residents who seem clueless about the underlying issues – and even less informed about the process for effectively ‘fighting city hall.’

Rather than educate themselves on all sides of the issue – weigh the known evidence and match lose ends to gain a comprehensive view – some are content with screaming half-truths and misinformation and attacking those with an alternative opinion – seemingly for no other reason that to dominate the conversation and remain ‘relevant’ to the issue by force of personality.

Ultimately, it burns energy, destroys cohesiveness and replaces the all-important sense of shared goals with disillusionment.

Rather than speaking with a united voice – both internally and externally – the organization becomes known for conflicting messages and confusion.

It’s part of why I’m not a “joiner” – it’s also a big reason why Volusia County lags years behind every successful county and community in Central Florida.

In my experience, this self-destructive fragmentation is the fatal flaw in many grassroots organizations – and the main reason our ‘powers that be’ repeatedly steamroll over the will of the people with little, if any, substantive opposition.

For years, Volusia County has been plagued with a malignant form of voter apathy that has brought us to this dismal place in our history – so, in many ways, we have only ourselves to blame.

Many residents are still swayed by glossy mailers and goofy billboards with the smiling visage of our perennial candidates – politicians of no real substance or integrity – who pose on the very beach they are working behind-the-scenes to privatize with their perfectly coiffed family and rented dog. . .

Others feel if they scream louder than the next guy they’re message will be taken seriously by the decision-makers.

It doesn’t work that way here.

Politicians fear the might of citizens who band together in a common cause – who outwork those who control our destiny with massive financial contributions to the campaigns of malleable politicians – then vote their conscience and demand the equal representation our participatory democracy should ensure.

My fervent hope is that as some begin to announce their candidacy for 2020, Volusia County voters will come together on the issues that affect us all – remember those heady days in the immediate aftermath of our crushing defeat of the half-cent money grab – and know that there is power in the ballot box to bring positive change.

I realize it’s difficult – almost impossible – to successfully ‘organize’ a group of very vocal, highly opinionated and incredibly frustrated citizen/activists.

But those who do can change the world.

 

Since retiring from municipal service, I’ve had the opportunity to take a step back and get an outsiders view of the machinations of government – and, more important – how the moves and motivations of our ‘powers that be’ are perceived by many in the mosaic of communities in Volusia County.

I’m amazed – and frightened – by the stark disconnect between local governments and those they ostensibly exist to serve.  Even when projects are undertaken in the best interests of our environment or quality of life – We, The People have developed a healthy skepticism about the true intent of those we have elected to represent our interests.

Sadly, Volusia County and the municipalities have no one to blame but themselves.

They underestimate our ability to see through the thin veil politicians use to conceal their clumsily orchestrated schemes to appease the whims and wants of their political benefactors – those individuals and industries with the financial wherewithal to control their environment using massive campaign contributions to purchase the malleable loyalty of elected officials who stand at the nexus of public funds and private interests.

That breeds suspicion in those of us who can no longer afford political representation.

Then, there are the instances where normally docile local governments transmogrify from sloth-like bureaucracies into King Kong – a monstrous brute that crashes around, crushing jaws agape, roaring and posturing, establishing dominance – stirring anxiety and apprehension in the hearts of the citizens who feed it.

Naturally, citizens develop a healthy fear of what can happen when government forcibly moves on issues that directly affect our lives and livelihoods, and, ultimately, that fear transforms into the secondary emotion of anger.

And make no mistake, many in Volusia County are increasingly infuriated by this weird system of governmental misinformation and outright lies that continues to insult our collective intelligence and requires we dig for the truth on our own.

For instance, last week, Volusia County Growth Management Director Clay Ervin had the brass balls to suspend reality and congratulate the county and municipalities for incorporating “smart growth” initiatives into their comprehensive plans for the past six-decades – even as we watch the malignant sprawl to our west threaten our feeble transportation infrastructure, pressure our natural resources and destroy our quality of life.

Clearly, this growing distrust knows no jurisdictional boundaries.

In a recent edition of the Ormond Observer, a resident published open letters to both Mayor Bill Partington and City Manager Shanahan seeking answers for the pending annexation of over 400 manufactured homes in the Plantation Oaks subdivision.

In addition, a concerned citizen described the City Commission as “Weak.  Lame.  No substance.  Self-serving” – while another questioned the “current state of democracy” in Ormond beach – and decried the destruction of even more greenspace to accommodate a gaudy three-story storage facility on Nova Road. . .

Another example is the current septic-to-sewer imbroglio that is consuming Ormond-by-the-Sea. . .

Residents of the quaint seaside community in unincorporated Volusia County recently drew together in a David and Goliath fight against what many perceive as a Trojan Horse invasion by the City of Ormond Beach.

Add the fact Volusia County has, for decades, reaped tax dollars while virtually ignoring the needs of north peninsula residents and one begins to understand the growing militancy and distrust of those who are joining forces to protect their way of life.

Last week, I met with Ormond Beach City Commissioner Dwight Selby – who has become the point man for the septic-to-sewer initiative – to seek hard answers to my own growing questions.

It was an interesting meeting.

I’m not easily bullshitted, and I found Mr. Selby to be engaging, articulate and passionate about the issue.

I also learned a few things that were counter to strong opinions I held going in.

For instance, I was told – without equivocation – that environmental impacts on the water quality of the Halifax River is the sole stimulus for this initiative.

In addition, Mr. Selby personally assured me that Ormond Beach has no desire to annex the north peninsula – a point driven home by City Manager Joyce Shanahan, who made it clear at a meeting last week that the city has no interest in annexing their neighbors to the north.

The most important question remains murky: How much will the multi-phase implementation of septic-to-sewer cost OBS homeowners and Ormond Beach taxpayers – and what steps will be taken to lessen the financial impact on OBS residents who choose to connect?  

Unfortunately, those answers won’t come until a design and permitting study (paid for by the City of Ormond Beach) is completed within the next 10-12 months.

I encourage anyone with serious concerns about the septic-to-sewer initiative to personally contact Commissioner Selby.

Sit down, look him in the eye, ask the hard questions – debate the issue to your satisfaction – then spell out your concerns and demand evidence-based answers.

Then, join the Ormond-by-the-Sea Association and collectively hold the Ormond Beach City Commission and Volusia County Council politically accountable for their actions.

I assure you I will. . .

Look, there are a multitude of valid reasons why Ormond-by-the-Sea residents would reject septic-to-sewer – and the City of Ormond Beach should be sensitive to those compelling concerns and strive for complete transparency going forward.

There is a lot of good information out there for those willing to seek it out.

There is also a lot of speculation and distrust.

And this ‘us vs. them’ mentality isn’t limited to environmental concerns.

In fact, it has clouded every substantive issue in Volusia County from beach driving to growth management for decades – and I think we’re going to see it’s influence at the ballot box next year. . .

Even if Ormond Beach has the best of intentions – our well-founded distrust in government is a serious impediment to progress on many fronts – and the onus is on the city to begin rebuilding the horribly fractured relationship.

We truly deserve better. . .

 

Photo Credit: The Daytona Beach News-Journal

 

 

 

 

 

Hi, kids!

I’ve got a goody for you on this spooky Friday the 13th with a Full Moon – so sit down and strap in – ’cause you ain’t gonna believe this one. . .

I get some downright weird phone calls here at Barker’s View HQ from strangers, readers and well-connected friends who keep me up to date and “in the know” on the latest Fun Coast gossip from the political realm.

None more utterly bizarre than the whackadoodle-doozy I heard earlier this week.

The only reason I mention it is because the person who spun the yarn is a loyal member of the Barker’s View tribe – extremely bright and in the loop on all-things government – always spot-on when it comes to the swirling undercurrents of Volusia County politics.

Besides, what’s a juicy rumor if you can’t perpetuate it, right? 

According to the BV grapevine – our illustrious former County Manager Little Jimmy Dinneen is actively considering a run for the newly created Volusia County Tax Collector seat – a constitutional elective office which will appear on next year’s ballot following the voter approved Amendment 10!

Yes.  That Little Jimmy Dinneen. . .

As I understand it, the Tax Collector does just that – collects and distributes a variety of local taxes and acts as the county’s chief revenue officer.  In some areas, the tax collector also serves as an agent of the State of Florida to issue drivers licenses and hunting or fishing permits.

Just when you thought it was safe to go back in the water. . . 

Look, I don’t know if its true or just idle tittle-tattle – but I wanted you to hear it here first.

And if the buzz on the street isn’t accurate, well, it’s a damn good joke.

Made me laugh all to hell, anyway. . .

It’s time once again to turn a jaundiced eye toward the newsmakers of the day – the winners and losers – who, in my cynical opinion, either contributed to our quality of life, or detracted from it, in some significant way.

Let’s look at who tried to screw us – and who tried to save us – during the week that was:

Angel              B-CU President Brent Chrite

On Thursday, the Halifax area received a breath of fresh air in the form of a humble leader who demonstrated the strength of character to speak frankly – to tell the truth – and begin the long-awaited process of healing and rebuilding a key foundational element of our community.

Friends, this is what true leadership looks like.

During the Daytona Regional Chamber of Commerce’s Eggs & Issues breakfast, Bethune-Cookman University President Brent Chrite called out the malicious actions of those who used their position to loot the coffers of the institution.

“Bethune-Cookman over the last few years has been viewed (by some of the university’s leaders) as a trough for the well-being of a selective few who looked at it as ‘what I can get from this institution, it’s disgusting. … It’s despicable.”

“A new day is coming.”

The university is facing a host of potentially fatal issues – to include an active criminal investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and Department of Education into a mysterious student housing project that clearly benefited the few at the expense of many – numerous lawsuits, allegations of financial mismanagement and the looming possibility that B-CU may lose accreditation from the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges.

During his heartfelt plea to reestablish lifelines with the community, President Chrite described how the university was “traumatized” by the pernicious régime of former president Edison O. Jackson.

That’s putting it mildly. . .

“There was great damage done to this institution but we’re going to clean it up … if we can get through this year and I’m here because I believe we can.”

In describing his reception in the community, Chrite said he was moved by the “warmth” displayed by local leaders since he and his wife Phyllis relocated from Colorado.

The only advice I would offer President Chrite is be careful which of our illustrious ‘powers that be’ he gets close to.

The fact is, some of our “community pillars and philanthropists” who “served” on the Board of Trustees stood idle while Dr. Mary McLeod Bethune’s sacred institution was robbed at the point of a pen – leaving the school millions of dollars in debt – then actively blocked any substantive outside intervention by cloaking the inner-workings of the university’s administration in secrecy, before fleeing their post in a cowardly attempt to sidestep responsibility.

Beware of those “community leaders” who assumed positions of vital oversight and high responsibility – then were inexplicably struck deaf, dumb and blind while the institution was being gutted – before claiming, “I was just a member of the Board of Trustees – we weren’t given all the information.”

The same shameless assholes who spent precious time giving each other awards and accolades at elegant soirees, even while the once venerated university they were responsible for protecting fell to its knees.

You know who you are. . .

I admire a man who seeks the truth and fights honorably in the cause of protecting those things our society holds dear – truth, honestly, transparency – and strives to preserve our collective trust in the institutions and ideas that form the foundation of our community.

Kudos to President Chrite for his clear understanding of the frightening issues that threaten B-CU – and for his fervent commitment to saving it.

A new day indeed.

Angel               Buc-ee’s

Yeehaw!

It’s happening!  It’s happening!

Buc-ee’s – the Pride of the Lone Star State – a mega gas station with super-clean restrooms and an insanely loyal cult following is finally breaking ground on their much-ballyhooed Daytona Beach location!   

I’m sorry.  I’m an emotional wreck of excited incontinence and blubbering happiness this morning. . .  Forgive me.

Oh, how I’ve longed to bring you these good tidings after months of uncertainty – and I write this with tears of pure joy streaming down my blotched and bloated cheeks!

Folks, our day has come!

Yep, after hemming-and-hawing with Daytona Beach over the trivial non-issue of exactly how much traffic a massive, 120 pump convenience store might generate on our already strapped Boomtown Boulevard – this week, Buc-ee’s executives announced that work on the behemoth will commence on Monday!

Wow.  What a difference a few weeks make, eh?

In July, a Buc-ee’s spokesperson threw a Texas-sized bucket of cold water on our orgasmic delight when it was reported that city officials were holding up permitting over traffic concerns – something that would push construction back until at least 2021.

Then – as if by divine intervention – the city suddenly produced the required “permits and approvals,” now Buc-ee’s is off to the races!

According to a report by the always effervescent News-Journal business reporter Clayton Park:

“The 53,000-square foot Buc-ee’s “travel convenience center” and 120-fueling position gas station is expected to open in early 2021 and will include a car wash as well as room on the 35-acre property for other stores and/or restaurants.”

Once open, our new addition will be the largest gas station in Florida, so, we’ve got that going for us. . .

Fortunately, the Lords of Economic Prosperity have once again shined their ethereal light on all of us – prompting the City of Daytona Beach to finally come to their senses and realize Halifax area residents could give two-shits about the specter of traffic gridlock on LPGA Boulevard – not when we’re talking a new travel convenience center, dammit!

That includes those laid-back beach bums in their half-million-dollar-zero-lot-line cracker boxes over in Margaritaville who won’t mind for a moment jockeying for position at the Tomoka River pinch point – not when it ensures convenient LPGA access to a “Wall of Icees,” seasoned nuts (roasted on site!), kolaches, cream filled ring-a-dings, beach-themed tchotchkes, Beaver nuggets, homemade fudge bars and a gazillion flavors of jerky. . .

We won! 

By God, we’ve finally arrived!  (Oh, man, there go the waterworks again. . .)

Asshole           Knights of the Roundtable

On Monday, the Knights of the Roundtable – otherwise known as the Roundtable of Volusia County Elected Officials – had a klatch of their weird pseudogovernment where area elected officials and city managers gather in the middle of a workday to enjoy lunch on the taxpayers dime and get their stories straight – a bastion of cowardly “groupthink” that protects the status quo, discourages independent thought and provides political insulation to the weak links.

After months of waiting, our collective political brain trust finally received the much-anticipated public briefing on “smart growth” – a byword local bureaucrats sifted from the smoldering ashes of the horribly failed half-cent sales tax initiative – and a concept area residents hoped would reign in the unchecked growth that promises to have us all drinking recycled sewage in the near future.

Regrettably, our hopes for substantive change were dashed when Volusia County planner Clay Ervin (whose cockroach-like ability for political survival is only rivaled by County Attorney Dan “Cujo” Eckert) assured our assembled politicians there’s “no need to reinvent the wheel” given that Volusia County and the municipalities have incorporated “smart growth” practices in their comprehensive plans for the past 60 years.

Say what?

“When you take the full continuum of what cities are doing with smart growth, I’d say our report card gives us an A grade,” he said. “Every city in Volusia County has a smart growth initiative.”

Wow.

Well, so much for the quaint notion that its sound public policy to ensure transportation and utilities infrastructure keep pace with demand. . .

Who knew?

Despite all empirical evidence to the contrary – we’ve been doing it right all along!

Just for laughs, Volusia County Council Chair Ed Kelley used the forum as an opportunity to shit on the fears of some 43% of his countywide constituency who are considered asset limited/income constrained when he presented his asinine solution to the growing affordable housing crisis:

According to a report in the Ormond Beach Observer, “County Council Chair Ed Kelley said the answer to making housing more affordable is creating high-paying jobs in the area. Then, those $300,000 homes will be affordable for those people.”

Those people?

Whatever.

I don’t make this shit up, folks.

And I no longer try to make sense of Old Ed’s demented ramblings – for the same reason I don’t attempt to communicate with bread mold. . .

Did anyone really believe Mr. Ervin was going to tell the assembled decision-makers anything other than what he thinks they want to hear?

I mean, what nincompoop had the temerity to suggest that Volusia County governments could possibly have been doing it wrong?

Or that – just maybe – there is room to rethink the way we manage massive development on environmentally sensitive land and control the explosive growth that is threatening the very quality of life of every man, woman and child in Volusia County?

I could be wrong, but I think it was us – the long-suffering residents – who made that point to our elected officials following the sales tax referendum. . .

In Volusia County, politicians and entrenched bureaucrats sit together and award themselves an “A” grade – slapping each other on the back and congratulating their own performance – even as their incredulous constituents (you know, the one’s they dismissively refer to as those people) see the catastrophic effects of unchecked sprawl looming on the horizon.

In my view, Director Ervin’s lopsided agitprop was purely designed to massage the massive egos of small-minded politicians – and represents the death knell for any possibility of resurrecting their half-cent money grab in 2020.

Or for salvaging the public’s trust in their local government.

Thanks for nothing. . .

Quote of the Week

“You presume that this is caused by his occupation — I don’t agree with that theory. There’s no other statistic to prove that (firefighters and police officers) have that condition more so than anyone else in the general population.  To presume their job caused this without proof is not right.”

–County Council Chairman Ed Kelley, as quoted by The Daytona Beach News-Journal, “Volusia to cover heart transplant for ex-employee,” Tuesday, September 10, 2019

I used to think our doddering fool of a County Chair, Ed Kelley, was suffering from some virulent form of metastatic greed – a parasitic condition that predisposed him to say and do anything he thought would further the whims of his political benefactors – rendering him totally incapable of independent thought.

Now, Chairman Kelley proves he’s just a damnable liar. . .

Following a failed challenge by the weaponized Volusia County attorney’s office to deny an employee benefits, next week the county council will approve a settlement which will extend lifesaving worker’s compensation coverage to former Corrections Officer Brian Sherer.

The 19-year veteran received a heart transplant in 2013, one-year into his medically required retirement.

Florida statute 112.18 – often referred to as the Heart and Lung Bill – provides firefighters, law enforcement officers and correctional officers worker’s compensation benefits for cardiovascular issues, provided the employee passed a physical examination upon being hired.

That’s the law.

Despite Chairman Kelley’s bald-faced lie, extensive independent studies have conclusively proven that the compounding effects of stress – to include repeat exposure to life and death situations, irregular eating and sleeping habits, recurring psychological trauma, rotating shifts, physical strain, family disruptions and other job-related pressures – have left law enforcement officers with a substantially higher rate of heart attacks, strokes, and other cardiovascular conditions as compared to the general population.

As a result, the average age of death for police officers is considerably less than other Americans.

In my view, the notion of protecting those who protect us is a moral imperative – or at least it should be.

But not in Volusia County government.

Here, we spend massive amounts of tax dollars fighting tooth-and-nail to deny a veteran correctional officer time-honored benefits to cover the astronomical expense of a heart transplant – the result of a medical condition Florida law has specifically acknowledged is related to his service.

The very same statutorily mandated presumption that served Councilman Ben Johnson when Volusia County covered the former Sheriff’s medical expenses following a minor job-related heart episode in 2014.

I hope you will clip Chairman Kelley’s loathsome quote and place it somewhere conspicuous in your home or office.

Then, as the campaign season heats up and this foul ball begins inundating his long-suffering constituents with glossy mailers, espousing his quadrennial horseshit, trying hard to convince us how much he cares – pull it out and read exactly how Old Ed feels about the service and sacrifice of our brave first responders.

In my view, it’s time for Volusia County voters to send this insipid half-wit – this perennial drain on our patience and pocketbooks – out to pasture, once and for all – anywhere his nonsensical whimsies won’t have such a deleterious effect on the morale of Volusia County law enforcement officers and firefighters or add to the stress of an already difficult and dangerous job.

And Another Thing!

I took some heat this week when I spoke out against a plan by Volusia County Schools to intentionally exclude classroom teachers from a seat at the adult table as the School Board goes about the convoluted process of selecting our next superintendent.

Hey, my cockamamie views weren’t exactly mine alone – the front page/above the fold headline in Monday’s Daytona Beach News-Journal screamed – “Volusia teachers feel ignored.”

But since when does anyone give a Tinker’s damn how Volusia teachers feel? 

Some took me to the woodshed for suggesting decision-makers ignore the advice of our learned lawyers and consultants – while others implied that I was championing the cause of greed-crazed teachers who only care about more time off, higher wages and better benefits. . .

In a piece entitled “The Politics of Exclusion,” I tried to argue that most forward-thinking organizations work hard to develop a culture that values the experience and input of stakeholders at all levels – especially during periods of transition and rebuilding.

Stupid me.

You see, I failed to consider that highly paid attorney’s – the finest legal minds our tax dollars can afford – who serve the needs of both the Volusia County School District and our elected officials – apparently in consultation with a quasi-public outside contractor hired to oversee the selection and evaluation process – all agreed that teachers should have no place, no voice, no say in this decision. . .

Why?  Because it constitutes a ‘conflict of interest,’ that’s why.

You see, if classroom teachers were allowed any meaningful participation beyond a “focus group” – well, our new superintendent might be prejudiced when making disciplinary decisions.

Instead, our elected officials have populated the selection committee with a few members who have husbands and wives that currently work for Volusia County Schools – so, at least we can all rest assured  there’s no room for undue influence on the process. . .

Right.

Still no word on where our high-priced legal watchdogs were when a sitting principal at Mainland High School – with the full knowledge of senior district administrators – was victimizing hundreds of students with a fraudulent Advanced Placement exam, manufacturing passing grades for student athletes, using non-certified counselors and generally destroying the good reputation and academic achievement of those who rely on Volusia County schools for their education.

My guess is they were wringing their hands over how to ensure former Superintendent Tom Russell got every last red cent he was due in severance before he quickly abandoned us just steps ahead of the shocking revelations of gross mismanagement. . .

Whatever.

Look, I don’t always get it right – but I still believe my opinion that classroom teachers should have a clear voice in this important process has validity.

Perhaps it’s time for the tail to stop wagging the dog in the Ivory Tower of Power in DeLand?

Maybe those we put our sacred trust in should serve the needs of their constituents with a degree of independence from the sway of entrenched bureaucrats with a vested interest in ensuring a like-minded superintendent takes the helm of this crippled ship of fools.

Otherwise, God only knows what an outside professional might find when he or she starts looking under the filthy rugs in senior administrative offices, eh?

Besides, I don’t know about you, but I’m growing weary of watching Chairman Carl Persis flash a sheepish grin while gushing yet another wholly embarrassing Mea Culpa on television – apologizing for the dearth of leadership and transparency that has indelibly stained his term in office and facilitated the horrendous destruction of the district’s credibility.

That’s all for me!  Have a great weekend, friends.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I find it incredible that anyone in the Ivory Tower of Power at Volusia County Schools still has a job following the series of scandals that have rocked taxpayers, irreparably damaged the district’s reputation and called into question the academic achievements of students.

In Volusia County schools, it seems the more things change, the more they stay the same – a dull, uninspired place where mediocrity has become the benchmark and one’s ability to deflect blame, sidestep responsibility and protect the system ensures vertical career growth.

Now, rather than include teachers (you know, those folks who are actually in the classroom presenting the curriculum?) in the selection and evaluation of our next superintendent – a nearly omnipotent position of supreme authority – district officials are doing their level best to exclude their important input.

What gives?

In keeping with the district’s time-honored tradition of treating educators like unwanted rubbish, the School Board recently omitted classroom teachers from a seat on the 25-member Superintendent Search Citizens Advisory Committee – an eclectic group charged with reviewing applications and making recommendations to the board.

Instead, the input of classroom teachers has been limited to a “focus group” and a seat at the table for Volusia United Educators.

In my view, the district’s attorney, Ted Doran, openly maligned the concerns of teachers at the board’s August meeting – calling their request to participate in the process a “conflict of interest” –  on the flimsy argument that, “It’s not appropriate for someone to pick their boss.”

Horseshit.

In forward-thinking organizations that value the contributions of stakeholders, employees at all levels are invited to participate in the important process of vetting and recommending the chief executive.

The essence of leadership is developing a culture that values the informed opinions of everyone on the team – rather than perpetuating the tired notion that senior administrators have all the answers – and those serving where the rubber meets the road should merely keep their mouths shut and do their jobs.

An inclusive process has nothing to do with currying favor and everything to do with ensuring a 360-degree evaluation of potential candidates – a comprehensive decision-making process that considers an amalgam of internal and external perspectives.

According to a piece by the News-Journal’s outstanding education reporter, Cassidy Alexander, Mr. Doran suggested that our future superintendent might be swayed if “. . .a teacher on the committee ended up needing to be disciplined or suspended by the superintendent in the future?”

Really?

Don’t get me wrong – given their abysmal track record – it’s not inconceivable that our School Board might select a weak-minded, morally bankrupt shitheel capable of basing disciplinary decisions on whether or not the teaching staff supported his or her appointment.

But in the “real world,” any senior executive with a modicum of integrity knows that favoritism of that stripe is wholly unethical and the first step down the path to personal and professional destruction.

Perhaps more important – where was Mr. Doran’s keen sense of right and wrong when the sitting principal of Mainland High School – with the clear knowledge of senior administrators – was engaged in an organized fraud to deceive hundreds of victims of the Advanced Placement exam scheme, manufacturing passing grades for student athletes, allowing the use of unqualified counselors, then retiring rather than be held accountable for destroying the district’s professional and academic reputation?

Where was the School Board’s faux concern when former Superintendent Tom Russell was skedaddling to a cushy gig at Flagler County Schools – toting a sack full of board-approved severance cash – just steps ahead of the scandalous revelations that have shocked taxpayers and eroded the confidence of students, parents and staff?

Look, Mr. Doran works for the Volusia County School Board – so it is crystal clear that his words echo the inner thoughts of those we have elected to serve the public interest and protect our tax dollars – but our elected officials should realize just how close they are to losing the confidence of their constituents.

Normally, when gross administrative incompetence leads to a complete breakdown in oversight that results in outrageous wrongdoing – senior bureaucrats and politicians seek the input of everyone affected as a means of building trust, restoring a sense of stability and healing the sins of the past.

But not in Volusia County.

Here, our elected officials and senior administrators continue to treat teachers like second-class citizens – necessary, but menial, cogs in a much larger wheel, totally unworthy of adding their voice and experience to this important process – and once again made to feel as if their contributions don’t matter by those arrogant untouchables in DeLand.

Who is served by that?

In my view, the same haughty insiders at the top of the heap are intent on finding a superintendent whose cheap values match their own as they fight to keep their grip on the public tit.

The cycle repeats. . .

How terribly sad – and telling.

 

Photo Credit: The Daytona Beach News-Journal

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Something stinks in Ormond-by-the-Sea. . .

I don’t know about you, but anytime government officials say they “care” about something other than tightening their parasitic grip on our collective wallets, expanding the tax base or making life easier for political insiders, I get the queasy feeling we’re about to take it in the shorts. . .

Last year, the City of Ormond Beach began mysteriously morphing from a government entity that looked the other way as a speculative developer churned a beautiful hardwood hammock populated by majestic old growth oak trees into black muck to make way for another convenience store into the lone ecologically conscious conservator of the Halifax River.

That’s when city officials began ramping up efforts to convert homes in unincorporated Ormond-by-the-Sea from septic to municipal sewer in a multi-phase project which has now been dubbed a top priority by the majority of the Ormond Beach City Commission.

But why?

It’s not like residents of the north peninsula are exactly beating down the door at Ormond Beach City Hall – demanding access to municipal services – and begging to have thousands of dollars in still murky impact and availability fees levied on their properties, right?

The last time an annexation referendum was on the ballot, OBS residents overwhelmingly rejected the idea – and earlier this year, many on the north peninsula were openly skeptical of a strange Volusia County rezoning initiative which our doddering fool of a County Chair, Ed Kelley, described as a “slam dunk for the people.”

Well, according to Ormond Beach City Commissioner Dwight Selby – who also happens to be a prolific commercial real estate broker and developer – the city is doing us all a favor because north peninsula septic tanks are impacting the health of the Halifax River – and “There is nobody else who can do it.”

In a release to the Ormond Beach Observer last week, City Manager Joyce Shanahan no doubt did as she was told and bolstered Commissioner Selby’s horseshit, “The city’s sole goal is simply to improve water quality by reducing nutrients migrating from septic systems into the Halifax River from homes on the north peninsula.” 

Bullshit.

I don’t know about you, but I just lost a lot of respect for the normally upright Ms. Shanahan. . .

Citing a dubious 2013 report by the Florida Department of Health in Volusia County which deemed the north peninsula “unsuitable for septic systems” due to soil conditions and other factors, Mr. Selby and his cronies are suddenly transmogrifying from ravenous real estate speculators into some rabid faction of the Earth Liberation Front.

Never mind that the City of Ormond Beach continues to discharge millions of gallons of partially treated effluent into the Halifax River each week – or the fact the municipality has hundreds of homes currently on septic systems – with even more being permitted by Volusia County at the Vista Della Toscana subdivision being built on environmentally sensitive land off our threatened jewel known as The Loop.

Now, the Ormond Beach City Commission expects us to suspend reality and believe they give two-shits about water quality in the Halifax River?

My God.

In the first step of ramming their aggressive “master plan” down the throats of residents living totally outside their jurisdiction, Ormond Beach elected officials have put taxpayers on the hook for some $1.1 million to cover permitting and design costs for “phase 1” of the project which will initially convert some 700 homes in a swath from Plaza Drive to Longwood Drive.

With 10 phases planned – that’s an incredibly expensive proposition for everyone involved – except those who ultimately stand to benefit most. . .

Look, anyone with two synapses firing can see that the ultimate goal of Mr. Selby and his benefactors has nothing to do with improving water quality and everything to do with the annexation – and commercial development – of the north peninsula.

I’m told that an informational meeting held by District 4 Volusia County Councilwoman Heather Post last evening took a weird turn when Commissioner Selby showed up and began openly heckling Ms. Post while actively attempting to hijack her forum.

While I find Mr. Selby’s abject rudeness in attempting to suppress public dialog interesting – it’s not unexpected.

When you consider that Ms. Post’s every attempt to gain substantive information for her worried constituents have been met with Volusia County’s governmental Code of Omerta – it becomes increasingly clear that things are about to get very interesting for Ormond-by-the-Sea residents.

Trust me.  This is one to watch.

Residents of Volusia County and beyond are tired of being blamed for the ongoing pollution of our waterways – even as our elected officials continue to foul our own nest – rubber stamping massive development from Farmton to the Flagler County line and ignoring nutrient-laden runoff from residential and commercial developments – while continuing the practice of pumping wastewater containing phosphorus, nitrogen, pharmaceuticals and other contaminants directly into the Halifax River.

At the end of the day, it’s about greed.  Nothing more.

Anyone who cares about good governance in their own hometown should care about good governance everywhere – and this has the self-serving stench of wholesale commercial exploitation all over it.

Now, we are about to witness the coup de main of a quaint seaside community.

For more information on how residents are organizing to prevent Ormond Beach’s hostile invasion of the north peninsula, please visit the Ormond-by-the-Sea Association at www.obsassociation.org