Flattery Will Get You Nowhere

We’ve all heard the well-worn phrase “imitation is the sincerest form of flattery.” Perhaps it’s true. But not all who are imitated are flattered and emulation does not equate to assent and affiliation. Free speech is a glorious concept and we will be the first in line to defend the right of expression, whether inspirational or confrontational. Or, frankly, even foolish.

So we acknowledge the recent proliferation of new blogs to the fray. Just don’t associate the views of the imitators with those of the imitated.

This blog and this writer have taken a break since the election, a necessary breather after the fractious clamor of a chaotic summer in our little Eden. But we have not gone away. We will continue to bring you food for thought, some sweet, some savory, with perhaps a necessary sprinkle of bitter here and there. You may chuckle, you may fume but we hope you are provoked to think. Regardless, our words will continue to be sincere, well-intended and factual.

And they will only be found here.

Stay informed.

Bill Yanger

Important P&Z/City Commission Meeting November 30, 6:00 p.m.

There will be a joint meeting of the City Commission and the Planning & Zoning Board to discuss, once again, the Pine Avenue parking situation, and how the existing regulations may or may not be changed. As you may recall, after much deliberation, this was made a non-issue some time ago, but it's back. The commissioners and members of the P&Z need to hear from Anna Marians and how you feel about changing (or not) existing code.

For the complete history of the issue, enter "90" in the search box to the right. You will be directed to numerous posts on the subject, dating back to October 2009.

Try Doing Anything 50,000 Times

While we all soaked in post-election realities, along about 10pm this evening this little blog ticked past its 50,000th reader since January. Try doing anything 50,000 times.

We hope the thoughtful will keep reading and the curious will keep clicking in to stay informed. From places like West Sussex in England (nearly everyday; thanks LT!), Ontario, Canada and Malaysia and Romania and Nepal and ... and 38 other countries around the world and just about every State in the union, you logged on to stay informed.

The haters will continue to hate, of course, but they will click in to do so and we thank them for that, as well. We ask thoughtful readers for continued feedback and criticism...we take it seriously. You can contact us at ourannamaria@tampabay.rr.com

All the best to the best.

Unrewarded Mediocrity

In her never ending quest to navigate the Islander into the oblivion of mediocrity, Bonner Joy must be thrilled with her paper's showing at the most recent Florida Press Association Awards October 14, 2010 where she was able to convince her industry peers to acknowledge the Islander's excellence with exactly...uh...zero awards. Yep, zero, nilch, nada. Go figure.

By the way, her local competitor The Sun received 9 awards. Congrats to them.

Stay informed.

Congratulations Mike Selby!

It's official: Mike Selby is Anna Maria's new mayor.

509 votes to 426.

The Choice is Clear When Considering What It Takes to be Mayor

I’d like a few moments of your time to address the mayoral race here in the City of Anna Maria, and what I think, in my past experiences, is needed at this time.

As a former three-term commissioner, I served concurrently with two mayors, Sue Lynn and Fran Barford. Both administered our city with very different styles. It’s not important to elaborate on the differences, but I can say with all certainty, there’s a right way and a not so effective way to run our city.

Some will say that since the mayor doesn’t have a vote, there’s really not much to be concerned about from the standpoint of policy or experience. Nothing could be farther from the truth. Administratively, our city is in as good a shape as it has ever been. It is undeniable that to keep it that way and make needed on-going improvements requires seasoned skill and expertise. 

Being mayor, first and foremost, is about solid management skills. The more our mayor knows about how to manage people effectively, the better off our city will be. Your staff will work harder, they’ll accomplish more, and the city will run smoother, more efficiently.

The more our mayor knows about how to deal with often-difficult conflicts, especially as the “face” of the city, the better life will be for everyone.

And the more experience our mayor has managing multi-million-dollar budgets, the lower your taxes will be.

It is my considered opinion that one candidate for mayor simply does not have the depth of experience nor maturity in business and financial affairs to face such challenges. It is my opinion that one candidate does have what it takes to meet the challenges of being mayor to the betterment of our city. That candidate is Mike Selby, a man of unimpeachable character, solidly backed by 30 years of very successful business experience. 

I don’t see any experience in his opponent’s background that qualifies her to effectively deal with today’s challenges and multi-million-dollar finances. Nothing personal; just the facts. If I were interviewing both for the job, the choice would be very clear. 

So, putting personalities aside, please take the time to think about who you would feel comfortable with when it comes to managing the issues and the finances of your city.