Big Government Coming to Winter Springs

            The City of Winter Springs contention that Seminole County was going to impose big government on people as a result of its charter amendment was an underhanded scare tactic.    But now look who is really expanding government at taxpayers expense.

( for more on the winter springs' court scam click [ here ] )

            City Manager Ron McLemore wishes to expand his office to create an Economic Development Division --- click [ here ].     Wow, sounds important and pricey.    Under its consent agenda, the City Commission will blanket vote for a resolution at its November 8, 2004 regular meeting to create this “oh-so needed” division.     As with everything McLemore does, there are no costs associated with this resolution for the Commission to debate over. 

             We all know money is the least of McLemore’s concern, and that commission debates are non-existent because everything is decided before the meeting begins.    Why else would the expansion of city government be under the consent agenda?     Was this division already a done deal when the 2004/2005 budget was approved weeks ago?     It’s hard to believe that running an Economic Development Division, under of all people the City Manager, will be free or cheap.

             According to the detail agenda item, McLemore claims that this new division is needed because developers, and investors, are reluctant to share information with the City, because of confidentiality and proprietary reasons.    In plain English, that means no one outside of Winter Springs who may want to bring business into Winter Springs trusts the City Manager (McLemore) with information.    Loose lips sink ships, and McLemore’s lips must flap at the hint that a new business is coming to Tiny Town.     What makes McLemore think that developers or investors will be more apt to share information with one of his underlings?     We all know the person McLemore hires will be required to run right over to his office to spill the beans as soon as the developer or investor leaves City Hall.

            Probably, the real reason Ronnie wants this new division is two-fold.    First, he knows he is a big screw up when it comes to working with developers or wooing potential investors to his Tiny Town.     Secondly, because he knows he is a big screw up, he knows he can’t justify to the Commission another hefty pay increase for himself.     He’s already overpaid for doing little.    So, instead of asking for another raise, he does the next best thing.    He fabricates a situation and a way to dump some of his job responsibilities onto some else by creating bigger government.    In the end, he makes the same big money for doing much less.    And, in the same breath, manages to free up his time so instead of spending two hours every week pushing his agenda with Commissioner Donald Gilmore at the Rotary Club of Winter Springs breakfast, he can spend four.

            Of course, to push his government expansion through McLemore must bring in his big gun City Attorney Anthony “Boom Boom” Garganese to do his dirty work.    Why else is it being brought up under the City Attorneys office and under the consent agenda?     We all know that the City Attorney has drafted a few lousy ordinances in his time at City Hall.     Certainly, Garganese’s latest resolution deserves some legislative and monetary scrutiny.

            The bottom line is Winter Springs’ government is expanding to no end under the leadership of City Manager Ronald McLemore, and his lapdog commission.   When you really look at what McLemore brings to the table, all you see is a big fat zero.    The man does nothing at the expense of all citizens.     And, to top it off, here he is the most highly paid manager of any municipality, or county in Central Florida, and developers/investors can’t trust him with proprietary, and confidential information?     Gee, where is Donald Trump when you need him?

PUBLISHER'S NOTE:   Prior to the vote on the "Rural Area Protection Amendment" in, and for Seminole County to protect the wet-lands and urban areas, a meeting was held between the Cities of Winter Springs and Oviedo.    That meeting was about the excessive intrusion of the City of Winter Springs into the County on the Eastern side of the 417 Beltway.    The City of Winter Springs, with tongue in cheek, said they would call a "moratorium" on their aggression into the wetland and urban areas that they needed for high-density growth.    That was ALL one big farce, because already on the annexation agenda was that very item for passage at the Winter Springs NEXT Commission meeting.  

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