A recent Tallahassee Democrat column on shell bills, bills that have been prefiled but don’t say anything other than “Expresses the legislative intent to revise laws relating to governmental operations.” Durell Peaden has filed 10 of them.
I’m not sure if things are done like this to avoid alerting the opposition or to make sure a pet bill reaches the floor even if the sponsor doesn’t know exactly what they want yet.
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The Destin Log is the twice-weekly newspaper devoted to covering the crown jewel of the Emerald Coast.
Archive for February, 2009
Florida government at work
February 27th, 2009, 2:09 pm by fshermanGood news
February 27th, 2009, 1:36 pm by fsherman Ali Saleh Kahlah al-Marri, the last “enemy combatant” in the United States, has been indicted in federal court after 5 1/2 years in prison. The previous administration objected to al-Marri having a court trial, favoring military tribunals.
This is a good thing. As the blogger hilzoy puts it, “One less person about whom people could argue that he somehow must be tried under a whole new legal system, those that have served us well for over two centuries being somehow inadequate to his case. And one less blot on our commitment to the rule of law.”
Bobby Jindal on why he wants creationism taught
February 26th, 2009, 1:49 pm by fsherman“I personally think human life and the world we live in wasn’t created accidentally. I do think that there’s a creator. … Now the way that he did it, I’d certainly want my kids to be exposed to the very best science. I don’t want any facts or theories or explanations to be withheld from them because of political correctness.”
But what about an explanation without facts to support it? Like say, creationism/ID?
If Jindal wants his kids exposed to “the very best science” they should stay far away from creationism.
Karl Rove on Obama
February 26th, 2009, 1:47 pm by fshermanIn the Wall Street Journal: W”hy does he routinely ascribe to opponents views they don’t espouse? … Continually characterizing those who disagree with you in a fundamentally dishonest way can be the sign of a person who lacks confidence in the merits of his ideas.”
After eight years of Republicans accusing anyone who questions W of being a Muslim-loving, pro-terrorist anti-American scumbag, this is almost amusing.
Barker vs. basketball (7:24 p.m.)
February 24th, 2009, 6:22 pm by fshermanHe says he’s here for questions but if anyone wants to go catch the basketball on TV, he understands.
And I think I’m done.
May 4 (7:21 p.mj.)
February 24th, 2009, 6:22 pm by fshermanBarker: May 4’s the next visioning session, when the council will work with staff on a plan to turn these goals into reality. “You’ve seen we have the capacity to transform audacious goals into living, breathing projects we can enjoy every day …. Team Destin will lead the way in transforming this city and transforming the entire Panhandle of Florida over the next 10 years.”
And on that note, he ends.
“We are all working together as one team—” (7:17 P.M.)
February 24th, 2009, 6:19 pm by fshermanBarker says.
More goals: Underground utilities along 98. Annex property all the way to Walton County (Jim Wood discusses this on video). Improve water quality. Expand the Destin History and Fishing Museum.
Offer programs for baby boomers (”It is expected our demographics will be changing over the course of the next 20 years.”). Develop a trained volunteer force. Encourage resident-appreciation discounts. Encourage small business growth. Create an economic development marketing plan for the harbor.
Develop a welcome program for residents and visitors who are speakers of a second language.
More audacious goals (7:11 p.m.)
February 24th, 2009, 6:14 pm by fsherman•A multimodal transportation system.
Sandy Trammell on video: Complimenting city staff on their knowledge about current issues. Then discussing the city’s work on road safety. “one of the biggest hurdles we’ve overcome is that we’re planning and constructing multipurpose bike paths instead of just little sidewalks.”
(All the videos are taken at Destin Library. I recognize the backgrounds).
•Win the Sterling and Baldridge Awards for Excellence. “The goal of competing for these awards is to make sure our city is arranged and functions so it delivers services” as efficiently as possible.
Jim Bagby on organizational development: We’ve spent a lot of time developing a strategic plan and getitng our staff priorities aligned with the plan and thereby focusing so that our staff’s performance makes up for the budget tightening the city has to go through.
Bagby: What he’s talking about is getting the entire city organization to buy into “Team Destin.”
“So, how have we done?” (7:06 p.m.)
February 24th, 2009, 6:09 pm by fsherman“Have we met the test of making Destin a better place to work, live and raise a family? Have we met our audacious goals … I would have to say we have …. turned those audacious goals into a living, breathing, reality for people here.”
Now, what about the city’s vision for 2019? “here we are with the opportunity to embrace new audacious goals.” Among the goals the city has discussed:
•Take ownership of Norriego Point from Okaloosa County.
•Complete the Harbor Boardwalk. “We deserve a community project like this one … we need to compete with some of the very best destinations in the entire world and we have the capability.”
•A branch library in east Destin.
•Restore the beaches and put a long-term maintenance plan in place. “We need to make sure that once we have these beaches restored, we have a plan in place so the health and vitality of these beaches is preserved for the next 50 years.”
•Develop a neighborhood transportation system.
•Complete an east-west corridor.
•Develop attainable workforce housing.
•Complete the Mountain Drive improvements.
•Add public parking.
•Build a tennis facility.
•Develop a guaranteed federal appropriation to maintain east Pass.
•Complete Captain Royal Melvin Heritage Park.
The harbor renovation plan (7 p.m.)
February 24th, 2009, 6:03 pm by fshermanOops, the power point slide refers to the cityofdestin.com Web site, but he’s discussing the harbor renovation and Mountain Drive.
Ah, now he’s caught up and is discussing Morgan Sports Complex.
Next, the need for a public-records management system and the city’s success storing papers in as little space as possible (due to public-records laws, there’s a lot of paper to store—this isn’t as trivial as it may sound).
Then there’s the new Destin Library, now five years old. I must say, while the old library building was cute, the new one is fabulous and much superior.
The cemetery expansion.
The building of City Hall Annex in what used to be Grace Lutheran Church.
