The Mayor responded to my letter to the editor that appeared in The Sun of June 24. Here is my reply. (Her comments are indented).
As promised, I'm responding to yours of June 17, in response to my letter to the editor. I've excerpted portions for brevity.
I never said nor meant to imply that. I said it is highly probable that you (not the city of Anna Maria) would appoint Coleman, subject to commission approval, given the fact that you signed for him. Instead of arguing over that, let's consider the real question on everyone's mind: Do you or do you not agree that his appointment is the best interest of the city? Especially in view of one clear and undeniable fact: Mike Coleman is a developer and practically every discussion or vote the P&Z board undertakes would require recusal under Florida Statute 112.313 Standards of conduct for public officers, employees of agencies, and local government attorneys.. And, that being the case, what good is his presence there?
What you're saying is anyone who disagrees with you, or the direction one perceives the city going, is negative. I disagree. In this instance, one person's negative is another's positive: Many who have a history here find it POSITIVE to protect what we've got in Anna Maria. You, during your campaign stated that if you become mayor your "Job #1 will be to keep Anna Maria Anna Maria." That's positive to Anna Marians; anathema to a developer! (Maybe it would help us all if you share what you mean by "forward?")
On Jun 17, 2009, at 10:02 AM, Fran Barford wrote:
The City of Anna Maria was not involved in encouraging or suggesting he [Coleman] apply for a P&Z position.
With all due respect, Duke, I wish you could find something positive to focus on to help the City and give us some encouragement as we try to move the city forward.
I wanted to also share my concern about your blog and city residents who are approved participants. Anyone who serves on a board/committee or a commissioner who receives information or contributes and then must vote on an issue, may have to declare their participation on the blog. I am certain you already know this but our attorney has rendered his opinion on this too.
Are you also concerned about printed "blogs" like The Islander? The Sun? The Bradenton Herald? What about "city residents or elected officials who are approved (by the editors) as participants" via letters to the editor or guest editorials?
Let us turn the tables on your concerns: Are you concerned about PAR's web site? The full page ads they run and what is said in them? Whether or not elected officials read them or believe their claims? What about the city's own "blog of record," the reading file, which contains Lizzie Van Thrasher's email exposing PAR's attitude toward us "scared" citizens? "Our Anna Maria -- Preserve It or Lose It" is a 21st century "soap box," part of "the new media," and as such a pulse of the concerns of many who elected you and have a long association with our city's legacy.
Setting the record straight on several issues:
-It is not "my" blog. It belongs to those who use it.
-Unlike most blogs, in keeping with freedom of speech, it is not moderated.
-The subscriber base is controlled, no differently than that of Save Anna Maria's (that recently denied membership to PAR partners, et al, whose motives are not consistent).
-While the blog might seem like an anti-PAR entity, it's not. It's just that PAR is the cause du jour. There will be others, as long as there are threats to our beloved city's legacy.
Please don't take any of this as personal. Your becoming mayor has been one of the best things to happen to our city, administratively. It has never been in better shape, and we all owe a huge debt of gratitude to you. But, unlike a conventional mayorship (Temple Terrace?), "forward" in Anna Maria is atypical: typical goals like build the tax base, or strive to increase jobs by expanding the business community or development, have nothing to do with "keeping Anna Maria Anna Maria."
Keep Anna Maria Anna Maria. Those are your words and represent a promise most all encourage you to keep.
Duke
In order to keep a balance between residential and commercial activity in Anna Maria, we need volunteers who will look out for residential interests. But, as Mayor Fran Barford rightly noted, not enough residents volunteer to serve on town boards and committees.
ReplyDeleteHaving few or no residential volunteers creates problems.
Businesses have a direct financial interest in the town so of course they will volunteer to serve on the P&Z and other city boards.
Ideally, the Mayor and our elected commissioners create a balance to business interests by looking out for the residents who voted for them. But everyone can be influenced by those who are persisitent.
So something else is needed.
In order to maintain the single family character of our town, versus having it become more and more tourist-and-wedding oriented, more residents need to volunteer for city boards.