She said (during the discussion related to the revelation that the lighting at the beach is now a $2 million element, not the $90,000 item in the original projection) that the Inspector General is asking even more questions about the project. She said that the beach is now "very public." - When was it not? That is probably the root of the problem, no?
EVERY PIECE OF PAPER, EVERY E-MAIL, EVERY UTTERANCE ANY AND EVERY TOPIC IS VERY PUBLIC - THERE IS NO DEGREE OF WHAT IS PUBLIC AND WHAT IS VERY PUBLIC IN THE STATE OF FLORIDA MS. STANTON - who brought with her a 17 year background in Florida government - ESPECIALLY WHEN YOU ARE DEALING WITH PUBLIC BEACHFRONT PROPERTY THAT HAS BEEN A CONTENTIOUS ISSUE FOR OVER THIRTY YEARS IN THE COMMUNITY IN WHICH YOU WORK . THIS SHOULD NOT BE A REVELATION THAT THE BEACH SOMEHOW REQUIRES MORE OPENNESS NOW THAT THE INSPECTOR GENERAL IS INTERESTED.
She also reported that the Inspector General is looking into the Greater Bay lawsuit - wow!
The staff is saying that the lighting could be "phased in." They are surprised that it will cost so much to provide so little light (metaphor for the BCE?). This is such a basic element and there really is no excuse for this, in my opinion. The site plan was approved in February of this year - lighting should have been part of that plan. The lighting element of the permitting has been being reviewed for the past six months. This is for the total site. THIS SHOULD NOT BE A SURPRISE! We are supposed to be comforted that staff is meeting once a week - sometimes very long meetings - about the beach project. Earth to BCE - it should be someone's full time job to look out for the city's interest in this project.
At the end of discussion on this informational item, the City Manager indicated there were two "publics" who submitted cards to speak. One was Peter Timm and one Suzanne Squires. Mayor Waterman noted that no motion was made by the Commission, so there was really no need to have public comment, but that "she would entertain" these two comments from the public.
I am sure that this was done to full affect, with reading glasses down to the very tip of the nose, just to the point of falling off, and perhaps an extended waving hand with a meager pointing of the index finger in the direction of the podium, glancing away toward the windowed wall with head slightly tilted and, finally, a small sigh.
Ms. Squires reminded the Commission of her First Amendment right of free speech and told everyone about her new "copy center diet" - she is taking money normally allocated for her sustenance and applying that to the printing of back-up material for all the public meetings she attends - which are plenty. I think a new diet book is in the works. Let's try to find some good names for it!