posted
Nov 29, 2008 by Lamar Thames
With some of the last vestiges of cronyism and good-old boy politics gone in Clay County, it is now time for the naysayers to drop their protests and move forward.
Roy Lyons and Karen Lake need to put away their legal tactics and join the majority to brace the “changes we can believe in” mantra of the recent presidential election.
Now that Arthur Ivey has received 5 years’ probation for his no contest plea on a grand theft charge (some will say he deserved to go to prison), one chapter in an ugly book on Clay County politics has been laid to rest.
With a highly respected county manager and five new commissioners in place who were not part of the illegal dumping disaster that brought a black eye to Clay County, we can look to a bright future, one hopefully not filled with rancor.
The public has spoken overwhelmingly and so have the courts against the five-plus-two Charter Review Commission’s vision for the future. The proponents of the change need to learn to deal with the defeat and move on. That version of county government is not going to happen.
Lyons said he is going to appeal to the state Supreme Court but I don’t think the court will take on the case. The appeals’ decision was unanimous. Lake has filed an appeal on the amendment reducing commission salaries. The public has said it wants smaller government. Lower salaries spells lower government to me.
Somewhat surprising, however, was the new County Commission’s decision this week to name Commissioner Wendell Davis as the new chairman of the board. Davis was one of three commissioners elected to the board this year. The others are Ronnie Robinson and Travis Cummings.
Doug Conkey was vice chairman of the County Commission for the past year and probably could have assumed he would be thrust into the position of leading the group in the next year, as has been the routine. I don’t think it was a reflection on Conkey’s ability but rather acknowledgement that Davis’ years of serving on various public boards would serve the commission well.
I am sure Davis would probably have preferred to sit on the commission for a year before assuming the mantel of leadership but he didn’t get that option.
So, are all of our problems solved now? No, of course not. There is still the issue of the beltway, uncertainty at animal control and transportation issues we need to deal with. But at least some of the distractions are out of the way. I’ll talk to you again next week.
Fred Catchpole
11/29/2008
10:15 am
#49
The ending of an era always leaves unanswered questions. Should those questions be asked and further probed or should they be left alone. Clay needs to move ahead and those who support Roy’s case should accept what happened and help the new board learn what is the will of the people, which is not the behind the scenes decisions made for those government leaders.
The beltway issue if left as planned will have a devastating affect on the community. As I said in my first blog in MCS about it, the initial planned route would have served both the Counties needs and the States needs as well as future and present commercial traffic needs.
The Shands bridge needs to remain a viable exit for hurricane traffic. To that end 16 should be widened to 4 lanes all the way to 301. Easements are already in Place, that combined with widenling of 218 to 301 to 4 lanes could accomodate all future flow requirements for the next 15 years.
The mindset of the residents of Clay county is different from other suburban neighborhoods around urban centers. Today’s leaders as well as future leaders need to understand that and plan to service those needs acceptable to the mind set. Old style politics favoring special interests is not what will serve those needs.
Lamar you are correct the focus now needs to turn to undo many of the mistakes of the past. The Beltway project needs to be scrapped it is too costly. Development must be controlled to meet demand and supply balance to do this large developments must be approved in phases because greed of developers will not keep things in balance. Plantation Oaks is a prime example of too many rooftops without demand or even the financing to achieve it.
By building to keep supply and demand in balance property values will remain strong and not reduce. Hind sight is always 20/20 but with proper motives of our leaders we can look ahead without having to criticize the past. Proper motives are to look out for the peoples interests first. Clay county as well as the Nation have been placing me first attitudes with the greed that goes with that attitude. Honer and integrity need to be understood and ethics regulations and rules put in place and enforced.
Anyway Lamar your post was a good beginning I hope you will speak out in the future on the issues and look at all the implications of the actions of our leaders.
Lillian Brown
11/29/2008
10:43 am
#51
Talk of the Town:
Welcome back Lamar: I miss your columns and I am happy that you are back and informing your readers on issues that affect our lives.
I wish the print was a little larger and darker as I found it hard to read this morning. Maybe it is just my eyes getting one year older.
Keep writing: Lilly
Ravines Homeowner
11/29/2008
12:45 pm
#52
Personally, I don’t get caught up in Clay County politcs…however, I couldnt help but see Roy Lyon’s name in your column. The man so well liked and responsible for the state’s largest weed and vegetation farm, formerly called, The Ravines golf course. For those who may not know…his “personal agenda” is why we who live in the Ravines can look out our backyards and just spit with great disgust. I don’t care what the political issues are with this man or why you even brought up his name, but I can tell you whatever it is, he needs to stick with what he does best…being just a retired educator with too much time on his hands. Thanks for the wonderful golf course that we all could be enjoying right now!!!
Pat Barrett
11/29/2008
7:58 pm
#54
Lamar,
I hope you and yours had a wonderful Thanksgiving. I read your column blog. The habit of reading you words on paper versus the computer screen, although different, the content was great as usual. I have never been one to do that. But as a testament to your insightful writing it looks like I will start. Thank you as always.
Pat
Marsha Willoughby
11/30/2008
3:47 pm
#55
Lamar your position in the column is a welcome surprise. Even more of a surprise is that I don’t necessarily agree. I believe there is a very deliberate and ongoing attempt to make the Citizens Petition Initiative more difficult. Those people involved are not all known to the general public but I have my suspicions. While it may be a risk to encourage Lake & Lyons to move on with their pursuit to stifle the people through the court system I believe it’s a risk worth taking. The Higher Courts have been very obvious in their decisions to protect the power of the people. If Roys case gets rejected at every level then there is somewhat of a definitive end. If any of them accepts the case and rules against them which odds are they will it will most certainly be a definitive end.
If they accept it and Roy and/or Karen prevails it would be a bitter pill to swallow indeed but I don’t believe that is what will happen.
The agenda against the people will continue, there will be attempts by some on the next CRC to try again. Having exhausted the legal system and with the CTLAC vindicated they will have a harder time of suppressing the Citizens Petition Initiative.
With regards to the comments about the Ravines,I am a resident as well. As much as my respect for and opinion of Roy Lyons has significantly diminished over political issues it is not my belief that he is either primarily or solely responsible for it’s demise. Many things factored into the reality we now deal with. Roy was not alone, nor even among a minority in not wanting to see the course altered, or more homes in a built out pud added. This column isn’t about the Ravines so I think that is enough said on that subject.