ROZ BARBIERI INTERVIEW
Questions for the Roz Barbieri March 2010 election
WD: Do you have an opening statement?
I’m concerned about the residents and what they need to have in Gulfport and yet keep its unique atmosphere.
WD: How long have you lived in Gulfport?
Six years and two years as a snow bird.
WD: Where did you live before that?
35 years in Bethpage, New York
WD: What is your profession?
I am retired from the police department. Presently I am treasurer of the local 950 Retirees of Civil Service Employees Association and that’s basically it.
I do volunteer work.
WD: Do you have any affiliations with any businesses, either in Gulfport or outside the city limits?
No.
WD: What city boards and committees have you sat on?
I was on the Bethpage Civic Association as vice president,
WD: Any Gulfport organizations
I served as a volunteer. I’m on the planning committee of Town Shores.
I was former President of the Windsor building.
WD: What non city organizations do you belong to? I guess we have pretty much covered that.
WD: Why are you running?
Because I’d like to see a little change on the board.
I really don’t have a party affiliate; I am more of an independent, and I will run on the basis of specific issues.
WD: Do you have any further political aspirations?
At this point, no.
WD: Will you be seeking election help from outside of Gulfport organizations?
I was interviewed by the Suncoast PBA, hopefully I will get their endorsement.
WD: Are you looking for help from them or just an endorsement
Endorsement and some financial help.
WD: What is you opinion of re-passing the city charter to make it only changeable by public referendum?
I would have to examine the detail of the ramifications of that. At this time I do not have an opinion on it.
WD: What is your position regarding examination and re-codification of our codes and ordinances to bring them into the 21st century?
I think that would be a good idea.
WD: Should ALL city meetings be recorded and available on DVD’s?
Yes.
WD: Do you feel that the videos of city meetings should be available on the city’s web page on demand?
Yes.
WD: What are your impressions of the public sessions at the city council meetings?
I find them very interesting.
WD: What can you see the city doing to achieve green city status?
There’s a lot they can do. They can clean up Clam Bayou. They can clean up the beach. They could have the water tested for really the health contents of the beach water. They can divert some of the storm water so it doesn’t dump into the bay here, things of that nature.
WD: What is your opinion on allowing smoke pollution in Gulfport?
Allowing smoke? I am totally, totally 192 % against that.
WD: Do you feel the sound ordinance is consistent with today’s needs?
No, I got a telephone call the other evening from a gentlemen who was complaining about the music on Beach Blvd. So we have to consider our neighbors when we allow them to play loud music. He was complaining he can’t even hear his television set. He also stated that the present board had said that they were going to ask them to enclose the music so it wouldn’t disturb the neighbors and so far it hasn’t been done. We should be aware of what the residents in the surrounding areas want, make their life a little more pleasant. We can’t not have music because we all enjoy it.
WD: Do you have any solutions for the parking problem in the downtown Art District?
That’s a difficult one, I don’t know if we could. There are three houses behind O’Maddys. I don’t know if Gulfport has the power since they’re, I think they’re, in foreclosure and nothing has been done to them in some time. If we can assume the property and make that into a parking area. As far as other areas, I was talking to Worthington about the Veterans Park, possibly using it. He said the Grants wouldn’t allow that. I will have to do some more Research where we can come up with additional parking.
WD: Do you feel we should allow alcohol in the streets during our Spring fest, Geckofest and similar events?
No!
WD: Do you think that the Chamber of Commerce, possibly for economic gain, exerts too much influence within the city over the interests & concerns of the citizens of Gulfport?
I don’t find that to be so.
WD: Where do you stand on the mooring field?
I think the mooring field as an aspect of being a benefit to Gulfport would be a good idea. It depends upon where they put the mooring field. I think it also gives Gulfport more control over what’s out in our bay. As right now anything can go out there, past our limits. If we have mooring fields it would bring more business into Gulfport. They would have more control over who’s out there.
WD: What are your feelings about Clam Bayou?
Clam Bayou should be cleaned up. It’s a shame that they let it go to the point it is presently. St. Petersburg has a responsibility. Gulfport has a responsibly and I don’t think they have done enough to clean it up. And neither has Swift Mud.
WD: How do you feel about police activity regarding victimless crime.
I think the police presence needs to be there, it’s a deterrent. I think we need actually more police. We have a problem on 49th street and I don’t know if any one wants to admit that or not. There is a lot of Winn Dixie area, it’s just A haven for narcotics and I think we should have more police presence.
WD: Can you name some victimless crimes?
Presently no. What I am concerned about is I heard a rumor that Gulfport wants to eliminate the police department and the fire department and go over to the county and I am really upset about that.
WD: What is your position on the Gulfport to St. Pete Beach trolley?
I don’t think it is doing what it was intended to do and they should look at it and try to correct that situation. We’re putting a lot of money and its not bringing in the people that they thought it would bring in. I would have to do more research on that. I don’t know whose idea it was; I think it was Michele King’s idea. Basically it’s a good idea they have to come and put some more effort into advertising it maybe stopping at hotels and picking up the people, bringing them to Gulfport.
WD: Have you ridden the trolley?
No.
WD: Do you know any one who has?
No I don’t and that’s a shame. It’s running empty. I see it, If there’s one person in there I am really shocked. I mean we are wasting money. They really should look at it again.
WD: Are you concerned that code enforcement is not dealt with evenly within all parts of the city?
I would have to check into that and if that’s so, that’s unfortunate because there should be fairness throughout the whole city.
WD: What do you think should be done about the Winn Dixie Property?
What I’d like to see with the Winn Dixie property, I‘d like to see that whole area demolished. I’d like to see the police department put up its housing there. I think that would be a great deterrent to anything that goes on up 49th Street
WD: What is your vision for Gulfport?
My vision for Gulfport is to bring in more businesses, more restaurants and more people but yet keep its unique flavor. I don’t want to see any high rises along the beach. Matter of fact, last night they were talking about a 45 foot height limitation and I think that’s even too high for the beach for any commercial property.
WD: What would you like to accomplish during your term in office?
Help the people of Gulfport, make it a better place, a safer place and keep our services up.
WD: Any final comments?
It’s been a very interesting experience thus far. I am more of an independent. I am not a part of any political things that go on, so I think that I bring a good positive personality to the board. I am here 110% for the people and that’s what I am about. When I was president of the board, people would call me up at two o’clock in the morning about a problem in the building. I am here for the people of Gulfport and I will always be here.
Oh whow, a police department on the Winn Dixie property – Only a retired police officer could come up with such an idea. What a waste of prime location would that be. And the property is big enough – we should build a jail there, too. “Welcome to Gulfport”… But again, he was on the planning committee of Town Shores. Some of the other remarks he made – omg…. sad, sad, sad to read.
ONLY SALMON AND STEINKE RESPOND TO EMAIL:
I recently posed the following question, via email, and as with an earlier question regarding ‘Freedom of Speech” only Jennifer Salmon and David Steinke responded. I did, subsequently, receive an email address for Ms. Barbieri and forwarded the email to her but have not received a response.
One interesting observation….none of the current Council Members nor the Mayor respond to email via email. The Mayor and Member Worthington occassionally respond by phone. Why is that? Why are these people that work for us afraid to communicate–i.e. listen and respond / act?
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Ward 1 Candidates and Unopposed Candidates:
http://www.tampabay.com/news/localgovernment/st-petersburg-faces-12m-shortfall-in-next-years-budget/1067094
Kindly reference the attached article. Property values are expected to fall another 10% in Gulfport too. The purported $700K+ in savings from last year is unsustainable. If elected, you have a huge challenge ahead of you in finding a way to create a realistic balanced budget. Hopefully one of you will strive to have the budget include this year’s ACTUAL expenditures
to-date for comaprison.
IMO, the dropping property values do not just stem from “right sizing” . There are numerous instances, in Gulfport, where properties are derelict, dilapidated and detremental to the value of the overall neighborhoods. What is being done to correct this? We know it is not Code Enforcement as that is, for all intents and purposes, a passive activity. Perhaps there needs to be a volunteer community effort to clean up and spruce up the city? What are your ideas to improve the overall value and appearance of properties in Gulfport?
Regards and good luck to all!
Margarete Tober
P.S. – R. Barbieri is not copied as I cannot find an e-mail address for her.
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Response form Jennifer Salmon:
As soon as election day ends, I will ask for this year’s budget revenues and expenditures to date with comparisons by budget category back to 2000. As you know from our ad hoc committee last year, fees took a huge increase mid decade. I think we should participate in Paint Your Heart Out and extend it to the businesses on 49th as well!
Barbieri’s email:
Jennifer
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Response form David Steinke:
Margarete
We can clean up our act!
1. STOP selective code inforcement. When putting out our campains signs some of the properties are pretty bad.(what is our building and code inforcement doing since construction is down?
2. Park the Trolly.
3. Once a week trash pick-up.
4. Possible out source the Building Dept.
5. Mooring field on hold. (stop spending)
I will spent time in each city department and watch and observe.
Thanks Dave Steinke
P.S. These recomendations were the ones from the 157 surveys returned to city staff last year and nothing was done.
FREEDOM OF SPEECH AND PUBLIC INPUT AT COUNCIL MEETINGS &WORKSHOPS
I also posed this question some weeks earlier, to the Ward 1 candidates and the unopposed candidates:
CANDIDATES: My question to you is: what is your position on public input at Council Meetings and Workshop Meetings?
Thanks in advance for your response.
Margarete Tober
Only two people–Jennifer Salmon and Dave Steinke responded, via email. At the time I did not have an email address for Roz Barbieri, however, I have since received it and sent it to her as well. No response yet.
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Stanley Solomans approached me at a Council Meeting and indicated something to the effect of: “you are always well prepared and wel spoken and I don’t know that changing anything would change that.” Feel free to correct me if I mis-understood you, Stanley.
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Jennifer Salmon:
Please see my thoughts at:
http://electjennifersalmon.com/Open%20government.php
I support public comment at workshops but at the end of the workshop so the public can comment on all aspects of what they heard. No decisions should be made at workshops.
JS
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Dave Steinke:
Margarete: I think it very important to have public input at both workshops and council meetings. The council men or women have the responsibility to get as much information as possible to make an intelligent decision. And not rely on staff.
Thanks Dave Steinke
I would like to add here that at the end of all the interviews, only Roz Barbieri sat and interviewed me on the questions and got my opinion about our many issues that are facing our small community. She showed a genuine interest in learning more where as all the other candidates were pretty confident in their positions to not further question the questioner.
Again I would like to thank all the candidates to submitting to our interviews and I believe that we voters have a better idea upon which to base our vote in March.
Thank you for the interview Dogfish
I/m happy to see that Roz Barbieri was inquisitive as well as being against the Smoker. http://www.gulfportinflorida.com/toxic_waste/image/sm12_6_1pmweb2.jpg
Ms. Barbieri should also know the Newton Ave. was the most participatory avenue in the 49th street redevelopment initiative. We as a community joined the Beautification and Redevelopment plan and restored these properties with room additions, garages, custom driveway and lawns as well as assisted in the crime watch program. The vote to break the City’s nuisance laws and place that Smoker 50 feet away from a 3 month old infants bedroom was nothing less than criminal negligence. We had eco-balanced gardens with our own bee hive. We had at least a half dozen species of birds nesting in our trees. All lost when the smoke had begun.
And when it had begun, we could no longer use our property.
http://www.gulfportinflorida.com/
If Ms. Barbieri winsthis race I hope she remembers why we need to remove this government and replace it with coherent individuals.
In fairness to Ms. Barbieri she did indicate verbally to me that she is in favor of more, not less, citizen feedback at Council meetings and workshops. She’d ask that I resend my emails which I did. I had hoped to post her actual response. As I did not receive anything I feel it only fair to post her direct comments as I did with Mr. Solomons.