Keep Your Eye on the Ball
The last time I played softball I was 58 years old and in a league where I was always the oldest man on the field. While my age was a handicap my trifocals were even more so. No matter how hard I tried to keep my eye on the ball it was always out of focus and I ended up stopping most balls hit my way with body parts other than my glove hand. Shins, chest, arms, etc were black and blue and covered in welts. I sincerely hope the current BS on this blog doesn’t keep us from focusing on the important things coming up soon in our City.
First and foremost is the reelection of Bob Ford to City Council. Without which the causes of openness, transparency and accountability in local government will be set back years.
Second, a special meeting on the recent flooding in Port Orange has been scheduled for Wednesday, November 19, at Lakeside Community Center. There should be a lot of discussion not only about breakdowns in operating protocols that increased the severity of flooding but about breakdowns in City processes that allowed a potentially flood-preventing berm to be removed from the Dunlawton Drainage Project totally under the radar. Hank Springer’s recent email exchanges with Manager Harden (see http://www.popdradiolog.com/port-orange-city-council-2/city-council-did-not-vote-to-eliminate-berm/ or the City Manager’s email log) lead me to believe that we might finally have a City Manager who realizes the seriousness of these breakdowns.
The third matter of importance coming up soon is the final wrap-up of Halifax Paving’s contract to build Lake A at the Reclaim Lakes Project. This 10-year fiasco says as much about breakdowns in City processes as anything in our history. If completed, it’ll stand as a huge monument to ignoring the law, cronyism, mismanagement and a total lack of accountability at all levels of City government. “If completed” is a big “if” here since there are a whole ton of things involved in completion of this contract beyond digging so many cubic yards of dirt.
Should be an interesting close to the year.
Mike Gardner
618 Ruth St
Port Orange, FL 32127
386-527-1959
manddgardner@cfl.rr.com
First and foremost is the reelection of Bob Ford to City Council. Without which the causes of openness, transparency and accountability in local government will be set back years.
Why would this be a set back for years?
Yes sir, need to focus on next Tuesday and Mr Ford’s re election.
Don’t let a screwball like Warren Pike distract us.
You got it!
to onloooker, concerned and Mike from hank springer:
If Ford does not get reelected we can all keep our eyes and attention focused on the city council, and even Bob Ford can help us. I dearly want Ford and Stiltner to shift the power over to the citizens. But if that does not happen, it will not be the end of the world for us.
Dennis Kennedy has answered me and told me that the first he had heard of the berm being deleted from the original contract was during our recent flood of Sept. 2014. The other city council people have not responded and tomorrow I will send them individual e mails re -asking the question.
At the 10 28 14 Port Orange city council meeting right after Bob Ford had his opportunity to make his comments, Mayor Green said something about he was getting hit hard on the red light issue, and asked that city council members follow proper procedures. I will post a video of Green making that statement, perhaps tomorrow. I guess he blames Ford for how he , Green, responded to the citizens who showed up from Crane Lakes. More bad citizens? I thought they were respectful and courteous as Laney would worry about. But it is true I do not know what communication crane lakes folks might have delivered to Allen Green. Hey farmer Green, mistakes do happen, it comes with the job. Next time be more respectful and courteous to the Crane Lakes folks. We all you know you were telling them that they may not get that traffic light. Green you are playing the odds on the wrong side. I have always thought that. — sincerely hank springer
The Noftall,Gardner,Nelan, issue is to a point to me somewhat insignificant but I do recognize that emotions are involved with our local politics. This too shall pass. — hank springer
I hope they blasted and bombarded the Mayor after his condescending, ego maniacal treatment from his high chair.
Their plight is well documented and has gone on too long. Progress by Council members was being made until Green got on his high horse about Berrien Beck and intervened.
Something to ponder- Stiltner is in for Kennedy’s spot. He doesn’t take office until after January 1st though.
Can (and should) Kennedy turn the reigns over immediately ? I ask this as many crucial decisions are to be made in the upcoming months. In my mind, Kennedy has already left his muddy footprints over the last few years, and the right thing to do would be hand it over immediately. Likely won’t happen, just a thought.
Are you sure about that? I had heard that the new council is seated on December 9th.
No, I’m not 100% certain. Hope it is Dec. 9th. Good riddance
To concerned citizen from hank springer: good point. sort of like when our President has a few months to go and pardons criminals and what not. I would like to see a faster turn over. Kennedy can still do a lot of damage in his last two months. Since Kennedy announced that he would not run for the seat again, I thought he has been making a few, only a few, good decisions, which did not all go Mayor Green’s way.