Round-up, 03.16.09

A few items I wanted to highlight today:

Mark O’Brien: “The judge is out of order on CMPA”

The News Journal columnist calls out CMPA chair Lacey Collier in a big way:

Should we be shocked that Lacey Collier gets upset that people have the nerve, the temerity, the gall, the chutzpah to question his judgment?

No, we shouldn’t be surprised. Collier was a poor choice for the job as head of the Community Maritime Park Associates, another instance where Pensacola picks the usual suspects to run the show.

I’m surprised that Mr. O’Brien called him out, but he hit the nail on the head. I’ll go a step further. Judge Collier was a terrible choice to head the CMPA. He’s cranky, seems to have a disdain for ordinary citizens, and doesn’t seem to have a very strong grasp of Florida’s Sunshine laws.

As Mr. O’Brien quotes, Judge Collier complained recently that the City of Pensacola was “looking over [the CMPA's] shoulder.” Are you kidding me? Can you believe the gall of City staff, running around, trying to assert oversight on a project on which the City will spend tens of millions of dollars? The nerve!

See also “O’Brien on Fire” at the excellent Pensacola Beach Blog.

Larry B. Johnson: “Bayou Boulevard resurfacing moved up”

Looks like freshman Councilman Larry B. Johnson is making things happen. Irritated about the condition of Bayou Boulevard from 12th Avenue to Firestone Boulevard, Councilman Johnson repeatedly pressed the issue, bringing it up at Council meetings, meetings of the Tranportation Planning Organization (TPO), and ultimately sending a letter to the secretary of the Florida Department of Transportation.

Looks like his nagging has paid off. FDOT Secretary Larry Kelley’s reply to Councilman Johnson:

Specifically, you requested the Department to consider advancing the referenced improvement. In an effort to provide assistance, we reviewed our production schedule for opportunities to advance this project. Pursuant to your request, we have advanced the project from a February 2010 letting to an August 2009 letting.

Councilman Johnson could have made the usual excuses but continued to press the issue and got results. This is what we elect Council members to do. How refreshing is it to see members of Council that are not only responsive to their citizens, but willing to run issues like this to ground?

Rick’s Blog: “We are a broken city”

Rick Outzen reprints a letter sent from Pensacola architect Brian Spencer to members of the Pensacola City Council. Mr. Spencer’s letter deals primarily with the salary/benefit issues covered by Jamie Page in Sunday’s News Journal:

A new City Charter was needed years ago. The change to our Charter simply cannot happen soon enough. We are a broken city.

The lack of performance based merit is incredulous. I regret that this fiscal irresponsibility is being couched as improper in the context of today’s anemic economic climate. But, at least the current recession provided the springboard to expose what has long been a carefully guarded, time honored secret.