First, there was Rep. Rick Kriseman's video calling on City Hall to demand more from Jeff Lyash's stadium group.
Now, former City council member Viriginia Littrell, a member of Preserve Our Wallets and Waterfront, is calling for a citizen based task force. Here's the email she sent out this morning:
This statement from Rick Kriseman was not a surprise to me - he and I discussed these issues over a 2 hour lunch a few weeks ago. I am sure Rick wanted to give Mr. Lyash the benefit of the doubt, hoping for a truly representative panel, as we were all hoping for the best.
Of course Mr. Lyash has now made his MO clear which is why so many in the community are responding so vociferously. Now is the appropriate time to address the creation of a more representative panel....and address it loudly and clearly and publically.
I believe the city council should establish a citizen based baseball task force much as the council did for the future of Albert Whitted Airport.
It is stunning that the council allowed Mayor Baker to simply appoint a chair and move what should be a government investigation on behalf of the city and its citizens, into a privately controlled corporate climate. I would point out that the existance of the ABC Coalition does not preclude the city council from actually doing the people's business. They have a responsibility to obtain information regarding the continuation of baseball from sources other than those looking out for the interests of the Rays, and they have an obligation to prevent further community divisiveness.
They MUST establish a citizens Blue Ribbon Baseball Task Force charged with investigating all issues attendant to a major sports facility and return a complete and factully supported document to the council as their official advisement. The council will necessarily delegate municipal authority to the task force which will legally place its operation in the Sunshine, require the retention of public record, and establish easily available meeting locations for the public and of course meeting notice. It would also establish staff and financial support to run the task force and allow the progress to be posted on the city's website. The council would establish all of the above, plus the appointment process and the scope of work through an enabeling resolution. Adopting a resolution is a rather simple process. An ordinace is a little longer because of the first reading requirement, but if city legal wanted an enabeling ordinance that is certainly doeable as well.
I would think that the appointees, which should not include appointees from the Mayor since he has his own task force working, would elect their own chair and establish the needed subcommittees, further expanding the possibility for public input and citizen participation.
So, the answer to your question is "NO" we do not have to - and should not- rely upon ABC's private process to establish a guideline for the city's future. "YES" the city council can and should create a more legitimate process for the benefit of both the citizen's and the council's knowledge....and dare I add, for the knowledge of the Rays, who apparently have no idea what " due diligence" and "community participation" mean.
The city council owes this to the citizens and if they should fail to do this they have failed to provide fair and equal representation to the citizens on the issue of baseball. I was willing to give Mr. Lyash the benefit of the doubt and I am now willing to give the council the benefit of the doubt. Mr. Lyash disappointed me, but I have higher hopes for the council. Parhaps some of them are thinking along these lines already.
Virginia
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