City/County Consolidation

[poonther]

I bet they squeek as they walk.

Who said that??????

Thanks for all the links T-man. The first one, the link to all the candidates running for office did not work. I wish it would have because although I do not want to vote for Rackleff again, I'm hoping Mayernick isn't my only other choice. I did see his signs everywhere in Southwood last time I drove through.

I like what I read about Desloge, my only concern w/him is that Sheriff Campbell gave him an endorsement. I think that's a bad thing, but am open to suggestions on why it isn't.

I wish I lived in District 1 to vote against Proctor. Of course he really doesn't live there either.

If I had 3 questions to ask people running for county commissioner they would be:

1. Would you have voted to allocate money to bring Tuborcor to town? How else would you work to bring new and diverse jobs/companies to town?

2. Would you and if so how would you work to foster a better and more productive relationship w/our universities and in particular how would you help them achieve AAU status and a research park.

3. Are you for City/County government consolidation? Would you make it a priority to achieve this consolidation?

Anymore suggestions for more or different question to ask these candidates? I think 3 is the right amount of questions to ask them. I'd love to hear what you guys think is the most important 3 questions.

[Florida]

Who said that??????

Thanks for all the links T-man. The first one, the link to all the candidates running for office did not work. I wish it would have because although I do not want to vote for Rackleff again, I'm hoping Mayernick isn't my only other choice. I did see his signs everywhere in Southwood last time I drove through.

I like what I read about Desloge, my only concern w/him is that Sheriff Campbell gave him an endorsement. I think that's a bad thing, but am open to suggestions on why it isn't.

I wish I lived in District 1 to vote against Proctor. Of course he really doesn't live there either.

If I had 3 questions to ask people running for county commissioner they would be:

1. Would you have voted to allocate money to bring Tuborcor to town? How else would you work to bring new and diverse jobs/companies to town?

2. Would you and if so how would you work to foster a better and more productive relationship w/our universities and in particular how would you help them achieve AAU status and a research park.

3. Are you for City/County government consolidation? Would you make it a priority to achieve this consolidation?

Anymore suggestions for more or different question to ask these candidates? I think 3 is the right amount of questions to ask them. I'd love to hear what you guys think is the most important 3 questions.

Good questions there Poonther!

For Clairification:

Uptight

Have you ever seen a group of more uptight white people in your life? I bet they squeek as they walk.

Devil or the witch....which shall it be? -----Poonther!

[stjoe]

I met Frank the other day.

Not uptight at all...nice guy.

Love how it is OK to use racial slurs if you put a smiley face after them on this board.

The same folks who use ugly comments like "uptight white folks" on here cry like a beotch if they are challenged on their own terms.

Lame.

[stjoe]

too funny. Folks knocking Frank M. as being uptight.

Have you seen Bob Rackelff? Yea, he isn't uptight

He is a dyed in the woo liberal who hates private business

Bob Rackeliff voted against Southwood twice FYI, so I think that wouldn't make this pro develoment board happy.

[poonther]

I met Frank the other day.

Not uptight at all...nice guy.

Love how it is OK to use racial slurs if you put a smiley face after them on this board.

The same folks who use ugly comments like "uptight white folks" on here cry like a beotch if they are challenged on their own terms.

Lame.

I can hear you squeaking SJ!

How is "uptight white folks" a racial slur when I AM an uptight white guy?

I cried beotch (actually typed the word b**ch, but the computer changed it to beotch) b/c I was tired of OUR not just your moaning about what is wrong and instead want to get ideas of how we can help fix what we moan about.

If you are gonna call me out, do it by name.

Lame

[stjoe]

poonther,

It is completely dismissive to attack folks with names like that. Yes it is funny....but it is also meant to completely avoid legitimate debate by encapsilating folks with names like that.

Honestly, Frank M stopped by my house the other day. He is an Air Force brat from Niceville. Great guy. I think this board sometimes find it convienent to stoop to this level when it suits folks and they the complain when it doesn't.

You don't like conservatives....that is OK, go after their ideas then. This board wouldn't put up with liberal politicians being taken down like that.

FYI, no worries on my being afraid of a thing. That is not a problem

[Go Gators]

poonther,

It is completely dismissive to attack folks with names like that. Yes it is funny....but it is also meant to completely avoid legitimate debate by encapsilating folks with names like that.

Honestly, Frank M stopped by my house the other day. He is an Air Force brat from Niceville. Great guy. I think this board sometimes find it convienent to stoop to this level when it suits folks and they the complain when it doesn't.

You don't like conservatives....that is OK, go after their ideas then. This board wouldn't put up with liberal politicians being taken down like that.

FYI, no worries on my being afraid of a thing. That is not a problem

Glad to hear of other conservatives in Tally!

[poonther]

poonther,

It is completely dismissive to attack folks with names like that. Yes it is funny....but it is also meant to completely avoid legitimate debate by encapsilating folks with names like that.

Honestly, Frank M stopped by my house the other day. He is an Air Force brat from Niceville. Great guy. I think this board sometimes find it convienent to stoop to this level when it suits folks and they the complain when it doesn't.

You don't like conservatives....that is OK, go after their ideas then. This board wouldn't put up with liberal politicians being taken down like that.

FYI, no worries on my being afraid of a thing. That is not a problem

Cool I respect your opinion, but sometimes we just kid/joke here to have a little fun, even if it's unjustly at other's expense. Who says this place has to be 100% serious all the time?

Are you so sure I'm a liberal? I'm technically an Army Air Corp brat. Can't folks be somewhere in the middle?

Proctor is a liberal and we've made plenty of jokes about him thanks to jpl02's drawings. I've also stated several times on here that I am NOT voting for Rackleff based on his anti-development views, but I'm not sure how the others here feel about him. I've also stated that I admire DePuy and he's pretty conservative.

Slam me on my little one-liners that's fine, but then you seem to completely ignore the post where I ask those type of "legitimate debate" type questions. Such as the one about how to fix the FSU/City problems and also the 3 part questions I'm trying to come up w/for those running for County/City office. At some date I'd like to take our collaborated 3 questions and poise them to all the folks running for office in sort of an official "Tally U.P. Organization" letter. I'd be interested to know if you got an answer to my 3 questions above from Mayernick or at least a vibe on how you think he'd answer them?

[Florida]

I think he was calling me out. Or at least I thought that.

[stjoe]

poonther,

I'll give it a shot....

1. Would you have voted to allocate money to bring Tuborcor to town? How else would you work to bring new and diverse jobs/companies to town?

I think I would.

But my #1 method for bringing business to town would of been to set up ONE very large (say 2000 acres) research park.

I would have FSU have majority leadership on the committee that runs it, because nobody in town does research to the level FSU does (they bring in over $160 Million a year in awards, have the Mag Lab, College of Medicine, and have been a top 5 tech transfer university nation wide with Taxol). FAMU would also be greatly involved in this.

The COT, County, etc should of done everything possible to make this happen. Now what little high tech and research there is in Tally is spread out. Even if EVERYTHING was in one place it would be very difficult to reach the level of critical density need to be considered a player in high tech.

I fear the politicians would rather have the control over a small time player (innovation park, etc) than be a minority partner in something big time. So I doubt we ever see this.

I also fault FSU for not wanting this more. I have NO doubt St Joe would donate the land for this if all the players were behind it and FSU ran it.

2. Would you and if so how would you work to foster a better and more productive relationship w/our universities and in particular how would you help them achieve AAU status and a research park.

I just think relationships are too fractured now for this. I really believe the COT and the county would rather die than see FSU have a controlling interest in a research park. All their demands have basically had a committee like that at Innocation Park. That has been considered a major failure by FSU, so they simply won't spend what rare resources they have on something they don't control.

Even if FSU had a local govt that was helpful, it has much work it has to do on itself to fix things. Including replacing the current admin which is a failure in higher ed. They do not know how to run a major research university.

3. Are you for City/County government consolidation? Would you make it a priority to achieve this consolidation?

I don't know. I think many here know more about this than I do.

[thetoolman]

At some date I'd like to take our collaborated 3 questions and poise them to all the folks running for office in sort of an official "Tally U.P. Organization" letter. I'd be interested to know if you got an answer to my 3 questions above from Mayernick or at least a vibe on how you think he'd answer them?

I sent the questions to Frank M. and he has agreed to spend some time writing up answers for us to post here. I will PM them to you when I get them if you want, but I think we should extend the offer to all candidates before posting his responses to make sure the responses are unbiased by previous candidates responses.

Poonther, since it was your idea, do you want to send them out to the others? I met Frank last week when he stopped by my house, so felt fine contacting him. I also know John Dailey and can get his responses, but have no relationship with any of the others.

[Florida]

I'll take one, give me a candidate please!! I'd like to use your wording also.

[poonther]

Man you guys rock! I'd be happy to help w/this. Are you guys sure those are the 3 questions you want to ask them? Are you fine w/the wording? I wrote those 3 things "off the cuff" in less than 5 minutes. I think we should ask all the candidates, but I'm not sure who they all are. Are we asking as the Tally U.P. collective? Are we going to give them a deadline to respond by and then will we post their answers in a thread here? I think we need to appproach each candidate w/these questions in the same standarized way to make it fair.

I'm in WPB on dial-up (UGH!) until Sunday. Let me know how you guys wanna handle this as a collective and I'll be happy to help as much or little as you'd like me to. I do think if you have a "connection" w/a candidate like T-man does, that will help us get a response.

Open to any and all ideas here!

[Glenn]

Great ideas everyone!! Maybe once the results/answers are compiled we could get the Democrat to publish a story about the questions presented & answers received. I think it would be great to share the info with the general public. Doesn't the League of Women Voters, Mother's Against Drunk Drivers & other organized groups do this sort of thing all the time???

[poonther]

Hey SJ thanks for answering all those questions in your Post #85. I agree w/most all you say. I think from what I read on here we all want FSU to be the best it can be, sometimes we just fight/disagree over how to get there. I think we need new blood at the county, city and FSU to solve their past disagreements and that is why I think all candidates for local public office should be asked these 3 questions.

Did you just out yourself as a candidate for public office by answering these 3 questions?

[stjoe]

Hey SJ thanks for answering all those questions in your Post #85. I agree w/most all you say. I think from what I read on here we all want FSU to be the best it can be, sometimes we just fight/disagree over how to get there. I think we need new blood at the county, city and FSU to solve their past disagreements and that is why I think all candidates for local public office should be asked these 3 questions.

Did you just out yourself as a candidate for public office by answering these 3 questions?

No, not me.

But I would love to see answers from these questions from the candidates also.

[gatoremt]

I am not sure if this has been touch on in the past 5 pages. But does the state make every county have a Sheriff's department. I think it would be a great thing for the 2 LEO department to combine. That way the county would have better LEO coverage.

[jpl02]

I am not sure if this has been touch on in the past 5 pages. But does the state make every county have a Sheriff's department. I think it would be a great thing for the 2 LEO department to combine. That way the county would have better LEO coverage.

Miami-Dade County doesn't have a sheriff per-se, but it has the Metro Dade police department which functions essentially like a sheriff. Nor does Duval County have one; it is instead the Jacksonville Sheriff's Office, but basically serves all of Duval County.

You're right, with these exceptions, each county is required to have a sheriff's department per state law. A sheriff is needed for those not within city/village/etc limits and do not get municipal police coverage.

[gatoremt]

Thanks for the reply. I was wondering about that.

[ghostOFtheSuwanee]

I'd hate to see Leon County absorbed by Tallahassee. The county government and adminsitration is leaner, more efficient, and County Commission meetings are so much fun to attend. As far as the LE agencies are concerned, I've worked with both agencies and am much more in favor of the Sheriff taking over the functions of the city PD. While we have had good and bad Sheriffs, at least as tax payers and citizens, we can vote the bad ones out. It's much more difficult to remove a bureaucrat.

[poonther]

I'd hate to see Leon County absorbed by Tallahassee. The county government and adminsitration is leaner, more efficient, and County Commission meetings are so much fun to attend. As far as the LE agencies are concerned, I've worked with both agencies and am much more in favor of the Sheriff taking over the functions of the city PD. While we have had good and bad Sheriffs, at least as tax payers and citizens, we can vote the bad ones out. It's much more difficult to remove a bureaucrat.

I hate to see the county government exist in its current form at all to be frank w/you. IMO they are an embarrassing government for such a educated county.

I totally agree w/you in principle and in the long run about the consolidation of LE, HOWEVER if I had to take in the current LE heads right now, I'd want the current police chief to run the whole thing now much more than the sheriff.

[JBarber]

T-man I take it that Desloge is running against Thaell? From an U.P. standpoint, what in your opinion does he have to offer us that Thaell does not? I have no allegiance to either one, but I do know more about Thaell, so I'd appreciate some education on Desloge if you'd be so kind as to indulge us.

Interesting that Bryan Desloge dropped out of the at-large seat to run for Grippa's vacant seat against Will Messer. I have a lot to learn about the candidates yet, but I imagine they are both cut out of the Grippa limited government, pro business mold. By changing races Desloge, has let go of the possiblity fundamental change on the County Commission. In Desloge v. Messer the commsion make-up will be much the same should either win. They could split the vote and neither make it..... I looked around for a campaign site for Tony Carvajal to see what he is about, but could only find his business and myspace pages. (he is in the race against Desloge and Messer.)

Leon county republicans do not sound too pleased with the move by Desloge. He has collected $170,000?!?!?!?

[poonther]

^ Yeah that's interesting how fast the County Rep. party turned against Desloge. I'm sure a smart man like him had good reasons for changing the races and stated that he'd give money back to those who gave b/c of the county-wide race.

Doesn't Will Messer run every time there is a public office election from dog catcher to county commissioner?

[BHCav]

I hate to see the county government exist in its current form at all to be frank w/you. IMO they are an embarrassing government for such a educated county.

I totally agree w/you in principle and in the long run about the consolidation of LE, HOWEVER if I had to take in the current LE heads right now, I'd want the current police chief to run the whole thing now much more than the sheriff.

That is exactly what I thought when I read that. I'll step back into the twilight zone now.

[ghostOFtheSuwanee]

I hate to see the county government exist in its current form at all to be frank w/you. IMO they are an embarrassing government for such a educated county.

I kind of see things from a different perspective. It seems to me that the City bureaucracy is bloated with too many "middle" managers. County government does a whole lot more with a whole lot less. City Hall, and all it's various entities, are filled with little empires which suck up your tax (and utility profit) money with very little to show for it.

We're lucky to have a great Police Chief. We even luckier to have an incredible Sheriff. If I get upset with the Chief, I can whine to the City administration about him, but if I get upset with the Sheriff, I can work to get a different one elected. I like that.

For some strange reason, people in this state keep approving switching their elected officials into appointed ones. Perhaps we're lazy, but I'm for more elected officials and less bureaucracy.