Monitors from the Guinness Book of World Records were on hand Thursday, January 3rd, 2008 as Osceola County Government broke a long standing record. Osceola County will now be offically recognized as the fastest government agency on record to break its own New Year's Resolution.The County Commission had put together a special New Years Resolution workshop (a.k.a. Strategic Planning Workshop) in December to decide on what the best resolutions for the new year would be. One of those resolutions was to create a "robust and diverse economy." The announcement that this was one of the top resolutions was heralded by many to be a positive turning point in Osceola County history.
By January 3rd, however, this resolution had already been broken. In an article in the Orlando Sentinel it was announced that the county had intentions of using the Beaumont property in Downtown Kissimmee as parking for jurors serving there time. David Peach, the county real-estate director, noted that jurors would park in the lot, and be bussed (a taxpayer expense) between the remote parking lot and the courthouse. The Beaumont property is a large empty area in the middle of the City of Kissimmee that has the potential to be a strong economic hub for either the financial or bio-medical sectors. This has been a hope for many in the community for the past several years, but it seems that satellite parking is more important for the county.
When asked why the parking was needed, one county official responded that the county was running out of room. Government was getting bigger and bigger, and we needed the parking so government could continue to grow. Government, it seems, does not require a robust and diverse economy to grow. Since government survives on taxes that people have to pay whether they have good jobs or not, government growth is safe for now.
The officials from Guinness certified the resolution breaking record and then hastily left as they had caught wind of a record setting pumpkin.
7 comments:
As for one of their other resolutions, it is hard to have a healthy community when everyone is working two jobs to survive. These politicians need to go.
How many jurors will be there at 7am to be bussed to the courthouse when they have parking and empty spaces closer than that? The county pays for the buses? Lynx is expensive, Kissimmee and Osceola have used them before. They charged by the hour and the drivers are usually doing overtime. Will this be an ok excuse for the jurors if the say "I missed the bus?" Or "the bus left early/late". Aren't they creating new problems instead of solving old ones?
Thursday, January 3, 2008
from news gazette
Letters to the editor
Why run county same way?
To the editor:
I have been reading several articles in KSIB.net and I would like to address a specific issue.
It seems that the only Osceola County Commission candidate that is showing anything about wanting to learn how the county is run is Mr. Carlos Cayasso. Why should anyone want to learn from County Chairman Ken Shipley? Don't we have enough of the good ole boy politics?
Why do we need to keep running the county business the same way? Does Shipley still want to have his hands in county business through Cayasso? Is it maybe that Cayasso will be the acting commissioner or, shall I say, Shipley's marionette. Doesn't this county need fresh blood and new ideas?
By having Chairman Shipley teach Mr. Cayasso and burn the candle on both ends by also helping Commission candidate Jeanne Van Meter, this shows me that Shipley is not ready to step down and spend time, as he puts it, with his family. By burning the candle on both ends, he is trying to secure the so-called power that comes with the position.
Let it be known that a candidate, when he or she takes that oath of office, should work for the people of Osceola County and not for any special interest or lobby group – especially not for the same old political figures that have brought this county halfway down to its knees.
Like I said, it’s my opinion and I live in California now, but dirt is dirt and wrong is wrong.
Wayne Evans
Simi Valley, Calif.
When Wayne Evans referres to "this county," is he referring to Ventura County, California which is the county Simi Valley is in, or is he referring to the place he no longer lives, Osceola County. After years of watching this guy flip-flop on candidates and issues, I would hope that at some point he would educate himself on his new home so he can flip-flop on issues there.
As far as the Osceola Ad-zette publishing a letter to the editor on local politics issues, from someone who lives in another state, I assume it must be a slow news day, or it was too cold this week for you to go out and look for any real news.
As far as Wayne Who re-publishing this guys letter, I think it is great that you post comments no matter how off the wall they are, but maybe you should focus on Puppet Theatre. It was more informative than blog comments like this one.
This article is not about the blabberings of Wayne Evans. This articles is about the continued mismanagement of our county. Shutting down businesses in downtown Kissimmee for parking or paving over the Beaumont property for juror parking is just stupid. It are decisions like these that have left Osceola county in the mess that it is in. WayneWho is correct that you cannot talk "Economic Development" but not practice it. If you are going to build an economy, then you have to make decisions that are going to help. Parking lots and special schools on prime economic property are not the answer.
You are absolutely right! This article is about mismanagement of our County. READ IT AGAIN! You will see how this County Commission has mismanged. Now they arte continuing to teach new candidates to do the same. WAKE UP!
BASH WAYNE EVANS ALL YOU WANT. WHETHER YOU LIKE THEY GUY OR NOT, READ THE ARTICLE. THIS IS FACT, NOT FICTION FOLKS. DON'T YOU THINK IT'S TIME FOR A CHANGE? BEEN HERE 25 YEARS AND IT'S THE WORST I'VE SEEN IT SO FAR. COME ON!
GIVE CREDIT WHERE CREDIT IS DUE.
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