The Newscaster/Nature Coast News
PAGE 11 - August 17, 2011
Letter to the Editor:
Editorial - Opinion - Commentary
Re: Levy County Government – Its Heart Warming!!
June 30, 2011 on page 10A of the Chiefland Citizen, under “Our View”, there’s an
Yankeetown Mayor's Report
article titled “Personal agendas? Or betterment of country”. Let’s review the history over
the last several years of actions taken by our county government. Along with two of our
county commissioners being indited and convicted on corruption charges, we also have a
A Guest Commentary by Yankeetown Mayor Dawn Clary
local businessman who it seems instructed an undercover, federal agent on how to grease
Tarmac - The court has ruled against Yankeetown on the Writ of Certiorari. Yan-
(Coaching) the palms of the local politicians.
keetown was requesting that the court quash the decision made by the Levy County Board
Eye opener!! That same Coach (Self proclaimed “Good Old Boy”) was instrumen-
of Commissioners to approve a special exception for mining to Tarmac. Yankeetown’s ob-
tal in the formation of the long overdue, non-funded, for profit Tri County Hospital, which
jection was that the BOCC violated its own codes by granting the special exception before
is now expecting the City of Chiefland to acquire and spend $650,000 in grant money (tax
Tarmac had received all of the required permits. A hearing was held on August the 8th. The
payer money’s) to extend water and sewage to it, from a city that is essentially broke. A
Judge denied the request. He stated that after reviewing the memorandums and case law
project over the past four years has shown itself incapable of raising the money’s for con-
submitted by the parties, the documents in the case file and considering the arguments of
struction and which has applied and received several extensions from the Florida Agency
counsel, he found that the petition for certiorari should be denied on its merits. The YT
for Healthcare Administration.
Council will consider whether or not to appeal. A related case filed by Withlacoochee Area
In support of that PRIVATE for PROFIT business and its $60,000,000 in economic
Residents (WAR), a local organization, is going forward in September.
state bonds (which it lost), our county government return’s to the state, $865,000 in citizen
More Kudos - The Florida Rural Water Association held its annual conference last
bond money (those monies were to be used for the Levy County citizen’s benefit).
week in Daytona Beach. They had asked if we would please attend as they were presenting
Then AS ISSUER of the $60,000,000 in hospital bonds, the county authorizes the hiring of
us with our 20 years of membership award. Yankeetown sent a representative and I was
an outside legal firm “Nabors, Giblin & Nickerson” as advisers and we’re paying a county
expecting a nice certificate but instead they gave us a beautiful clock with a temperature and
attorney (Ann Bass Brown) $120,000 dollars a year as the county’s legal adviser.
humidity gauge. It was very nice of them and it is a wonderful addition to the hall. The
Did you know that the Tri County Hospital has a $1,614,524.68 dollar architectural lien
FRWA has been a big help to us over the years as their mission is to support small towns like
against its property behind Wal Mart and a $820,000 dollar mortgage plus interest??
us.
Was the realtor for this piece of property, “The Coach”?
Fire Merger - Chief Paul Shearer has said that the meetings looking into the pos-
When I brought up to the Levy County Commission the possibility, if the hospital should
sibility of merging fire departments have gone very well. They have had two meetings so
fail, the county might be held liable in a court of law, by person’s who purchased those
far. The whole idea is very preliminary at this time but Chief Shearer has said that if anyone
bonds and lost their monies (Levy County is the issuer).
has any questions they can contact him or Fire Liaison Tommy Sholes.
Commissioner Danny Steven said in essence “let them sue, see where it gets them”
WGP - A lot has been happening at the park. The carpet for the museum building
(See Commissioner’s minutes).Who do you think would be paying for that litigation??
is being installed. The Friends of the WGP are graciously donating additional funds to cover
It warms my hackles to hear such brilliant statements from our now, senior commissioner.
the final cost of the carpet. The elevator has been finally finished and soon should have all
Soon after, Levy County had a $700,000 dollar short fall in the county budget and now the
of its proper paper work. The Family of Martin Murphy has donated a beautiful bench in
shortfall deficit is $1.4 million dollars according to Commissioner Drew.
his memory. Do every thing you can to create good memories of your loved ones. Someday
The Chiefland Citizen states this shortfall deficit, raises the possibility of higher assess-
you will just turn around and they’ll be gone. Good Night and Good Luck
ments, higher property taxes, county employee furloughs or cuts in work hour’s and cuts in
services.
Letter to the Editor:
Gosh, up to now, I’ve been overwhelmed with the numerous services supplied by
Re: IPD Insubordination
the county to all its citizens and not just a few choice ones.
It is essential in a democracy that all military and police be subordinate to civilian
Brings a tear to one’s eye, doesn’t it?
authority. How many times have you seen a democracy toppled when some two bit military
The County returns to the state, $865,000 in support of a private corporation (Tri County
officer decides that he knows better than the established civilian authority? During the Ko-
Hospital) and then authorizes the hiring of an outside legal firm as advisers on those bonds
rean War MacArthur decided that he would buck the authority of his boss Harry Truman.
and we’re paying a county attorney $120,000 dollars a year.
Militarily MacArthur may have been right to take the fight to the Chinese. Fortunately Tru-
Are you aware that monetary payments to outside legal firms between Oct. of 2008
man understood the absolute necessity of maintaining the then 164 years of constitutionally
and May, 2011, amounted to $106,547.93 from our county coffers? Guess what, it’s not
mandated authority over the military by civilians. MacArthur was fired for insubordination.
coming out of the Commissioner’s pockets or Ann Bass Brown’s. Could it be, if the county
To have done other wise would have begun the erosion of our democracy.
had kept the $865,000, not paid $106,547.93 to outside legal firms and the $10,000 plus
Chief Dixon’s recent letter to the Inglis Commission demanding the termination
they’ll be spending on behalf of Tarmac (instead had voted properly), the short fall would
of Police Commissioner Price is way over the line. In a democracy, duly elected civilian
be, not tolerable but somewhat easier to swallow??? Simple mathematics understandable to
authority sets the agenda and the uniformed services follow. Period. Dixon served honor-
us common citizen’s. Responsible, Sunshine government at work. It’s Heart Warming!!!!
ably in the U.S. Army. He knows that insubordination will get you in trouble quicker than
Noel K. Desmond Chiefland
most anything. Often by court martial. Respect for the chain of command is drilled into all
Letter to the Editor:
recruits. When police and military disagree with civilian authority they do not have the op-
Re: In Response
tion of overriding civilian authority. Their option is to resign. The Chief and Sgt. Ballard
The Inglis Town Commission recently passed the W Monteverde Water deposit
know this well. If threatening a Commissioner with a law suit is not insubordination as well
economic recovery program. Mr Monteverdes program stipulated that if water deposits
as intimidation, what is? Inglis is sick and tired of police intimidation.
were returned it would stimulate economic recovery for Inglis,Create jobs etc.
Commissioner Price won election by a landslide precisely because she was brave
To date the Town has returned $100 ( Mr Monteverdes). Hopefully he has spent
enough to speak out against police misconduct that had been related to her. She will likely
this money in town. In a recent article in the Newscaster , He referred to Mrs Thorazine
pay a price for speaking the truth. The people voted for her because they are fed up with
and someone called looney needing their water deposit refund to survive. In checking with
IPD business as usual. Yankeetown wanted no part of IPD and said so emphatically, NO
the Tax Assessors office neither exist. I guess Mr Monteverde has a problem. He talks to
MONEY FOR IPD!
non existent people. Like a child who has an imaginary playmate. He has other ideas. Like
The only proper course of action for the Inglis Commission is to ask for the imme-
shut down the Community Ctre. It Costs too much Forget about it being a place where the
diate resignation of Chief Dixon and Sgt. Ballard. The commission needs to also reprimand
Town can have a place of its own To have Birthday parties , Weddings Social events. Where
all that cosigned Dixon’s insubordinate letter. Were officers mislead or was there pressure
Comm Merritt has Quilting ,Computer classes a place where Mr Monteverde never comes
to sign? Why did all 14 of them not sign? Yes, that’s right fourteen cops. Who is running
and can sit at home deciding what the town needs and what suits him. He has never contrib-
Inglis? Is it IPD or the duly elected Commission? If IPD runs Inglis, we need to elect a new
uted to a single Town event nor attended one. Yet he knows what is best for Inglis. Please
commission. The only way out of this mess in to merge IPD with LCSO, ASAP.
come to Town meetings listen to this self seeking egotistical man. Who does not have your
Andy Eiland, Inglis
Bill Lake, Inglis
best interest at heart.
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