DOES  ANYONE  AT  CITY  HALL  FOLLOW  THE  RULES ?
                If a common person broke as many rules as were broken at the January 13th, 2003 Winter Springs Commission meeting, they would be standing before a courtroom judge!   

  Consider the following:

        1. Commission meetings are scheduled to start at 6:30 P.M.    It appeared that the Commission was in Executive session, for the meeting did not start until almost 7 o'clock.    This closed-door session was done without proper notice nor opening of the meeting and then adjourning after announcing the session.
        2. There was no explanation about the Executive session, which should have been made.   There was also no apology, to those waiting in the chamber, for the delay.    So much for Open Government.
        3. Two items listed under the Consent portion of the Agenda were transferred to the Regular portion of the meeting.    This is most unusual, since all the particulars of the two issues had been ironed out beforehand.    However, it was more than obvious that the parties affected were not given any notice prior to the meeting that changes to the agreed-upon particulars were being proposed by the City Manager and some Commissioner.    This is consistent with the wishy-washy way of doing business with this City Manager.    
        4. This appeared to be an attempt on the part of the City Manager to delay hearing on the issues.    His claim of not having the figures does not compute!    This is why these items are on the Consent Agenda, because the City Manager has gone over the figures and particulars.    He should be prepared to provide such information to the Commissioners. 
        Attending Commission meetings can be quite entertaining.    Huge agendas, such as the last one, with 50+ items to be discussed cannot possibly be completed.    Agendas must now be sequenced not only by the letters of the alphabet, but numbers as well, just so the Commission can navigate where they are at on McLemore's War & Peace-sized agendas. 

ligthning  strikes  the  commission  chambers  !!          lightning  strikes  the   commission  chambers   !!          lightning  strikes  the  commission  chambers  !!          lightning  strikes  the  commission  chambers !!!

        Did City Commissioner Miller, after hastily making a motion to adjourn the meeting, do his math and figure out that if they got half-way through the agenda after 4 hours, then it would be 3:00 AM before they finished the other half ?        

other questionable actions taking place at the start of year 2003 ---

        There was a discussion concerning someone with a felony conviction, if his/her civil rights have been restored, being able to be named to a City Board.    Did this matter concern someone who is presently on a Board?    If so, it must be asked why this information did not come forth in the background check that is supposed to be conducted when someone is placed on a Board.    Was this done?    If not --- WHY NOT ?

( NOTE: A reliable source has indicated that the enforcement of background checks has not taken place since the ordinance was enacted almost two years ago.    Another reason to question this City Manager's actions ! )

         If you had read the legal publication of this ordinance in the Orlando Sentinel a few weeks ago, publicizing this, you would have found nowhere the reference to the City Manager's desires to hire convicted felons whose rights had been restored by the Governor.    What is being hidden in this devious maneuver?

           Isn't it the City Manager who sets the agenda for each Commission meeting?    Isn't it the City Manager who deals with most issues brought before the Commission?   Isn't it the City Manager who is supposed to have figures at hand when asked for more information?    Why is it that the City Manager must constantly hire "consultants"?    Didn't he have credentials and expertise when hired?    Why would he have to have a paid "consultant" run a meeting of a Citizens Advisory Board?    We think some answers are due the taxpayers of this City!

         NOTE: The consultant currently hired was also his hand-picked selection to chair the "Charter Change Committee", along with a newly-elected Commissioner, who was anointed by former Commissioner Gennell.    The outcome of that "specially-selected consultant-laden committee --- hand-picked by City Manager McLemore --- gave him his extraordinary control of the City.   He says "He works for the Commission" ---- but he didn't say he continues to control them !   

        A County judge, picked by the former Mayor even challenged the "Charter Committee's actions".    Alas, he was the sole challenger the actions of this "special-anointed committee - by the politicians!     The McLemore "heavy-weight consultants" were old friends of his previous domains.    Was he repaying a favor along the way of his various tenures ?    The City of Winter Springs has been his longest stopover. )

        As the balance of power is still staked out on the Commission dais in the City Manager's favor,  PFGG can see little change from the past six years during his growth to -- NOT DECISION MAKING -- but vote control to sway the Commission on  his projects and spending whims.    

        However, on a more positive note may be the control of Commission meetings by new Mayor John Bush.    He's going to have has hands full trying to stay abreast of the economical, and legal status created by the City Manager's control over the Commission and City Attorney.

           Mayor Bush has already indicated he has citizen concerns who attend the Commission meetings.    His concerns are caused by long agendas, generated by the City Manager, which most of the time leaves citizens with issues to address either having to reschedule another meeting, or maintaining their presence in the chambers to all hours of the early morning.    This, however, is now being hampered further with an additional ploy inserted on the Commission meeting agendas.    It gives "carte blanc" to those on the dais who wish to manipulate the agenda.   Such insertion is ---

[ Go to "Special Agenda" insertion ]

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