Competing Models for the Sarasota County Commission: Balancing Board Members or Balanced Board Members?

I don't really think today's Sarasota Herald -Tribune captured my views regarding how the Sarasota County Commission will change as a result of this year's switches to the increased need for 4-1 and unanimous votes. 

I believe the old model of two 'sides' vying for swing votes (where you only needed three commission votes to move forward) will be replaced with a new model that will require developers to come forward with better plans (probably through increased use of charrettes or other techniques that involve citizens earlier). Commissioners will not be so pigeonholed and polarized and consequently can be more balanced in their decision-making. 

The spirit and community convergence that led to alternative Urban Service Boundary approach is evidence of the potential for this approach. 

Let's not backslide into 'us' versus 'them' thinking that involves trying to elect candidates to "balance slow growth forces". That is a perilous path that will set us backwards (and, incidentally, is not likely to work).

Instead we need all commissioners to recognize the public's frustration with how things were growing and chose a better course towards a new, more diversified and sustainable economy that provides jobs, restores home values, involves neighborhoods earlier and more sincerely, and protects Sarasota's special places; whether they are natural or cultural treasures. 

We can do better.

After Two Weeks Jono Miller Secures an Opponent in Sarasota County Commission District One Contest

One of the cornerstones of my campaign has been my conviction that ALL Sarasota voters deserve a choice when it comes to electing their county commissioners. Furthermore, I believe that choice should be in a general election (not a lower-turnout  primary) and the choice should be 'real' -- that is not an incumbent versus someone with no real chance. 

Unfortunately our present county commission does not meet those three criteria. Three of our commissioners were unopposed the last time they ran, one had token (write-in) opposition and the one that was elected in the most competitive race (where Democrats and no party affiliation and other party affiliation actually got to vote) was a three way contest in a primary. 

This reality (the lack of truly competitive races) is not a swipe at our current commissioners -- after all, they stepped up and volunteered to run. If anything it is a criticism of those Democrats who failed to mount a challenge. I do want to honor and recognize the Democrats who have stepped up, most recently Jennifer Cohen, Fredd Atkins, Bill Bishop and Tom Price. They deserve credit for working to re-establish a two party system around here. And all Sarasota Democrats should be inspired by Bill Carey, the most recent Democrat to serve on the Sarasota County Commission (1966-1970). His service motivates me every day.

When Paul Mercier decided not to pursue re-election anymore, it apparently set off a concerted effort to find a Republican to challenge me. Meanwhile my campaign has been reworking itself to compete against one or more unknown contenders. And with each passing day there was an increasing chance no one could be found, in part because of the steep financial hurdles posed by our County Charter. [More on this in a subsequent blog.]

Bottom line: In order to deliver on my promise of a real choice someone had to challenge me. As a result, the last two weeks with no Republican opponent have been somewhere between ironic and embarrassing. Finally, last night Sarasota Herald Tribune political reporter Jeremy Wallace broke the story that the Republicans have identified a candidate. 

While it means more work for me, it gets us all closer to having a real two party system and real choices for our county commission. Had I been seated with no opposition I would have been saddled with four years of "Who elected you?" -- and that would have been a fair question.

I welcome my new opponent, Carolyn Mason, and look forward to a principled contest based on the challenges and opportunities facing our county. 

Now we both wait to see if any more contenders step forward. We'll know in three weeks when qualifying ends.

Get On Board: Sarasota County's Decision Making Simulation

I spent three hours in Venice this afternoon participating in a simulation called "Get on Board" -- a play on words meant to suggest both participation (getting on board) and insight into the realities of what it might be like to be a  County Commissioner -- getting on the board. 

The simulation was run by Collaborative Labs from St. Petersburg College and they had a fairly well-oiled operation designed to enable citizen teams to grapple with simplified versions of decisions real boards might face. 

My team (#14) consisted of myself, Caroline, Virginia, John, Shelley, and Rosemary. During introductions I was pleasantly surprised to learn many of us treasured canoeing or kayaking on the Myakka. 

We sat around a circular table that was nearly covered with an unrolled game board depicting Serene County. Then we were asked to read a series of scenarios and chose among alternatives. Through three scenarios, my choice only became the group choice once, but I was gratified by my results in an earlier portion of the program when we were asked to identify citizen priorities  for Sarasota County. 

In that early segment, there were seven "service areas" or categories and we were asked (as individuals) to identify the top three priorities. Then we each voted using 'clickers' and quickly saw the aggregate result. I made choices not based on what I thought others might choose, but on what I thought they should be. If my picks were identical to the assembled groups then I would have scored 21/21. As it turned out, I ended up at 19/21, suggesting my priorities were very congruent with those of the citizens present. 

At any rate, each of our choices brought with it financial implications and changed our scores on three scales: courage, collaboration, and communication. 

Near the end of the afternoon we were asked to identify some things citizens could do in each of those three arenas. In terms of citizen courage we started with ideas that focused on citizens speaking up and getting involved. By the end we added that it takes courage to look beyond narrow interests to recognize and consider the interests of a broader community.

And that ability, to get beyond "what's in it for me?" to "how will this affect the larger community?" is probably one of the intended outcomes of the afternoon. 

I'm glad I went, but I was hoping for material that was more Sarasota specific. I began imagining an online game/process that citizens could be involved in. Rather than than ambitiously trying to hit all the 'service areas' it might work to have a specific case history to tackle. 

This week's hot topic, Paid Beach Parking, came to mind. I could see different groups being given different starting conditions in terms of budget shortfalls, beach needs, parking fees, and the number of objecting emails. By varying parameters, we could collectively explore where everyone 'draws the line' -- switching positions from for to against or vice versa. 

That might really simulate what it is like to be a County Commissioner. 

Neighborhood Parkland Program: Saving Sarasota's Special Places

I believe one of the antidotes to the rapid change that leaves many of us disoriented and feeling as though we don't recognize our own communities is working deliberately to retain those distinctive special places we have in Sarasota County. For some, these places are links back to the county they grew up in. For newer residents they provide a connection to the past. And in some cases they simply affirm and support what makes Sarasota different from other places nearby.

I don't claim to be the father of the Neighborhood Parkland program, but I do feel comfortable claiming midwife status. I was involved in many of the early discussions regarding the need for and strategy to create such a program. So it was very gratifying yesterday when the County PARC (Parks Advisory and Recreation Council) voted to move forward with seven neighborhood parkland sites.[We considered 25.]

The county is still several steps away from acquiring or otherwise protecting these places -- work plans need to be drafted, approved by PARC, taken to the County Commission and then, if approved, followed by appraisals and negotiations (that may or may not be successful; this is a willing seller program). 

But I am excited about these seven and their potential to save special aspects of our County.

 Here's a capsule description of each:

Vann Farm: 10 acres. This is a ten acre site on South Macintosh that has long been a site for 4H livestock and horticulture projects. It is a unique facility that allows kids to connect with the County's rural heritage.

Oneil: 40 acres. This parcel is out at the east end of Fruitville Road. The owners cleared the understory but left most of the trees. It is contiguous with a much larger Environmentally Sensitive Lands site and PARC envisioned part of the site being joined with that larger parcel and being restored, while a smaller fraction, probably closer to the road would be more open and parklike. 

Osprey Rowing Club Site: .82 acre. Sarasota has established itself as a major force in competitive rowing. Our narrow bays minimize fetch, which means good rowing conditions. This site is south of the Spanish Point Marina and Restaurant. PARC members were exited about the potential for other uses (in addition to rowing) and a possible collaboration with other rowing programs.

Venice Campground. 24 acres. One of only two campgrounds on the Myakka, this site contains nearly a quarter mile of river front and an RV campground. It is adjacent to Snook Haven and close to several other public lands (Jelks Preserve and South Sleeping Turtles). This operation can provide a Myakka-based recreational experience to thousands in the course of a year. The alternative is probably to see it sold and redeveloped as private homesites. 

We also included the top three sites identified by the City of Sarasota. PARC is trying to follow the lead of the cities so we don't end up inadvertently missing a high priority of theirs while we pursue a lower priority.

Whitaker Bayou Greenway Park 4.1 Acres This site consists of eight parcels along Whitaker Bayou. Acquiring them would create a unique, more natural park, to complement Martin Luther King Jr. park to the south. the City has earmarked future dollars to develop the site. Unfortunately, there is some indication that the owner is not interested in selling at this time.  Staff will develop a work plan so the County can be ready if the situation changes.

Sarasota Jungle Gardens About 10 acres. One of Florida's oldest tourist attractions (opened in 1939) the Jungle Gardens is one of a few that have persisted post-Disney. Former Sarasota attractions that have closed include Circus Hall of Fame, Glass Blowers, Floridaland, Texas Jim's Reptile Farm, and Sunshine Springs and Gardens. This is a chance to save part of Florida's cultural history and state funding is being sought. 

Shady Hammock Park 16.8 acres North of Fruitville and east of Cardinal Mooney and south of Bobby Jones Golf Course. This a relatively large undeveloped site inside the City. 

All seven of these sites total about 106 acres, about 1/6 of a square mile or roughly 1/3500 of the county. Not much of the total, but some truly unique opportunities.

Thoughts on Memorial Day: A Father's Gift of Innocence and the Responsibility of Knowledge

My family tree is fairly skinny -- not a lot of cousins and uncles -- so when I was growing up the only relative that I knew about that had died in military service was Henry Tillinghast, a confederate soldier that died October 9th 1861 in the Battle of Santa Rosa Island. My great grandmother was born shortly afterward and named in his honor: Henry Corley. 

My father served in the Second World War, and was assigned to the 814th Military Police Company. He told me many stories from those years,  mostly spent in the Pacific Theatre (Australia and New Guinea) and they were engaging tales that fascinated me as a young boy. I was proud that one of his assignments had been to guard General MacArthur's family while they stayed in the Lennon's Hotel in Brisbane. And I enjoyed knowing that he and his compatriots would take advantage of the fact that MacArthur would leave his shoes in the hall to be polished. They would take their shoes off and slip into the General's so that they could later tell their buddies they "knew what it was like to be in MacArthur's shoes."

The point is that in all the stories there was no hint of the losses, cost, or fog of war. I don't know if any of the men he served with died, but if they had my father would not have shared that with me. In the post-war 50's and 60's he had given me a gift of innocence, to be able to grow up in a country that had won the war against the Axis without knowing the incredible cost. 

As I matured the cost, on both sides, gradually became clearer and the responsibility of knowledge arrived. And the older I get, the less Memorial Day is about car races and sales events and more about the sacrifice of others. 

Last year was a new pinnacle of awareness for me as I contemplated a photograph taken by John Moore of a woman named Mary McHugh at Arlington National Cemetery. It represents, as well as any single image can, both the sacrifice and loss. It shows Mary mourning on the grave of her fiance, Sgt. James. J. Regan, who was killed in Iraq in February of 2007. Click on these links for more on Army Ranger Regan and the photograph.

I hope all blog readers will incorporate remembrance and respect in their Memorial Day plans.

Former Governor Bob Graham Urges Better Support for Florida's State University System

Bob Graham was in town Friday, primarily to give the commencement address at New College. And although the local newspaper didn't report on it, he used the occasion to document and decry the decline in Florida's University system, which New College is part of. He painted a picture of slipping support and cited the fact the state university system has (overall) the worst student-faculty ratio in the nation. He pointed out that while New College had experienced minimal cuts so far, many receiving degrees that night would go on to attend graduate school in Florida and would therefore experience the cuts firsthand. He even outlined a campaign for graduates to reverse the trend. The suggestions included having alumns adopt legislators to personally introduce them to the College.

---Note--- 

The rest of this blog does not deal with Governor Graham's educational agenda,

but rather it is a reminiscence of my relationship with him over the years.

Governor Graham is a hero of mine because I've followed much of his career and noted how he appears gracious and evenhanded, even when disagreeing with someone. I first met Bob Graham in 1978 when he was running for Governor for the first time. At that point he had already been elected to the Florida House twice and the Florida Senate twice. And although I  subsequently met Governor Graham several times over the years, including visiting him at his house on Anna Maria during his run for the presidency (his only unsuccessful campaign), until this year I never have had more than a few words with him -- and those were frequently comparing notes regarding the journals we both usually have with us.

Sometime in the mid- eighties I presented him with a framed illustration of a Florida panther that I had done. It wasn't good art and it wasn't even killer illustration, but I was illustrating a series of calendars for First Florida Banks and somehow presenting the original art to the Governor was a photo-op. That was in Naples. 

Recently I met him at a book signing in Osprey, where he asked those gathered what could be done to help the State's citizens better understand what the state had at risk in terms of rising sea level. I responded with an idea he seemed to endorse. That was a project to mark selected low-lying urban areas of the state with a colored band indicating what a two meter rise in sea level would look like. The idea was that the band would provide citizens with valuable information about hurricane flood prone areas as well as reminding them about the possible effects on Florida of accelerated sea level rise. We actually tried this with blue masking tape at New College during the spring break. 

Yesterday I had the opportunity to drive Governor Graham from downtown to New College and from a College reception for fellowship winners back to his hotel. During the first run he had to catch up on voice mail and I showed him how 'visual voice mail' on the iPhone would enable him to listen to messages in the order he chose. He was interested (and made a corresponding note in his journal), but wasn't sure he was ready for the technology. We chatted about New College, the quality and contributions of the students and graduates, and I tipped him off not to expect caps and gowns. On the drive back downtown he inquired about my campaign and then suggested a strategy. 

I intend to try it. After all, he is probably the most popular and successful Florida leader of the last half century.

Oil concerns bubble up again

Just when the buzz about oil prices seemed to be settling a little, two days worth of headlines ($200 prediction and $135 reality)  have turned my attention back from who might end up challenging me in the District 1 County Commission race to what it will cost people to drive around Sarasota. 

Our county was laid out, zoned, and generally designed during an era when crude oil was less than $30 a barrel. How our somewhat sprawling county is going to operate when oil may soon cost five (or more) times that amount is a daunting challenge. New York Times writers (second article above) blame supply problems and increased demand in the developing world, but others identify speculation and outrageous profits as contributing factors. 

Key elements in any response will be those approaches that enable citizens to reduce driving, strategies such as transit and affordable housing close to employment (or transit). Reducing the need to drive by placing services closer to residences through mixed use zoning should also be part of the mix. Other strategies include lowering the cost per mile by increasing efficiencies through hybrid technology and producing lighter weight vehicles that remain safe.

The biggest complicating factor right now is the uncertainty regarding whether oil prices will continue to rise or if yet another speculative bubble is about to burst (see poll on right).  Economists, oil executives, citizens, and petroleum analysts such as Arjun N. Murti (profiled in the first article above and graphic based on his work at top of story) seem to to have wildly divergent predictions (see earlier blogs).  

County planners and decision makers now face a difficult choice -- listen to those who believe prices will drop back below $100 by the end of the year or begin serious planning to minimize the negative effects of rapidly increasing fuel costs that threaten to further consume Sarasotan's household budgets.

More later.