St. Petersburg's secrecy is out of control

Good morning and happy Monday. Nice three-day weekend, wasn't it?

My print column tomorrow will probably be on the topic of secret government in St. Petersburg. As we now know from this article and this article by my colleague Cristina Silva, the City Council agenda on June 19 included a deliberately obscure, disguised, misleading item tucked into the "consent agenda" just a few hours beforehand -- which actually was the city's portion of a $34.4-million package of benefits for Jabil Circuit.

Now, make no mistake. We are talking about three different issues here, and we should not use one to justify another. The first issue is whether it is a good idea to give tax dollars to Jabil Circuit to get the company to stay here. The second issue is whether these kinds of deals should be made in secret, as state law allows.

But the THIRD issue is whether, once the deal reaches the public stage, the city of St. Petersburg is right to continue to deceive the public, even as it is conducting public business in an open meeting of the City Council. This disguised agenda item -- not even some of the City Council members knew what they were voting for -- was mislabeled "Project Extreme." I am sure the city staff thought it was being very clever.

I know that this is just fun and games to City Hall, but a meeting of the City Council is, under Florida law, the place that the public's business is conducted. It is the place where decisions are discussed, in the sunshine, and where the decisions are made -- no place else.

Running a fake, falsified or secret agenda strikes at the heart of open government. In fact, it is the OPPOSITE of open government. If enough members of the City Council knew and understood what "Project Extreme" meant, voting on it without telling the public, then somebody had to tell them -- and I question whether a possible violation of Florida's open-meetings law has occurred.

Remember that St. Petersburg ran seven months of secret government during 2007, even conducting fake public hearings and holding sham City Council elections, while it sat on the secret that the Tampa Bay Rays intended to use the city's waterfront for a new baseball stadium. The City Council then said that it would protect that waterfront the very next time it amended the city's land-use rules -- then went back on that statement. Now we see that even the meetings of the City Council itself can't be trusted at face value.

Comments

[ugly]

Howard, now that is what having the power of the press is about

[Hammer]

Howard, this skirting of the “Sunshine” law is rampant in Pinellas politics, not just St. Pete’s. Our local elected officials have gotten themselves caught up in this tangled web as a result of increased voter apathy over the past decade.

Several municipal and county office attorneys and public officials have mastered the art of manipulating the difference between the “letter of the law” and the “spirit of the law”. From my perspective, they have been actively engaged in a systematic removal of the public from the very process we own and fund. Fascinating enough, we’ve even seen local politicians make bold admissions to “private meetings” before the “public meetings”. These private meetings and secret (coded) agendas have but one purpose; to shield information from the public.

There’s no getting around this; it is bad, bad, bad government and flies in the very face of the democracy that our young men and women are sacrificing their lives to protect and defend.

This is not what was intended when it was written “of, by, and for”. As the electorate, we had better wake the hell up about it – more importantly DO something about it – but quick!

… just my thoughts

[Justin]

Yeah, yeah, secret government, yada yada.

Actual news, factual shmooze...

But how 'bout those Rays?!

[Justin]

Maybe THAT'S the reason local governments love professional sports teams so much! If so much attention is focused on the field, it's waaaay easier to pull one over on the general public.

Gives the local paper something other than real news to put on their front page as well.

Genius.

Howard, many of us who regularly care and pay attention to government at all levels have known this about the Baker administration for MANY years, and Hammer is RIGHT ON regarding consistent INCONSISTENCIES in the abuse of the sunshine laws in a more universal manner.

It's about time that this administration was legally held accountable for countless violations of the public trust, whether it be simply ethics violations or truly criminal. This is important.......and demonstrates clearly why WE THE PEOPLE. have no faith in Mayor Rick Baker to speak for all of us, nor his cronies...... Jeff Lyash appointment to the "baseball task force" point in fact. Oh yeah, I trust ANOTHER corporate sponsor to lead the charge for a new stadium responsibly...NOT.

Thanks for getting on this.......I knew you would be because the smell is noxious.......and BTW, our City Council in it's shameful lack of attention by VOTING ON THE DANG SECRET OPERATION prove, once again, why government in this city is a sheer JOKE at this point in time. Glad Karl Nurse noticed AFTER the fact, but my goodness......WHERE WAS COUNCIL'S BRAIN ON THE DAY OF THE VOTE?? Never mind......... I already know the answer to that question...

Lorraine

[Mr. Tibbs]

They are smarter than us,Howard and only doing it for our own good,off to see the rays play.

[Don in St. Pete]

Howard, This happens throughout Florida and the implications can have severe ramifications for the unsuspecting public. Glades County last year approved the Glades power park deal without even notifying the public that it was on the agenda. Fortunately the Governor killed that deal, but maybe a good platform for the next mayoral candidate to insist that Government in secrecy will not be a part of his admin.

[ugly guy]

Lo0rraine Poss is still kicking

[Hammer]

Karl Nurse is smart to raise the red flag on this.

But he’ll be even smarter if he can avoid falling into the “I voted for it; then I read it” mantra so prevalent throughout our local system. We elect these folks “represent us”, not “decide for us”. We also elect them with the understanding that in the performance of their duty relative to their respective agenda’s, that they will read it, understand it, discuss it, debate its merits, and inform the public “BEFORE” the actually vote is taken.

... just some more thoughts on this

Good for opossum....but he should not become your pet...........he should be with a rehabber to learn to live as a wild animal............PLEASE do that ASAP, or you ruin the creature's chance for a real life!!

Lorraine

[Bland]

Howard and All,

Does anyone learn from other’s mistakes? The BOCC -Jim Smith land purchase debacle for example.

I bet if Bernie McCabe’s office were to have the City Commission and Mayor in a Grand Jury hearing to ascertain if the Sunshine Law was “in fact” versus “in spirit” violated they would be more inclined to have “public” discussions of what they are voting for.

What an oxymoron,”secret plan voted on in public meeting to achieve government in the Sunshine.” Folks, the City Commission just called all of us, a bunch idiots, with that vote and the way it was handled.

Now what are we going to do about it? I think it is long overdue for some heads roll on the City Staff. If they have enough people to dream up these kinds of charades, then we have too many people working for the government.

I am not opposed to supporting an employer, like Jabil, to keep them in the area. I just do not like, at the very least, violating the appearance of the law. We do not need representatives of the citizens who skirt around and do back room deals.

It appears like little, if anything, has changed at City Hall.

[ugly guy]

Lorraine Poss is only as big as a mouse........

[Jon McPhee]

I guess the folks who have assumed that absolute power goes with any little bit of delegation from the electorate have not read either the document Howard posted at the top of his last thread, or the federal or state constitutions. And all that mumbo-jumbo in the various oaths they take about "protect and defend" the rights so dearly bought is just more blown smoke.

I wonder if unelected powers like Mr. Lyash will be taking government even further underground than Mayor Rick, "The Man Who Would Be Daley." Can't hardly wait to see what hatches out of the dragon's egg as the stadium thing progresses.

The Supreme Court may have come to the right result on gun control, even if for all the wrong reasons. What's that about a militia, again?

Mayor Baker should not have appointed ANY task force IF it is to have negotiating privileges with legal and financial implications for the city AND county, without
A) Defining the nature of such a body...........if it can recommend policy, IT SHOULD BE FULLY UNDER THE SUNSHINE

B) After defining the functionality of such a body, ONLY COUNCIL CAN AUTHORIZE such formulation and appointments if I know the city charter.

Howard, PLEASE check on that........it's important and completely follows the thread that you have established here.

Lorraine

[Pella]

Our city government is in the toilet. How do we stop these fools? Any real suggestions out there? I would love to hear them.

Mayor Baker's act is another usurpation of power from the council, another thing which THEY HAVE NOT EVEN QUESTIONED...............I hope that the Times will explore and define the validity of these musings.

If all this rings true to law, then Mr. Lyash as the LEADER with a direct corporate interest in such an effort should be yanked forthwith so that a moderating party WITHOUT possible gains from such an enterprise would provide the ONLY believable format for true discussion.

Lorraine

[Hammer]

Pella,

One very simple but effective suggestion: VOTE THEM ALL OUT! FROM THE CITY TO THE COUNTY TO THE STATE TO THE FEDS.

Never, in the history of this great nation has there been a stronger need to clean house from the dogcatcher to the President.

And Lorraine, you are on it like gravy on taters!... it's all about avoiding the Sunshine.

[Larry]

And you're surprised of this because of what? Howard, either you're mighty green (and I hardly think that)or considerably naive to expect anything but from this city government. I have never understood where the outrage is by what these "representatives" of the citizenry continually try to pull off behind their bosses backs. Even the newest elected members, Dudley and Newton, never bat an eye at the way business is conducted by this city staff. Dudley is the biggest disappointment since the AMC Pacer.

[Faith]

As Howard wrote, "we’ve even seen local politicians make bold admissions to “private meetings” before the “public meetings”. Do you mean, like, Mayor Baker's Sunday meeting with the Rays before their Wed. press conference to announce their very convenient withdrawal of their stadium proposal? I highly doubt that was one of Tricky Ricky's prayer breakfasts. It would look as though City Staff and a last-year mayor is in charge of our town not City Council. Wouldn't it be nice if they were all held accountable for the various fiascos they have approved? But no; they'll all be long gone and out of office by the time the ramifications of all this secrecy finally surface. Howard, you may be the only person who is working "in the sunshine!" Thank you for your candid piece.

[ugly guy]

Lorraine -- while you are still young and feisty run for a political office,
We need people in office that can't be deterred from doing whats best for the people and with less worry about their own bank accounts.

[Jon McPhee]

As to executive usurpation of legislative power, that is truly an ancient story.

What happened to the Roman Senate, to our own purblind national Congress, and to state and local legislatures from Alabama to Wyoming, ain't nothing new. As one WashPost pundit observed, it's a lot cheaper for a "special pleader" to only have to corrupt the guy at the top, and his staff -- and most of them got there by a very different route than the one Mr. Smith took to Washington, so their predisposition to take care of "the base" is already well established. An economist would tell you that this is a much more efficient way to bribe your way to special deals for your special interest than having to deal with a whole lot of legislators with THEIR palms out.

Go look up the obviously staff-crafted Wikipedia entry on Mayor Rick and check out his antecedents. Aren't we smart to elect guys like him, who know how to "make things happen?"

I think now we need a guy like Ed Strongarm (or was that Armstrong?) for Mayor, then Governor, then President. Buy the man a white horse and a tasselled helmet, and turn him loose!

I don't think even Lorraine, or even a whole phalanx of Lorraines, caparisoned with high ideals and the notion of the good and true, has a prayer of defeating people with sordid economic interests.

The only thing Karl Marx was right about, in my little view of the world, was the notion of the dialectic. Wonder what shape Synthesis will take in Pinellas County.

Howard, you are going to need some heavier copper wire and a much brighter bulb in that searchlight you shine around the dark corners of our little room.

Just watch out that the "economic interests" don't steal the copper that other "economic interests" have bid up the value on, to the point that stealing it is good business.

[Walt]

You ask about the promised DC-P zoning change. It's not just hiding stuff, Howard. The City Staff also stonewalls things they don't want to deal with.

You gotta love the response! Staff is initiating a rezoning but staff has no actual intention of moving it forward. See Julie Weston's response below. Interesting exchange.

_______________________________________

----- Original Message -----

From: Citizen
To: Julie Weston
Sent: 6/26/2008
Subject: Al Lang park zoning

Julie:

In the recent LDR update you sent out, it noted regarding Al Lang zoning:

"Update:
At the Direction of City Council, the Development Services Department will initiate an application to rezone the property known as Al Lang Field at Progress Energy Park. No further action is proposed at this time "

Does this mean staff will be bringing a proposed ordinance forward to council for action on first reading to rezone the Al Lang property? When would this occur?

I would appreciate it if you could advise me if and when staff will be bringing DC-P zoning forward for Council 1st reading consideration for Al Lang. Thanks.

Citizen

_______________________________________
Citizen

At this time there's no schedule for this change.

Julie Weston, Director
Development Services Department
julie.weston@stpete.org
(727) 893-7287
City of St. Petersburg
PO Box 2842
St Petersburg, FL 33731
________________________________________

[Tombstone]

All of city council and the mayor should resign. Where is the State Attorney when you need him? Charlie Crist, where are you?

[Cathy]

If I remember fairly recent history correctly, weren't Baker's father and brother both convicted in an economic scandal shortly before he was first elected Mayor? Didn't we elect him anyway even though his role in the "troubles" his relatives were in was left charmingly vague? To quote Forrest Gump's mama; "Stupid is as stupid does".

What we've allowed to happen during Baker's terms in office is nothing less than a complete abdication of ALL city powers to a conniving and manipulative "strong mayor" and the business interests he so ably represents. Coming so quickly on the heels of yet another shrewd move (the Rays) and further preceded by all the misdirection and obfuscation during the LDRs (no, not just on the Rays and Al Lang rezoning) SHOULD give all of us a clear idea of what this man and his stooges are capable of. Funny but the Times Editorial Board is still swooning over him. Why would THAT be d'ya reckon?

And now that we've had AMPLE proof of the deception this bunch is capable of, anybody wanna bet how solid those supposedly WONDERFUL crime stats produced by our bumbling Chief Harmon are? If so, meet me downtown at midnight this Friday and we'll walk around awhile. HINT: don't bring anything along you don't want to lose and by ALL means be sure to pay up your life insurance.

Bring on that grand jury - I hope I get a front row seat!!!

Jon and Guy,

Have no fear............being a politician seems to sign one's death knell as a reasonable person with good history and common respect..........I'll go broke complaining as opposed to signing on the dotted line for the "Strongarms" out there (liked that one, Jon) to "get me elected". I've seen too much........

POWER TO THE PEOPLE....

Lorraine

[Mr. Tibbs]

What will they think up next,satellite tracking systems for the city's garbage trucks.

[Rick K]

It's interesting how the Times coverage of this story has evolved, without any acknowlegement of past mis-statement from the Times.

One story said that some City Council members had no idea what they were voting on. Later versions from the Times indicated that every council member was briefed ahead of time.

Look, if the law permits secrecy on issues like this, and the County and City opt for something that is legally available to them, that is one thing.

I take exception with Trox's overreaching on the handling of the Rays negotiations last fall. If Christina Silva is correct when she says that City staff are legally obligated to protect the confidentiality of parties seeking economic development incentives from the City, then the City staff did PRECISELY what they are supposed to do, under the law.

The election wasn't a sham. It is not appropriate to reveal every economic devlopment idea that has been requested, including those which city staff are unlikely to advance or which need to be researched more thouroghly. These things are supposed to be done confidentially, to protect the businesses from negative consequences.

Certain privacies are worthy of protection. Attorney-Client privelege. Doctor-Patient privelege. Spousal Privelege. And negotiated deals where parties may not seek help if they know their requests will be made public.

If the law says I can ask the City for economic development help and that won't be revealed, then that is a good thing, if it results in more people seeking economic development help.

[Jon McPhee]

We should all recall that old adage about "'Tis better to remain silent and be thought a fool, than to speak and dispel all doubt." I'm as guilty as the next sinner, but some sinners are more guilty than others.

The cool thing about blogs is that you can ignore content that looks to be a waste of time. Rick K can ignore the stuff I and pretty much everybody else writes, and I can ignore the stuff he writes. But sometimes it's fun to pick a scab.

We might recall the applicability of the Rick K "cloak of silence" doctrine to such deals as the no-bid contracts given to certain oil and oilfield supply companies in Iraq recently, or Boeing's and the DoD's stacking of the deck on the many-billions "economic development" deal for a replacement for the KC-135. Pick almost any day, read the WashPost or pre-FOX Wall Street Journal. You have your choice of stories about must-be-kept-secret deals involving draining economic blood from the public's veins, complete with "legal opinions" like Rick's interpretation of Ms. Silva's take on whether the law doesn't in fact REQUIRE that the City government keep all these little $34 million bleedings away from those irrational people, the electorate-taxpayers.

Would the Mayor-and-staff-secret-consultations-with-special-deal-seekers be covered under the Priest-Penitent privilege,or the Spousal Privilege? Given all the recent news about priests and what-have-you, maybe it doesn't matter which you pick -- some innocent is sure to be getting screwed.

It occurs to me that maybe the K in Rick is for Krauthammer, who also appears to love his own volubility on the value of despotism to a free society.

You go, Rick! Mugabe's secret- and graft-loving government has an economic-development post just waiting for you! And it's all for the good of the people, they just don't understand or appreciate without benefit of your wise exegesis!