Way back in 2016, this experiment in alternative opinion blogging was born from the simple notion that someone should say what everyone was secretly thinking.

In fact, an early Barker’s View post grew from my frustration over the Volusia County Council’s lack of an annual evaluation of then county manager Jim Dinneen – a process that became a ridiculous rubber stamp that always resulted in a generous year-end bonus for Mr. Dinneen – apparently to reward his skillful channeling of our tax dollars in all the right directions. . .

In my view, this lack of a comprehensive review for the county manager, and our entrenched county attorney, exemplified all the dysfunction, insider influence and open cronyism that passes for governance in Volusia County.

I could no longer contain my outrage:

“Anyone who can read the printed word and think critically cannot help but be moved to uncontrolled rage by the Council’s continued pandering to a few wealthy and influential insiders, multi-million dollar giveaways, lawsuits against their own constituents, open bullying by the County Attorney’s office, our cartoon character of a Council Chair, the sheer arrogance of the County Manager, and the Council’s continued indifference to the needs and opinions of those they serve.”       

And everything I have written since has been a riff on that same unsettling theme. . .

Now, as we approach 2020, the majority of our elected officials on the Volusia County Council remain the obsequious handmaidens of a system that still abhors accountability and oversight.

What’s changed?

On Tuesday, Councilwoman Heather Post did her level best to convince her “colleagues” on the dais of power that the two most powerful positions in county government – the manager and county attorney – should be evaluated by objective written review.

Seems like a no-brainer, right? 

During my years in public service, I received – and wrote – written evaluations, participated in 360° reviews, single and multi-rater management audits, external promotional assessments, outside inspections and organizational improvement planning – each of which was memorialized in writing to ensure an accurate portrait, year-over-year, of my performance trajectory.

I’ll bet many of you have had a similar evaluation during your working life.  It’s pretty common.

Except in county government. . .

The commonsense process of actually assessing the effectiveness of the highest paid recipients of public funds in our county government was supported by Councilwomen Post, Billie Wheeler and Barbara Girtman.

Unfortunately, the measure was rejected, out-of-hand, by the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse – the lockstep voting bloc of Councilmen Ben Johnson and the Very Reverend Fred Lowry, our doddering fool of a County Chair, Ed Kelley, and the always arrogant Councilwoman Deb Denys.

But why?

Well, according to Chairman Kelley, “We don’t have an off-the-shelf form at this point.”

Apparently, we don’t employ the talent in our Human Resources office to research and put one together in, oh, an hour-or-so, either. . .

Sad.

Look, I would be reasonably satisfied if the Volusia County Council could have just one meeting where they weren’t required to spend the last half deciphering their twisted votes, mini-moves, amendments and amendments-to-amendments that always leave staff – and their confused constituents – scratching their heads. . .

Perhaps, We, The People should exercise our right to political accountability and use this bimonthly affront to our collective intelligence as our own evaluation of those we have elected to high office, eh?

In government, senior management – and the citizens they serve – deserve a thorough review of their professional performance, accomplishments and growth areas at regular intervals.

It’s a healthy part of the oversight process, and the narrative evaluation provides personalized feedback and a mechanism for communicating expectations for organizational goals and professional objectives that just aren’t possible in the farcical performance art of a Volusia County Council meeting.

Anyone who has ever served in a leadership role understands that performance evaluations are a critical resource for documenting the health and success of the organization – and should be a continuing process at all levels.

But not in the byzantine bureaucracy in DeLand. . .

In government, as in most progressive private organizations, accountability exists when a responsible individual, and the services they provide, are subject to horizontal oversight.  This occurs when the responsible party is required to provide articulable justification for their actions, expenditures, and the performance of their subordinate staff.

A practice especially important for government officials at the executive level whose decisions can have wide-ranging and very expensive implications.

You want to know the most serious issue Volusia County residents face?

It is the staggering level of incompetence, government waste and resource mismanagement that results in surprise headlines like “Volusia’s overtime tab: $99 million since 2013” and other shocking revelations – and a continuing, almost institutionalized, lack of substantive oversight by our elected officials that allows this atrocious course of conduct to continue.

 

“Well, opinions are like assholes. Everybody has one.”

–Dirty Harry Callahan, The Dead Pool, 1988

 

Sometimes the news on Florida’s fabled Fun Coast sounds like a broken record.

“For a city already working with its trust issues. . .”

“After a former Volusia County Council member proclaimed in a public meeting this summer that trust in county government had never been lower. . .”

“What they’re most divided on: how much trust the public has in county government.”

“Much has been written about Volusia County government and a lack of transparency.”

“They got caught doing something that now seems deceitful.”

Sounds like a bad Barker’s View screed, doesn’t it?

It’s not.

These quotes came right from the pages of The Daytona Beach News-Journal – picked from feature stories, editorials and letters from readers who have grown suspicious of the machinations of our elected and appointed officials and the uber-wealthy special interests who seem to control it all.

Unfortunately, in the oligarchical system that has come to dominate our lives and livelihoods here in Volusia County – constructive criticism is neither welcome nor accepted – and those who attempt to shine a bright light into the dank corners where public funds and private interests intersect are often marginalized, painted as lunatics, or worse, labeled as “trolls” who reside in the lower parts of the internet and exist simply to poke, prod and provoke the “Rich & Powerful” who can still afford political representation.

So, we are forced to ask the question: Whose critical views on the myriad issues of the day are more accurate and worthy of our attention?

Which opinion matters most – an amalgam of viewpoints of an editorial board – or the concerns voiced in the contentious realm of social media, something News-Journal editor Pat Rice calls the “domain of trolls who live not to provoke thought but simply to provoke”?

More often than not, on those rare occasions when our newspaper of record calls foul on the editorial page, they sound like that kindly-yet-critical old aunt, who, at the risk of offending, softly suggests you might want to “run a comb through your hair” – as opposed to the blunt message of the overbearing truth-teller in the family who calls it like she sees it, “It looks like rat’s are nesting on your head, Lois – do you even own a hairbrush? Look in a mirror for Christ sake. . .” 

It seems whenever the News-Journal has cause to offer a gentle suggestion to the perennial politicians and governmental insiders who are seen as “friends” and conflicted associates of the newspaper’s senior leadership – the paper comes off like a mewing, declawed kitten with a raging case of  Taijin Kyofusho.

The true editorial scolding is saved for ordinary citizens and grassroots efforts with the temerity to challenge the status quo – voice a call for fundamental change to this disparate scheme that has resulted in the social and economic quagmire we find ourselves in – or use the every-man’s civic soapbox of social media to vent frustration, voice an opinion or engage in a no-holds-barred debate of the issues.

Whenever someone from outside the fraternity offers a pointed criticism, calls out missed opportunities for substantive change, or brings attention to the utter incompetence and dysfunction that have come to permeate the halls of power in DeLand and beyond – they are invariably treated as a threat to the “system” – branded an opinionated malcontent without credibility and immediately set upon by those who still stand to benefit.

That’s not shaping public opinion – that’s an exercise in not ruffling the right feathers. . .

Sound familiar? 

It should, because marginalization – the process of making others feel their opinions are insignificant or secondary to those held by insiders – is the exact tactic used by members of the Volusia County Council to ensure lockstep conformity.

In my view, the most important opinion is your own.

I happen to write down my goofy thoughts on the issues we face and circulate them on this blog site as a means of stirring the pot, calling attention to the seemingly intractable problems we face and stimulating a greater discussion in the community.

Why? 

Because our ‘powers that be’ hate it when We, The People focus on the machinations of the politically unaccountable insiders behind the curtain – or expose the self-serving maneuverings of  their bought-and-paid-for politicians who are repeatedly returned to office on increasingly larger piles of campaign cash originating from those who the system now exists to serve.

In my view, when citizens educate themselves on the issues of the day – then formulate individual opinions that come together into a collective vision for the future through the debate of competing ideas – it results in quality public policy, civic revitalization, collaborative problem solving and fosters a true sense of ‘community building.’

So, to hell with what I, or anybody else thinks – or what the News-Journal tells you about the role of social media and non-conventional communication in contemporary politics.

Take the time to educate yourselves and your neighbors, learn the players and the issues, contemplate our collective needs – then form your own opinions – and express your views in whatever forum you feel comfortable with.

If you are a loyal member of the Barker’s View tribe, I naturally consider you an ‘informed voter’ who looks at all sides of an issue then makes a knowledgeable decision.

If not, I encourage you to get involved.

Talk to candidates for public office, hold their feet to the fire on issues that are important to you and your family, voice your point of view on the issues of the day, be bold, be brave and let’s return a respectful and responsive “government of the people” to DeLand and beyond this election cycle.

Let’s restore the public’s trust in our local government by electing those who value it.

It’s important – now, more than ever.

 

 

 

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:

Angel               Dustin Wyatt & Tony Holt

The exodus from The Daytona Beach News-Journal continues, and the unfortunate loss of journalistic talent and stability is being felt throughout the community as our nearly 116-year-old newspaper of record slowly transitions into something. . .different.

Much of what I write about here on Barker’s View is a riff on News-Journal articles crafted by gifted professional journalists and editorialists who are out pounding the streets, working the phones, keeping their ear to the ground and bringing the news of the day to our doorstep or computer screen each morning.

And, like anyone with ethical boundaries who serves the public, they often take a horrible beating for their efforts. . .

During my professional life, I developed close working relationships with some very talented News-Journal reporters – superior scribes like Lyda Longa, Patricio Balona, Eileen Zaffiro-Kean, Barry Gear and others – and had the pleasure of working with legendary storytellers like Kathy Kelly and the late John Carter – it wasn’t always easy, and I took the lumps when I made a mistake, but these symbiotic relationships taught me how hard good reporters work to get it right and the importance of building trust.

Now, instead of hearing it straight from those we have elected and appointed to serve our civic interests, increasingly, stories in our hometown newspaper will begin, “. . .according to a GateHouse Media data analysis. . .”

Adding to the sense of uncertainty was the newsroom layoffs – then, this summer, the News-Journal’s printing press was shuttered, and the operation moved to another GateHouse proprietary in Ocala.

The explanation? 

“These days, it’s not unusual for a newspaper to be printed outside the market where it circulates. In fact, it’s become the norm.”

Sad.

Then, the talented editor and accomplished author Derek Catron – and our incredibly dedicated environmental reporter, Dinah Voyles-Pulver, who shined such a bright light on those who profit from the wholesale destruction of our natural places, left for roles with GateHouse Media.

And now, crime reporter and Sun Crime State podcast host, Tony Holt, and our intrepid Volusia County reporter, Dustin Wyatt, are leaving the News-Journal for greener pastures. . .

In my view, Mr. Holt’s coverage of the always intriguing local crime beat was truly second-to-none – and it was always interesting to learn the misty machinations of Volusia County government from Dustin Wyatt’s inimitable writing.

I don’t know about you, but Dustin’s live Tweets from County Council meetings were something I looked forward to.

As I understand it, Tony has been snatched up by the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette in Little Rock, while Dustin will be serving the fortunate citizens of the Upstate of South Carolina as a journalist with the Spartanburg Herald-Journal.

When it comes to consuming the news, one thing I appreciate is the institutional knowledge of a seasoned reporter who understands the nuances of what is happening ‘behind the story’ – and uses that situational awareness to triangulate relationships, analyze previous decisions, recall quotes, develop depth and craft a rich explanation of perhaps the one nugget of good information in an otherwise dull public meeting.

In my view, Mr. Wyatt’s painstaking reporting on what became known as the ‘secret study’ – a 2016 report commissioned by the county council which was intentionally hidden from policymakers because it called for higher impact fees – brilliantly exposed the lack of transparency and backroom shenanigans so common in Volusia County politics.

In my view, his unflinching reportage ultimately led to the departure of former County Manager Jim Dinneen – and if he never writes another exposé – Dustin Wyatt earned his spurs on that one. . .

I’ve said this before, community journalism is important – and ‘our’ newspaper is as relevant and necessary today as it always has been – perhaps more so.

That’s why the loss of those bylines we have come to trust is so terribly difficult to take.

Best of luck, Dustin and Tony.

Your important contributions to the life and health of our community will be sorely missed.

Asshole           Volusia County Council  

Last month, I wrote a screed venting my spleen on the growing mystery of why County Attorney Dan “Cujo” Eckert attempted to unilaterally cancel a popular historic racing parade in Ponce Inlet.

Following a public outcry from race organizers, beach driving advocates and concerned residents, earlier this month the county council rightfully ignored Mr. Eckert’s weird “advice” and authorized the 2020 North Turn Parade on a 5-2 vote.

That’s a good thing.  The event has become a very important part of Speed Weeks – and it deserves the county’s logistical support and sponsorship.

Now, amid accusations that over the eight-year life of the parade, county officials allocated public funds and logistical resources for the event without proper accounting or documentation, the always arrogant Councilwoman Deb Denys has come down with selective amnesia – acting as though she has no recollection of the county’s direct involvement.

The trouble is, a virulent case of selective amnesia is highly infectious – especially when it starts running rampant through the halls of governmental power – and, like a bad syphilis outbreak, it can be hard to stop until virtually no one in the organization can remember what they had for breakfast – let alone who authorized public funds for a controversial community event. . .

As a result, the chasm of trust between taxpayers and Volusia County government has deepened, with many – including at least one former member of the Volusia County Council – wondering aloud what other unexplained leaks are lurking in the labyrinthine system.

Unfortunately, it appears help is still too far out for hope. . .

Inexplicably, nearly a year after the position was approved, Volusia County has conveniently failed to attract a qualified internal auditor – the ombudsman we were promised would improve transparency in this shadowy secret society and add a layer of “checks and balances.”

For the princely $215,000 plus bennies we pay County Manager Georgie Recktenwald, we don’t get to hear directly from the Big Guy himself; however, Volusia’s new professional mouthpiece, Kevin Captain, tells us it’s a “unique and difficult” position to field.

Difficult?

Maybe.

But for $156,963 a year – certainly not impossible. . .

Last week, in a well-researched piece by former News-Journal reporter Dustin Wyatt, we learned that, even in the aftermath of the shit-storm surrounding the North Turn Racing Parade, our doddering fool of a County Chair, Ed Kelley, continues to consider the internal auditor a “waste of money.” 

You read that right.

“It’s nonsense to think we need an internal auditor,” Kelley said, adding that that measure is only needed when a company is in the midst of a financial scandal. “That’s for a company like Enron.”

 Actually, it’s to prevent another governmental “Enron,” you insufferable ninny. . .

If this isn’t a “financial scandal,” what would Chairman Kelley call the unexplained allocation and expenditure of tens-of-thousands in public funds and transportation resources with no record, requisition, allocation, accounting or documentation?

If Old Ed can’t see the frightening similarities between Enron and Volusia County government – the hubris, the arrogant sense of infallibility, the clear lack of ethical and moral guidance, the marginalization and destruction of whistle-blowers, the ‘asleep at the switch’ lack of oversight, the unnerving incompetence that precludes even an organized public meeting – then perhaps we have bigger issues than we know. . .

“It’s my guess that there are lots of surprises from over the years,” said Vicky Jackson, a Daytona Beach resident and former councilwoman who served from 1989 to 1994.  We have had a series of managers and financial people and it’s past time to check up on the peoples’ money.”

Amen, sister. . .

Now, after yet another embarrassing fiasco, Chairman Kelley has been forced to acknowledge what many of us have been demanding for years – an end to the pernicious practice of ‘Public Policy by Ambush’ – off-the-agenda financial sneak attacks, where our hard-earned tax dollars are shunted to special interests without any debate, explanation or public input.

Our elected officials have used this sleight-of-hand for years – now, they have been caught with their pants down. . .

In my view, it’s not enough to pull the same scam time-after-time – then feign a lukewarm promise of substantive change to the way you’ve always done business after the con has been exposed.

We’ve heard it all before, and this is unacceptable by any standard.

I like to humor myself into believing that we still have some fragments of a democratic process remaining – like the sacred tradition that permits 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 office – servant/leaders who will stand firm in defense of the rights, responsibilities and privileges of taxpaying residents who work hard to carve out a life here on Florida’s Fun Coast – we can once again balance political power and restore transparency, fairness and the spirit of democracy in Volusia County government.

Angel               Maryam Ghyabi & Kelli McGee

Have you ever gone into a situation with terribly preconceived notions – only to be pleasantly surprised that those with seemingly opposite viewpoints can find common ground on matters of universal importance to the community?

This week I had the pleasure of meeting with Maryam Ghyabi, owner of Ghyabi Consultants & Management, a transportation and infrastructure engineering consultancy in Ormond Beach, and Kelli McGee, Executive Director of the Riverside Conservancy, a nonprofit environmental advocacy dedicated to cleaning and protecting our sensitive waterways and estuarine ecosystems.

We were joined by the irrepressible Big John – host of the public affairs forum GovStuff Live! With Big John, on 1380am The Cat – an important alternative voice which airs weekdays beginning at 4:00pm.

What began as an invitation for coffee turned into a three-hour, wide-ranging discussion on some of the most important state and local issues of our time –  transportation, infrastructure, growth, controversial funding issues and the impact of urban sprawl and development on our water quality and natural places.

We agreed on certain issues – disagreed on others – and shared personal insights on problem-solving, community building, environmental resiliency and sustainability planning.

Initially, I felt like a fish out of water – an unrefined bumpkin asked into the company of real players.

Fortunately, my fears were quickly put to rest.

I found these two highly accomplished professionals to be super intelligent,  sharp-witted and incredibly astute on the contemporary issues facing Volusia County and beyond; with a disarming sense of humor and down-to-earth charm that immediately put me at ease.

As an uneducated rube, I learn best from being around smart people – and my time spent with Mrs. Ghyabi and Ms. McGee provided a quality primer on many important topics that interest me.

Most important, it was the first time that anyone took the time to sit down and ask my opinion on the myriad civic, environmental and social threats facing our community – let alone value my input on potential answers.

In my view, the result of these informal discussions between people of differing perspectives naturally result in a feeling of  joint ownership in solutions – and proves that the debate of varied opinions can be done in a non-confrontational way – in an atmosphere where everyone’s contribution has value.

Trust me.  Key Volusia County governments do not employ the vision required to get us out of this quagmire.

As a result, we desperately need more of these small group conversations across the diversity of stakeholders as we work collectively to establish a path forward – one that includes clean water, supports and protects our natural resources, effectively manages growth, embraces environmental conservation, demands quality governance and leaves our children and grandchildren with a safe, prosperous and healthy coastal community to call home.

Angel              Bethune-Cookman University Homecoming 2019

Kudos to everyone from the university who worked so hard to see Bethune-Cookman’s Homecoming 2019 become a rousing success!

In my view, it was a true shot-in-the-arm for this important community institution that has endured turmoil and distraction for too long.

From Friday’s Pep Rally at Ocean Center to Saturday’s parade, afternoon of football and fellowship, I believe this special weekend signaled a turning point in the renaissance of B-CU.

It is evident that there truly are community angels among us, and Barker’s View would like to recognize the contributions of B-CU Graduate Assistant Tennis Coach Alejandra Vidal for her outstanding work making the 5^th Annual Juan Varon Wildcat Invitational tournament such a huge success.

The event is the university’s signature tennis tournament which brings clay court play to Daytona Beach in honor of former team captain Juan Varon, who tragically lost his life in a 2013 auto accident.

According to historian and senior writer Dan Ryan of B-CU Athletics, “With our resources maxed out thanks to homecoming and a sold-out football game down the road, Alejandra stepped up and made sure the tennis tournament was a logistical success.”  

Also, I recently heard an inspirational story about National Football League veteran Jon Bostic, a linebacker for the Washington Redskins, who recently honored his father – B-CU great and 1984 MEAC Defensive Player of the Year John Bostic – by purchasing throwback uniforms for the current Wildcat squad and sponsored a party for the entire 1984 Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference championship team, which was coached by former B-CU and Miami Dolphin great Larry Little.

In addition, Jon provided a few very special gifts for his father, legendary Coach Little and other members of the Wildcat’s staff.

What a wonderful way to pay tribute to the contributions of B-CU Hall of Famer John Bostic – and a beautiful expression of a son’s love. . .

Angels, indeed.

Quote of the Week

“The city seems bound and determined to move forward with the Beach Street project come hell or high water (very appropriate considering the location). Like the ridiculously expensive roundabouts now under construction in Flagler County and the City of Palm Coast, it is very frustrating when government spends tens of millions of dollars for projects that the locals do not want. Representative government? I think not!”

–Mike McQuire, Palm Coast, The Daytona Beach News-Journal Letters to the Editor, “City persists in Beach Street foolishness,” Monday, October 28, 2019

It is becoming increasingly clear to anyone paying attention that the mysterious plans to systematically destroy Beach Street merchants under the guise of “transforming” the area by removing traffic lanes and widening the already ample sidewalk has nothing to do with helping existing businesses and everything to do with appeasing special interests.

Yep.  It appears the greedy Curse of the Halifax – the bizarre anathema to good governance that puts the wants of political insiders over the needs of many – is alive and well downtown. . .

According to a persuasive dispatch sent to members of the Daytona Beach City Commission by James Sass, long-time owner of Abraxas Books:

“I’m in touch with many merchants on Beach Street and none of them I am aware of are in favor of the project to narrow Beach Street two lanes. I know Kelly White pushed this and I know (City Commissioner) Quanita May is now pushing it. I’ve not spoken to anyone who feels they are representing the interests of the merchants on Beach Street. Quite the opposite, the impression is they are ramrodding the agenda of Kelly White especially in her relationship with Brown & Brown and the Riverfront Esplanade Foundation. None of the other business owners I have spoken to on Beach Street are in favor of this project.”

“The arguments for it presented by Jim Chisholm, Quanita May and a handful of people invariably affiliated with Jack and Kelly White are lame at best and not shared by anyone I have spoken to.”

Unfortunately, for reasons known only to Daytona Beach City Manager Jim Chisholm, he is hellbent on forcing the complete destruction of the downtown streetscape – an area that already includes all the aesthetic qualities, traffic flow, sidewalks and ample parking necessary for success.

Why is Mr. Chisholm intent on treating Downtown like a kid with a box of Tinker Toys – build something – then tear it apart and put something else together with the random pieces?

With construction expected to start in January, perhaps it’s time for the Daytona Beach City Commission to actually do their job – provide a modicum of oversight to Mr. Chisholm – and  consider the urgent needs of their constituents who are trying desperately to eke out a living downtown.

These are small businesses who have suffered the environmental and economic hardships – and stood valiantly against the economic odds, waiting patiently for the much-promised Eternal Blessing of Brown & Brown to take hold – only to be told their storefronts will be virtually inaccessible as Jim Chisholm and Company orchestrates the destruction of Beach Street.

And Another Thing!

There was an ancient Chinese execution tactic known as “Lingchi” – which loosely translates to “lingering death” or “death by a thousand slices.”

As the name implies, lingchi was a brutally drawn out process where the executioner would administer hundreds of cuts to the body of the condemned, slowly exsanguinating the victim over time. . .

I was reminded of this nasty bit of history last week when a loyal member of the Barker’s View tribe reached out to express his utter disgust with the recent unanimous vote by the Volusia County Council to raise fees for both the county parking garage, and surface lots, during events at the Ocean Center and Peabody Auditorium.

In addition, our elected officials gave the “Gift that Keeps on Giving” by increasing daily maximum rates for their spooky elevated garage at Ocean Walk from $8.00 to $10.00. . .

Jesus.

Why the need for a 100% increase in parking fees as our increasingly distressed core tourist area is struggling to attract visitors – fighting for its very survival?

At a time when Main Street merchants are begging city and county officials to lead, follow or get the hell out of the way as they work feverishly to breath life into that vitally important commercial corridor? 

Because, despite a budget approaching $1 Billion – Volusia County needs the money for “accelerated completion of much needed capital improvements” to the garage – oh, and some parasitic horseshit about keeping rates in line with other nearby parking locations.

Civic Lingchi.  What a cruelly effective strategy for killing a tourist economy. . .

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

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Happy Halloween!

It’s that time of year when ghouls and goblins take to the streets in search of sweet treats and what passes for fall in Central Florida begins to usher in some less humid air and heat indexes somewhere south of the high 90’s (we hope).

Unfortunately, the political atmosphere here on Florida’s fabled Fun Coast has ruined the spirit of the season for us long-suffering locals.

After watching the spooky machinations of our local elected officials – and the macabre half-truths and eerie sense of utter dysfunction that routinely flutter from the dark belfry of Volusia County government – contrived haunted houses and creepy costumes just don’t scare us much anymore. . .

I wanted to take a moment to tell you a parable I experienced the other day – a mark in time which, in my view, serves as a perfect metaphor for these weird, upside-down, topsy-turvy times we live in on this salty piece of land we call home – a message I hope you seriously contemplate as our election season begins to heat up.

Last weekend, a dear old friend and I took a drive to the lovely Lake County community of Mount Dora to attend the 35th Annual Craft Fair, a wildly popular event that brings some 400 vendors – and tens-of-thousands of visitors – to the city’s quaint downtown each fall.

Due to the extraordinary attendance on Sunday, we were required to park in a distant church lot which was renting spaces at a premium as a fundraiser for their youth programs – then hike the interminable distance to the event on a blistering Central Florida autumn morning.

As we approached an intersection, I noticed a young towheaded boy – perhaps 9-years old – standing fixed in the middle of the narrow sidewalk, irritatingly blocking the arduous progress of those making their way down the hill toward the festival.

At first, I thought he was just another self-absorbed “Generation Z” lost in his own weird world – then, when he snickered with his friends, I realized what he was doing. . .

The child’s father was very animatedly spinning a tattered sign nearby, attempting to lure traffic into another private parking lot – totally unaware that his son was making sport of impeding foot traffic – a game that required the elderly and infirm (like me) to leave the sidewalk, guide through the unstable grass or step off the curb to get around the rickety little turd.

I remarked to my friend that my gut reaction was to horse-kick the kid out of my path – landing him on his ass in the middle of East 5th Avenue – but immediately realized, in that scenario, I would be considered the bad guy. . . 

That’s right.

Because that is the world we live in now. 

In my view, booting the recalcitrant child into next Tuesday would have imparted a temporarily painful, yet infinitely valuable, life-long lesson on the importance of good manners.

After all, I don’t have the time or inclination to teach some ungovernable urchin the inviolate rules of the road – like the social imperative of stepping aside when old people are attempting to navigate an uneven sidewalk – yet, it’s me who would have been seen as an abusive shitheel for applying a well-earned, and highly educational, swift kick to the ass. . .

This little vignette reminded me of how special interests and the perennial politicians they control continue to obstruct progress throughout Volusia County.

From beach driving, to economic development, malignant sprawl, water quality issues, downtown Daytona and beyond – those we elect to serve our interests – officials who have the power to kick these insidious insiders and do-nothing bureaucrats to the curb, have become so horribly compromised by our warped campaign finance system that now we are all at the mercy of a few uber-wealthy overseers and their dull tools on the dais of power.

And, it seems our watchdogs have all been neutered. . .

The newsroom at our local paper is hemorrhaging talent while the number of government “public information” mouthpieces continue to multiply – and true local journalism is becoming a thing of the past as news-gathering organizations continue the push toward regionalization and a reliance on homogenized “feelgood” pap – creating a slanted playing field that allows outsize influences to affect public policy with little challenge.

We now find ourselves in a sick scenario where our doddering fool of a County Chair, Ed Kelley, and others like him, routinely fumble and bumble their way through important public meetings – rubber-stamping  what passes for ill-informed public policy cobbled together by an entrenched senior staff – with all the poise and statesmanship of diseased rats maneuvering through an electrified maze. . .

And none of this frightens us anymore.

Then, some half-bright like me tries to voice an alternative opinion on the seemingly intractable issues that impede progress here on Florida’s fabled Fun Coast – to point out the faults in this oligarchical “system” that controls our lives and livelihoods and expose corrosive issues that should be clear as gin to any elected or appointed official who actually pays attention – and I’m called a demented asshole by our ‘powers that be’?   

Strange times, indeed. 

I hope come election time, you’ll remember the twisted moral of this simpleminded folktale – and vote for those candidates who promise to figuratively kick these political roadblocks off our collective sidewalk – and return a sense of honor, transparency and values-based service to Volusia County government.

Trick or Treat, y’all. . .

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           Team Volusia

Go figure. . .

Earlier this week Barker’s View advanced even higher on the “Halifax Area Civic Shit List” when I penned my goofy opinion on Team Volusia, and our other hyper-redundant “economic development” maharishis, following a solid piece by The Daytona Beach News-Journal’s Business Reporter Clayton Park which explored the not-so-mysterious demise of Blue Coast Bakers in Ormond Beach.

Apparently, I succeeded in personally offending everyone in the Volusia County economic development apparatus.

Oh, well.  Can’t please everyone, right?

Besides, in this case, I have purchased the right to an opinion.

As a resident of Ormond Beach, I’m an honorary Executive Level “investor” in Team Volusia – which means $25,000 in public funds that originated from my neighbors and I go to underwrite this hayride each year. . .

Whatever.

At the risk of paraphrasing Clayton Park’s excellent reportage, when Blue Coast purchased an aging distribution center circa 2014, Team Volusia announced the company had the potential to create 300 jobs with an average annual wage of $38,000 – resulting in a potential financial impact to Volusia’s gross domestic product of $46,000,000.

That’s one helluva bakery, dudes and dudettes.  Heady stuff.

The problem is – it was all bullshit.

Now, many question if we can believe anything Team Volusia says. . .

Landing Blue Coast Bakers was held out as a testament to the power of expensive direct mailings, and, by association, evidence of a return on our investment for the thousands of dollars in national and international travel for Team Volusia execs, the Farnborough International Airshow in the UK,  the auspicious Hannover Messe Industrial/Technology Show in Germany, extravagant meetings in Tokyo, the full-color annual reports that look like a travelogue, the VIP Rolex 24 soirees and other expensive perks, spiffs and bait offered for other potential “Big Wins.”

Everyone in the crapshoot that is the “economic development” game hung their hat on it.

Blue Coast was the toast of regional business journals, annual reports and cocktail parties.

Even the illustrious up-and-coming civic honchos at the Daytona Regional Chamber of Commerce proudly listed Blue Coast Bakers in it’s 2019 Membership Directory and Buyers Guide as one of Volusia County’s “Top Employers” at 300 jobs.  (Source: Team Volusia – July 2017 latest data – Page 49)

One small problem:  Blue Coast Bakers ceased operations in 2018 and everyone associated with the venture – including the measly “15 to 20” jobs it produced – has been MIA since. . .

“I’m not sure what happened,” said Team Volusia CEO Keith Norden, whose group played a key role in bringing Blue Coast Bakers here. “It took so much time for him to get set up, but his equipment was there.”

Well, Mr. Norden may have been poleaxed by the news – but I think I know what happened:

Team Volusia and others used Blue Coast Bakers as a cheap marketing tool to further their own self-interests – then promptly forgot about the poor rube when it unceremoniously folded.

They flogged the shit out it as the next big thing in glossy annual reports – touted a struggling start-up commercial bakery in a building which required $12 million in upgrades as the best thing since sliced bread (pun intended), promised hundreds of “high paying” jobs, then screamed and preened in various business journals and our local newspaper “Look at what we did, assholes!” as an ostentatious means of keeping their publicly funded do-nothing gigs – then, crickets, when the whole shebang folded and vaporized.

Now, the Daytona Regional Chamber of Commerce claims they weren’t intentionally duped by their “partners” at Team Volusia as I suggested earlier in the week – nor did they deliberately puff the 300 nonexistent jobs in their glossy magazine without any concern for the validity of the information.

According to Nancy Keefer, president and CEO of the Daytona Regional Chamber of Commerce, the erroneous information was the result of timing – the buyer’s guide goes for design and layout well in advance, so the information was dated, at best, when the publication went to press.

At worst, the job data was fabricated by Team Volusia – who either knew, or should have known, that Blue Coast Baker never employed more than “15 to 20” on their best day.

But I’m not supposed to concern myself with those things. . .

Neither are you.  Because it upsets the apple cart.

Enough with the rude questions and innuendo, Barker.

You’re just pissing very important people off and making others terribly uncomfortable.

Besides, nay-saying assholes like me don’t attract “high paying” jobs to our area – however, spewing positive gibberish regardless of circumstance, publishing false narratives about our economic situation and going along to get along does. . .

So, screw it.  Keep doing what you’re doing guys!

Enjoy the international VIP treatment in Japan, Germany, the United Kingdom, Canada and beyond – just keep flyin’ high, Mr. Norden – and maybe you’ll luck into a couple hundred of those highly coveted warehouse jobs we’re all dreamy-eyed over.

Hell, even a blind hog gets an acorn every now and again, right? 

All it takes is pulling wild estimates of job creation potential out of your collective ass and giving false hope to the thousands of Volusia County families who struggle to meet basic living expenses each month that Easy Street is just around the corner – but who cares? 

That rabble doesn’t build distribution centers.

Besides, you can clean it all up by handing out awards to all the right last names at the next glitzy annual gala. . .

I’m wrong.  You’re right.  Everything’s great.  Eat the poor.

GO TEAM!

Angel              The Neighborhood Center of West Volusia

With little fanfare and even less civic drama, The Neighborhood Center of West Volusia is well on its way to providing a first-rate homeless assistance center.

The come-as-you-are shelter and “day center” will provide services for nearly the same number of clients as the languishing First Step Shelter – for less than half the annual cost. . .

According to the City of DeLand:

“The proposed 6,300 square foot facility, called “The Bridge” will include 30 crisis center beds, a communal dining area and commercial kitchen, showers, offices and space to provide coordinated entry and case management, mental health and drug abuse counseling, job counseling, medical care, haircuts, showers and laundry.  The goal of this coordinated and comprehensive approach is to transition people to housing within 30-90 days.”

One thing I admire about the West Volusia shelter is how some 50 local volunteers have come on-board – and the City of DeLand has donated several surplus vehicles to assist the community effort.

I also appreciate how DeLand City Manager Michael Pleus is intent on ensuring that The Bridge is a safe and comfortable environment for those it serves.

The differences between The Bridge and First Step are striking, both in its funding strategy and administration, and proves that a community-oriented focus is always better than the competing interests of petty politicians – and profiteers.

Asshole           County of Volusia

Like The Dude said, “New shit has come to light, man. . .”

Here’s an update to another controversial piece I wrote earlier in the week – but given the grave ramifications of this latest revelation of gross resource mismanagement in Volusia County government – it bears repeating:

On Monday, reporter Dustin Wyatt (we’re gonna miss you, buddy) wrote a revealing piece on the growing “mystery” surrounding Volusia County’s previous sponsorship and transportation assistance to the suddenly controversial North Turn Beach Parade.

For the past eight-years, as part of a still puzzling “sponsorship agreement,” Volusia County has used Votran buses to transport visitors to and from the parade in Ponce Inlet.

Only now – after County Attorney Dan “Cujo” Eckert’s sketchy attempt to kill the popular event was begrudgingly overturned on a 5-2 vote – is the always arrogant Councilwoman Deb Denys calling foul.

In fact, she labeled the parade’s use of the county transportation service “discrimination” – and acted for all the world like this was the first time she was ever made aware of Votran’s involvement.   

 Is it possible that Volusia County – a massive taxing authority with an annual budget approaching $1 Billion – could have committed public funds to assist a community event for nearly a decade with absolutely no official allocation (or even knowledge) of the recurring expenditure?

You bet your ass it is. . .

Look, in my view, Volusia County should assist with logistics for the parade – just as it should accommodate other communities who host successful cultural events that draw thousands of visitors to our area each year.

Isn’t that what it’s all about?   

 I mean, isn’t that why publicly funded organizations like the Convention & Visitors Bureau exist?

In my view, the darker issue is that absolutely no one in a position to do so has any memory of just how the county came to subsidize the parade – who authorized the expenditure of resources – or even a true accounting of the amount of public funds spent.

According to the News-Journal, “Last year, the Legends event cost taxpayers $9,732, with nearly half of that ($4,464) going to Votran and the rest going to county staffing and marketing for the event. Since 2013, the county has spent $16,500 on Votran for the event. But the total of the other costs remains unknown.”

Marketing?

The total of the other costs remains unknown?

Jesus. . .

According to Kevin Captain, Volusia County’s “Interim Director of Community Information”:

“There’s not anyone on staff who seems to know. There’s no record of it.”

No record of it?

Even former County Manager Jim Dinneen – who, I’m convinced, was aware of every backroom deal and shoot-it-through-the-grease public policy legerdemain in recent memory – has no conscious recollection of the matter.

Weird. 

Only former County Councilman Josh Wagner accepted responsibility for the baffling sponsorship agreement.

According to Mr. Wagner, he brought the issue up in one of those famous “off the agenda” public policy by ambush sessions during his comments at the end of a Volusia County Council meeting.

Naturally, there is no official record of the authorization – and former council members Pat Northey and Doug Daniels both dispute Wagner’s self-assured recollections.

“It was discussed,” said Wagner. “There wasn’t any kind of hidden agenda. There was nothing hidden at all.”

Interestingly, research conducted by parade organizer Rhonda Glasnak finds that, while the origin of the sponsorship agreement remains an enigma – our current elected officials were all keenly aware of the event in 2018.

How?  Because it was placed on their community event update in February 2018. . .

A check of the February 6, 2018, County Council agenda packet finds the following:

“The seventh annual Historic North Turn Legends Beach Parade will be held at 10:30 a.m. Feb. 10 in Ponce Inlet, running down Atlantic Avenue making the south turn onto the world’s most famous beach. The event is a cooperative effort among Volusia County Government, the Town of Ponce Inlet and Racing’s North Turn restaurant. These are the sites of the original north and south turns of the early beach and road course.

This was the 4.1-mile course where the Grand National Race ran from 1948 until 1958, when it was relocated to the new Super Speedway, today known as Daytona International Speedway.

Spectators should park at Toronita Avenue Park, 4200 S. Atlantic Ave., Wilbur-by-the-Sea. Votran will provide free shuttle service to and from the north and south turn beach ramps from 8 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. At 9 a.m. at Winter Haven Park, there will be a historic marker unveiling of a bronze marker honoring the only original NASCAR strip of beach/road course left in Volusia County.”

Wow.  Sounds pretty clear to me. . .

The update was prepared and presented to each council member as an agenda item four days before the 2018 parade by former Community Information Director Joanne Magley, who earlier this month was anointed director of marketing and customer service at Daytona “International” Airport. . .

So, why didn’t Councilwoman Denys get her knickers in a twist when she was informed of Votran’s direct involvement last year?

Why the selective amnesia, Deb?

Is this massive financial oversight and subsequent bureaucratic tap dance the real reason Mr. Eckert attempted to put the kibosh on the Legend’s parade after eight years of routine approvals?

And how can We, The People have any confidence that there aren’t other torrential leaks of our hard-earned tax dollars that absolutely no one with the fiduciary responsibility to steward public funds has any knowledge of?

My God. . .

Exactly how much of our money has to go missing – with no official record of lawful requisition, allocation or proper accounting – before someone, anyone, with a badge steps up, issues subpoenas, and begins a competent criminal investigation of Volusia County government?

Don’t those of us who, for years, have been asked to pay the bills and suffer in silence have a right to demand answers?

Damned right we do.

Quote of the Week

 “There is, of course, a faster way to settle this. That’s to invite an outside entity, perhaps the St. Johns River Water Management District, to provide independent testing proving that collectively, septic tanks in the north peninsula are a problem. The city should pursue that testing.”

–The Daytona Beach News-Journal Editorial, “Test claims about septic,” Tuesday, October 22, 2019

The controversial push by Ormond Beach City Councilman Dwight Selby and other local “movers & shakers” (who aren’t generally seen as tree-hugging dirt worshipers) to convert thousands of existing septic systems in Ormond-by-the-Sea to municipal sewer over environmental concerns continues.

I’ve sat down with Mr. Selby and listened to his reasoning and I’ve talked to representatives of grassroots organizations and private citizens who oppose the measure.

Mr. Selby makes a cogent argument for why this is the time – and the north peninsula is the place – to begin the massive undertaking of cleaning up the Halifax River and Tomoka Basin.

Conversely, residents of Ormond-by-the-Sea have an equally convincing narrative why they are suspicious of Mr. Selby’s motives – and aren’t ready to bend over for an aggressive conversion program foisted on them by a neighboring municipality – unless and until someone without a chip in the game provides scientific evidence of need.

For instance, septic-to-sewer proponents have long stood on the findings of a 2013 Florida Department of Health report which indicates soil conditions on the north peninsula aren’t conducive to septic systems.

Now, a senior administrator for the Department of Health in Volusia County claims the report was merely a recommendation and shouldn’t be used to determine whether Ormond-by-the-Sea should hook into Ormond Beach’s sewer system.

I found that quavering side-step by a senior state bureaucrat troubling – and a far cry from the Burning Bush relevance Mr. Selby and others have put on the report as the foundational argument for the conversion. . .

Caused me to take a step back, anyway.

In my view – like most hot button issues in Volusia County – the septic-to-sewer wars all boil down to a simple matter of trust.

The unfortunate reality is that many citizens no longer trust their elected and appointed officials to represent their best interests.

To his credit, civic activist Jeff Brower, an able candidate for Volusia County Council Chair, stepped up and did what many have been demanding since this debate started – he took it upon himself to take soil samples and sent them to an independent laboratory for analysis.

For his trouble, our doddering fool of a County Chair, Ed Kelley, took a cheap shot at Mr. Brower’s efforts, labeling him “just another person who thinks he knows more than the experts.”

The difference being that Jeff Brower actually took definitive steps to seek an independent scientific study into the question of whether or not septic systems have contributed to nutrient contamination of area estuaries – while, predictably, Old Ed sat on his ass, sniping from the clown quarters. . .

Recently, Clifford Gold of Ormond Beach, a civil sanitary engineer with over 70 years’ experience, suggested in a letter to the editor of the News-Journal, “a careful study of the number of failing systems before adopting the major expense of subsurface piping systems (and possibly pumping stations).”

According to Mr. Gold, the most efficient means of conducting this study may be spectrographic analysis using infrared aerial photography to identify compromised systems.

“It appears that more advance study is needed before resorting to the construction nuisance and expense of public sewers.”

 I agree.

Next Tuesday, The Daytona Beach News-Journal is hosting a coffee klatch from 7:30am to 9:00am at Alfie’s Restaurant, 1666 Ocean Shore Boulevard, to further discussion of this thorny issue.

“In the spirit of creating dialog,” the News-Journal hopes to bring city and county officials together with area residents to share information and “answer questions regarding septic and sewer.”

It’s a noble effort – and a civil discussion of the issue certainly can’t hurt – but, in my view, until testing conclusively confirms that north peninsula septic systems represent a significant contributor to groundwater contamination and pollutants in the Halifax River – I’m not sure Ormond Beach and Volusia County “leaders” have any hard answers to provide. . .

Trust me.  More official speculation by bureaucrats and politicians isn’t going to help matters.

In my view, it is time for the City of Ormond Beach to work with their concerned neighbors to agree on an independent engineering firm – one which residents have confidence in – who can conduct an impartial study with a focus on identifying answers to the myriad questions surrounding this incredibly controversial initiative.

Only then can both sides begin substantive negotiations to either proceed – or nix the idea altogether – with all the facts at hand.

And Another Thing!

Last week, Volusia County School Board Chairman Carl Persis appeared on the public affairs radio forum Govstuff Live! with Big John to discuss topical issues facing our embattled school district.

I appreciate Chairman Persis’ willingness to accept hard questions regarding the seemingly intractable problems that continue to plague the district – and I was most impressed by the depth of his clearly well-thought answers and explanations.

In the aftermath of the security breech at Spruce Creek High School earlier this month – wherein an ambulatory drunk armed with a pocketknife penetrated every layer of security at a slow stagger before taking a seat in an occupied classroom – I asked the Volusia County School District for a list of qualifications for the individual who has been appointed our “Emergency Management and School Safety Coordinator.” 

I’m not going to identify the person by name – it’s not important, and its not his fault – he’s a veteran educator, not a security expert – a fish out of water.

Besides, I understand that legitimate journalists are actively looking into this issue and I’ll leave it to them to tell the full story. . .

To my surprise, the public records custodian responded to my simple request by announcing that the district had no current resume or listing of credentials for the individual upon who’s shoulders rests the most sensitive, gravely important responsibility of all – the physical safety and security of our children. 

In turn, I was provided with perhaps the worst written, ill-conceived job description I’ve ever read – a cobbled together hodgepodge of grammatically erroneous horseshit that culminates in a “Position Goal” of:

“To provide supervision and oversight for all school safety and security personnel, policies and procedures as well as to school social services to students of Volusia County Schools.”

Yeah.

When I expressed my utter shock that the district’s human resources department didn’t have a list of qualifications for the person performing this extraordinarily important function – someone scrounged around the musty files and produced a resume for the individual – circa 1993.

You read that right:  The latest vetted credentials available for the senior district executive with personal responsibility for the physical safety and security of thousands of students and staff is at least 26-years stale. . .

Look, I don’t know about where you work – but during my professional life, we used personnel action forms to document academic achievements, certifications, advanced training, unique abilities, credentials and experience attained by our employees during the course of their career  as a way of determining who possessed the requisite skills and qualifications before we promoted them to sensitive positions of great responsibility within the agency.

What a wacky concept, right?   

So, based upon our “Emergency Management and School Safety Coordinator’s” resume, I was able to determine that – once again – we have a security coordinator who does not possess the statutorily defined qualifications to serve as an armed School Guardian – the very position he is charged with supervising. 

During Chairman Persis’ radio appearance, I had the opportunity to ask him if – given the current environment and the findings of the Marjorie Stoneman Douglas report – Volusia County Schools would consider recruiting a credentialed and experienced physical security expert to develop and oversee competent protocols for our clearly vulnerable schools.

To his credit, Mr. Persis committed to exploring that possibility.

And I intend to hold him to it.

You see, I don’t have the luxury of taking an impartial and unbiased stance on this incredibly disturbing district-wide practice of promoting and utilizing wholly unqualified individuals in sensitive roles  – because I have young members of my own family who are placed in the district’s charge each and every day.

In an emergency, their lives, and hundreds of other innocents, will depend upon the dedication, leadership and knowhow of the district’s security specialist.

It is my sincere hope that Chairman Persis holds firm to his word, and encourages the other members of the Volusia County School Board to develop sound public policy that raises the security function from a catchall afterthought to the professional standing it deserves.

______________________

As always, thanks so much for taking the time to read and further a greater discussion of the issues facing us here on Florida’s fabled Fun Coast!

If you’re looking for something extra special to do this weekend, the Glenn Ring Memorial Concert will be held at the historic Daytona Beach Bandshell tomorrow afternoon from 2:00pm to 6:00pm.

Area musicians will join to remember Glenn’s storied life and legacy – and honor his important contributions to the Daytona Beach music scene.  Beer and wine will be available for purchase and you will be able to rent chairs on-site.

A Celebration of Life service will be held on Sunday, October 27, 2019, at 2:00pm at the Unitarian Universalist Church, 56 N. Halifax Drive, Ormond Beach.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

There is an inherent dishonesty in politics.

Perhaps that’s the reason I never had the stomach for it.

Not that I’m some stalwart of ethical purity – God knows, I’m not.  Just another sinner lost in the wilderness – so maybe it’s the lack of clarity that bothers me most.

I think this institutionalized deceit comes from the need to be everything to everyone – and when the first duty of a politician is to get elected – the ability to quickly spin a narrative and paint circumstances in a positive light becomes second nature.

It’s why television news organizations now have things like “Truth-o-Meters” and other visual tchotchkes to check the facts and tell us the degree to which our elected officials – and those who want to be – are lying to appease some segment of their constituency.

It’s not healthy to our participatory democracy, but We, The People have come to expect it.

Unfortunately, in Volusia County there is another, infinitely more important, consideration for both prospective and perennial politicians – our “Rich & Powerful” overseers who control the playing field with massive campaign contributions that ensure their personal and professional wants and whims take priority.

This division of loyalties results in an ‘us vs. them’ mentality that seems to have infected every level of county government – a culture that seeks to serve the “system” rather than the needs of citizens.

And this overweening desire to serve their political masters and protect the bureaucracy has resulted in a deep divide – and a complete loss of the public’s trust in their government.

Recently, I learned that some of my postings on this blogsite have angered several of our self-important “movers & shakers” in the economic development game and their compatriots in the Chamber of Commerce set.

Sorry.  But I’m not sorry. . .

When I retired from municipal government, I didn’t set out to become the political conscience of Volusia County.

“Not my job,” as bureaucrats like to say.

Besides, I’m not exactly the poster boy for good governance.

During over 31-years of public service, I made my share of mistakes that cost the taxpayers money, stood by in cowardly silence as senior executives misused their position or openly lied to city commissioners to drive their personal agenda, and I clawed and fumbled my way to a management position then held on by my fingernails – a living example of the Peter Principle in action. . .

This blog is, in many ways, a personal catharsis.

And, like any good magician, I know how the sleight-of-hand is performed. . .

So, if my musings and observations on the news and newsmakers from the local political swamp makes certain very important people uncomfortable – that’s okay – they’re all veterans of the internecine wars and intergovernmental squabbles, smart men and women with hard bark who are well capable of taking care of themselves and protecting their ‘turf.’

And if some fool banging out hyper-critical screeds in his tattered boxer shorts can raise the hackles of our social and political elite – perhaps we do have bigger problems than even my gin-soaked, conspiratorial mind can conjure?

Clearly, the long-suffering residents of Volusia County are desperate for an alternative opinion on the issues of the day – a point of view that either validates their own observations or provides food for thought – and I enjoy the lively debate of competing ideas that always elevates my understanding.

In my experience, good politicians and career public servants – those who are called to serve a cause greater than their own self-interests – use criticism to their personal and political advantage.

By taking the pulse of their constituents and exploring the varied fears and aspirations of those they serve, elected officials can craft public policy from an informed position that considers the real needs of those whose lives and livelihoods are most affected.

And those in the Ivory Tower of Power who get personally offended by critical opinions that are counter to their own sense of infallibility – to hell with them.  That’s the arrogance of ego.

One day I’ll tire of being a blowhard critic, pointing out how, as Roosevelt said, the strongman stumbled, or the doer of deeds could have done them better – but it won’t be today.

If the thousands of readers that access Barker’s View each month continue to find a chuckle, an insight, a weird facet to a complex civic issue or a kernel of truth they may have been searching for – then I’ll consider this exercise a twisted public service.

Look, at the end of the day, I’m getting a little long in the tooth for self-therapy – and I long ago stopped caring what others think of me – so if some goofy opinion of mine causes heartburn around the political fishing camps that have reduced many government offices and organizations to paranoid, clock-watching mediocrity – too damn bad.

 

Once again, Volusia County taxpayers were greeted with yet another highly touted “big win” for area economic development types that quietly fell flat.

A recent front page piece by News-Journal Business Reporter Clayton Park entitled “Where did Blue Coast Bakers go?” told the familiar story of how a business that promised some 300 jobs and was once hyped as a major “victory” by Team Volusia – a “public/private” partnership which utilizes corporate welfare schemes to lure businesses to Volusia County – seemingly vanished into thin air sometime last year. . .

In 2014, Blue Coast Bakers purchased the former US Foods distribution center on North US-1 in Ormond Beach, but never “got off the ground” – citing the cost of renovating the 30-year old building it purchased for some $3.8 million – an undertaking which took 2 ½ years and a reported $12 million to complete.

According to reports, the company never employed more than 15-20 people. . .

Although we are being told that the wholesale bakery did not receive any public funds or tax incentives from Team Volusia – the organization was quick to claim the company as “. . .one of its first successful efforts to bring a significant employer here.”

And the “good times are here again, again” publicity campaign didn’t stop there.

At first, the venture was given the super-secret cover “Project Baker” – least our gravy train be stolen by a competing “economic development corporation.”  (Sound familiar?)

In fact, a simple Google search finds evidence that everyone who is anyone in the local “economic development” apparatus – from government “leaders” to the Volusia Manufacturers Association and especially Team Volusia – touted Blue Coast as a virtual tsunami of prosperity and “high paying” jobs.

It was the ultimate fodder for shameless self-promotion at a time when Team Volusia – and the other hyper-redundant “economic development” shills really needed some positive publicity.

It was billed as a testament to the power of expensive direct mailings, and, finally, evidence of a return on our investment for the thousands of dollars in national and international travel for Team Volusia execs, VIP Rolex 24 soirees and other expensive perks and bait offered for other potential “Big Wins.”

Even the illustrious civic honchos at the Daytona Regional Chamber of Commerce proudly listed Blue Coast Bakers in it’s 2019 Membership Directory and Buyers Guide as one of Volusia County’s “Top Employers” at 300 jobs.  (Source: Team Volusia – July 2017 latest data – Page 49)

One small problem:  Blue Coast Bakers ceased operations in 2018 and everyone associated with the venture – including the measly “15 to 20” jobs it produced – has been MIA since. . .

I don’t make this shit up, folks.

“I’m not sure what happened,” said Team Volusia CEO Keith Norden, whose group played a key role in bringing Blue Coast Bakers here. “It took so much time for him to get set up, but his equipment was there.”

Well, Mr. Norden may have been poleaxed by the news – but I think I know what happened:

Team Volusia and others used Blue Coast Bakers as a cheap marketing tool to further their own self-interests – then promptly forgot about the poor rube when it unceremoniously folded.

They flogged the shit out it as the next big thing – touted a struggling start-up commercial bakery in an aging building as the best thing since sliced bread (pun intended), promised us all “high paying” jobs, then screamed and preened in various business journals and our local newspaper “Look at what we did, assholes!” as an ostentatious means of keeping their publicly funded do-nothing gigs – then, crickets, when the whole shebang folded and vaporized.

If you’re not pissed off – you should be. . .

Either the Daytona Regional Chamber of Commerce was intentionally duped by their “partners” at Team Volusia – or they deliberately puffed the 300 nonexistent jobs in their glossy magazine without any concern for the validity of the information.

And our civic “leadership” has the balls to claim we don’t have a public trust issue in Volusia County?

My ass.

In my view, this constitutes another malicious sham perpetrated against those of us who pay the bills – one that results in continuing distrust of our local governments – and the parasitic insiders who are always found lurking around these pernicious “public/private” partnerships which use public funds to further private interests. . .

I’m sick and tired of being blatantly lied to by these half-bright carnival barkers who burn through our hard-earned tax dollars under the dubious guise of “economic development” – using corporate welfare strategies that allow entrenched insiders to pick winners-and-losers and skew the natural balance of a competitive marketplace.

In my view, it is wrong.  It is dishonest.  And it needs to stop.

I hate to say I told you so. . .

It does my beat-up old heart good when our newspaper of record professionally validates literally everything I’ve written in this space over the past three years. . .

Last Sunday, we learned that in just the past six-years, you and I have spent almost $100 million on overtime due to an out-of-control management strategy that works existing county employees to the point of exhaustion rather than fill current vacancies – which are estimated at between 249 and 400 depending upon who you listen to.

You read that right: $100 million.

Can you imagine operating your business without a firm handle on how many current openings the company you rely upon to feed your family has – or who is doing what, and when?

That’s only possible in a bloated bureaucracy – one essentially set on autopilot – where money is no object because it’s simply a matter of raising taxes when you need more coal for the furnace. . .

Then, on Monday, reporter Dustin Wyatt wrote a revealing piece on the growing “mystery” surrounding Volusia County’s previous sponsorship and transportation assistance to the suddenly controversial North Turn Beach Parade.

For the past eight-years, as part of a still puzzling “sponsorship agreement,” Volusia County has used Votran buses to transport visitors to and from the parade in Ponce Inlet.

Only now – after County Attorney Dan “Cujo” Eckert’s sketchy attempt to kill the popular event was begrudgingly overturned on a 5-2 vote – is the always arrogant Councilwoman Deb Denys calling foul.

In fact, she’s labeled the parade’s use of the county transportation service “discrimination.” 

Is it possible that Volusia County – a massive taxing authority with an annual budget approaching $1 Billion – could have committed public funds to assist a community event for nearly a decade with absolutely no official allocation (or even knowledge) of the recurring expenditure?

You bet your ass it is. . .

Look, in my view, Volusia County should assist with logistics for the parade – just as it should accommodate other communities who host successful cultural events that draw thousands of visitors to our area each year.

Isn’t that what it’s all about?   

I mean, isn’t that why publicly funded organizations like the Convention & Visitors Bureau exist?

Besides, the quaint nature of Ponce Inlet makes parking virtually impossible, and effectively utilizing public transportation to help alleviate congestion and provide a safe alternative to grid-locking A-1-A makes sense.

And this has nothing to do with the noble efforts of parade organizers and sponsors who have fought hard to keep this event alive.

In my view, the darker issue is that absolutely no one in a position to do so in DeLand has any memory of just how the county came to subsidize the parade – who authorized the expenditure of resources – or even a true accounting of the amount of public funds spent.

According to the News-Journal, “Last year, the Legends event cost taxpayers $9,732, with nearly half of that ($4,464) going to Votran and the rest going to county staffing and marketing for the event. Since 2013, the county has spent $16,500 on Votran for the event. But the total of the other costs remains unknown.”

Marketing?

The total of the other costs remains unknown?

Jesus. . .

According to a Kevin Captain, apparently Volusia County’s “Interim Director of Community Misinformation”:

“There’s not anyone on staff who seems to know. There’s no record of it.”

No record of it?

Even former County Manager Jim Dinneen – who, I’m convinced, knew every backroom deal and shoot-it-through-the-grease public policy legerdemain in recent memory – has no conscious recollection of the matter.

Weird. 

Only former County Councilman Josh Wagner – who is best remembered for his backstabbing flip-flop on beach driving policy – accepts responsibility for the baffling sponsorship agreement.

According to Wagner, he brought the issue up in one of those famous “off the agenda” public policy by ambush sessions during his comments at the end of a Volusia County Council meeting.

Naturally, there is no official record of the authorization – and former council members Pat Northey and Doug Daniels both dispute Wagner’s self-assured recollections.

“It was discussed,” said Wagner. “There wasn’t any kind of hidden agenda. There was nothing hidden at all.”

Wow.

I seem to recall in the recesses of my fading memory that – nearly a year ago – the Volusia County Council approved an internal auditor position in an attempt to return a modicum of trust and transparency to this dysfunctional shit-chute that passes for a county government.

Remember? 

What happened to the much anticipated, and desperately needed, internal oversight that our doddering fool of a County Chair, Ed Kelley, called a waste of taxpayers’ money?

“Personally, I think it’s an unnecessary creation of a department,” Kelley said. “We are as transparent as anybody. Everything is open. I don’t know how (approving this new position) is going to make a department operate more efficiently.”

Now, Old Ed is forced to eat his own gibberish.  What a dipshit. . .

Look, if this latest five alarm foul-up doesn’t prove the fact that Volusia County is in desperate need of a top-to-bottom audit and overhaul, I don’t know what does.

Now, how can We, The People have any confidence that there aren’t other gushing leaks of our hard-earned tax dollars that absolutely no one with the personal and fiduciary responsibility to steward public funds has any knowledge of?

Is this massive oversight and subsequent bureaucratic tap dance the real reason Mr. Eckert attempted to put the kibosh on the Legend’s parade?

My God. . .

Exactly how much of our money has to go missing – with no official record of its statutorily required allocation or proper accounting – before someone, anyone, with a badge steps up, issues subpoenas, and begins a competent criminal investigation of Volusia County government’s accounting and oversight practices?

Don’t those of us who have been asked to pay the bills and suffer in silence have a right to demand answers?

You’re damned right we do.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

“Absurd”

Ridiculously unreasonable, unsound, or incongruous; having no rational or orderly relationship to human life, meaningless, silliness or foolishness  

I enjoy the art of using words to paint a picture.

I’ve never been very good at it; but those who are have the ability to craft an image that can transport us to another time and place – or compare our current situation with what could be – in a way that can transform our understanding and inform our opinion.

The great philosopher Aristotle was of the view that the way we use words to define an issue sets the tone for how we approach the problem – and make no mistake – we have a serious problem. . .

Last week, during what should have been a relatively benign discussion of the circumstances surrounding a canceled beach parade, the Volusia County Council, under the direction of our doddering fool of a County Chair, Ed Kelley, proved once and for all the depth of dysfunction that is destroying any hope for civic, social or economic progress.

As The Daytona Beach News-Journal’s Dustin Wyatt described it, “There was a lot to unpack Tuesday.”

Look, I’m not going to rehash the debacle – by now, everyone is painfully aware of how our county attorney, Dan “Cujo” Eckert, was caught mischaracterizing the federal environmental permit issued by the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service as a means of unilaterally cancelling a very popular parade honoring the history of racing on the old beach course in Ponce Inlet.

In my view, the long-suffering citizens of Volusia County should learn from the ugliness that so embarrassingly played out on the dais last week – a public meeting run amok, the will of the people ignored in favor of self-promotion and arrogant grandstanding, a lockstep fealty to an entrenched system that has traded independent thought for hegemonic opinions of deep-rooted bureaucrats and political insiders.

It would be a comedy of errors if it wasn’t so damnably tragic in both form and function – another one of Old Ed’s utterly confusing hootenanny’s that will long serve as the very antithesis of a functioning participatory democracy.

Because so much of what I write about the machinations of local government seems almost supernaturally incongruous to the precepts of good governance, I’m often fond of saying – “Don’t take my word for it,” or “I don’t make this shit up, folks.”

I encourage everyone to access the Volusia County website and listen to the “discussion” of the beach parade farce for yourself. . .  Please.  (As I recall, it starts around 4:38:30 on the archived audio.)

The fact is, I don’t possess the eloquence to compose a work of fiction that could possibly top our current reality – and you owe it to yourself, as a taxpayer, to see firsthand just how far afield things have gotten.

And the hits just keep on coming. . .

This morning, the News-Journal exposed that in just the past six-years, you and I have paid nearly $100 million in overtime, ostensibly due to under-staffing and a management theory that believes its better to work existing employees to the point of exhaustion, rather than attract and retain quality public employees.

Look, I understand better than most the use of overtime in meeting operational needs – I also know that the practice can be effectively managed to limit an incredibly expensive burden on the agency and the taxpayer.

I know that Sheriff Mike Chitwood is doing his level best to recruit, train and field deputies and emergency communications personnel in a nationwide environment that is no longer attractive.

That’s a difficult reality – one I believe will have serious social ramifications in the next decade.

I also understand that there are inherent inefficiencies in government that can only be identified by comprehensive management audits, honest introspective reviews and a focus on constantly evaluating and redefining goals, objectives and service delivery.

Unfortunately, if history has proved anything, it is that Volusia County isn’t big on internal reflection and self-examination. . .

Trust me.  This issue isn’t limited to one errant sheriff’s deputy “sitting on his ass” in Oak Hill for 12-hours – it’s institutional – and it predates Sheriff Chitwood and much of what passes as the county’s senior leadership.

It is a crisis of culture in a government that believes astronomical tax increases, sales tax referendums and a budget approaching $1 billion is an acceptable alternative to effective management strategies.

According to our “new” County Manager George Recktenwald – who was raised in the “piss good money after bad” school of public finance, “In his 20-year career in Volusia County, Recktenwald said he’s heard requests for overtime more often than he’s listened to complaints about it.  “It’s been my experience that people enjoy the opportunity for overtime.”

 Really?  That’s the basis for why $99 million in taxpayer dollars have been spent on overtime since 2013?

One might have thought – “as managers and supervisors” – senior leadership would consider right-sizing this bureaucratic behemoth, or at least do the math, and come to the sobering realization that by filing the 249 current vacancies, (400 openings were announced this summer?) even with the cost of employment benefits, taxpayers would have saved nearly $3 million over what was paid out in overtime just last year.

Whenever these inefficiencies are shockingly exposed, it always astounds me that our local newspaper can make a quick calculation and determine savings – yet, those senior executives, budget analysts, human resource “experts” and financial wizards who receive hundreds of thousands of dollars annually to serve in the public interest can’t seem to figure it out?

What gives? 

 In my view, Patrick Gavin, executive director for U. S. Congressman William Posey, was right when he described the pigheaded, irrational and totally counterproductive shit show that passed for a Volusia County Council meeting as “absurd,” later exclaiming it was the single most confusing meeting he had witnessed in 23-years in government service.

My hat’s off to Mr. Gavin.  Well said.

In my view, his excellent descriptor aptly applies to the breadth of county “leadership.”

It is horribly absurd.

As Volusia County residents awaken to the abject dysfunction that continues to obstruct substantive change, restrains true economic development in favor of funneling tax dollars to political insiders and continues to ignore the needs of thousands of disadvantaged residents – this election cycle will be critical to returning fiscal, operational and administrative sanity to our county government.

Those of us who ultimately pay the bills deserve better than this.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Hi, kids!

Getting away from the familiar has a way of changing our perspective through comparison.

My wife and I traveled to one of our favorite getaways this week – the quaint community of Thomasville in the Red Hills region of South Georgia – a place where creatives have discovered the civic magic in historic preservation and true community involvement.

I happen to like old places with a rich history; that feeling of continuity and the strength and stability of things that last.

For the second time since discovering Thomasville, we stayed at the Alexander House, a beautifully restored 1930’s home offered on Airbnb – with burnished hardwood floors, tongue-and-grove ceilings, a formal dining room that hearkens back to a more genteel era and one of the best home library’s in existence.

To me, there’s something special about sipping 12-year old whiskey on an old screen porch while the peal of a nearby church carillon announces the 5 o’clock hour. . .

The home is located just steps from the city’s picturesque downtown, which offers an eclectic selection of upscale boutiques, specialty gifts, coffee shops, craft cocktails and a variety of excellent restaurant experiences, all tied together by a vibrant arts scene.

By adopting sense-of-place initiatives into the regeneration of the community’s downtown, entrepreneurs are working closely with visionary city planners to develop mixed-use infill projects which incorporate living space in upper-levels of historic buildings to encourage a more walkable city center.

The plan is drawing people back to living downtown in beautifully renovated second and third floor housing spaces – bolstered by a complementary creative district that is repurposing existing facades to house artists, ceramicists, a yarn and fiber shop, galleries and other businesses with artistic leanings.

The citizens of Thomasville understand that for every dollar spent on historic preservation, five are returned to the local economy – the natural result when an eight-hour street transitions to an 18-hour street.

The comparative experience between the economic, civic and social progress of Thomasville and the stagnation of much of the Halifax area was palpable – and proved the benefit of evaluating the success of others and how those ideas might translate here at home.

For instance, residents of Thomasville have embraced the concept of the community “Charrette,” defined as “an intensive planning session where citizens, designers and others collaborate on a vision for development. It provides a forum for ideas and offers the unique advantage of giving immediate feedback to the designers.”

Rather than hiding projects behind cryptograms like “Project X” – they utilize whole community decision making to bring people together and seek innovative ideas and input during the planning phase – a process that builds a true sense of place and encourages early buy-in from all stakeholders.

Thomasville has shown that modern infrastructure can be placed below brick streets to honor the past while building a place where creativity and innovation can thrive, and by keeping things presentable, the community attracts people who can appreciate it.

Another difference I noted is that Thomasville has seen the intrinsic benefits of incorporating quality short-term vacation rentals into their tourism strategy, then use art and a festive event calendar to draw return visitors year-round.

Most of all, each time we visit, I am taken by the pride residents feel for their community.

As Michele Arwood, Executive Director of the Thomasville Center for the Arts recently wrote, “I love our town and our people, and the beautiful new streetscape that lies ahead.  With its new sidewalks and budding trees, it seems to wave and say, “Hey, look at me.  Look what I’ve become.” 

Collaborative.  Innovative.  Visionary.

The power of a new way of thinking.

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:

This installment of our dubious weekly awards show is dedicated to those intrepid citizens who fought hard to see the Historic North Turn Beach Parade become a reality in 2020 – a hard-fought battle against forces that seek to remove beach driving through a variety of guises – and one that has opened the eyes of a shocked community.

Angel               Paul Zimmerman, Sons of the Beach

Persistence is defined as continued effort to do or achieve something despite difficulties, failure, or opposition.

In my book, it means ‘never quit.’

That ethos is embodied in civic activist Paul Zimmerman.

As president of Florida’s premiere beach driving advocacy, Sons of the Beach, Paul continues to fight against government overreach and the pernicious actions of political insiders who seek to monetize our most precious natural and economic resource.

Last week, Mr. Zimmerman wrote a cogent response to a recent upbraiding by The Daytona Beach News-Journal’s editorial board.

For reasons known only to the newspaper, locals who have worked hard to preserve our century old heritage of beach driving were publicly reprimanded for questioning the motives of our weaponized County Attorney, Dan “Cujo” Eckert, and his mysterious efforts to crush the incredibly popular North Turn Beach Parade.

In Sunday’s ‘Community Voices’ column, Mr. Zimmerman rightfully pointed out that Volusia County officials have strategically employed an overly restrictive interpretation of the Incidental Take Permit that protects sea turtles and other wildlife while permitting beach driving.

For years, the oligarchical insiders who control our elected officials have openly pushed for the removal of cars from the beach as a means of essentially privatizing sections of the shore as a cheap marketing tool for hoteliers who contribute heavily to the campaigns of sitting politicians.

Thanks in no small part to the efforts of Paul Zimmerman, Councilwoman Billie Wheeler, Walt and Rhonda Glasnak and, my new hero, Congressman Bill Posey – earlier this week, after an interminable back-and-forth, the parade was begrudgingly approved by majority vote of the Volusia County Council.

If this ugly imbroglio over the fate of a two-hour beach parade did anything, it proved, once and for all, who this massive bureaucracy exists to serve – and exemplified the depth of dysfunction that is destroying any hope for substantive progress.

Angel               Councilwoman Billie Wheeler & Walt and Rhonda Glasnak

Kudos to Walt and Rhonda Glasnak for proving that when your cause is righteous – it is possible to fight the dark forces of a government gone off the rails.

Many in our community were impressed by the Glasnak’s perseverance in standing against powerful forces who sought to eliminate this community event celebrating the heritage of racing on the original beach course in Ponce Inlet.

When Walt and Rhonda ran into a brick wall in the form of a suspicious legal opinion issued by the county attorney’s office – they enlisted the help of Volusia County Councilwoman Billie Wheeler – who began asking all the right questions and working hard to find the truth.

In my view, Councilwoman Wheeler well-earned the respect of her constituents – and proved how statesmanship and community-focused representation can expose bureaucratic impediments and foster substantive change.

On Tuesday, the Glasnak’s and parade supporters refused to capitulate to external pressure – in the form of Chairman Ed Kelley’s near-constant push to compromise their worthy goals for cheap political expediency.

In turn, residents of Volusia County got an interesting view of how county government has used the federal Incidental Take Permit (ITP) to limit beach access – and a new perspective on the abhorrent dysfunction that has become status quo in DeLand.

Thank you for your efforts to preserve the storied history of our community.

Asshole           County Attorney Dan “Cujo” Eckert

I spent the bulk of my adult life working and surviving in the politically charged environment of local government.

Time and again, I watched as long-time public servants overstayed their welcome, hanging onto a self-identity (and a paycheck) by their fingernails, as the environment around them went toxic and their opinions became worthless.

By all accounts, Dan Eckert is a good man.  I don’t doubt that.

He has served the citizens of Volusia County for more than 40-years in an important role that isn’t known for its longevity.

In my opinion, somewhere Dan got off the boat and began serving the implied wants, whims and personal ambitions of the uber-wealthy insiders who control his bosses on the dais of power to the exclusion of any logical or legal alternative.

For the most part, that unspoken pact was okay for everyone who is anyone.

He kept things subtle, defensible and within the often-malleable boundaries of the charter – and the not-so-flexible margins of the law – while routinely meeting the selfish needs of those who use our campaign finance system to purchase the loyalties of hand-select politicians to ensure a clear conduit between public funds and for-profit projects.

No one really questioned the arrangement.

In my view, several years ago, at the direction of a wholly compromised council, Mr. Eckert went over-the-top when he sued his own constituents – stomping a grassroots advocacy who wanted nothing more than to have a modicum of public input in beach management decisions – then mounted a no-holds-barred appeal when Sons of the Beach attempted to stop the pernicious practice of removing beach driving from large sections of the strand as a cheap giveaway to speculative developers.

It was ugly and divisive.

But, like any good attorney, Mr. Eckert was a zealous advocate for his client – the Volusia County Council – even when the rest of us felt he was using our own money to fight against us.

(Don’t take my word for it, just ask the citizens of Daytona Beach Shores how it feels when Mr. Eckert is allowed off the leash. . .)

Mr. Eckert received a council mandate to mount a vigorous challenge to the voter approved Amendment 10 – a constitutional amendment which will return constitutional sovereignty to several elected county officials, including the Sheriff’s Office – and many began to sense he fought like a rabid badger when called to suppress the will of the people – yet transformed into a toothless lapdog whenever the issue was counter to that of our political overseers.

Then, things took a more sinister turn. . .

In July, Mr. Eckert sent a letter to the parade’s sponsors, Walt and Rhonda Glasnak, claiming that Volusia County had allowed the event for the past eight years by “mistake,” and 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.

There was little ambiguity in the risk involved:  The complete removal of beach driving.

A subsequent investigation by Congressman Bill Posey’s staff directly contradicted Mr. Eckert’s dire prediction and proved conclusively that the United States Fish & Wildlife Service has essentially ceded decision-making authority for special event beach access to Volusia County.

When Mr. Eckert’s weird view of the ITP and subsequent maneuvering was publicly disputed by the official Congressional inquiry – Councilwoman Billie Wheeler felt she had been given misinformation.

Because she was.

On Tuesday, Mr. Eckert’s opinion became the basis of a theater of the absurd at the Volusia County Council meeting, where the findings and authorizations of the Fish & Wildlife Service were purposefully ignored, and any semblance of reason thrown out the bureaucratic window.

Despite all evidence to the contrary, Mr. Eckert pitifully yammered and stammered through his clarification, holding firm to his blatant mischaracterization of the take permit like a soggy life preserver.

At the end of the day, Mr. Eckert’s “legal advice” was definitively ignored on a 5-2 vote when common sense, and the will of the people, was upheld when the community event was allowed to continue.

In my view, now it is time for Mr. Eckert to retire – quickly and honorably – from government and enjoy the financial rewards and well-deserved salutations that come from a life of public service – because his effectiveness as our county attorney has officially come to an end.

From this point forward, our elected and appointed officials – and the citizens they serve – will forever question Mr. Eckert’s motives and clarity.

Now, taking his professional advice will become the equivalent of drinking from a contaminated well.

It is time.

Quote of the Week

“I’ve never seen a meeting held like that before in all of my days.  Typically, you take one vote at a time.  It seemed to me like most of the council members up there had no idea what they were actually voting on.”

–Patrick Gavin, Executive Director for U. S. Congressman Bill Posey, aptly describing the utter dysfunction he witnessed during discussions regarding the fate of the Historic Legends North Turn Beach Parade at the Volusia County Council meeting, Tuesday, October 15, 2019.

Sometimes it takes the eyes of an outsider to call attention to the familiar things we long-suffering citizens of Volusia County have simply become accustomed to.

What happened at Tuesday’s Volusia County Council meeting was a damnable embarrassment and an affront to good governance everywhere.

Some will take me to task for not writing a glowing accolade to the five elected officials who ultimately voted to continue the beach parade.  The fact is, this shouldn’t have been an issue to start with.

Besides, I’m not in the habit of congratulating a shit-show that happened to have a positive outcome.

In actuality, the vote to approve this popular event should have been no more than a perfunctory nod on a consent agenda – not an hours long descent into bureaucratic madness that gave onlookers a very public glimpse into the invalidity and sense of chaos that continues to afflict county government.

Personally, I blame our doddering fool of a County Chair, Ed Kelley, for what happened.

After nearly two-decades of masquerading as a public official, one would think that, over time, Old Ed would have (through osmosis, if nothing else) developed the ability to run a cogent, deliberative, organized meeting that results in strong, goal-oriented public policy.

Instead, he disrespectfully interrupts citizens and talks over his “colleagues” who are trying desperately to make a point, find clarity or question staff – then insinuates his own cockamamie, ill-informed views – and confuses the orderly discussion by mucking up established procedure in favor of his egotistical desire to serve his own convenience.

Unfortunately, far too often discussions on the dais are hijacked and turned into weird, disjointed self-promotions by the always arrogant Councilwoman Deb Denys – or used like a club to bash Council member Heather Post for actually questioning the why of an issue – while protecting do-nothing bureaucrats from even a modicum of external oversight.

All with a frightening degree of regularity that has become so familiar we have come to accept it.

As a result, public input into the issues of the day is considered an inconvenience – and the shadowy machinations and hegemonic opinions of entrenched influencers, like County Attorney Eckert, are considered sacrosanct – regardless of material evidence to the contrary.

But this “meeting” was something different – amending bullshit amendments to amendments in some terribly confusing tragicomedy of errors – an awkward and excruciatingly humiliating exercise that bears no semblance to the work of any legitimate governmental body.

Disgusting.  And wholly disrespectful to the citizens of Volusia County.

As a taxpaying denizen of Florida’s fabled Fun Coast, I would like to issue a personal apology to Mr. Galvin – who has spent the past 23-years working in federal government and appropriately described these idiotic proceedings as “absurd” – for any post traumatic effects he may experience after being subjected to our unique form of “participatory democracy.”

My only hope is that he will go home and tell his boss just what we’re up against down here in Bizarro World. . .

Folks, this hopeless dysfunction simply cannot continue.

And Another Thing!

Now that so many have fought so hard to accomplish this important victory – let’s make sure we show our support by attending the 9^th Annual North Turn Beach Parade on Saturday, February 8, 2020, sponsored by the Town of Ponce Inlet and (for the moment) Volusia County!

For more information, please go to: www.historicnorthturnbeachparade.com

That’s all for me!  Have a happy and safe Biketoberfest everyone!