I admire people who stand out from the crowd through their own grit and determination.  My heroes have always been those who protect others and serve the common good, those who make a difference in the lives of others simply by seeing a wrong and trying to right it.

That takes courage – especially when those wrongs are perpetrated by the wealthy, the powerful and the well-connected.

When I was young my father made it clear to me that he didn’t care what I did in life, so long as I tried to be the very best at it.  While I’m not sure I ever measured up to my dad’s high standards, I always tried.

I can tell you that there is something incredibly rewarding about spending yourself in a noble pursuit, something greater than your own self-interest, and standing up for that which is right and good.

Contributing to your community in a positive way is something to be proud of.

I was reminded of this while reading Editor Pat Rice’s excellent piece on the extraordinary work of Daytona Beach News-Journal reporter Dinah Pulver and her brilliant exposé of the grubby dealings by DeBary city officials and John Miklos, chairman of the St. John’s River Water Management District’s Governing Board.

As I’ve said before, I believe Ms. Pulver’s writing on this issue is worthy of the Pulitzer Prize.

Through her work she has demonstrated a tenacity and shrewd understanding of the facts and nuances of this catastrophe that has brought depth and life to her reporting and helped the citizens of Volusia County gain a better understanding of how their government works when no one is looking.

Dinah has also proven she has some hard bark.  You need that when you take on the high and mighty.

Someone once said that those who seek the truth should give no mercy – and expect none.  Clearly, Dinah Pulver’s efforts in DeBary live up to that that high principle.

In my view, this level of investigative journalism is refreshing, and the initial fall-out has demonstrated the real need to shine a light on the machinations of government at all levels – especially in matters involving public/private collaborations where the “private” side of the equation stands to make a lot of money by using your money.

The press – when properly focused – is perhaps our greatest public advocate.  They protect the vulnerable and expose those who would victimize us – from the street to the boardroom or the dais of high political power – the Fourth Estate stands watch.

Information is power, and it allows us – the governed – to make educated, intelligence-based decisions on issues affecting our lives and livelihoods.  Anyone from a homeless person to the rich and powerful can pick up a newspaper and receive the same news and opinions on the issues of the day.  The individual reader’s interpretation and perspective may differ, but the facts remain the same.

Good reporting shapes the healthy debate of competing ideas and helps ensure solid public policy by leveling the playing field.

Governments – even small ones – have a lot of moving parts. They are also staffed with career civil servants who, for the most part, take great pride in their work and put the needs and wants of those they serve above their own self-interests.

While government is far from perfect – the dedication of those who serve at all levels of government help to make our American democracy the best form of governance in the history of the world.  If you don’t believe me, try to get a package through customs in the Dominican Republic, obtain a transit visa on the fly in Port-au-Prince, or explain your case to a police officer in Mexico City.

Given the nature and pace of government service, inevitably mistakes are going to happen and I’ve made my share of whoppers through the years.  But I learned a long time ago that when you make an honest error – or act in a manner that inadvertently gives even the appearance of impropriety – the best policy is to publicly accept personal responsibility for your blunder, apologize and take your lumps (both deserved and undeserved), learn from your mistake, then do your level best to make things right again.

It’s what people respect.

In aviation, we teach new pilots a simple procedure for getting themselves out of trouble should they inadvertently get lost: Climb. Confess. Comply.

By climbing higher, we can often gain a better view of things and the new perspective will often allow you to get back on course and find your way again.  By confessing that you’ve made a mistake, you can receive valuable directions from others that can help restore your bearing and situational awareness.  But this technique is only effective if we are willing to comply with the good advice and insight others provide.

I think the “Three C’s” are also a good decision-making tool for politicians in trouble and others who lose their moral compass.  Talk to someone above your pay grade – especially your constituents.  Explain that you screwed the pooch on this one and ask for constructive suggestions for correcting your misstep.

In essence, humble yourself to the fact that we all need help now and again.

One of the greatest leadership maxims I ever heard is, “People can understand and forgive what they can see themselves doing.”

Falling short – or just screwing things up – is only a problem if you fail to recognize the chain-of-events that led you there.  By analyzing mistakes and learning from them, we can prevent similar issues in the future.  In fact, it’s the only way to effect positive change.

Public corruption and unethical conduct by sitting officials is something else altogether.

I believe that we have a right to honest, open and effective service from those who accept public funds to perform work in the public interest.  When those individuals decide to line their pockets – or those of their friends and political allies – we are all victimized and, perhaps more important, the system itself is weakened.

Unfortunately, given the lasting damage public integrity issues can cause there are very few safeguards in place – especially in Rick Scott’s Florida.  That is specifically why we rely on an alert, engaged and vigilant press.

In politics, self-regulation is rarely effective.

In a 2013 op-ed piece in the New York Times, Dr. Meena Bose, a former faculty member at the United States Military Academy at West Point and current Chair in Presidential Studies at Hofstra University, wrote:

“The well-known principles of American democracy are representative government, separation of powers and checks and balances. Underlying all of these principles is the need for civic virtue, or a commitment to public goals over private interests. The anti-Federalists warned that the Constitution placed too much trust in elected officials to be motivated by civic virtue, saying “a general presumption that rulers will govern well is not a sufficient security.” But the Federalists declared that “safety” from an overly powerful chief executive depends on regular elections and “a due responsibility.” We require rules for everyone, including elected officials, but we depend on those officials to hold themselves accountable as well.”

If history has taught us anything, the confluence of money and politics is a friction point where the spark of corruption often begins.  Nowhere is that more prevalent than when developers decide to “do what they do” in a small town.

In my experience, land developers are like modern-day wildcatters – they make very risky, often speculative investments in projects which have the potential for enormous financial success – or crippling failure.

To mitigate the risk, developers employ shiny, well-dressed and well-spoken hucksters who work the angles and prepare the playing field by encouraging elected officials in an area targeted for development to provide economic incentives and stipulations that will allow the investors to wring the most dollars out of a given project.

This can take the form of tax abatement, changes to zoning and density regulations, building infrastructure, privatizing public amenities and access, and in some cases indirectly investing public funds and creating attractive taxing schemes to help fund and promote the project.

Sometimes these shameless double-dealers are actually able to get their heads inside the public tent – and their snout in the public trough – by simply changing hats.

They temporarily leave the private sector for government positions with lofty titles like, “Economic Development Coordinator,” or “Transit Oriented Development Director,” etc. – with job descriptions that by their very nature create competing loyalties.

Typically, these economic development types come almost exclusively from the real estate and property development industries.

For instance, DeBary’s transit-oriented development marketing director Roger Van Auker worked for ten years as development coordinator and project manager for The Vernon Group, developers of the DeBary Golf & Country Club, then later went to work as a development project manager and vice president of site development for IPI of Central Florida, the developer of the Riviera Bella community west of the SunRail station.  Most recently, he served as vice president of the Henin Group – perhaps the largest developer in DeBary’s history.

Where do you think Roger’s true loyalties are?  With the citizens of DeBary?

Does anyone else see the possibility for a conflict of interest?

I think the potential for disaster was apparent to everyone except the now disgraced Dan Parrott who personally appointed Van Auker to the catbird’s seat.

Make no mistake, a shill for a big time developer is extremely good at what he or she does – a master salesman with great hair, fine Gucci loafers and a Black American Express card, all carefully designed to make a quick impression on the rubes and bumpkins in Tiny Town.

Normally, it doesn’t take long before the elected and appointed officials begin to buy the pap and fluff – especially if private incentives or oblique inducements are offered by the developer.  That’s the moment government’s oversight role and due diligence obligations to the citizens they serve become blunted and dull.

This problem is exacerbated when the ruling class confuse arrogance with intelligence and begin to believe they know exactly what’s best for the rest of us.

The self-justification phase can be hard to watch.

In my experience, public corruption is relatively easy to spot once you have the right eye for it.  Like a malignant cancer, these affairs tend to all be variations on the same theme – from sordid sexual peccadilloes, to something-for-something transactional corruption – and the evolution of these violations of the public trust has been the same for over two hundred years.

They typically begin with the shock of recognition by those on the “inside” that someone from the “outside” realizes that something doesn’t smell right.

Generally, this happens when a phone call or visit from a reporter, regulator or law enforcement officer telegraphs to the participants that uncomfortable questions and unwanted scrutiny is looming on the horizon.

In an attempt to deflect attention, the second step usually involves denials, angry counter-accusations and incredulous posturing (“How could anyone think that what we’re doing is somehow unethical?”).

When that fails, the conspirators attempt to marginalize the opposition and engage in smoke-and-mirror distractions (such as attempting to oust the mayor).  As options dwindle, the wagons are circled and the bunker mentality of extreme defensiveness and instinctual self-preservation sets in.

When elected and appointed officials stop answering questions from journalists and regulators – it’s the beginning of the end.  Sound familiar?

Trust me – where there is smoke, there’s fire.

Now that Dirty Dan Parrott has fled city hall, it won’t be long until those who are left behind start spraying the blame on him like one of those high pressure manure spreaders on a commercial hog farm.

There is a traditional Bedouin proverb that says, “As the camel falls to its knees, more knives are drawn. . .”

Indeed.

Kudos to Dinah Pulver and her colleagues at the News-Journal for their collective and individual courage in bringing this story to light.  I hope, as Mr. Rice promised, they will keep digging and pounding the pavement.  Nothing works better than good old fashioned gumshoe journalism, and you never know where the evidence will take you.

I was also pleased to see that the Sierra Club is actively calling for a federal investigation into Mr. Miklos’ bald-faced conflict of interest on the SJRWMD Governing Board.  In my experience, it takes a while to get the federal government’s investigative apparatus spooled up – but once they get speed and momentum, you would rather have a rabid Pitbull latch his vice-like jaws onto your fleshy parts than face a full-blown public integrity inquest.

The relentless interviews, subpoenas, depositions and pre-trial motions bankrupt most people early on; and it’s a queasy feeling when your attorney stops returning your phone calls when your hip deep in a federal prosecution.

Even if you survive 36-months at the Federal Penitentiary at Coleman, I guarantee you’ll walk with a permanent limp and sleep with the lights on for the rest of your life.

I’ll just bet Dan Parrott, Roger Van Auker, John Miklos and a few others are asking themselves some dark questions this morning.  Who will be the first to break ranks and provide “substantial assistance” while there is still time to be named an “unindicted co-conspirator”?

The Department of Justice has no sense of humor about these things, and neither do the good people of DeBary.  Soon, they both are going to want answers.

Let’s stay tuned to Dinah Pulver’s outstanding coverage of this developing story.  You can bet it’s about to get interesting.

Now, I’m going to sit in front of the television, sip strong black coffee, and be whipped into a frenzy of fear over the wall-to-wall media hype of something called Tropical Storm Colin.

Stay dry, kids. . .

 

 

(Photo Credit: City of DeBary, Florida)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

In an age that is utterly corrupt, the best policy is to do as others do.

 Marquis de Sade, 1788

Whoa. That’s a heavy thought to ponder on this beautiful early summer day but somehow it serves as the perfect explanation for how a small West Volusia town became the poster child for all that’s wrong in government.

That said, I’m happy to report that things are looking up on the beautiful banks of the St. John’s River.

This week’s departure of DeBary City Manager Dan Parrott is welcome relief after months of controversy.

In the end, he ran like the self-serving rat he has always been.

I thought his classless exit was a fitting bow for his tumultuous career.  When it came right down to it – it was all about Dan.  From the eleventh-hour amendment to his employment contract which allowed him to skulk out the back door with nearly $90,000 in severance and buy-backs, to his unwillingness to accept personal responsibility for the devastation left in his wake, Dan Parrott proved he didn’t give a tinker’s damn about the citizens of DeBary.

You can tell a lot about a person’s character by the way they leave the field.

Dan would have us believe “It just wasn’t fun anymore.”

I guess not.

Being the subject of an active criminal investigation by two Florida law enforcement agencies, named in a federal gender discrimination lawsuit, and being exposed as a cockeyed fraud in front of your peers, friends and family is a tough nut.

I’m actually surprised he lasted as long as he did.

In a way I feel bad for Dan.  It is a damnable shame whenever anyone ends their career as a brutal public failure who brought shame to himself, his office and his family name; but he has no one to blame but himself.  The dangerous but attractive triad of hubris, arrogance and greed are a deadly combination for career civil servants – or anyone for that matter.

Unfortunately, Dan took his leave with many unanswered questions still swirling around this besieged community.  Since when do you receive severance for turning-tail and running away like a yellow dog?  Since when does the elected body – officials with a sworn fiduciary responsibility to serve as good stewards of public funds – permit someone to amend their own employment contract for maximum personal benefit on the way out the door?

Has Dan Parrott’s service to the good people of DeBary warranted the honor of being paid for sitting on his ass in St. Augustine for the next two months?

I’m still not clear whether or not the city council actually approved this “amendment” or if they just stood by while Dan helped himself to the last of the silverware on his way out the door?

I suspect in coming days we will get answers to these and other ugly questions as more than a few of his self-absorbed co-conspirators attempt to fix blame for the sleazy land deal firmly on ol’ Dan.

There will be finger-pointing, horrible accusations, deceit and human treachery at City Hall that will rival the last days of Gaius Caligula.

Now that Dan Parrott has fled like a diseased rat, he will be painted by the others as the mastermind of a cheap attempt to exploit over 100-acres of sensitive conservation land for private gain and in the process pissed away tens of thousands of tax payer dollars to prepare the playing field – including hiring the King Rat who arrogantly advertises his chairmanship of the St. John’s River Water Management District’s Governing Board as a goose that lays golden eggs for his clients at Bio Tech Consulting, Inc.

Although Dan Parrott may be gone, he should remember one thing: You can run, but you can’t hide.

In my view, he was an abject failure and a scandalous loser who fled in the night.  But the specter of his crimes will haunt the halls of city hall like Grendel for many years to come.

Dan Parrott will not be missed.

In other developments, this week DeBary City Councilman Rick Dwyer assumed the role of that creepy television hotel room huckster ‘Captain Obvious’ when he announced to the Daytona Beach News-Journal’s intrepid reporter Dinah Pulver, “I want to just pull the plug on all of it.”  “The city needs to abandon the plan to acquire the 102 acres and go back to the drawing board.”

Ya, think?

How prescient, Rick.  Are you clairvoyant like one of those eerie soothsayers from down the road in Cassadaga?  Are you channeling the ghost of Grover Ashcraft?

Where the hell have you been for the past year when we could have used your prophetic wisdom?

Even the elegant Maryam Ghyabi, a member of the SJRWMD Governing Board, changed her tune from supporting a cheap compromise that would have given the City of DeBary a small portion of the conservation lands for a “retention pond” (read “water feature” for the highly touted but patently corrupt Transit Oriented Development).

Now, Ms. Ghyabi thinks it’s best we just forget the whole thing and transfer the lands to Volusia County, you know, like it never even happened. . .

You gotta know when to hold ‘em, and more important, know when to fold ‘em.  Smart lady.

So at the end of the day, the Volusia County Council seized the second opportunity to get County Manager Jim Dinneen and his staff off their dead asses and actually accept the 102-acres in questions – a transfer the SJRWMD first suggested nearly four years ago.

On Thursday, the County Council passed a three-page resolution, which read, in part:

“Utilizing any portion of the Gemini Springs Addition to support development or redevelopment is contrary to the stated mitigation purpose of the property.”

Duh.

My question is who dropped the ball?  Why did it take Volusia County four years from the 2012 SJRWMD land holdings review to take ownership of the conservation lands?  Why didn’t Dinneen follow-up on this transfer well before this brutal mess in DeBary was even conceived?

Understand – these questions will never be answered.  Hell, they won’t even be asked – not by the right people anyway.  In Volusia County government the very thought of personal accountability or the concept of actually holding career bureaucrats responsible for their acts and omissions is anathema.

And in some weirdly tenacious allegiance to her master, John Miklos, SJRWMD executive director Anne Shortelle is still hoping for a meeting with county officials to discuss deeding some 20-acres of the disputed land to DeBary. (Sounds strangely like the original Ghyabi “compromise.”)

That’s sooooo last week, Anne.

Maybe she didn’t get the memo – or perhaps she’s just dumb-loyal to Miklos, who all but hand-selected her for the job – but regardless, Ms. Shortelle better get her head in the game, and I mean quick.

When the chum is in the water and the feeding frenzy begins, you enter the food chain like everyone else – even if you’re the executive director of a powerful state regulatory agency.

I strongly suggest that given the shit-storm of controversy and open deceit surrounding this plagued land deal, rather than keep these sensitive lands under government control, they be transferred to an independent private conservation entity such as the Nature Conservancy.  (www.nature.org)

Obviously, this won’t happen.  The Conservancy’s first core value is “Integrity above reproach” and that clearly has no correlation to Volusia County government.

While this transfer may resolve the matter for the immediate future, in my experience the word “perpetuity” means “about 10-years” in government parlance.  I guarantee you this will not be the last move to develop these lands if they are left in the care of elected officials who are bought and paid for by speculative developers.

Have a great weekend, kids!

 

 

 

 

As the Daytona Beach News-Journal recently pointed out in an opinion piece (and not so subtle suggestion) entitled “Five reasons not to fire a mayor,” DeBary’s elected officials were smart to reconsider the emotions and underlying personal conflicts that are driving this bizarre effort to oust Mayor Clint Johnson.

At last evening’s “hearing” – before the White Rabbit could read the accusations and the Mad Hatter could be called to the witness stand – the Mayor’s attorney Doug Daniels was successful in obtaining a continuance from the city council.

If any good came of this, perhaps it gives all concerned a chance to contemplate the long-term ramifications of their actions and seize a golden opportunity to stop this embarrassing spectacle before real harm is done.

Also, it appears that beleaguered City Manager Dan Parrott has finally come to the realization that he’s overstayed his welcome and will be relinquishing the helm on Friday.

This is the most positive development of the week, and marks the city’s last best opportunity for real change.

Like the mad Captain Queeg in The Caine Mutiny, somewhere along the way Parrott cracked under the pressure and has been obsessing over the missing strawberries while the much more serious problems aboard the good ship DeBary go haywire.

It was like watching a great ship steam full speed ahead into the eye of a massive hurricane, and all we could do is stand idle and watch in horror as the captain stood at the rail and dreamed up more frivolous charges against Mayor Johnson, oblivious to the miasma of destruction and shit-rain falling down around him.

Unfortunately, (and to their political detriment) the remainder of the city council went along with Parrott’s weird public breakdown – right up until the moment last night when they looked at each other, and the citizens assembled, and finally realized ol’ Dan really had lost his marbles.

Sad, really.

I recently had a conversation with a smart friend regarding the very serious issues facing DeBary government.  In fact, we took the short drive to West Volusia and visited the beautiful Gemini Springs area (a fantastic place, by the way) and toured the quaint City of DeBary.

Like most small towns that are bisected by a central thoroughfare once you get off the “main drag” you get the full flavor of the community and a feel for its neighborhoods.

Living in the Halifax area, I haven’t spent much time in West Volusia – and I don’t think I have been to DeBary more than a time or two before.  Having visited, I am very happy to report that it is a simply charming place and I was immediately struck by how much DeBary reminded me of the small city where I worked most of my life.

The neighborhoods have a quiet, unpretentious feel and we saw children riding bicycles on tree-lined streets, senior citizens walking near a lovely golf course, public parks and an attractive community center – all in a setting of beautiful live oaks, rolling hills and abundant green space.

There were no weirdos to be seen.  Except maybe me, and I was much too relaxed for any serious craziness.

If you live anywhere in Central Florida and haven’t been to Gemini Springs Park – you’re doing it wrong.  The natural beauty of West Volusia’s spring system is simply breathtaking.

But like all communities, with a trained eye you can spot a few of the City’s challenges straight away.

For instance, it was obvious that code enforcement is not a high priority in DeBary (it wasn’t in the community I served either), traffic was moving a bit too fast for conditions on most of the surface streets (there didn’t appear to be a visible law enforcement presence) and the commercial corridor has been somewhat outpaced by Deland and points in between.

In total, DeBary is a typical small Florida community.  Clean and comfortable.  Somewhere you would want to raise a family.

I always felt that the most positive aspect of a small municipal government is the accessibility and responsiveness of the elected officials.  I doubt very seriously that unless your name is J. Hyatt Brown you could pick up the phone right now and reach your state representative, and forget about interacting with your congressman or senator (unless you’re Mori Hossieni).

But just about anyone can speak with their city commissioner or mayor, especially in a small town where most folks know one another personally, worship together, patronize each other’s businesses and discuss the issues of the day when they meet on the street or over the back fence.

I suspect that’s the way things are done in DeBary.

Unfortunately, when you enjoy that intimate level of interaction with your public servants, when things go bad at City Hall, the citizens tend to feel the effects in a most profound way.

Like most families, small municipal governments tend to be stable for years – but when the wheel comes off the cart – the damage can be extremely ugly and divisive, and the consequences will resonate for a very long time.

Regular readers of this forum know that I have previously provided an insider’s perspective of the importance of the city manager’s role, and the incredible power that is bestowed on that office by most municipal charters.

The executive has the ability to hire, fire, set the budget, promulgate and enforce internal policies, rules, regulations and operating procedures, and is given almost carte blanche authority over the day-to-day operations of the city.

In essence – and when practiced in its purest form – the council/manager form of government has the elected officials acting as a legislative body, debating and setting public policy, passing ordinances, voting on appropriations and large expenditures, approving zoning variances, etc. Perhaps the most important responsibility of the elected body is to establish an overall vision for the community.

In turn, the City Manager has the responsibility – and the commensurate authority – to implement public policy, provide management for the organization, and execute the council’s vision for the future of the community.

A clear benefit of this system is having an impartial administrator to buffer the influence of politics (to the extent possible) on the day-to-day operations of the government.  This is often reinforced by the city charter – a municipal constitution, if you will – that in most cases specifically prohibits elected officials from directing the actions or influencing the operational decisions of staff.

However, the council/manager form of government – in its practical form – is far from perfection.

The elected officials are members of the community.  They are the butcher, the baker and the candlestick maker, your insurance agent and your mother’s dentist – and they are responsible for representing the interests of their neighbors – from garbage collection to assessing the collective tax burden.  They take the late-night calls, field the questions, accept the criticism, fade the heat, and accept the ultimate responsibility for getting things done in their zone, ward or district.

Unlike the appointed officials and staff, if they fall down, local politicians are out of a job at the very next election.  No union protection.  No contract.  No severance.  Just out on their ass if they don’t perform to the often high and eclectic expectations of their constituents.

As a result, the elected officials need timely and consistent answers from the manager – and sometimes staff – on issues large and small.  And sometimes political expediency requires that politicians use informal lines of organizational communication to get the information they need.

Especially when the city manager selectively controls which elected officials receive information, and which do not.

In over thirty years of municipal service I have seen the very real damage an unethical city manager can cause in a very short period of time.

Unfortunately, the City of DeBary is experiencing the utter confusion and dysfunction that comes when the tail wags the dog.  Nothing positive results when the appointed administrator is allowed to direct and control the power of the elected body for his or her own devices.

It upsets the delicate equilibrium of the system and the oscillations of that instability have far reaching implications.  After all, no one wants to establish a business, make an investment, run for elective office, or relocate their family to a community in the throes of a meltdown – especially where the whiff of political corruption is in the air.

With Parrott still in office, progress was not possible, and I think the city council is slowly coming to that realization.   The city manager was far too deeply embroiled in far too many sleazy issues, with more allegations surfacing by the day.

The fact is, Dan Parrott knows that his personal orchestration of this cheap coup d’état is wholly unethical – if not criminal, given the other 800-pound gorilla in the room, namely the patently corrupt Gemini Springs Annex land deal.  Add to that new accusations of sexual harassment by department heads and federal gender discrimination lawsuits and you get the idea Dan had a lot on his plate.  Most all of it the result of his own arrogance.

To this point, the false sense of political security provided by groupthink, the intractable belief that there are no viable alternatives, and the entrenched bunker mentality currently in place at City Hall made it all but impossible for the current council to see the forest for the trees.

Mayor Johnson is not without his faults – but at the end of the day – the citizens of DeBary elected him in a fair election to represent their best interests.  In my view, the will of the voters is inviolate – it is the very foundation of our democracy – and absent clear and convincing evidence of malfeasance or misuse of public office, Mayor Johnson should be allowed to serve out his term then answer to his constituents at the ballot box.

The very logistics of last night’s duplicitous hearing reeked of a choreographed rush to judgment and continuing this ridiculous kangaroo court risks disenfranchising the citizens of DeBary.

Since when does a city manager have the right – under the charter or the law – to bring charges against a sitting mayor?  Since when is sending a critical tweet – or a harsh Facebook post – considered a violation of the DeBary city charter?

Insanity.

Folks, this is a government run amok over a delusional vendetta that continues to jeopardize public funds in the form of lawsuits, judgments and massive legal bills.  If the city council allows this to continue, no one but the lawyers will win.

At the end of the day, Dan Parrott and his treacherous cabal of cheap-jack “consultants,” “directors,” and half-bright advisers think they can simply walk away from this sordid debacle they have created.  Like a bull in a fine china shop, you can lead the beast out of the store – but it’s going to be a long time before its business as usual.

They should be publicly keelhauled for their hubris and colossal arrogance.

Regardless, it’s time to stop this embarrassing madness and let the healing begin.  The good citizens of DeBary deserve better.

 

(Photo Credit: Daytona Beach News-Journal)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

It’s been an interesting week-that-was here in Volusia County.

The “Debacle in DeBary” boiled over this week with what local media outlets are calling the “Raid on City Hall.”

Search warrant in hand, investigators from the Office of the State Attorney and agents of the Florida Department of Law Enforcement collected some 37,000 emails between besieged City Manager Dan Parrott and all members of the city council – except Mayor Clint Johnson.

Apparently, these emails and other documents represent physical evidence in an on-going criminal investigation into a complaint filed by DeBary resident Mary Sue Scott, an ardent supporter of both Gemini Springs and open government.

Ms. Scott’s complaint alleges that Parrott may have violated the Sunshine Law when he selectively polled elected officials via email messages.  These communications were in furtherance of the patently corrupt land scheme designed to transfer some 102-acres of sensitive conservation land to the City of DeBary for a sprawling “Transit Oriented Development.”

During my service in municipal government I learned first-hand the lengths to which most elected and appointed officials will go to obey both the spirit and intent of Florida’s Open Records law.  The law is important, and it affects virtually everything Florida governments do, including email exchanges, text messages, public meetings, social functions, internal communications, records retention and more.

Are mistakes made?  Certainly.  That’s inevitable whenever human beings are involved in the process.  However, in my view, the situation in DeBary was absolutely intentional.  If Dinah Pulver’s outstanding investigative reporting has exposed anything, it’s that DeBary officials worked overtime to keep their negotiations and machinations out of the public eye.

The entire squalid affair reeks of quid pro quo corruption and the vile instincts of low-rent politicians and appointed officials who’s Faustian bargain put their own self-interests before the public good.

I suspect this Sunshine Law investigation is the tip of the iceberg.  In the end, Dan Parrott, Roger Van Auker, John Miklos, and the rest of these greedy bastards will be exposed and forced to face the shame and public humiliation that they so richly deserve.

The “DeBary Land Deal” will forever be synonymous with failure, and the good people of DeBary will long feel a sense of disgust whenever they pass City Hall.  Those members of the current council who aren’t jailed will be forced to flee, and they will never prosper again.  In the end, the stench will lead all the way to the Governor’s Office, and it will expose the inherent corruption in the gubernatorial appointment process and all but ensure Rick Scott’s humiliating defeat in his 2018 U.S. Senate run.

I have nothing but praise and appreciation for State Attorney R. J. Larizza, his incredible investigative staff, the good men and women of FDLE, and most of all, ace reporter Dinah Pulver whose distinguished reporting is nothing short of Pulitzer material.

It’s high time public integrity investigations receive the priority they deserve – especially in Volusia County.

In a related story, on Thursday morning Circuit Judge Sandra Upchurch denied an attempt by DeBary Mayor Clint Johnson to squash a weird, quasi-judicial hearing by the city council to oust him for alleged charter violations.

Now, anyone who reads this blog on a regular basis will know that I haven’t been kind to Mayor Johnson.

Personally, I think his past conduct in attempting to stiff a small business owner for the cost of a very expensive bicycle under the guise that the bill would be paid by the City of DeBary is nothing short of despicable.  I’ve also been hyper-critical of his near constant self-promotion, exemplified by an insane ploy to cross the Florida Straights from Havana to Key West aboard a rickety homemade raft.

Couple these weird lapses in personal ethics and sound judgment with his very public battle with political detractors and council members and you get the idea that Johnson is either a shameless grand-stander or he’s not playing with a full deck.  Perhaps both.

Let’s face it, there’s a distinct “creepy factor” with Mayor Johnson that doesn’t inspire confidence.  Batshit crazy is generally an undesirable trait in our elected leaders.  Most people can understand and forgive what they see themselves doing – but do you see yourself drifting across the open ocean on a junkyard scow?

I think this off-the-scale weirdness quotient is a big part of the Mayor’s credibility problem, and that’s unfortunate, given the real need for strong leadership in the City of DeBary right now.

Incredibly, circumstances suggest that Johnson may be the only one in City Hall with clean hands.  If so, these efforts to oust him may be nothing more than a crude attempt to deny the Mayor the level of insider access he needs to fully expose the depth of corruption at City Hall.

The only thing transparent in DeBary government is the paper-thin excuse being put forward for the Mayor’s removal.

In my view, the unconvincing and wholly inadequate argument that Johnson somehow directed staff is prima facie evidence that Dan Parrott has orchestrated this kangaroo court as a smoke-and-mirrors distraction from the much more sinister issues facing the community.

I think it is past time for Dan Parrott to be escorted out of City Hall – preferably in handcuffs. As City Manager, this entire ugly affair begins and ends at his office door, and he has an obligation to stepdown and allow the City to begin the very long and difficult process of healing.  Once lost, the public trust is nearly impossible to reestablish, and it will be many years before the citizens of DeBary trust their elected and appointed officials.

They say that sunshine is the best disinfectant, and the City of DeBary desperately needs openness, transparency, and a full public exposure of this slimy land deal and anyone who was involved in it.

The sooner, the better.

Also on Thursday, the intrepid Paul Zimmerman, president of Sons of the Beach – Florida’s premier beach advocacy group – publicly called for the termination of County Manager Jim Dinneen in an open letter to the Volusia County Council.

In his letter, Mr. Zimmerman poses some tough questions for our elected officials – and states some rock-solid facts:

“Sadly it appears that the County Manager has failed.  He has failed to respect our charter, which for all intents and purposes, is our fundamental governing document.  He has failed to respect citizen’s rights guaranteed by that charter.  He has failed to understand and protect the nature of the traditional use guaranteed by the charter and to hold in trust the beaches for the residents of Volusia County.  He has failed to provide for the safety of residents and visitors on our beaches.  He has failed to respect you The Council, by apparently inverting the nature of your relationship with him.  It is the council who leads and the manager who administers.  No, Mr. Dinneen has done more than fail, he has subverted your authority and made you subjects to his designs.”

Powerful stuff.

I applaud the efforts of Paul Zimmerman and his team of active and concerned citizens at Sons of the Beach to see Volusia County free from the mismanagement and mean-spirited oppression that have been the hallmarks of Mr. Dinneen’s tenure.

As I’ve previously stated, positive change will not be possible unless and until we elect people who will fundamentally change the manner and means of governance in Volusia County – who will put the will of the people first and let the influential few know that, while they have a place at the table, the “my way or the highway” mentality is contrary to participatory problem solving.

At the end of the day, the problems facing us begin and end in the County Manager’s office.

If you want effective change, Jim Dinneen must go.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

‘“Of all tyrannies, a tyranny sincerely exercised for the good of its victim may be the most oppressive. It may be better to live under robber barons than under omnipotent moral busybodies. The robber baron’s cruelty may sometimes sleep, his cupidity may at some point be satiated, but those who torment us for our own good will torment us without end for they do so with the approval of their own conscience.”—C.S. Lewis

I like to think most politicians, at least at the local level, enter politics for all the right reasons – a willingness to serve and be a good steward, coupled with a real desire to improve the lives of their neighbors.  I also believe that most first-term elected officials have the best interest of all their constituents at heart, and they factor public opinion and popular will into the decision-making process, especially on matters involving the expenditure of public funds.

However, in some an ego-driven transition from public servant to self-important know-it-all takes place somewhere around their first re-election.  Inexplicably, they mysteriously become morally superior to the rest of us and transmogrify into pious nannies with a God complex – convinced they know what’s best for the rest of us.

For example, a few years ago a pseudo-strip joint known as Cheaters Cabaret rented space near the I-95/U.S.-1 interchange, a long neglected stop-off for interstate travelers that has fallen into a down-at-the-heels shabbiness marked by abandoned commercial space, homeless camps and overgrowth.

Initially located in unincorporated Volusia County, Cheaters met all zoning and permitting regulations and was issued a business tax receipt to operate.

Although I never drank there, friends who did told me it wasn’t one of the ubiquitous highway “gentlemen’s clubs” or “Oriental Spas” that dot I-95; you know, those seedy re-purposed convenience stores with serial masturbators hunched in dark corners amid the stench of organized crime, cheap perfume and stale beer.

I’m told it was more of a funky bar scene with bikini-clad women gyrating to overly loud music as both a draw and distraction for a handful of hardcore drinkers.  And if the occasional wardrobe malfunction flashed a bare nipple or two, well, no injuries were reported and I seriously doubt anyone outside the doors knew or cared.

For a good portion of my professional life I was charged with investigating vice crimes – and I got pretty good at it.  On occasion I was farmed out to assist other jurisdictions and have spent countless hours in places that would make your skin crawl.

I’ve seen things in public restrooms, “massage” parlors and other dark places that have left indelible scars on my mind that Ajax won’t remove.  I’m talking old school pimps, prostitutes and journeyman perverts with proclivities that would make the Marquis de Sade blush.  I’ve seen first-hand the degradation of human trafficking and commercial pornography operations, and I have sent habitual sex offenders to prison who were worse than predatory animals – sub-human scum.

From what I know of it, on its worst day Cheaters Cabaret didn’t come close to any of this.

Apparently the true sin of this small business was offending the delicate sensibilities of Fred Costello, his followers (read voting bloc) in the “Faith Community,” and the Ormond Beach Economic Development Department.

In a November 2015 piece in the Ormond Beach Observer, Rep. Costello explains the genesis of the City’s very odd, very expensive, and very time consuming war on Cheaters:

 Costello said the efforts to improve the U.S. 1 corridor began in earnest when the now defunct Cheaters night club opened in 2010.

“I contacted members of the faith community and said we need to stop this,” he said. Area churches protested the presence of the “gentlemen’s club.”

 Eventually, the City Commission passed ordinances which ended the performances at the club and it shut down.  It was also the existence of Cheaters that spurred the Coalition (“North U.S.-1 Coalition”) to action. “Business, government and the faith community all partnered together,” Costello said.  

This “partnership” consisted of members of Costello’s Faith Community surveilling the parking lot and taking photographs of patrons and their vehicles in a cheap form of public shaming, choreographed protests, the City’s use of selective legislation, shutting off utilities, and the indiscriminate use of the City Attorney’s office.

Apparently the only thing the City didn’t do is drag out their dusty copy of the Malleus Maleficarum and charge the bikini-gals with Witchery.

Our own New Puritan Fred Costello, and later Mayor Ed Kelley, used the full force, might and treasure of the municipal government to crush a low-rent saloon that didn’t comport with their “vision” for the north U.S.-1 commercial corridor?  Really?

Interestingly, at about the same time the Great Cheaters Inquisition was underway, the “North U.S.-1 Coalition” – a business group now headed by Maryam Ghyabi, the sister of master power broker and real estate developer extraordinaire Mori Hosseini – and a few other movers-and-shakers put together $20,000 as a good faith pledge to beautify Ormond’s Grand Gateway.

This amount was ultimately matched by the City of Ormond Beach, and Volusia County, in furtherance of pursuing a $500,000 grant from the Florida Department of Transportation – which, miraculously, was later increased to $750,000 – for beautification of the U.S.-1 median strips.

You read that right.  $750,000.00.  For landscaping.  Medians. . .

In a 2015 news article the Ormond Beach Chamber of Commerce’s own Peggy Farmer remarked (with an apparent straight face), “I think Maryam Ghyabi had a lot to do with that,” Farmer said. “She knows so many people at FDOT.”

Indeed.

All this sweet, sweet cash on top of last year’s promise by FDOT to spend nearly $900,000 to beautify the same I-95 interchange.  AND we got our eleventh (count ‘em) Dollar Store out of the deal!

Gosh.  All’s well that ends well, right?

What a bright and happy ending for all concerned – unless you happen to run a bikini bar or have an interest on U.S.-1 that doesn’t conform to “The Vision.”

Move along.  Nothing more to see here folks – our intrepid and visionary leaders have saved us from ourselves and put the iron boot to some unfortunate ugliness that was occurring on the outskirts of town.

You’re safe now.  Go about your lives in peace and harmony.  The witch is dead.

But is that really the end of the story?  I dunno, something keeps bugging me. . .

Being the paranoid, brooding weirdo that I am, when things don’t add up I sit in the dark, smoke cigarettes, and ask myself the deeper question: Qui Bono?

Who benefits?

Are these self-righteous politicians and well-connected insiders really looking out for my best interests, or is there something larger at play?

Did Fred Costello really mobilize the faith community of Ormond Beach to run Mephistopheles off of U.S.-1 – or were they used as hapless dupes; rubes in a greater strategy to remove impediments to something much more lucrative and substantial than another Dollar General?

And now that Cheaters has been waxed, who’s next?

Were our elected and appointed officials in Ormond Beach really willing to burn through tens of thousands of our hard-earned tax dollars just to run some chintzy bar out of business?

I don’t know.

What I do know is that the City of Ormond Beach and Tomoka Holdings, LLC – a wholly-owned subsidiary of the massive energy conglomerate ALLETE, Inc. – are poised to resume progress on a little pet project of Fred’s called Ormond Crossings.  A sprawling mixed-use development that will bring some 3,000 homes and five million square feet of commercial space to the vicinity of the same I-95/U.S.-1 interchange.

It’s being billed as the “Future of Ormond Beach.”

I’m no expert, but I bet you a few folks stand to make a fortune. . .

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

    

I always felt that Winston Churchill’s famous insight, “It’s a good thing for an uneducated man to read books of quotations” was sound advice for a simpleton like me.

There is much to be learned from the musings of the great thinkers, and their quotes and anecdotes have helped shape my mind and sharpened my ability to think critically about the issues of the day.

For instance, I frequently use Albert Einstein’s famous thoughts on the definition of insanity as a metaphor for Volusia County politics.

I mean, we seem to do the same things – and elect the same people – over and over again, each time expecting a different result or a better outcome than last time.   It’s fitting, don’t you think?

And if it isn’t the exact politician that we recycle from seat-to-seat, we certainly tend to elect those who have been hand-selected and liberally financed by the same wealthy insiders who control just about everything here on the “Fun Coast.”

Ormond Beach Mayor Ed Kelley’s run for County Council Chair is a prime example.

Mayor Kelley wants us to believe that he’s the guy to “bring us together again.”  I’ve seen Fast Eddie at work, and trust me, he’s a whole different guy when things don’t go his way.

The fact is, Ed Kelley is a past master of using the power of government, selective legislation and the City Attorney’s Office like a club to enforce his narrow view of what’s good for the rest of us.

Sound familiar?

For example, let’s take the two-year war between the City of Ormond Beach and the now defunct “Cheaters” – a tawdry bikini club that was located on north U.S.-1 in unincorporated Volusia – or the City’s push to restrict seasonal motorcycle-related businesses and eliminate itinerant vendors during Bike Week and Biketoberfest in the same general area.

(All that money the City spent running Cheaters out of town really cleaned up that area, huh?  Have you driven by the southeast quadrant of the I-95/U.S.-1 interchange lately?  As always, don’t take my word for it.  Take a ride and see for yourself how all that tax-funded time, resources and effort benefited the public interest in the long run. . .)

In a 2014 piece by then Daytona Beach News-Journal reporter Chris Graham, Mayor Kelley explained in no uncertain terms that he knows what’s best for us – and the U.S.-1 commercial corridor:

“We don’t need a string of motorcycle washes with girls in bikinis,” Mayor Kelley said.  “I don’t think that benefits anyone.  If anything we’ll have the businesses open year-round.  We don’t want to create a deserted Main Street.”

I believe Ed throws out the notion of fairness when he agrees to grandfather relatively new biker-themed businesses because they fit his view of what’s right and “wholesome.”  But he has no qualms about using the full might of government to force small established businesses out of the marketplace when they don’t conform to his arbitrary view.

In my view, that’s mean-spirited and counter to the basic idea of equal representation.

After reviewing Mayor Kelley’s campaign contribution reports, it’s clear where Ed’s true allegiances lie – and it isn’t with you and me.

People like J. Hyatt Brown and Mori Hosseini are highly successful businessmen for one reason only – they don’t spend a dollar without knowing exactly what the return on that investment will be.  It’s called a cost/benefit analysis – a metric used to determine the strengths, weaknesses, and potential gains on investment relative to cost.

In this case, the Big Three are making massive campaign contributions to the Kelley campaign for one reason only – to purchase access and political influence.  In return, they know that their personal and professional interests will outweigh those of John Q. Public every time.

As you prepare to cast your ballot this summer, ask yourself this:  Why would Brown, Hosseini and a handful of other uber-wealthy power brokers spend tens of thousands of dollars – both individually and through their various business entities – to support Ed Kelley for elective office?

What do you think they consider an appropriate return on that investment?

In other news, I read where perpetual politician and Ormond Beach dentist Fred Costello recently won the straw poll of Congressional candidates at the Volusia County Republican Party’s Hob Nob held – fittingly – at the taxpayer renovated Daytona International Speedway.

In Costello’s typical over-the-top ebullience, he gushed to the assembled followers of Republican Chairman-for-Life Tony Ledbetter that he is “flipped-out excited!” about the prospect of serving in Congress.

Excuse me if I don’t share your enthusiasm, Fred.  I’m more of a “What have you done for me lately” guy. . .and your record speaks for itself.

I have some history with Fred Costello when he was Mayor of Ormond Beach.

Many years ago, my wife Patti had good cause to bring several serious issues facing our community to the attention of the Ormond Beach City Commission.  Not surprisingly, in the long run, then Mayor Costello didn’t do any of the things he said he would to correct the problems, and I seriously think Fred thought she would simply accept his inaction, kiss his ring, and go quietly.

He was wrong.

Although I have lived in the City of Ormond Beach for over fifty years, at the time I worked for a neighboring municipal government.  As a government employee, one of the first things you give up is your First Amendment right to voice your opinion on governmental issues.  After all, it never works out well when you speak ill of your boss – or your boss’s friends – and in Volusia County politics, those “friends” can have very long tentacles.

However, Patti didn’t labor under the same constraints and like me she has an opinion on just about everything.

When it became clear that Fred was actively working to support, or at least downplay, the very management and oversight issues she warned him about, Patti took it upon herself to take the Ormond Beach City Commission to school on the consequences of ignoring the will and opinions of their constituents.

Never underestimate the power of a smart, articulate woman who can speak eloquently on matters of community concern.

In addition to her persuasive speeches, Patti got her point out via Op/Ed pieces in local media – and even did a few on-camera interviews for regional network affiliates – relentlessly horsewhipping the Costello administration for every misstep and blunder.

The more she dug, the more issues she uncovered.  To include serious problems with the City’s drinking water system and irregularities in the maintenance and management of our public utilities that resulted in complaints to the Florida Department of Environmental Protection and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.

Needless to say, the near constant harassment of this pestering woman didn’t sit well with Fred Costello, or then Commissioner Ed Kelley.  Her persistence clearly overstepped their myopic view of public participation and citizen involvement in the political process – you know, the whole right of citizens to petition their government for redress of grievances, thing?

Their opinion was, and is, don’t make waves or expose problems that could in anyway jeopardize our future political aspirations – keep it under the rug.  Out of sight, out of mind – even if the issue is ultimately damaging for the community.

So we watched as Fred transitioned from his polished public persona of the hyper-friendly, over-eager, neighbor/servant to this weird autocratic despot intent on subverting the process to silence this wretch and her followers who kept pointing out blemishes and tarnishing Ormond Beach’s blue-blooded reputation as Volusia’s premier affluent community.

Under Fred’s “leadership,” the Commission did everything in its power to limit citizen involvement – including requiring request forms for those wishing to address their elected officials and limiting presentations to five minutes – even going so far as to move public participation to the end of the meeting altogether, ensuring that speakers would be forced to wait until late in the evening after most audience members had left the chambers.

It was a cheap, ham-handed political move that ultimately backfired and publicly exposed Fred and Ed for the small-minded, angry little churls they truly are.

And while we’re at it, let’s not forget Fred’s almost maniacal support of speculative developers who made a real run at turning Ormond’s beachside into the concrete canyons of South Beach – a political and financial nightmare that required a citizen-forced referendum to stop.

In addition, I won’t soon forget his tacit approval of development on the scenic “Loop,” or his support of the ill-conceived Ormond Crossings project, a massive residential and commercial development that would have crushed our existing infrastructure and municipal services resulting in an even greater tax burden for current residents.

I also think it’s rich that Costello’s campaign platform includes eliminating the EPA.  This from the guy who actually believes heavy aerospace manufacturing and launch facilities can be co-located with sensitive wetlands and estuaries at Shiloh in a way that “protects the environment.”

Rep. Costello actually made this statement knowing full well that NASA’s own environmental impact study showed that further development in the area would contribute to the “continuing cumulative impairment” of the Indian River Lagoon system.

On this point, Fred is either a liar or completely out of touch with reality – neither one a personality trait I want in our next congressman.

Despite the straw poll endorsement of Ledbetter and his Merry Band of Hob Nobbers, I hope thoughtful and engaged citizens will think twice before voting for Ed or Fred, Volusia’s perennial politicians.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

After serving three decades in municipal government I’ve found one thing to be universally true: You will never go broke betting on the stupidity of small-minded politicians and petty bureaucrats when they are under pressure.

Day after day, week after week another shocking example of local government at its very worst makes its way out of the City of DeBary.  It’s become something of a west Volusia tragi-comedy that we are hooked on like a weird soap opera.

But unlike a fictional drama this debacle is all too real, with important implications for all of us.

An “informational” meeting was held by the DeBary City Commission last night.  In essence an opportunity for the city administration to force-feed the villagers a bunch of civil engineering mumbo-jumbo, let their highly paid “consultants” perform some slight-of-hand, and attempt to convince everyone assembled why it’s a good idea to radically develop 102 acres of environmentally sensitive conservation lands around the Sun-Rail station.

Like any good conjuring act, if you expect to pull off the illusion you simply cannot allow the audience to ask the magician questions.  It defeats the purpose of the show and ruins the trick.

So last evening the City of DeBary denied their citizens the right to participate in the process and actually ask questions of their elected representatives on perhaps the most polarizing issue in the community’s history.  Add to this the backdrop of a sleazy backdoor selection process for the new City Manager – all but devoid of meaningful citizen input – and one might think DeBary government would prefer to do the public’s business in the dark.

Why wouldn’t they?  It’s a hell of a lot easier to get things done, in the manner you want them done, without nosy neighbors looking over your shoulder.  The only problem is – it’s against the law – not to mention a slap in the face to your constituents, neighbors and friends who trust their elected officials to act in a way that furthers the public welfare rather than their own self-interests.

In response, a group of concerned citizens led by DeBary resident Mary Sue Scott, who organized an online petition opposing the development which garnered over 4,000 signatures, staged a mass walk-out in civil protest of the sham proceedings.

Good for you, Mary.  And good for the other citizens of DeBary and elsewhere who exposed this political hypocrisy for what it is.

I’ve seen some pretty screwy behavior from a few low-rent political hacks intent on shoving their narrow view down the throats of a disgruntled populous.  But I have to admit, the boorish conduct of DeBary’s Growth Management Director Matt Boerger takes the cake.

In his best effort to paint detractors of the land deal as “outside agitators” (the first defense mechanism of an administration in flames) after the walk-out, Boerger asked remaining citizens of Debary to identify themselves by raising their hands, followed by a snide comment that the protesters who left the room were obviously not residents of the community.

For his trouble, Boerger took one broadside with boos, hisses and open jeers from the audience – the taxpayers who pay his salary – forcing him to immediately apologized for his crude and unfortunate remarks.

In my experience, citizens don’t appreciate being taunted by low-level civil servants with a chip on their shoulder.  They find it distasteful when an under-worked and overpaid paper pushing shovel-leaner snipes at them when they attempt to participate in their government.  And rightfully so.

Matt, your self-serving grandstanding will ultimately earn you a trip to the unemployment line – and lucrative make-work jobs like “growth management director” are few and far between.

That is if you don’t end up in prison with Parrott, Ardaman and Miklos.

Now is the time to downsize your lifestyle and get comfortable with indigent health care.

The second defense measure employed like clockwork by beleaguered politicians is to marginalize the opposition.  The time-honored best practice for accomplishing this is to demonstrate that your detractors are simple CAVE people (Citizens Against Virtually Everything), most of which don’t even live here!

Last evening that took the form of asking citizens attending the public meeting to sign-in, then place a small star – you know, the kind your kindergarten teacher used to stick on your shirt when you colored within the lines and didn’t make trouble – on a map of DeBary corresponding with your address.  If you didn’t live in the city you were asked to place your star elsewhere.

Really?  Really.

The visual insinuation is beyond obvious and the intent is divisive.

The fact is the Debacle in DeBary negatively affects all of us.  The conservation lands that these cheap bastards have set their sights on are just that – sensitive wetlands, recharge areas, and interconnected estuaries that have been set aside for safeguarding, not financial exploitation.

The ecology of our region effects all of us equally, and you do not have to be a resident of DeBary – or even west Volusia – to feel the detrimental impact of the wholesale destruction of environmentally sensitive lands.

Having served in a small municipal government I can tell you that, behind-the-scenes, well-meaning employees and levelheaded advisers are working hard to convince the administration and elected officials to simply abandon this ill-conceived effort, change tack, and begin the process of restoring trust and healing the community divide.

You know, stop the hemorrhaging while there’s still time.  Kill this goofy land deal and abort the blatant coup d’etat recently launched against the arguably insane Mayor Clint Johnson – the original villain who is now actively emerging as the hero of this ugly and embarrassing imbroglio.

Unfortunately, these best efforts at reasonableness will fall on deaf ears and any chance at a rational solution is lost.

City Hall is already in bunker mode – hunkered-down and paranoid in the extreme – and they have been since the shocking revelation that the City Attorney is an active business partner of John Miklos, the shameless double-dipper and chairman of the St. John’s River Water Management District governing board.  It’s kind of like one of those shocking movie twists where the character who is suppose to protect the victim turns out to be a monster in disguise.

Regardless, the administration of the City of DeBary needs to understand something going forward:

Your public self-destruction is wholly of your own making.  Your poor decision-making, fostered by greed, internal corruption and mismanagement brought you down.

Don’t presume to marginalize those who seek to participate in the democratic process.

We will not sign-in, be intimidated, or subjugated by your stupid and ill-conceived attempts to hide the truth and co-opt the process.

We will not be identified or ostracized by your star.

We will not be silenced by your cheap subversion of the rules of public participation and blatant ignorance of the Sunshine Law.

We are proud and strong citizens of Volusia County, and greater Central Florida, and we do not care a damn about your self-importance.

You have lost the moral authority to lead.

We will expose your greed-crazed corruption for what it is and ultimately take our government back at the local, county, state and federal level.  Your political careers are destined for the stinking ash heap of public servants who compromise their ethics for personal gain.

Check yourselves.  You work for us – and its high time you start acting like it.

Please read more here:

http://www.news-journalonline.com/article/20160518/NEWS/160519501/101040?Title=DeBary-meeting-on-land-deal-SunRail-plan-draws-protest

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Last week I attended a meeting with Greg Gimbert to discuss his potential candidacy for Volusia County Council Chairman.

For just over an hour I listened intently as Greg spoke extemporaneously on the serious issues facing Volusia County.  To say I was impressed by what I heard is an understatement.

He spoke in clear, concise and passionate terms as he described the corrosive impact of big-money on the local political process, the importance of restoring character, transparency and integrity in government, and his overwhelming desire to leave Volusia County a better place for his young son.

More important, he not only explained the problems in clear, understandable terms – he offered constructive solutions as well.

That’s the mark of a leader.

Anyone can complain – I’m a prime example of that.  But it takes a special courage to actually step into the arena and fight for that which is fair and just; to spend oneself in a worthwhile struggle to protect and preserve the rights of others.

Unfortunately, the natural instinct to see wrongs and work to set them right is an increasingly rare personal trait today, and almost non-existent in the political realm.

Greg Gimbert exemplifies all these things – in his words, and his actions.

He is founder and chairman of Let Volusia Vote, a political action committee and advocacy organization committed to the principle that the people should have a fundamental right to self-determination over issues related to the beach, our most precious natural resource.

In that role, Greg Gimbert led a small group of committed individuals who organized – and galvanized – a coalition of over 22,000 Volusia County residents who signed petitions and stood together around a common goal of placing a charter amendment on the 2016 ballot to help ensure beach access for everyone.

This grassroots effort was met with fierce opposition by the entrenched power structure in Volusia County who went to unprecedented lengths – including the nuclear option of filing a lawsuit against their own constituents – to defeat the measure.

Trust me, when faced with the full might, treasure and force of government – and the potentially devastating implications of defending the idea that the people’s right to petition their elected officials for redress of grievances is inviolate under the United States Constitution – most would buckle to political power and abandon the cause.

Not Greg Gimbert.

When the chips were down, he worked tirelessly with Let Volusia Vote’s legal counsel to defend the rights of the people – your rights – all the way to the 5^th District Court of Appeals.

Ladies and gentlemen, Greg Gimbert does not quit.  He is a proven servant-leader who does not kowtow to an embedded political elite, nor compromise his personal and professional ethics for political expediency.

In my view, Greg’s strong, collaborative leadership on issues as diverse as beach access, environmental advocacy (as exemplified by his Vice Chairmanship of the Volusia Soil and Water Conservation District), the appropriate public use of the Tiger Bay State Forest, and his work to prohibit the detrimental impact of fracking in Volusia County, is a testament to his ability to build consensus among different points-of-view.

In short, Greg’s civic-minded personal involvement in the important issues facing all of us demonstrate his deep sense of community pride and personal commitment to the highest ideals of public service.  I like that in my elected representatives.

In my view, there are people who have the ability to define their times, rather than be defined by them.  In an era marked by the open corruption of once trusted institutions, where political access and influence are sold to the highest bidder and a wealthy few are granted control of the lives and livelihoods of the governed, Greg has demonstrated the strength of courage and perseverance to stand alone, putting service above his own self-interests.

Greg Gimbert is a man for this time, for this place.

On a personal note, I have always been impressed by Greg’s personal integrity and commitment to his family.  He knows that character counts, and his service to the citizens of Volusia County has been marked by ethical conduct, the notion of fairness and a deep concern for his fellow citizens.

It’s why I trust Greg Gimbert’s judgment, and you should to.

I believe the outcome of this election will have historic implications for our way of life.

Let’s take back our government.  If not now, when?

Given the importance of this contest, I humbly ask that you give my friend Greg your support, and your precious vote, as we all work together to improve the heart, character and future of Volusia County.

 

 

 

There is a melancholy in Volusia County today.  An overwhelming feeling of disappointment and a distinct loss of trust in people and democratic institutions that we once thought were inviolate.

Yesterday, thousands of long-time Volusia County residents and beach driving advocates (groups which are virtually synonymous) learned the sobering truth that our vote on the subject had been irretrievably stripped from us.

The 5^th District Court of Appeal in Daytona Beach affirmed Circuit Judge Sandra Upchurch’s earlier ruling that the Let Volusia Vote charter amendment, which would have required a referendum for changes to beach access policies, was “facially unconstitutional in its entirety.”

I don’t mean to malign the justices of the appeals court.  They work within the confines of the law. Unfortunately, laws are made by politicians who don’t always represent the best interests of their constituents, or construct legislation within the narrow limits of the Constitution.

Last week I watched a recording of the proceedings at the 5^th DCA and was most impressed by the persuasive argument and erudite presentation of Let Volusia Vote attorney Dennis Bayer.  He is a consummate legal professional who is not afraid to hold the wolf by the ears and fight for that which is right and just.  I am proud of him, and you should be too.

Conversely, I thought County Attorney Dan Eckert’s presentation was nothing short of a disaster.  He looked addle-brained, like Jed Clampett trying to order soup in a French restaurant.  The more he yammered, um’d, uh’d, and shuffled papers, the more confused he – and everyone else – became.  He was out to sea, and everyone in the courtroom knew it but him.  It was a stammering, ill-prepared performance that left me feeling angry that I was paying him, and utterly embarrassed for everyone involved.

If you think this is sour grapes – watch it for yourself.

But as bad as Eckert’s courtroom presence was, he had an ill-conceived and, in my view, patently undemocratic law on his side, and in the end, the elected officials of Volusia County prevailed against their own constituents.

So now the die has been cast and the democratic process – our sacred vote and legal standing as citizens, voters and taxpayers – has been subverted at great public expense by the very people we elected to represent us.

Interestingly, in most cases elected bodies welcome the referendum process.  It serves as a buffer, a political heat shield on controversial matters that periodically come before them.  In this case, our elected officials fought tooth-and-nail to retain “exclusive authority” over all matters related to the beach.  What does that tell you?

When viewed from the perspective of a compromised Volusia County political system, one that has been bought and paid for by a few ultra-rich elites who throw huge sums of cash at select candidates through multiple, but individually controlled, corporate entities you get the impression that citizen input and opinion on matters related to our beach is neither wanted nor considered.  Simply put, you were out bid.

There is an ill wind blowing across the breadth of Volusia County and it carries the stench of political corruption.  And at this point it seems the powers-that-be no longer try to hide it.

The Volusia County Council has gifted control of our County Charter – the controlling document that provides the very structure of our government – over to J. Hyatt Brown, an extraordinarily wealthy retired insurance executive and active member of the Brown, France and Hosseini cabal who control virtually everything our elected officials say and do.

Of course, Brown has a Charter Review Committee, peppered with the usual cast of characters, that provide plausible cover.  But make no mistake, what J. Hyatt wants he gets.

After all, he bought and paid for it.

Most recently, Mr. Brown and his committee used their considerable influence to take away your right as a private citizen to speak before the Volusia County Growth Management Commission, a so-called “super committee” with the power to approve or quash development projects countywide.

Last week, J. Hyatt appeared before his puppets on the County Council to direct (sorry, “suggest”) that they approve new rules to remove standing for citizens wishing to provide input on VCGMC deliberations.  In turn, J. Hyatt advised that he would drop his plan (excuse me, the “Charter Review Committee’s” plan) to ask voters to kill the VCGMC all together.

Under our Benevolent Dictatorship in Volusia County, we, the people, no longer have “standing” in much of anything – except, of course, when it comes to footing the bill.

Our elected officials have given millions of dollars in tax incentives, infrastructure improvements and other inducements to the “Big Three” and a slew of itinerant speculative developers.  Now, there is absolutely nothing stopping them from taking our beach, controlling access, eliminating driving from the entire strand, and gifting a private seashore to these dicey builders and their hypothetical projects.

We are now at the cold mercy of these goddamned grifters; smug shitheels in expensive suits and Gucci loafers who play with other people’s money and openly fuck with our beachside lifestyle.  And when they go belly-up – as they always do (just ask Bray & Gillespie, remember them?) – we’re left holding the bag as they trot back to South Florida, Canada or Russia.

County Councilman Josh Wagner was quoted in today’s Daytona Beach News-Journal responding to the 5^th DCA ruling by saying, “I have mixed emotions,” he said over the phone Tuesday afternoon. “On one hand, I feel good about my lawyer’s intuition … but this one’s hard.”

I’ll tell you what’s hard, Josh – getting openly screwed by a turncoat politician.

Mr. Wagner, do you think we forgot?

Do you think thousands of your disillusioned constituents simply forgot what you did?

Have you lost your mind?

Make no mistake, Mr. Wagner, that wasn’t your “lawyer’s intuition” at play – it was your congenitally corrupt nature – you and your friends got what you wanted – and your name will forever be associated with the wholesale betrayal of constituents, friends and neighbors.

In my view, you are the worst-of-the-worst in a cesspool of elected lowlifes in Deland – and the Wagner name will be gutter trash in this town for a generation.

Yes, there is an ill wind blowing across this county and at times it seems unstoppable.  But I still believe in my heart that we are better than this; that we fundamentally deserve fair and equal representation in our local political system and under the law.

To my neighbors and friends I would like to make a personal appeal.  I ask that you take a moment from your busy lives and careers to reflect quietly on what the events of the last week mean to all of us, both as individuals, and as a community.

I believe there remains one fundamental mechanism which, if used properly, will allow us to prevail over the insiders and well-heeled donor class that seem intent on taking our lifestyle and heritage away from us and handing it to outside speculators for backdoor personal enrichment:

It is the ultimate power of the ballot box.

To the best of my knowledge, we still have a democratic process that allows one person, one vote.  I believe that if enough like-minded citizens hold firm to the basic belief that we can control our destiny by electing strong, ethical, and visionary members of our community to high public office, we can once again balance political power and restore transparency, fairness, and the spirit of democracy in Volusia County government.

 

 

 

 

 

One night in September 2013, I sat in a motel room in Valdosta, Georgia and watched a freshman republican Senator from Texas launch a rambling 21-hour diatribe about the need to defund Obamacare at all costs.

I looked on in shocked disbelief as this strange little man openly defied our party’s leadership and unilaterally exercised the “Nuclear Option” as he personally set in motion a process that resulted in the shutdown of the United States Government.

This grandstanding earned Sen. Ted Cruz many life-loyal fans – and an equal number of mortal political enemies – many in his own party.

Somewhere during his interminable tantrum on the Senate floor I came to two important realizations: The Republican party no longer represented my moderate values – and Ted Cruz is one creepy dude.

So I left.

Just like that I filed the appropriate voter change request and was placed in the increasingly popular No Party Affiliation camp; a catch-all for an eclectic mix of the disenfranchised, the disillusioned, and the disgruntled refugees of a two-party political system gone haywire.

That said, as a “moderate conservative” the basic tenets of the GOP still resonate with me, and I have little in common with the modern Democratic party.  But in the present context, Donald Trump’s America-centered campaign made sense to me.

He has made provocative statements that I don’t agree with, and his personal bearing can border on the obnoxious, but more often than not he gets it right.

Like Trump, I happen to believe that its high time we scrape the rust off our foreign policy, project strength and leadership in an increasingly unstable world and reverse the detrimental effects of trade deals that have left the United States at a distinct disadvantage.

Like Trump, I also believe it’s time for the United States to stop kowtowing to tin pot despots on Presidential apology tours, reverentially bowing to the worst-of-the-worst on the world stage, and making weak and ineffective agreements with avowed enemies, one of which has the very real possibility of resulting in a nuclear-armed Iran.

I mean, can anyone imagine a President Trump’s reaction if Saudi King Salman failed to meet him at the airport?  He would have jet-washed the Royal Palace with Air Force One exhaust on his way out of town. . .

It’s called projecting strength abroad, not continuing failed policies that have made us a laughingstock around the world and caused our allies to question our commitment.

The fact is, none of the Republican candidates came close to galvanizing the base the way Trump did.  In fact, the GOP’s lackluster field of fringe players and political hacks promised nothing more than the same rehashed promises and talking points we have heard for the past 25-years.

We needed more and we got in the form of a brash, ego-maniacal P.T. Barnum who articulated our frustrations, spoke of our fears, understood our concerns and unabashedly promoted the notion that we, the United States of America, could be great again.

In turn, historic numbers of Republican’s ignored the rhetoric of their party leadership and voiced their collective opinion for the direction and leadership of this country at the ballot box.

Despite all odds – and the smug predictions of political pundits everywhere – Mr. Trump became the presumptive Republican nominee, and the reaction was almost immediate.

“He’s a demagogue, a misogynist bigot, an unstable narcissistic xenophobe, etc., etc.”

And that was from the Republican leadership. . .

Last week House Speaker Paul Ryan, the highest ranking elected Republican in the country, said he “isn’t ready to endorse Trump,” Sen. John McCain took a cheap shot or two, Jeb! Bush said he’s staying home on election day, and the befuddled Republican Old Guard began mumbling about fielding a “third party candidate” in Mitt Romney – a two-time looser so irrelevant that he couldn’t create a fart in a whirlwind when he took on Trump early in the process, and he can’t defeat him – or Hillary Clinton – in the general election.

Couple this with the usual hyperventilating democratic mouthpieces and liberal media doyennes who assure us in loop-mode that Hillary WILL be our next president because our WORLD depends upon it and one might get the impression Mr. Trump’s nomination has seriously threatened the status quo.

What seems to have escaped the GOP naysayers is the fact that hundreds of thousands of their fellow self-identified “Republicans” turned out in force to Trump rallies across the nation – and millions more cast their vote for him.

Trump’s campaign has become a movement that is quickly leaving the established order in the dust.

In a recent analysis the Washington Times wrote, “The elites invested their time, their money and their reputations in stopping Donald Trump, and nothing worked.  Rarely have so many tried so hard and failed so dismally, and rarely have the masses succeeded so spectacularly to impose their will on those who presume to call themselves leaders.”  

Trump’s message of returning our great nation to prominence, uniting a divided people, and restoring pride in America has obviously struck a chord, and the Republican leadership better damn well understand the ramifications of ignoring it.

In coming days, I suspect that smart republican politicians and party bosses around the nation will begin the process of shifting support towards the Trump candidacy.  However reluctantly.

If the #NeverTrump faction are still planning an eleventh-hour attempt to rewrite the convention rules, ignore the voter’s choice, and circumvent the democratic process to deny Trump the nomination on the floor in Cleveland, they risk splitting an already jittery and fragmented party down the middle.

The resulting civil war would forever and irreparably damage the GOP and all but ensure an eight year Clinton reign.