So I'd never been to a city commission meeting that is, until last night. That's when Mark and I joined a large contingent of red shirted, middle aged, middle class, homeowners, demanding that no G-Resort, or any other kind of resort, or bar, be built on the sight of the Church of the Mind Science. We'd rather have the hippie church than a Sunday T-dance with a thousand shirtless gay boys, dancing around a rooftop pool until two in the morning. In fact I think a Muslim mosque would be welcomed with open arms if the neighbors knew it would keep out the resort.
One of the most interesting things about the city commission meeting was the public discussion segment, where anybody can say anything, provided they can say it in three minutes or less. For an hour folks got up and praised this guy or that guy, or read little speeches protesting the resort, ending with some guy who came to read a speech begging for his job back with the city. (Very uncomfortable)
After about an hour of citizen speechifying, the mayor started talking, and explaining why nothing could be done about the resort right now, and why he and the commission couldn't come out for or against it. At that point I noticed Mark was starting to vibrate next to me, and the longer the mayor spoke, the more Mark flipped out. That's because the mayor was lying. Commissioners can come out for or against things. Unfortunately once the open speech segment is closed, the audience cannot speak up, and it was all I could do to keep Mark from exploding. Maybe this will encourage Mark to speak up at the next meeting. I really hope he does. It would make for a great Video Thursday.
tell us about the love-in you went to...
ReplyDeleteNext time take your allergy pill!!
ReplyDeleteLove-in, orgy. Tomato, tomahto.
ReplyDeleteLike I've said before - POLITICS SUCKS!
ReplyDeletewho took the picture?
ReplyDeleteIf the zoning is right, then gay people can dance around topless, at 2:00 in the morning at the resort. In that case there is nothing the commission or mayor can do without getting sued and the citizens paying for the lawyers. If the commercial zone you live in allows this use, then it is allowed. Remember, there are property rights which the constitution guarantees. Tell Mark to untwist his undies and get to work. Start at zoning and planning and find out just what is allowed and if there are any restrictions within the zoning. Contact your commissioners one at a time and discuss with them your concerns.Do your homework first. They may not know what is allowed. Leave your attitude at the door. So at 60, you are finding out that a representative republic isn't easy and it takes fortitude and patience.
ReplyDeleteObviously it is a church and is zoned for a church, and nothing more unless they want to turn it into a park. What we are lobbying the city commission for is to not rezone it for a huge, five story, seventy five foot tall hotel/resort/bar/club/theater with all the traffic shunted down my street.
ReplyDeleteAny nice Muslims out there who need a mosque? It's a really nice location.
Thank God no one was scratching their butt or picking their nose.
ReplyDeleteI don't think they zone for a Church, etc.. You find places of worship all over, in strip malls, residential neighborhood, along busy high ways, in commercial areas, etc.. What is the zoning? Don't you live in a commercial zone? Some places don't have zoning, but have land use. Has the homework been done? Love the word, Obviously. A park or a church, there is no revenue to the city, just costs. A hotel/resort/bar/club/theater would produce much revenue, holding down property taxes. You can see where the city fathers are coming from. You can be sure there are blue shirts in the mix. Who is running for re-election? Check out their treasure's report (public records can usually be accessed on line at the supervisor of elections office). See who is contributing. If it is the backers of the hotel/resort/bar/club/theater you might have something for the papers to run with.
ReplyDeleteFor accurate information go to this website http://saveeastwiltonmanors.com/fullstory.html
ReplyDeleteor just click on the Save East Wilton Manors link on the right side of the page.
As for the property tax thing, is the lowering of surrounding property values worth the extra tax revenue generated by the resort. Also there is the fact that the resort is being built by people who are not experienced in resort development. What happens when the thing goes belly up? Then we have a huge white elephant sitting at the end of my block.
We are a small city, 12000 population, and it only takes a few hundred voters pissed off to vote the officials out of office. Of course if they are walking away with a nice bribe, what do they care?