July 22, 2024
Hi Everyone,
I hope you all are doing well and staying cool. This heat is oppressive, and dangerously dry conditions are upon us once again.
Your turnout at our commission meetings has been amazing, Let’s keep it up! Thank you all for supporting your community. Participation is essential to the health and well-being of our city and you are having an impact.
Representation
As a citizen, what does representation in government mean to you? Here in Oak Hill, when you cast a vote for Mayor or Commissioner you expect them to act in the best interest of the entire community. Most people cast their vote for the person they think will do the best job. This means rational decision making and representing the interests of the citizen voter.
Actions that serve to undermine or limit citizen representation in government come in many forms: exclusion, intimidation, personal attacks, false accusations, marginalizing, Incorrect or incomplete information and the pursuit of personal agendas. The result of these actions, all or one, when employed against an elected official, limits that person’s ability to represent their constituent’s interests. Sadly, this is a breakdown of the system that is so old it’s become a cliché. The citizen suffers as a result. The goal or intent of the commission or any one of its members, should not be to push a personal agenda upon the citizens, it’s there to realize the will of the people.
Bad advice from the city attorney, administrator, commissioners / mayor, and planners, serves to rob a commissioner of the ability to objectively evaluate an agenda item. A commissioner should be able to rely on the expert advice of professionals hired to provide just that, expert advice. Bad advice serves to undermine the right of voters to have representation in government.
Here’s an example of how this works. On the day I was sworn in as a city commissioner, I was asked to meet with Scott Simpson and Kohn Evans. My wife and I both attended that meeting. First, the two of them told me that as a commissioner Florida state law says I must vote when present at a commission meeting. Next, they told me that due to a conflict of interest, I must recuse myself from voting on Gaines Street development issues. In response to a complaint filed against me by Oak Hill citizen Ron Engele, claiming conflict of interest, the State of Florida Ethics Board sent a letter to Mr. Engele and myself. The letter states that the complaint was “dismissed for failure to constitute a legally sufficient complaint.” Click here to read the entire letter. Click here for a video of Ron Engle reading his complaint at the April 24, 2024 city commission meeting. Had I followed the attorney’s direction and recused myself, my vote would not have been heard and I would have violated Florida state law. That’s one way that representation by your elected officials can be muted.
Here’s another example. At the July 8, 2024 city commission meeting, Attorney Simpson informed the commission that the proposed Lazy-Z Lane sewer line would be a public utility and would not need a of right-of-way usage agreement between the applicant and the city. An email, that was provided with the application, indicates that the applicant intended to put a private sewer line down the right-of-way of Lazy-Z Lane. Click here to view that email. The applicant also stated his intention of a private sewer line on the record at the May 16, 2024 PLDRC board public meeting. The attorney’s billing records indicate that he did review the project. Click here to view the billing records. In a recent meeting, the city administrator indicated to me that he knew the applicant intended to run the private sewer line but did nothing to set the record straight. Even the applicant himself spoke up. Had the lawyer’s assertion not been proven wrong, it could have influenced how the commissioners voted. This would serve to undermine the citizens right to representation.
Here’s a more extensive example or your representation being challenged. There’s a couple of things to keep in mind as you watch the accompanying video. The only question, I asked of the city was, how does the city account for money that is earmarked or encumbered for a particular purpose if they do not include it as a line item in the budget. Seems like a perfectly rational question. How it could provoke the response seen in the video link below is a mystery to me. Why not just answer the question unless you have something to hide. Surely our city would have to keep track of money that they’ve either spent or promised. That’s all I wanted to know; I got crickets from the city. Click here to watch the video.
As you watch, notice how none of the commissioners, the mayor, city administrator or city attorney want to answer my question. They all try and make it about something else. This is a perfect example of how to prevent an elected official from providing representation to their constituents. As far as I know citizens who voted for me and many who did not want me to investigate when the city administrator refuses to answer basic questions. My voters want to know that our city is doing its accounting correctly, and they want to know exactly how much money we actually have. Click here to view an invite to meet extended to me from the county. Click here to view my email to the county seeking accounting information. Click here to view the ECHO administration specialists’ timeline of interaction with me.
No more Horsin’ around
Well, it looks like the issue of the horses in the city park has reared its head again. Monday’s agenda has a vote on ordinance 2024-04, which prohibits animals from our public parks. This issue has come before the commission several times and I wrote about it in my April 22, 2024 newsletter. Brittany Olsen Owner of the Rusty Spur LLC. provides horseback adventures in the river and has gained access by passing through Sunrise Park on River Road. Please come to Monday’s meeting and let the commission know how you feel about prohibiting all animals from our public parks. Click Here to view the proposed ordinance.
Candidates for Mayor and City Commissioners
Election season is in full swing and the signs are starting to get thick out there. The Mayor’s race includes the Challenger, Ricky Taylor, and the 12-year incumbent Douglas Gibson. Two Commission seats are up for grabs, one unchallenged. Carrie Warning ran unopposed and has secured seat #2. Mark Drollinger and Steve McGee are running for seat #4. It’s shaping up to be a good race. As I get more information on the candidates, I will pass it along to you all.
Get out and vote this November. It’s the chance you’ve all been waiting for.
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Our City Commissioner’s meeting is Monday, July 22, 2024 at city hall. The time is 6:00 PM. Click here for the agenda pack.
Please come and let your voice be heard. Your presence and participation are how we hold our commission to account.
As always, it’s my pleasure to serve you, I appreciate your support. Please let me know what I can do to help. I’m here to represent you…
Thanks again,
Joe Catigano
Oak Hill City Commissioner
Seat 3
