- April 20, 2024
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Dear Editor:
As with many others, I listened intently on the Palm Coast City Council workshop discussion about the Green Lion on Feb 15. It was very obvious that once the City Council realized the community outrage, they back-pedaled from their last decision to cancel the lease and put the property out for bid. During council member remarks, they noted the lack of proper information that would have allowed them to make a proper decision.
Shouldn't they demand these details and allow for public participation before making knee jerk actions?
Even if they did have the information, would they able to understand and apply that information to their decision-making process? It became obvious that some only understand the basics and one had to be corrected on how fair market value is calculated and reported.
Vice Mayor Eddie Branquinho’s comments rambling comments after the public comment section of the meeting, it became obvious that we, the people of Palm Coast, need to add two words to our vocabulary when discussing actions and decorum this City Council exudes: feckless (irresponsible; lacking initiative or strength of character) and spuddle (to work feebly and ineffectively).
To be fair, not all council members exude these behaviors, but this is an accurate description of the body in whole. The issue at hand is here is not only the lack of civility and leadership but how contracts are written and funded and lack of fiscal transparency and responsibility.
If you listen to Youtube meeting presentation, at approximately 2 hours and 7-8 minutes into the meeting, Vice Mayor Branquinho noted that it cost $49,169 to move an ice machine and build a small enclosure. That sounded very high, so I looked up how much a new, commercial grade, high capacity, large ice maker cost: The most expensive was $4,173. Is the vice mayor trying to say it costs another $45,000 for materials and to move and build a structure? How long did this endeavor take?
It was also noted that another $178,850 was required to repair the walls and floors in the kitchen, along with some other items. You could build a new house for this cost. I just had a complete kitchen replacement, along with ceiling and water damage, and it came to a fraction on what the city says it cost.
Vice Mayor Branquinho noted that the details will be provided to the Marlow family. I believe this level of transparency is due to the people of Palm Coast and explanation on these exorbitant costs. Makes you wonder what other "sweetheart" deals are out there. It was great to see so many citizens participating at the meeting. This must continue, and we must hold our "leaders" accountable.
Brian Rosen
Palm Coast
Dear Editor:
The recent debacle over the Green Lion lease was nothing more than an embarrassment to this city. What is even worse is that the issue was caused by our own government intentionally and out of sheer ignorance.
When community outrage erupted, with hundreds showing up to speak up about the unfair and deplorable treatment of this small business, City Councilman Ed Danko had the audacity to say, “This is how government works.”
No, that is not how government works.
As James Madison said, “Were the plan of the Convention adverse to the public happiness, my voice would be, reject the plan.”
If the purpose of the Constitution is public happiness, then the purpose of government is public happiness. The purpose is not to create a false public perception of others, bully a local business, create confusion, defame citizens, and promote division. Yet, that was exactly what was, and has been, done by our City Council.
Government does not measure how successfully it is serving the public or its efficiency by how many citizens it can outrage and motivate them to exclaim their outrage publicly. Government is not intended to be a show or circus act.
Madison also warned of such behavior and its harm to the people in his letter to the people of New York: “The instability, injustice, and confusion introduced into the public councils, have, in truth, been the mortal diseases under which popular governments have everywhere perished; as they continue to be the favorite and fruitful topics from which the adversaries to liberty derive their most specious declamations.”
These political games need to stop as they are simply distracting from much more pressing matters that are literally costing us, the residents. For example: If Mr. Danko, and the rest of our council, had been keeping their eye on the waste collection services contract process, perhaps we would not be paying 47% more for less service.
As the preamble to the United States Constitution states, “We the People of the United States, in Order to form a more perfect Union, establish Justice, insure domestic Tranquility, provide for the common defence, promote the general Welfare, and secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America.” That is what our government is intended to be about and deliver upon in service to the people as a government of the people, by the people, and for the people.
I sincerely hope in this election year that local residents stand up and select candidates who truly exemplify and swear to execute the duties of any office true to the core values of what our government is intended to be.
Brad M West
Palm Coast
The following was posted Samuel Mazuchelli on the Palm Coast Observer’s website in relation to the Green Lion contract:
“Wish the council would perform due diligence on issues before displaying their ignorance to the public as is the case here. I'm angered at them and embarrassed for them that they put a small business owner through the mill when all businesses are still in recovery from damage due to heavy-handed government mandates. Be professional.”
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