The Live Wire: September 16, 2010

The Live Wire is an experiment. Think of it as a cross between a book of hours and a web version of the doors of perception. You contributions are welcome, in the comments or by email. The previous Live Wire edition is available here.

Beginning at 8 p.m. Live Coverage of the Flagler Beach Commission’s discussion on its next city manager.

For the full story on this, go here.

<a href=”http://www.coveritlive.com/mobile.php/option=com_mobile/task=viewaltcast/altcast_code=576964af2a” mce_href=”http://www.coveritlive.com/mobile.php/option=com_mobile/task=viewaltcast/altcast_code=576964af2a” >Manager’s Choice: The Flagler Beach Commission Debates</a>

Manager’s Choice: The Flagler Beach Commission Debates

6:11 p.m. A Cop and a Little Chamber Music, but No Demonstration at Flagler Beach Meeting

There’s a good size crowd at the Flagler Beach City Commission, which started its regularly scheduled meeting at 5:30. Some 35 people are in the audience, not including a cop: It seems the commission was nervous enough about tonight’s meeting that it called out for a little extra protection. Cops are not usually part of the décor here. Then again, neither is that sheen of sanctimony hanging over the commission, which will be taking up the case of Scott Janke, the prospective city manager and husband of a prospecting porn actress, later in the meeting. Much later: knowing this commission, it could be a few hours: the discussion about the new city manager is slated for last on the evening’s agenda. Naturally, we’ll keep you posted.

Right now it’s past six o’clock, they’re on an item presented by Dennis Bayer, the attorney who may or not have a few clones (he seems to be everywhere at once). He spoke for a proposed new wine and cheese shop in town, one modeled after the Hammock Beach shop. There was administrative resistance to the idea, on a land use issue, but the commission chairman says the proposal will likely go forward. “I think we’ll resolve it now,” John Feind just said. And so the commission has, anonymously (with Ron Vath still absent).

But the placarded demonstrators over the manager issue have not materialized (see the item below). No “Local” signage outsise, no overt display of localism–the audience’s size aside. The only distraction so far is the local chamber of commerce’s business after hours type function being held right across the street, next to the Beachhouse Beanery. Considering that thing going on, it’s impressive that the meeting has managed to draw as many people as it has. The cop was dispatched a moment ago to go across the street and ask the guitarist there to stop playing, which is a shame: the commission could use the chamber music.

1:48 p.m. A Little “Local” Demonstration At Flagler Beach’s City Hall Tonight?

It looks like the Flagler Beach faction trying to get its man (Bruce Campbell) named city manager may be attempting a show of force when the city commission meets this evening, at 5:30, to discuss the matter–a matter that’s gotten a bit more complicated since front-runner Scott Janke has offered to withdraw from being considered following new allegations about his wife’s porn career. An email circulating around Flagler Beach today is testing the possibility of having people hold up “local” signs outside the commission chamber to press the case for an in-towner, as opposed to the three out-of-town candidates who’ve made the finalists’ lists. If Janke is out, candidate Gary Word would be the next-most favored.

“Be ready, in the fact they may try to back fill and support WORD since they lost Janke,” the email reads. “Remember also he was Fiends first choice, and Mc Grews second, so Mealy could try to get the needed 4 that way.( she wants anyone but Bruce Campbell).” (That’s how it appears in the email, odd syntax and all.)

See Also:

• Janke Offers to Withdraw from Flagler Beach Manager’s Job Amid New X-Rated Allegations
• Shunning Hometown Favorites, Flagler Beach Names Scott Janke Frontrunner for Manager
• Softball League: Flagler Beach Interviews 3 Hometown Candidates for Manager, Gently

Attention All Fired Bunnell Cops

The Border Patrol is hiring more than 2,200 people to monitor the southwest border with Mexico, and is holding a hiring open house in Jacksonville Saturday. Pay range for new hires: $38,000 to $63,000. Qualification thresholds are low: be a U.S. citizen (who’s lived in the United States for at least the last three years), have a valid driver’s license, pass the usual police-state screenings (drug test, background snooping), pass a physical exam, and so on. You can go to the Border Patrol’s website to find out more.

The Jacksonville open house will be held at the Border Patrol’s Jacksonville office on Saturday, 489 Dundas Drive. Call 904/714-0225 for information. If you can’t make that open house, here are other upcoming ones:

• Sept. 28, University of Central Florida, Orlando.
• Sept. 29, Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University, Tallahassee.
• Sept. 30, University of South Florida, Tampa.

Try not to harass an undocumented immigrant on the way. You’re not yet eligible.

Your Florida Energy Rebates On Hold

If you go to this web page, you’ll find out how much of a rebate you would be entitled to if you bought certain Energy Star products. But the Florida Legislature is preventing you from taking advantage of the federal program. The Legislature’s budget commission refused to approve $31.5 million for the program when it met this week. From the Gainesville Sun: “leaders in the Legislature say they cannot legally spend the money without approval from the full Florida House and Senate.

“I think they’re playing political games,” Crist told The Sun on Wednesday evening. “I think they’re dead wrong, I think they’re dragging their feet. Here’s something that’s a good thing to do, the right thing to do, and they’re being obstructionists.” Insiders say it could be political payback for Crist, who left the Republican Party to run for the U.S. Senate as an independent. Republicans control both the Florida House and Senate. Crist explained that language was put in the budget last spring allowing for the federal dollars to be spent when they arrived.” The full story. And more on this from Bruce Richie.

November’s Election Will Shape Florida’s Political Map for a Decade

It’s redistricting time again: once every 10 years, voting districts are redrawn to reflect population changes. In civilized states, like Iowa, districts are redrawn by an independent commission so the politics are kept to a minimum, and voters’ interests are maximized. This being Florida, where the public interest appears as a small-print appendix in the state’s political dictionary, the process is nothing but political. Whoever controls the Legislature controls the redistricting process. There are proposed constitutional amendments that might reduce politics’ influence, but not by much.

From the Times-Union: “When voters head to the polls in November, they will cast three votes that could reshape the political future of the state – and the nation. Two of those votes will be on a pair of redistricting amendments that would bar politicians from using political calculations or incumbency to draw new lines for seats in the state Legislature and the U.S. House of Representatives. The other will affect one official who can change at least the latter set of maps: the governor. In Florida, the governor’s influence is felt directly only in attempts to craft lines for the state’s congressional delegation. But that means the race is being watched closely in a year when the Republicans and Democrats are vying for control of Congress. The Fix, The Washington Post’s politics blog, recently ranked the Florida governor’s race the top redistricting battle of the year.
[…]

“Furthering questions about whether the parties will be able to overhaul the state’s political bent are Amendments 5 and 6, backed by an organization called Fair Districts Florida. The group is avowedly nonpartisan, but some supporters point to the disparities in party voter registration and the overwhelming majorities in the Legislature as one indication that gerrymandering in the state is rampant. Lance deHaven-Smith, a political science professor at Florida State University, agrees that the skewed numbers point to a selective carving of political boundaries.” The full story.

When NASA Is Held Hostage by Big-Government Loving republicans

The Sentinel’s Mike Thomas counts down the hypocrisies of NASA’s manipulators: “Obama wants to dump Ares and turn much of the space program over to the competitive world of private enterprise. He sees the future in companies such as SpaceX, a start-up venture in California that is developing rockets at a fraction the previous cost. Nelson and the anti-government Republicans in Texas and Alabama want no part of this. They want big-government inefficiency and all the wasted billions that brings their states. They are joined by the aerospace giants, which see their guaranteed profits and $100,000 shuttle tool belts threatened. So here we sit. Ares won’t fly. Congress won’t give it up. Obama won’t fund it. NASA is devoid of a strong leader to break the logjam.” The full column.

More Floridian Follies for Sports’ Sake

From the Bond Buyer: “Sarasota and two counties on Florida’s southwest coast plan to take advantage of federally subsidized economic recovery zone and Build America Bonds when they issue more than $100 million of debt for the spring-training facilities of two Major League Baseball teams. The financing allowed under the federal stimulus law is being used by Lee County to build a new spring-training stadium for the Boston Red Sox. The team has played in a smaller facility in the county seat of Fort Myers since the early 1990s.

“Sarasota and Sarasota County plan to use bonds to renovate an existing sports complex for the Baltimore Orioles, who are moving from Fort Lauderdale for newer digs. The first sale is next week when Lee County will price $80 million of tourist development-tax revenue bonds. Proceeds are being used to build a 10,000-seat stadium for the Red Sox, which includes up to six full-size practice fields, parking for 4,000 vehicles, and six community soccer fields. Proceeds also will reimburse the county for the $20 million cost of land.”

Far be it for these multi-million dollar corporate teams to put their own money where their bats are.

Bad news, served the Floridian way, if you’re a Yankee fan.