objections to constant cost overruns

Dotson and Youngs voted AGAINST the new gym, Billy, Best, and Garcia voted FOR it. There is no real objection to a new bathroom, or even to enclose the CC. The objection is to paying 3,4 , 5 and more times what it SHOULD cost! Billy is the Mayor, just as Borgemann is the City Manager-the buck stops THERE! They are quick to take credit when something occasionally goes right.

Consistency not always a good thing

Billy led the charge to bury the Pistorino option to the gym. HE decided it wasnt a viable alternative altho the report said that renovation was very possible at 1.6-1.8 million- a far cry from the current 6.8 million we are at now. Billy was in charge and approved payments of $600+ a square foot for the CC enclosure, and TRIPLE what the bathrooms should have cost! He is consistent alright! Consistently throwing away TRUCKLOADS of our tax monies! He stopped listening to the majority of residents a LONG time ago, and now only listens ans caters to those handful of local contractors that make exorbitant profits on EACH and EVERY construction project we undertake! Shameful! He should be embarrassed.

Louisiana Biofuels

Governor Bobby Jindal has signed into law the Advanced Biofuel Industry Development Initiative, the most comprehensive and far-reaching state legislation in the nation enacted to develop a statewide advanced biofuel industry. Louisiana is the first state to enact alternative transportation fuel legislation that includes a variable blending pump pilot program and a hydrous ethanol pilot program.

Field-to-Pump
The legislature found that the proper development of an advanced biofuel industry in Louisiana requires implementation of the following comprehensive “field-to-pump” strategy developed by Renergie, Inc.:

(1) Feedstock other than corn;
(2) Decentralized network of small advanced biofuel manufacturing facilities;
(3) Variable blending pumps in lieu of splash blending; and
(4) Hydrous ethanol.

Renergie looks forward to working closely with the Obama-Biden administration to:
(a) reduce U.S. dependency on imported oil;
(b) repeal the ethanol import tariff;
(c) maximize the environmental benefits of ethanol-blended transportation fuels; and
(d) create jobs in rural areas of the United States by growing ethanol demand, specifically hydrous ethanol demand, beyond the 10% blend market.

Please feel free to visit Renergie’s weblog (www.renergie.wordpress.com) for more information.

heat for cold places

JC Fairbanks: I believe there are small scale geo thermal systems that work something like this..you have an area of heat absorbing material that heats up in the summer months and the stored heat is then used in winter. There is a place in Okotoks Alberta that has 52 homes heated this way. (Drake Landing) Here is a quote...

" 800 solar panels attached to garage roofs.

The black panels transfer solar heat to an antifreeze solution that is relayed by underground pipe to a central heat exchanger.

There, the antifreeze passes its heat to storage tanks full of water. During warmer months, the hot water is stored in boreholes sunk 37 metres beneath a town park. The water warms up the surrounding soil to temperatures as high as 80C. During winter, the heated soil acts as a kind of subterranean furnace, warming up water that is then circulated to homes. "

http://www.dlsc.ca/news/july_07/13_07_07_green.htm Thomas Ashby, Calgary (Sent Friday, January 30, 2009 12:38 AM

commentary

There's a problem with geothermal that no one mentions. Ie. heat only moves through the ground via conduction, not by convection or radiation. So once you pull the heat out of, say, the walls of a drilled shaft (thereby cooling them) it takes a long time for it to be replaced, since conduction is a very slow process. So there is a limit, set by conduction rates, to how much energy you can pull from a given "heat pump", no matter what you use the power for.

In reality geothermal energy is only viable on a large scale where there is geothermal activity (like Iceland, Alaska . . .). Even then, geo-heat is NOT an infinite source as people seem to think (funny how often people make that mistaken assumption). Need proof? Here are some geo-projects that extinguished popular fields of geysers around the world when they tapped their heat sources:
http://snras.blogspot.com/2008/10/geothermal-energy-development-geyser.html
At the same time, their power output has dropped steadily over the years.

Wind, 'bio-mass', ethanol and solar all have their potential pitfalls as well, if done badly. And "Clean coal" is a total misname; THERE IS NO SUCH THING! The term comes from those who stand to profit from it. Like when Eric the Red named a chuck of uninhabitable rock and ice "Greenland", "clean coal" advocates are trying to sell people a bill of goods. And how about ethanol; doesn't it seem odd to anyone that all the loudest deniers of ethanol's multiple problems as a fuel have profit motives?
My point is that all of the alternative-energy options need to be carefully considered *before* they are implemented, not built with a gold-rush mentality. Thus, while profits for innovators have to be part of the equation, they should NEVER, EVER trump sober consideration of possible down-sides. JC, Fairbanks, AK (Sent Thursday, January 29, 2009 10:38 PM

Green tech

Interesting comments on your site about what our government is doing and yes many people are looking for a change that will save our resources and yet provide us with a safer and more environmentally safe home and businesses.

I found on the internet one company which appears to be doing just that and they are making things happen. I found them at this web page: www.greentechbuildingsystems.com

They seem to be the only business which truly offers what everyone and the government has been looking for and they are doing it alone without any help. John, Phoenix AZ (Sent Thursday, January 29, 2009 5:45 PM

clean coal ?

This does sound promising. Companies like URS & TMEN should benefit.

TMEN has a promising clean coal technology. They have a MOU with Babcock Power for TIPS. I think this should be huge. MIT and others have worked on it. Also CANMET backs up the TIPS process by ThermoEnergy.

Check them out.
http://www.babcockpower.com/index.php?option=news&coid=9&task=viewnews&sid=115&Itemid=56

Harris Stevens Short Hills, NJ (Sent Thursday, January 29, 2009 12:25 PM)

Geothermal energy

Remember this is about efficiency. The colder it is outside, the more of that increasingly expensive electricity you will use to extract heat from cold air with any type of air-source heat pump. But the ground stays a nice steady temperature of 45 to 75 degress Fahrenheit depending on local climate. Saving money on installation may reduce your return on investment.
This applies to air conditioning too. On those hot summer days you can draw on that nice 55 degree ground, instead of using electricity to push heat back into 97 degree air.
It is all proportional to the temperature difference. Eirik Thorvaldsson (Sent Wednesday, January 28, 2009 10:44 PM
Pipes 10-15 feet underground stay a comfortable 45 to 75 degress. Pipes pass that cool air up to the surface. If its 20 degress, a 45 degree temperature seems pretty nice.

The Manhattan Energy Project

There could be no better investment in America than to invest in America becoming energy independnet! We need to utilize everything in out power to reduce our dependence on foreign oil including using our own natural resources.OPEC will continue to cut production until they achieve their desired 80-100. per barrel. The high cost of fuel this past year seriously damaged our economy and society. Oil is finite. We are using oil globally at the rate of 2X faster than new oil is being discovered. We need to take some of these billions in bail out bucks and bail ourselves out of our dependence on foreign oil. Jeff Wilson has a really good new book out called The Manhattan Project of 2009 Energy Independence Now. He explores our uses of oil besides gasoline, our depletion, out reserves and stores as well as viable options to replace oil.Oil is finite, it will run out in the not too distant future. WE need to take some of these billions in bail out bucks and bail America out of it's dependence on foreign oil. The historic high price of gas this past year did serious damage to our economy and society.If all gasoline cars, trucks, and SUV's instead had plug-in electric drive trains, the amount of electricity needed to replace gasoline is about equal to the estimated wind energy potential of the state of North Dakota. WE should never allow others to have that much power over our economy again. Every member of congress needs to read this book.

Sherry Tampa FL (Sent Wednesday, January 28, 2009 7:45 PM)

Systematic alternative energy plan

Revolutionary technological transition to Alternative Energy on a massive scale requires forward thinking and coordinated efforts of many industries, Governmental bodies and the whole engineering community. The complete systematic approach to this highly-important socio-economic and technological issue is outlined in Green Electricity (GEL) Initiative (http://www.alexanderbell.us/Initiative/GEL.htm), topping the Google search list for many years. Dr. Alexander Bell, NY, NY (Sent Wednesday, January 28, 2009 5:54 PM)

heat pumps

Jack,

Are you familiar with the Acadia cold temperature air source heat pump? This Old House magazine had an article about it last fall and it sounded like a more affordable alternative to geothermal.Supposedly it works well down to minus 30 degrees instead of the plus 30 of a normal heat pump, so it can be used in colder areas than regular heat pumps, and doesn't need the drilling required for geothermal.It is made by Hallowell,a company in Bangor, Maine, and has only been around a few years.I was keen on geothermal,but can't afford it, and this sounds like a good alternative. going green in caseyville,il (Sent Wednesday, January 28, 2009 7:21 PM)

Geothermal energy

Geothermal Heat Pump Technology, the "Energy Under Our Feet" can provide us with a "Triple E" solution, Energy Independence, Environmental Security and Economic Prosperity. Currently we have less than a 2% share of the market, in my document "The Road to 30%" it shows that with a 30% share of the market (HVAC & water heating) we could achieve and pass the goals set by the Kyoto agreement, we could lessen our dependency on foreign oil by at least 25% and we could retain or create 5 million jobs. All this and we provide comfort to the constituency.
We need to have the Utilities involved and have the ground loop heat exchangers (the pipes in the ground) qualify for emission credits or renewable energy credits, that way the Utilities could own the loops and use the credits for their generation plants that need the credits. It becomes a win, win, win situation. The customer gets a system that uses less energy and provides comfort, the green collar worker (installer, driller, designer etc has the work and the Utility gets the emission offset. We would have to train more of the infrastructure but that is a positive also. Once again, the "Energy Under Our Feet" is a 60 year old new technology that can solve a major portion of the problems that are currently plagueing our country. Jack DiEnna, Springfield, PA 19064 (Sent Wednesday, January 28, 2009 5:49 PM)

commentary

When you are consistently outvoted, yes, sometimes you DO have to choose for the lesser of all the evils presented. That is the political reality. Is there anyone who is saying the purchase of the golf course was NOT the thing to do? The management and operations seems to need fixing, its true, but its not a lost cause at this point.

Pistorino option buried DEEP

Dotson was for the Pistorino option but Billy and Borgemann deep-sixed it quickly and effectively. Of the remaining options available, Link was easily the best presentation and the one that Dotson chose because the BEST choice was not on the table, thanks to Billy and Borgemann.

cheerleaders again

Its hard to tell if the pool, rec center cheerleader is the same ones who led cheers a couple nights ago, but it sure sounds the same. Wonder if THIS poster has a vested interest too. If they wont identify themselves, here or in Council chambers, perhaps the City could just require them to bring their pom poms while addressing the Council? Cheerleading posters here could identify themselves by starting off with a chant or cheer- Gynmbo, Gymbo, hes our man! If he cant do it, Gorland can!... Yeah! Pom Poms would be optional for them, but theu COULD describe their really fetching cheerleaders outfits!

Dotson commentary

Exactly what functions of Mayor do you think that Mr Dotson CANT handle? He has had plenty of energy to perform his Council functions so far- what other demands are there? He is the ONLY one to ask the difficult questions that need to be asked, particularly about the budget, because that is his area of expertise. He has forty years+ of accounting experience and can guide us thru these difficult fiscal waters. He KNOWS when numbers just dont make any sense, and has the gumption to ask why not, when they dont make sense. His extensive experience with budgets will be invaluable next year when the full effects of this extensive-and-deepening recession/depression hits. His opponent has NONE of this background or experience to offer. He is the right man at the right time for THIS job in THIS town.

GDP drop worst in 25 years

WASHINGTON - The economy shrank at a 3.8 percent pace at the end of 2008, the worst showing in a quarter-century, as the deepening recession forced consumers and businesses to throttle back spending. Although the initial result was better than economists expected, the figure is likely to be revised even lower in the months ahead and some believe the economy is contracting in the current quarter at an even faster pace.(AP) Where is the idiot who was waiting for the GDP to contract three quarters in a row, so that an official recession could be declared? Is he satisfied NOW that we are in a recession? And have been since December 2007! He should run for Council, as he is JUST as clueless as they are.

let them eat cake

Billy has said that unemployment in Dade is probably around 10%. So he IS aware that people are hurting, and struggling. He has said that this expensive new gym would be even more important in this ever-deepening recession- people who cant afford day care, or a Ballys membership, or gas in their car, food on the table, or lights on in their house, would have a nice new gym to come to, to forget their troubles. It is the "Let them eat cake" theory, updated to 2009. It is also hopelessly out of touch with the average Springs family, where a nice new expensive gym is nice, but NOT necessary. Food on the table, gas in the care, lights on in the house, and taxes and insurance bills being paid are the necessary things our residents NEED. We do NOT need increased taxes, fees, and additional debts. This is a time for tightening our belts, making some sacrifices, and surviving - NOT going further into debt and hiring new employees, which further increase our costs and financial burdens. Billy just doesnt seem to get it.

empty suits?

Since when did political campaigns become beauty contests or fashion shows? Campaigns are supposed to be about issues and ideas, vision and possibilities. The well-dressed suits and CEOs on Wall Street have stolen us blind. Is that the kind of representation we want from our elected representatives? Are we to believe that ANY of the Council was elected due to their fashion sense or natural beauty? Please. Obviously wasnt due to their common sense either.

100k max

Interesting Letter to the Editor in Gazette. The president has frozen salaries in his administration to 100k. Suggests Council impose the 100k max and a permanent salary freeze at that level. Those making over 100k would take a cut to 100k. Those who refuse would be replaced by those who ARE willing to abide by those guidelines. Leadership starts at the top, and he is providing that in spades. Sounds like a plan. When do you think OUR leaders will show some of this leadership ? Ever? There are a LOT of people who would like a chance to GET BY on 100k per year. We need to find some of them.

clueless Council?

Earlier Thursday, the Labor Department reported that almost 4.8 million Americans, an all-time high, were receiving unemployment benefits. That number is likely to grow as a slew of major U.S. companies have announced mass layoffs this month. Companies have announced about 130,000 layoffs in January, according to an Associated Press tally. The U.S. has been mired in a recession since December 2007. It is on track to be the longest downturn since World War II. (AP)
Are there any geniuses out there now, who believe this is just a bout of inflation and a correction? They were waiting for the official word classifying this aa a recession MONTHS after everybody else knew we were in trouble. Now if we can only get this thru to the Mayor and the Council. They seem to remain clueless.

comments

It is rumored that the plumber last night is also a Springs resident. Obligations to the wellbeing and safety of ones family must always take the highest priority. This was apparently the case with Mr. Garcia. He is young however, and his voice will surely be heard in a future political conversation.

commentary

This forum seems to be most helpful and valuable when issues are addressed. When personalities are involved the issues are frequently lost and the discussion degenerates into name-calling and worse. This forum can be, and usually is, an exercise in American democracy. Freedom of speech. Lets make an effort to address the issues in a manner that lends itself to productive and positive debate and discussion, and eventual resolution of the many problems that face us as a community. We really ARE all in this together. stating the facts as we know them, with accompanying documentation or credible references, should always be welcomed. Personal attacks and vendettas have no place here. Personal criticisms based on facts of public officials and their performances is fair game. It is part and parcel of their position and a healthy and necessary part of our democracy, as a part of the checks and balances process. Lets do our part, but do it conscientously and include ALL the facts as it pertains to the method and performance of our City officials.

Mayors lament

Billy seemed to be observably upset that anyone would doubt that his motives for wanting the new gym were anything but altruistic. It would be easier to believe him if the whole thing hadnt been handled in such an underhanded, secretive, and disingenuous manner. To say the survey indicated that the residents wanted a wide array of new services was unwarranted. They asked a bunch of kids what they would like, as a wish list, with NO considerations as to the possible costs. A bowling alley and a water-theme park were two of the options, if memory serves me. IF the Pistorino report had been given a full hearing, discussion, and vote, then it could be said that due diligence had been done. THAT wasnt done, and was dismissed early on by the MAYOR. HE was responsible for burying that report DEEP so it was never heard of again. Kids presented with a wish list are going to ask for everything they can get. Those are wants, not needs. Its the adults job to inject some reasoning and fiscal sense of what is affordable to that discussion. The Mayor seems intent to bring this new gym here whether we need it, want it, or can afford it. There is considerable doubt on all three fronts, and that leads people to question his motivations. If he had operated in an upfront, transparent, and responsible manner those questions would be moot. To decide out of hand that the Pistorino option was NOT a possibility AND not let the people vote on the new gym was a mistake that may very well come back to haunt him.

Cheerleaders, The Sequel

Nice to see everybody at the city hall tonight discussing the parking and height variances and utilizing their rights as American citizens. many good points were brought out on both sides. Even the cheerleaders showed up again and had their say. Darned if they didnt FORGET, again, to let everyone one know that they were contractors on the job and stand to make a LOT of money off it! That way the people listening could give their opinions the consideration it deserves. They COULD have mentioned it before, or after, but FORGOT, again. While it may not be illegal, it is certainly unethical to not reveal that information. The plumber and the window contractor for the new gym both spoke IN FAVOR of the new gym project. Imagine that! The window guy was very impatient with all the discussion and debate and just wanted it done quickly, so he can start collecting those fat City checks. He correctly said all the discussion wont change their minds and that the Council didnt need to even give the appearances of having an honest and impartial debate- just do it! VOTE! NOW! The plumber was a little more discrete but NO less positive that the sooner he can start collecting those fat checks, the better! Nobody else who spoke had an ulterior profit motive for speaking, only the cheerleaders.

Fla is #10 in most unemployment at 8.1 %

In 2008, the country lost 2.6 million jobs, and in 2009 at least 2 million more jobs are forecast to disappear. Minneapolis-based retailer Target Corp. said Tuesday that it will cut an undisclosed number of workers at its headquarters. Elsewhere, specialty glass company Corning Inc. said it would cut 3,500 jobs, or 13 percent of its work force, as demand slumped for glass used in flat-screen televisions and computers. And chemical company Ashland Inc. said it would eliminate 1,300 jobs, freeze wages and adopt a two-week furlough program. Roughly 40,000 layoffs were announced on Monday by a string of companies, including Pfizer, Caterpillar and Home Depot. Florida is #10 in unemployment at 8.1%, HIGHER THAN THE NATIONAL AVERAGE OF 7.2%. No relief is seen for this year and until next year. Earth to Council- are you listening? How much longer can you pretend it has NO EFFECT on Miami Springs? How much longer can you pretend that costs are "immaterial" and "irrelevant", Mr Garcia? Mayor? Council? How much longer can you guys remain unconcerned and not care about receiving or paying fair market value?

Earth to mayor and Council

With tens of thousands of layoffs announced this week by well-known employers such as Pfizer Inc., Caterpillar Inc. and Home Depot Inc., the unemployment picture is bound to get worse in every region of the country, economists say.
Earth to Mayor and Council- we have a problem.

American Civil Engineers report card on USA

Report card 2009 Public Works Infrastructure

The American Society of Civil Engineers issued a report card grading 15 categories of public works.
Subject Grade Comments
Aviation D Travelers face increasing delays and inadequate conditions as a result of an outdated air traffic control system and the failure to enact a federal aviation program.
Bridges C More than 26 percent, or 1 in 4, of U.S. bridges are either structurally deficient or functionally obsolete. A $17 billion annual investment is needed to improve conditions. Currently, only $10.5 billion is spent annually on construction and maintenance.
Dams D The number of deficient dams has risen to more than 4,000, including 1,819 high hazard potential dams. Over the past six years, for every deficient, high hazard potential dam repaired, nearly two more were declared deficient. There are more than 85,000 dams in the U.S., and the average age is just over 51 years old.
Drinking water D- Drinking water systems face an annual shortfall of at least $11 billion to replace aging facilities that are near the end of their useful life and to comply with existing federal water regulations. This does not account for growth in the demand for drinking water over the next 20 years. Leaking pipes lose an estimated seven billion gallons of clean drinking water a day.
Energy (National Power Grid) D+ Progress has been made in grid reinforcement since 2005 and substantial investment in generation, transmission and distribution is expected over the next two decades. Demand for electricity has grown by 25 percent since 1990. Projected electric utility investment needs could be as much as $1.5 trillion by 2030.
Hazardous waste D Redevelopment of brownfields sites over the past five years generated an estimated 191,338 new jobs and $408 million annually in extra revenues for localities. In 2008, however, there were 188 U.S. cities with brownfields sites awaiting cleanup and redevelopment. Additionally, federal funding for “Superfund” cleanup of the nation's worst toxic waste sites has declined steadily, dropping to $1.08 billion in 2008, its lowest level since 1986.
Inland waterways D- The average tow barge can carry the equivalent of 870 tractor trailer loads. Of the 257 locks still in use on the nation’s inland waterways, 30 were built in the 1800s and another 92 are more than 60 years old. The average age of all federally owned or operated locks is nearly 60 years, well past their planned design life of 50 years. The cost to replace the present system: $125 billion.
Levees D- More than 85 percent of the nation's estimated 100,000 miles of levees are locally owned and maintained. The reliability of many of these levees is unknown. Many are over 50 years old and were originally built to protect crops from flooding. With an increase in development behind these levees, the risk to public health and safety from failure has increased. Rough estimates put the cost at more than $100 billion to repair and rehabilitate the nation’s levees.
Public Parks and Recreation C- Parks, beaches, and other recreational facilities contribute $730 billion per year to the U.S. economy, support nearly 6.5 million jobs, and contribute to cleaner air and water and higher property values. Despite record spending on parks at the state and local level, the acreage of parkland per resident in urban areas is declining. While significant investments are being made in the National Park Service for its 2016 centennial, the agency’s facilities still face a $7 billion maintenance backlog.
Rail C- A freight train is three times as fuel efficient as a truck, and traveling by passenger rail uses 20 percent less energy per mile than traveling by car. More than $200 billion is needed through 2035 to accommodate anticipated growth.
Roads D- Americans spend 4.2 billion hours a year stuck in traffic at a cost to the economy of $78.2 billion, or $710 per motorist. Poor conditions cost motorists $67 billion a year in repairs and operating costs. One-third of America's major roads are in poor or mediocre condition and 45% of major urban highways are congested. Current spending of $70.3 billion per year for highway capital improvements is well below the estimated $186 billion needed annually to substantially improve conditions.
Schools D Spending on the nation’s schools grew from $17 billion in 1998 to a peak of $29 billion in 2004. However, by 2007 spending fell to $20.28 billion. No comprehensive, authoritative nationwide data on the condition of America’s school buildings has been collected in a decade. The National Education Association’s best estimate to bring the nation’s schools into good repair is $322 billion.
Solid waste C+ In 2007, the U.S. produced 254 million tons of solid waste. More than a third was recycled or recovered, representing a seven percent increase since 2000. Per capita generation of waste has remained relatively constant over the last 20 years. Despite those successes, the increasing volume of electronic waste and lack of uniform regulations for disposal creates the potential for high levels of hazardous materials and heavy metals in the nation’s landfills, posing a significant threat to public safety.
Transit D Officials estimate $15.8 billion is needed annually to maintain conditions and $21.6 billion is needed to improve to good conditions. In 2008, federal capital outlays for transit were only $9.8 billion.
Wastewater D- The Environmental Protection Agency estimates that the nation must invest $390 billion over the next 20 years to update or replace existing systems and build new ones to meet increasing demand.

irrelevant and immaterial

It is painfully obvious to us, the taxpayers, that the Mayor and Council have NO idea and NO interest in fair market value at the pool, or anywhere else, for that matter. They are even blissfully unaware and unconcerned when the City is charged 3,4, 5 times the fair market value for each and every construction project that is undertaken. It is "irrelevant", and "immaterial" what the fair market costs are, as Mr Garcia points out, because they will just raise our taxes and fees AGAIN when our monies are gone! When you look at it from THAT perspective, as Mr. Garcia and the rest of the Council says, fair market costs and profit margins ARE "irrelevant" and "immaterial". Of course the fair market values are NOT irrelevant OR immaterial to those who are PAYING those exorbitant bills! The Mayor and Council are not concerned because its NOT their monies that are disappearing! Its ONLY taxpayers money! Fair market value is an alien concept to them- four letter words, so to speak! They are NOT interested in whether we are receiving fair market value OR are paying fair market value- in both cases, whatever Gym says is just fine with them! Its the taxpayers that are the ones being fleeced in either, and both, cases. Lets make the current Mayor, Council, and City Manager irrelevant and immaterial.

common sense not so common at City Hall

State representative says next years budget will be 3.5-4.5 BILLION less next year then this years budget, "cities are struggling". Billy admits that Dade Co unemployment is around 10%. They KNOW that next years revenues will be considerably less, yet they CONTINUE to add costly positions (costs) to the taxpayers burden! It is apparent that they just DONT CARE how much the taxpayers have to pay! They will, and have, just raise our taxes and fees in order to realize their personal agendas and ambitions! Common sense dictates that we cannot just along our merry way like we have for the past five years or so, granting each and every pay raise that comes up, adding expensive positions, and paying 3,4,5 times what each and every construction project costs. The $90 an hour good plumber that used to work for me has been replaced by a $50 per hour good plumber, and there are several to choose from. Still not a steal, but certainly a more realistic pay scale in this difficult environment. Why has the City not realized this? Start with the Dept heads. Common sense is just NOT so common at City Hall.

1371 chose to vote

Mr. Garcia said last night that the Council "chose" to allow the people to vote on annexation. That isnt really all that accurate, as Council had numerous oppurtunities to allow the people to vote over the past couple years, but didnt take them. The people should have voted on the new gym, but werent given the oppurtunity by the Mayor and Council. They only now come to that conclusion NOW because 1371 people signed a petition and FORCED them to allow a vote by the people. The people will get to vote IN SPITE OF the Mayor and Council (except for Dotson), NOT because of them. Mr. Garcis NOW says lets do due diligence. WHY has he NOT been in favor of doing due diligence for the past several years? Why has he NOT pressed to have town meetings on the issues of police response times, pollution, mitigation fees, the FEC properties, and the zoning questions prior to campaign season? Its better late then never, I guess, but it COULD make a person wonder because SEVERAL other people, including his opponent, have been calling for due diligence for YEARS! Why did Mr Garcia NOT call for due diligence for the new gym? Why did he NOT call for an examination and discussion of the Pistorino report and option, like his opponent did? Looking at the Pistorino report WOULD have been an example of doing due diligence, but he said NOTHING. NADA. ZERO. ZIP. It is scary to think that this Mayor and Council, that hasnt done ANYTHING close to due diligence (looked at ALL the options) in the past four years or so, is NOW going to be in charge of explaining to the taxpaying residents what their options are?? HOW would they possibly know? They have spent the past several years pushing hard their personal agendas and made a concerted effort to NOT address all the issues, in spite of Mr Dotsons efforts! Has ANY of the other Council members addressed ANY of the potential annexation issues in any depth? even mentioned them? Who wrote a letter addressing ALL the issues in some detail? Mr. Dotson. Who asked for DERM to come out and discuss possible pollution issues? Mr. Dotson. While a call for due diligence and discussion of ALL the options is certainly WAY overdue by Mr Garcia, its about three years too late, and rings of political expediency more than any serious belief in that process.

fiscal insanity

Dotson suggested last night that the City consider changing their investment strategy from making money to NOT losing money- preserving our capital, be it bonds or some other investment device. They are anticipating a 171k drop in revenues this fiscal year. Our revenues are falling as our costs are rising due to new hires and the new gym -does that sound ANYTHING like good fiscal common sense? Sounds more like a case for impending bankruptcy, or insanity- or both. Spending more than you have coming in is a sure road to disaster. Why doesnt our government live within its means? Everybody else does.

a plan

Freezing pay and hiring, require Dept heads making over 100k to take 15% cut in pay, and charging the standard rates for our facilities would be a start. Review performance records of all employees and do an independent financial review of each would give us an idea of where we stand now. Letting people go would be less desirable than giving everybody a pay cut and/or less hours to work. Everyone has to bite the bullet, from the top on down. So far only the residents have been suffering. We are ALL in this together. Those who arent inclined to take a pay cut so that firings wont have to occur will be shown the door. Those glad to HAVE a decent-paying job will be hired. We can, and will, get the job done with less. We have to.

political comedy

It was almost comical last night to see all the politicos jumping suddenly on the, "We really wanted the people to vote all along" bandwagon last night. Dotson is the only one who has espoused this cause all along. If they truly believed that the people should vote on all BIG issues they would have had the people vote on the new gym. Billy is on record as saying he didnt think that was necessary in that case, but gave NO cogent reasons for his conclusion, as usual. Youngs said he didnt want to bring it up to a vote until the boundaries were clearly established. IF that were true, and its very doubtful, why isnt he, and the rest of them, on record as saying that all along? Not a peep, up until now, as if they could slip this one in too, like the new gym, they would have. If you havent had a chuckle today, watch the Comcast video of all the politicos scrambling and backtracking to spin themselves into a good position. One even said the Council CHOSE to allow the people the right to vote! Bullfeathers!The annexation petition FORCED them to allow it because otherwise, it would never have happened!

Big IFs

Dotson ALSO went on the record last night as being in favor of annexation IF IF IF, and ONLY IF, the issues of mitigation fees, possible pollution, zoning, the annexed owners, and the FEC properties can be resolved in a way that is favorable to the City of Miami Springs. There was supposed to be a pollution report from a guy at DERM- that hasnt happened. Unless the County signs a contract which agrees to clean up any possible polluted areas at THEIR expense, annexation wont work, as some cleanups can cost a million and more. Why would we want to annex polluted properties and expose ourselves to that liability? Mitigation fees of $336,000 a year forever is just unacceptable. Lawsuits are entirely possible when the owners of those commercial properties become aware that their tax rates are going up two points overnight. It would be sheer senseless stupidity to annex properties where we do NOT have control over the zoning, as we would NOT be able to control the quantity or quality of the businesses there. Dotson made that point a long time ago. So there are a LOT of issues to be resolved BEFORE annexation can be considered a viable prospect for Miami Springs! IF, after those issues have been discussed and debated thoroughly, and it is determined that annexation is a good thing for us, then we should vote.

Dotson on record as critical of City Manager

Dotson read a prepared statement last night that was very critical of the City Manager and the manner in which the new Rec Director was hired, the resignation, and the City Managers failure to let Dotson know that he was NOT accepting the resignation. it is a STRONG statement regarding the ways the City Manager operates. See it yourself on Comcast. When he was finished reading his statement he asked his fellow Councilmen and Mayor if they had any comments to add to his statement- not a peep out of any ONE of them. They apparently do not mind being misled about background checks that werent made, Optimist connections that do NOT exist, or handshake deals that nobody is aware of or that makes pennies on the dollar of actual values of city facilities. In other words, WHATEVER Gym wants to do, is A-OKAY with them! The Rubber Stamp Regime LIVES! It WAS agreed to put the hiring process on the agenda for next time and discuss ways to improve the process, if any. There are already policies and procedures in place, the Mayor and Council just need the intestinal fortitude to make sure they are followed by the City Manager!

too much experience?

While its true that a lack of experience, good judgement, and qualifications are problems that have faced the City in their past hiring situations, it did NOT stop them from hiring those without the aforementioned credentials! A case could be made that city employees have TOO MUCH experience- making handshake deals instead of contracts, fabricating resume checks and various other things, giving away the use of city facilities for pennies on the dollar, being clueless regarding City revenues and how they were derived, overpaying 300% and more for City construction projects, repeated change orders and cost overruns,and taking over TWO years to complete a 4-month project, among other snafus. Maybe we just need to wipe the slate clean and start over.

experience is ALL thats important?

It is interesting that a poster isnt interested in the ISSUES involved in this campaign, just their EXPERIENCE. What experience are they referring to? Work experience? campaign experience? political experience? financial experience? business experience? Legal experience? educational experience? academic experience? Miami Springs experience? Life experiences? romantic experiences? Athletic experiences? Why would any of those experiences be more important than the ISSUES in this campaign? Would the person requesting all that information be including the Mayor and Council in their quest for knowledge regarding the experiences? Past political stands? past comments while in office? past behavior while in office? Or are they just interested in the new candidates? Some areas of life are NOT anybody's business, of course, maybe even most of the previously mentioned areas. How many areas of their life is the poster going to reveal? They should really set the tone and start it off. You know, SHOW us what kinds if information you want by revealing your experiences first! NOT your hopes and dreams for Miami Springs, your vision, and how you hope to accomplish it - somehow the ISSUES and ones rationale for taking those stands arent not important. Why not?

part of platform

3 Page Report

Should be part of platform for campaign. Sunshine on ALL management operations. Collection of ALL fees. NO special deals at manager-s discretion without council approval and subsequent review to determine benefit to city residents. NO subsidization of private businesses! Reformed hiring practices with no waiver of requirements to hire friends, relatives or business as sociates. Public review of potential liability from lawsuits. Mandated time limits for release of FOIs. Performance reviews of management by job description. Financial report releases are part of that...

shift of energies

The resident made a five-page address to the Mayor and Council listing multiple problems with documentaion, controls, fabrications, fees charged, and handshake deals in Open Forum. The Mayor and Council did not choose to address ANY of those items. As a result the resident has decided to shift his energies toward campaigning for a Council spot, Group 3. If he gets elected there WILL BE a serious investigation of pool operations and personnel. The Council and Mayor are currently interested mostly in the new gym variances.

annexation redux

VG is leading the charge towatd annexation, like MS, without bothering to actually DO anything close to due diligence. In the past three months ten VG people that I know have been asked about possible pollution, mitigation fees, zoning, and how the people in the areas to be annexed feel about being annexed, and NOT ONE even knew those issues exist! Is VGs Mayor and Council suggesting that they have done their due diligence in these matters? If so, when was it done? What are the exact dates those issues were discussed? It doesnt appear that VG has done any more due diligence than MS officials have - little and none of any substance. Perhaps the residents of VG do not care about these issues, but the residents of MS DO! 1371 MS residents signed a petition to have a vote and their say on the issues associated with on annexation. To try to stop the vote would be a serious political blunder. This may be one of those rare cases where political suicide might actually be a GOOD thing. We could call it a mercy killing or euthanasia, and the financial suffering of the taxpaying residents would be over.

commentary

It would not be necessary to reveal every detail of every internal investigation. It WOULD be good to know that an investigation was initiated by xxxxxx, and findings were yyyyyy (no further investigation is needed, changes need to be made, charges were unfounded, etc). The Mayor and Council have been made fully aware of the situation and they feel zzzzz due to qqqqq. The investigation is/isnt ongoing and the case is/isnt closed at this time. This would lend some accountibility to the process without having to divulge all of the details, so that if happened again everyone would know who is responsible. The Mayor and each Councilperson could go on record as having reviewed the case in its entirety and is either satisfied/not satisfied that a quality investigation has been made and/or appropriate steps have/havent been taken, and that they will be monitoring the situation personally in the future, if necessary. The City Manager could answer any questions the Mayor and Council may have regarding this, or any, situation and how it evolved, what improvements, if any, need to be made, etc. This would lend some transparency to the process and some accountability, while protecting the rights of those involved and the delicate nature of personnel decisions. As it is now, people could assume that it was all swept under the rug, as no investigation was done, no actions were taken, and nobody is responsible, now, or in the future.

commentary

In the same issue of the Gazette the Editor opines that the bloggers on this site do not have all the facts of the Rec Director situation, which is true. Few facts, if any, were released and when facts are withheld, people speculate. The best way to dispel any rumors, etc. is to present the facts so the people can decide for themselves. Did the City Manager do due diligence in vetting the new Director, or not? If not, why not? He vouched for the new Rec Director so it is assumed that he checked him out thoroughly and completely. Why would he recommend to the Council somebody who HADNT been checked out comprehensively for " the most important job in the City". Is that a job one would recommend a casual acquaintance for? The standard policy and procedure for hiring any candidate includes a thorough background check, etc., no? Why was this NOT done in THIS case? Could this be a case where the resume AND the background checks were both fabrications, to one extent or another? Is the Mayor and Council aware of these possibilities? Does the Mayor and Council approve of these possible omissions or fabrications, if they occurred? Are they concerned? If not, why not? If so, what are they doing about it? We need to know if the City Manager is doing his job to protect the employees and the residents- or not!

political self destruction?

Read in the Gazette where MS City Attorney said, " The referendum being proposed has NOTHING to do with the current annexation application. The Miami Springs administration is fully cognizant of, and has under control all annexation issues" Amazing. IF the referendum being proposed has NOTHING to do with THIS annexation proposal, WHAT annexation proposal does it have to do with? 1371 people signed a petition saying they want to vote on annexation- how much clearer can it be? Are there any OTHER annexation applications out there? If not, then it HAS TO BE directed at the current annexation proposal, no? Can it be that he is splitting legal hairs to avoid the stated will of the people? 1371 votes is a LOT of votes. To ignore those votes would be political suicide. Not that that particular suicidal action might not be a good thing for the residents of Miami Springs, of course!

clean coal ?

What is clean coal?
By: Matthew McKnight | Posted: January 23, 2009 at 8:29 AM Print Email RSS
environment
going green
greenhouse gas

What is clean coal?
matthew.mcknight
01/23/2009 08:29
Politics is full of rich oxymorons: peacekeeping missiles, business ethics and Gov. Rod Blagojevich, just to name a few. Add to those one that is being used ever more frequently these days: clean coal.

In America's industrial history, coal has been both dirty and deadly, but it has been anything but clean. The use of coal—in the old way—is still the biggest contributor to the emission of greenhouse gases—the suspected culprit of global warming. Additionally, there are other harmful byproducts of coal including: fly ash, acid rain, mercury, uranium and other harmful metals. And with the recent fly ash spill in eastern Tennessee, the idea of clean coal seems laughable. So what exactly is "clean coal?"

The answers are varied—depending on the time period you're talking about and who you are talking to.

The first example of a "cleaner" version of coal came early in the 20th century, when coal was used to power transportation (trains and boats). There were early experiments with "smokeless" coal by U.S. and British navies who prized this brand of coal for its lighter, lesser-detected smoke. Nevertheless, this "smokeless" coal was no more environmentally pure than its "dirtier" cousin.

And, prior to WWII, anthracite and bituminous coal were used in homes for cooking and heat for the same "smokeless" properties. Because coal was necessary for electricity and heat, the government, in the decades since WWII, worked to develop more efficient methods for use and to improve oversight. Since 1970, the environmental impact has lessened.

Nowadays, though, the term is used to describe its process and technology, the American Coalition for Clean Coal Electricity offers this definition: "Any technology to reduce pollutants associated with the burning of coal that was not in widespread use prior to the Clean Air Act Amendments of 1990."

What is different is the process by which we extract and use coal. Since 1990, technology has rapidly improved and warranted a more specific definition for “clean coal.” Steven Chu, the Nobel Prize winner who was nominated for energy secretary, believes that there is more to be done. Nuclear power and carbon capture and storage (CCS) are seen as cleaner alternative methods to the old-fashioned ways of producing electricity and heat.

Nuclear power plants are not new, but they remain alternatives because they do not produce greenhouse gas emissions. Coal power plants burn coal to heat water and produce steam. This steam turns turbines and generates electricity. Nuclear power plants produce electricity in the same process, except that they use uranium, instead of coal, thus avoiding the byproducts of burning coal. It is odd to consider nuclear power as “clean coal technology” because it avoids the use of coal altogether.

CCS is a new method that literally captures the carbon dioxide, and it can be stored safely in ways so that it would be unable to further contribute to global warming. CCS has been tested in Europe, but major attempts in the U.S. were stopped by the Bush administration.

Despite the various notions behind "clean coal," coal, the material we still burn, has not changed. There is not yet a singular grasp on what clean coal really is or could be. All signs, however, indicate that we should and can be doing things differently.

Matthew J. McKnight is a graduate student at Georgetown University and a writer for The Root