STANLEY SOLOMONS INTERVIEW

Questions for the candidates  Solomons March 2010 election

WD: Do you have an opening statement?

My name is Stanley Solomons.  I am running for city council in Gulfport Ward I.

WD: How long have you lived in Gulfport?

I lived in Gulfport six years.

WD: Where did you live before that?

I was in Switzerland.

WD: What is your profession?

I am retired.

WD: Do you have any affiliations with any businesses, either in Gulfport or outside the city limits?

No businesses, no.

WD: What city boards and committees have you sat on?

I have not in Gulfport.

WD: What non city organizations do you belong to?

I am in the Stonewall Democrats and I’m on the St. Pete Pride Board.

WD: Why are you running?

I’m running because I like Gulfport. I like living here, I like what Gulfport has to offer. And I think I’d like to give something back to the town. Serving on the council I thought would be the best way to go about it.

WD: Do you have any further political aspirations?

No, I do not.

WD: Will you be seeking election help from outside of Gulfport organizations?

People offer to help, I mean as opposed to actively going and saying will you help me, will you help me, people do offer to help and I will accept help as long as it’s appropriate.

WD: What is you opinion of re-passing the city charter to make it only changeable by public referendum?

That one actually hasn’t come up so I haven’t thought about it in any great detail.  Let me ask you a question. Was the charter initially voted on by the city, is it not, by public referendum within the city?

WD: Apparently before 1972, any charter that was enacted before that can be changed by the city council. Any part of the charter that was enacted after 1972 can only be changed by referendum.

The scenario of the city manager thing where he had to live inside the city, they found that was a law that was put in to the charter before 1972, so they could change it at the city council level rather then have the citizens vote on it
Some people feel that all of the charter should be changed by referendum and not by the city council.

That’s tough, I tend to think that after 1972 it’s the city’s, before 72 it’s the council. Gulfport’s been around for 100 years, we’ve had our charter for a hundred years. We had 70 years of the council changing it and thirty years of the city.

OK, I would say I think the charter should be up to city referendum.  I like that.  The charter is the city, the people are the city.

WD: What is your position regarding examination and re-codification of our codes and ordinances to bring them into the 21st century?

We should, things change, times change, things change, codes change, things that made codes right in the first place change. In order to keep a city alive and well, you need to keep examining the life of the city and what makes the city work.  You have to keep examining it and you have to keep moving forward.  You have to have a lot of change to stay the same and we should review these things on a regular basis.  Nothing stays the same forever, nothing stays the same.

WD: Should ALL city meetings be recorded and available on DVD’s?

The public has access to the council meetings and the workshops and the town halls. I think those are already available are they not?  Those are recorded and the public has access to them. Yes I am in favor of that.

WD: Do you feel that the videos of city meetings should be available on the city’s web page on demand?

Yea, I think that’s reasonable.

WD: What are your impressions of the public sessions at the city council meetings?

I think they are valuable, I think they are VERY valuable.  People have good ideas.  People care about this city.  People spend a lot of time doing research and reviewing issues.   A lot of due diligence goes into it. I think it’s necessary.  Yes, those have to stay.

WD: What can you see the city doing to achieve green city status?

I was just watching a thing on television about that.  That City in Kansas, there’s a lot involved with the making a city green and getting the various leads status and it’s not cheap.

In the long run it’s a great idea and it’s good. I would like to think as time goes by; all cities would head in that direction. But it is expensive. Right now there isn’t a whole lot of money rolling around. I think that you can do what you can do, if we had things like wind turbines that helped with power generation, if it helps take the city off the grid so that you’re not paying to outside power providers. Or anything along those lines. I’m in favor of it.

If we build a new city hall, as they occasionally talk about, then I think solar panels are a great idea. I think that there’s little things you can do.   We keep our parks clean, we keep our parks green. We keep green areas, areas for people to use that stay green.

It’s important.  It’s important.

But again, I’ve looked at what it costs and it is expensive, it’s very expensive. We’re in a time of not a whole lot of extra money.

WD: What is your opinion on allowing smoke pollution in Gulfport?

No.  Pollution no, it’s smoke.  I am not a smoker and I know how I feel if I walk into place that’s a smoking establishment.  I can’t stick around and I know the issue with the smoker.  I would feel that the people over near the smoker, I would not be happy if I were them either.  I think that needs to be revisited.

WD: Do you feel the sound ordinance is consistent with today’s needs?

I think that there is a limit.  I think that during business hours, during certain business hours, maybe you have a cut off where ten o’clock.  You have to have what’s reasonable to the people living around you.  Because Gulfport residences are so close to business’s.  Here, everything is intermingled and I personally wouldn’t want to listen to a band blaring out at two o clock in the morning.  I wouldn’t be very happy about it.  But I think that people are reasonable. I think if you discuss the issues with them, people would be reasonable about sound.  But it is important, it is important. It’s a quality of life issue too!

WD: Do you have any solutions for the parking problem in the downtown Art District?

No, No I really do not.  There’s parking all the way down Shore Drive and we have the other parking lots there. The only time I’ve ever really seen it very tough to park was during the Geckofest and then I walked.  I think with off the main street, there is a generally a fair amount of parking around here.  We got a lot of streets in Gulfport and I think there is a lot of parking.  I would not like to see a large parking facility.  I just saw the one they built on Central Avenue, across from Tropicana. It’s pretty ugly, it’s pretty ugly. I would hate to see something like that here. I don’t know where you would put something like that if you had it.

WD: Do you feel we should allow alcohol in the streets during our Spring fest, Geckofest and similar events?

I am not sure how many of those vendors actually might sell beer at Geckofest. I would think it would be a revenue producer for the city.  I don’t know that I’d want people wandering all over town drinking. But I think that if you kinda keep it within the confines of the Art Dstrict on Beach where the festivals tend to be. I don’t have a big issue with it.

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?

That I really don’t know.  I think the Chamber of Commerce does a good job. I don’t know about any undue influence.  That I just do not know.   Chamber of commerce’s are good and I think they do a good job of promoting Gulfport.  As far as undue influence, I have absolutely no idea about that.

WD: Where do you stand on the mooring field?

I would need to know a little more of the basics about it. What would it cost to build the mooring field? How much would the city have to put out for that?   What would the return on the investment be?   How long would it take the city to make back and then start making money?  I think the mooring field could be a good thing for Gulfport, but also at the same time, can Gulfport support that many, that many visitors I guess you would say? If a boat is here, people might want to dock and then stay in town for a few days which would certainly be a good thing for our B&B’s and the hotel. But can we sustain it? And right now in a time of little money, can we afford it? And would it be an undue burden on the taxpayers?

I think in good times, well boats, boats are a luxury and I think boats tend to one of the things that go when people are in hard times. The boat goes.  The boat is not a necessity.

So I don’t know right now if we could support it.

WD: What are your feelings about Clam Bayou?

I am in favor of the environment and keeping it clean. We have incredible wild life around here and I think Clam Bayou is a mud flat and I think it has been for as long as it’s been there.  I think there are records 500 years ago when Clam Bayou was a mud flat but it was only six inches deeper then it is now. I am not in favor of dredging Clam Bayou. I am not in favor. I just feel, I am not comfortable with the fact that the mud flats act as a filter for, unfortunately, the things that come in from other areas. And it’s those things that keeps it from going into the bay. I am just not comfortable with the fact that if we start stirring it up, what’s going to go into the bay that’s lying quiet right now? And I would hate to think, plus when I was out there the other day looking at the mud, all the birds are out there and everything else and if we dredge all that out, what’s that going to do to them? That takes away a lot of their environment and I hate to see the poisons and the toxins going into the bay. I wouldn’t like to see it. I am not in favor of dredging.

WD: How do you feel about police activity regarding victimless crime.

I’m big on public safety, very big on public safety.  And crime is crime.   I don’t know if you ever do have victimless crime. Somebody winds up paying. Somebody winds up paying. Its one thing when someone says, oh alright, I was broken into but no big deal, I wasn’t hurt and my insurance company will pay for it. Ultimately the insurance rates are going to go up and everybody’s going to pay for it, so I think those things need to be investigated. Crime is crime. You need to keep on top of it. I think that I like what the police do here; I think they do a very good job. I have no problem with the police and I think that we should continue to investigate victimless crimes and certainly victims.

WD: What is your position on the Gulfport to St. Pete Beach trolley?

I think the trolley can be a good idea. I think we need to find a better way to utilize the trolley even if we combine it because the trolley goes up to the beach, it goes by the hospital. I know there are a lot of people, especially people that are homebound or wheel chair that can only use their wheel chairs, that rely on the GEMS.  I think that there is no reason we couldn’t be utilizing the bus in the same way that if the people can get to the trolley stop if they are close by, they can access it. Let it take them, we can use it in tandem with GEMS to get people around. I think people appreciated it. GEMS is good, serves a great purpose.  But I think if we could also utilize the trolley and somehow merge the thing together, I think that would be a good idea.

WD: Have you ridden the trolley?

I have not been on the trolley.

WD: Do you know any one who has?

Yeah.  I have talked to people rather then drive, ride the trolley
especially people go up to Palms on it because it does go up there.

WD: Are you concerned that code enforcement is not dealt with evenly within all parts of the city?

I don’t know all the statistics on how it is.  I would have to see the stats on that.  I think that code enforcement should be equally treated in all parts, I mean if there s a code enforcement in Ward I, and a code enforcement in II or III or IV. And it is the same code. They should be treated equally, I don’t know if they’re not or how they’re not.  I would like to think that they are all treated the same.

WD: What do you think should be done about the Winn Dixie Property?

That’s a good question.  I noticed there is another store that went out of business in that mall, or moved, they moved.  When you enter Gulfport from 49th Street it’s not the best view in the world, it’s not the best view in the world. I noticed they’re fixing up the gas station that’s been vacant for three years now. I noticed it looked like they are going to bring that back into business, which is good. I’d like to see rather then just a derelict property there, but I would like to see something done with the Winn Dixie property. Gulfport needs another grocery store. I mean I don’t always want to go up to Pasadena. I’m a whole lot closer to the Winn Dixie then I am to the Publix or the Sweet Bay and if we can get another grocery store in there.

I don’t know what would be involved in refurbishing the building; I don’t know what shape it’s in or how it fits in with codes or if it’s going to have to be totally refitted or it’s been sitting there so long if its  moldy at this point, mildewy or if its filled with asbestos, I have no idea . I don’t know what would be involved. It’s a big building and it’s a good size parking lot, and I’d like to see it become active again. If we could somehow get a private investor in here or another grocery store.  We’re far enough away from the other Publix or the Sweet Bay, that we could have one of them down here. And I am surprised that they have shown no interest really.  Well I don’t know that they haven’t. I would think that they would be interested. We’re a big active market and use us, use us. I went to the Winn Dixie, I went the Publix and the Albertsons and the Sweet Bay.  If I am sitting home and I say “Oh, I’m cooking and I need something,” I would much rather go to someplace that’s  three blocks away then three miles away  I would like to see it spruced up a little bit and I‘d like to see something there.

I don’t know how we go about attracting something.  Does Winn Dixie own it or lease it?

WD: Private party

So it’s neither. Just someone else has it.  I think we need to do something with the property.  It’s not very pretty and I think it could be made much more useful to the people of Gulfport.

WD: What is your vision for Gulfport?

I think I like Gulfport the way it is.

I like the fact we have, we feel, like a small town. If you go to some of the smaller towns in Florida like upstate, like Micanopy or any of those older small towns of Florida, we feel like one of those towns. But we got the coast; we got our waterfront which sets us so far ahead of places like that.

It’s a great draw. I’d like to see Gulfport become a bigger draw for people.  I’d like to see more people come here, we got great restaurants, we got great stores, our business district is great, our art district is one of best around.  I think we have two of the best restaurants in Pinellas County personally. At least two of the best restaurants. I haven’t eaten at all of them. But I’d just like to see us continue.  I’d like to see us grow, I don’t want to see us lose what we got. But I’d like to see us where it becomes a comfortable city, where we maintain ourselves. Like I said before “You have to change to keep things the same”

We need to keep going and growing, but we don’t need to outgrow, we don’t need to outgrow ourselves. But, we do need to bring in some business. We do need more business. We have a lot of empty houses which I don’t like to see, I don’t think anybody likes to see in this environment.  It unfortunately is part of what is happening now and we’re losing a lot of residents, but I‘d like to see people living here.  I’d like to see everything kept up. I‘d like to see it keep on being the great place it is to live. We have a lot to offer between the businesses, the restaurants, the water front. It’s  a great place. I‘d like to see it stay a great place and I like the fact that I can walk along the beach that I can get to the beach. That I don’t have to climb through somebody’s back yard if I want to go to the beach. And its there, and you can see it, and you can walk down the street and there’s the water. That’s what I like. I’d like to see Gulfport continue on its path. We made it this far, we’ve done good. I’d like to see us keep on going.

WD: What would you like to accomplish during your term in office?

Like I said I like Gulfport.  I d like to get things done to keep Gulfport a good place.   To keep it a safe place to live.  Keep our police here. Keep our fire and emergency services here.  I don’t like the thought of having to depend on the sheriff or somebody to come here. I see here in Town Shores, I live in Town Shores.  Pretty much every night, I see the fire department here on an emergency call.  I think they have probably saved a lot of lives and they’re here quickly.  I would hate to think that you put a call in and you wait 15 or 20 minutes and hope that someone shows up.  I would not like to see that. I would like to do what I can to keep Gulfport the place it is.  That’s pretty much it.

WD: Any final comments?

I think you were pretty comprehensive

There’s a lot of issues in Gulfport.  Gulfport’s a great place to live.  The people that live here care about Gulfport.  They care a lot.  People want to keep it a good place to live and I think that’s great. When you brought up the part about the public sessions in the town council, I think they are incredibly valuable, I think that’s what might even be one of the better things about it, that people do get a chance to talk, that they can say what’s on their mind  and that they do get their ideas across.  People care, people care a lot. And that’s what makes a city good, I think; the fact that People do care about it.  If you had a city meeting and no one got up and no one said anything, we’d either be in one very, very boring place or it would be so bad that it would be past caring about.  I wouldn’t want to live there. I think that the fact that people care, that it’s a great place to live and people care about it. I think that’s what makes it good.

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