Comments on: COUNCIL SHOULD SHARE POWER WITH PLANNING AND ZONING

By: Dogfish

Dogfish — Thu, 05 Aug 2010 15:20:50 +0000

David wrote, “If there are illegals working in City Hall, and you know about it then why aren’t you doing anything about it?”

Answer: Cause I don’t Care!!!!!!!!!!!!!

By: David Hearne

David Hearne — Sun, 04 Jul 2010 16:49:37 +0000

Dogfish,

>>>Did you check their papers.<<>>They worked hard and they cleaned up after themselves everyday.<<>If you are so worried about illegal aliens, perhaps you should check the papers of the janitorial staff that cleans city hall every night.<<

If there are illegals working in City Hall, and you know about it then why aren’t you doing anything about it?

By: Dogfish

Dogfish — Tue, 15 Jun 2010 15:15:38 +0000

David Hearne.

Illegal aliens. Did you check their papers.

I myself, having watched these guys work, am very satisfied with the extra effort they put into putting my neighborhoods new water pipes in. They worked hard and they cleaned up after themselves everyday.

They didn’t just take the easy way, which some of our citizens would have been tempted to do.

If you are so worried about illegal aliens, perhaps you should check the papers of the janitorial staff that cleans city hall every night.

By: Dogfish

Dogfish — Tue, 15 Jun 2010 15:11:09 +0000

Big Dog you touch upon an interesting issue, which is the underfunding of the salaries of the mayor and city council members. This lack of monetary worth has provided Gulfport and it citizens with the dysfunctional government that they enjoy today. As you touched upon, the reason that people choose to run for council, Gulfport’s council, are varied, but certainly not for monetary gain from the city salary that they enjoy. Other motivations seem to rise to the occasion. Perhaps an expectation of monetary gain in the future. Certainly the vice mayor, being a Realtor, has an interest in properties in Gulfport becoming more desirable and therefore more saleable. Our ward four representative, a full time, possibly a professional student, seems to be losing his enthusiasm for city business and like the others has settled into just going along with whatever the city staff wants to dish out. Our two new council people, are diving right in and seem to be actually concerned about the future of Gulfport. I hope that they will continue on that vein, but I fear that they too will succumb to the rigors of the job and defer their decision research and making to city staff. After all the city staff gets paid considerably more then the council.

With the low monetary reward, the job seems to be a magnet for the retired and underemployed people. While this may not be true in the current makeup, it certainly has been the norm in my few years here.

And while it doesn’t matter to me anymore, I believe the city would be better served by an elected fully paid mayor. As it is now we have non-residents running the city. This creates, at least in my mind a detachment from the city that should be unacceptable to everyone in town. But since most of the citizens, based upon the election turnout, don’t give a damn about what happens in the city, the citizens of Gulfport deserve what they get.

By: David Hearne

David Hearne — Sun, 13 Jun 2010 02:04:46 +0000

I’m still wondering why there were illegal aliens working on the water meter replacement project.

By: Jack

Jack — Fri, 11 Jun 2010 16:25:07 +0000

The problem is Florida Law. The entire growth management structure is centered around County Commissions and City Councils.

I do not know of any elected P&Z Board in Florida. If so, my guess is that it would require a special act of the legislature.

I would be appreciative is someone could point to such an example in Florida.

By: 2iveiw

2iveiw — Thu, 10 Jun 2010 18:17:36 +0000

You’ve written and interesting assessment of our Council, Boards and process. I’m having a bit of a problem concluding that an elected board member would somehow be more effective, though I can see the redundancy and need for streamlining the process.

Our elections are nothing more than popularity contests, and extending them to the Boards would only support the practice. There are some exceptions, and those are apparent in the credentials of the candidate. A person who has experience in the building trades or development, policy formation and legal resolution would be a logical consideration. Who on the P&Z board today has such qualifications? Maybe one of the new appointees but since you have left the Board I don’t think there is anyone with a sufficient background in planning or land use that qualifies.

Just listen to Rudy’s question and comments on May 5 2010
http://www.mygulfport.us/Board_Meetings/PZ/Videos/2010/050510PandZ.html
One has to ask, where is this guy coming from? Multi-family housing is OK but Condo’s are no good? He doesn’t even know what a condo is, how zoning is constituted or what limited authority the City has, this guy is taking up valuable space.

Do you really think that Rudy would not be elected, given the time he has spent on that board, or that Jeri Reed would not be elected, given her influence. We would most likely end up with the same membership, unless there were a more popular member of the community, or a family member of the council running for the seat.

What do the majority of voters in Gulfport want more than anything?