We watched the meeting last night. What an absolute travesty. Every single person who volunteered on the campaigns of these commissioners are responsible because they were WARNED that they were TERRIBLE candidates. The way the commissioners waved away the public statements from concerned citizens and used pathetic shields in effort to silence them was sickening. They are not just bad people..... they are evil, wretched people, motivated by their own self-interest.
I don't think people can grasp the way that this meeting went down. Unless, they were there to endure the agony of hearing US Taxpayers and Citizens beg and plead for the Protection of OUR GOD given animals , lands and waters and for Our rights to be heard and validated. It will disturb me until the day I die.
For what it is worth. I appreciate you for being brave enough to admit your faults and help people like me to become informed and active in OUR community. You have had to endure a lot of criticism from the community and your co workers. I couldn't walk a day in your shoes. Nor, would I want too. Thank you for Opening up conversations for discussions not debates. That is a trait that you are gifted with. Every topic doesn't have to be a fight or loud for people to actually communicate. We need more of that. Open discussions. Becoming Unified not Separated. No matter our color, religion, gender, political affiliation, job title, etc. We have to try to mend what is broken. We have to Start stripping away at what has grown into a web of deceit and lies. I am still Proud of Our communities for coming together and trying to use the proper processes against a corrupt system. When I share this History with Others. I want my take away be. *A broken community stood up and kept thier integrity while we were United as, *We The People. I am Grateful that the Manatee County Commissioners meeting is on recorded documents for the entire world to see. This will be part of Our history. Seeing that We can gather as a community. There just may just be Hope for Change. Without Faith. What would we have? Again, Thank You, Sir. Respectfully, M
I, too, appreciate the thoughtfullness that went into this column. It outlines the kind of action that most voters expect from their commissioners. But I must say I still have a hard time forgetting the verbal distain thrown by Mr. Kruse and then-Administrator Hopes at those of us who argued for a redistricting map drawn by the county's consultant and then dismissed. Instead, we are living with the district map sheparaded by Commissioners Kruse and Baugh that resulted in the board we are dealing with today. So, in the meantime, Let us Hope for Change.
The 5 Commissioners who voted for this policy had their developers handers on speed dial and their earplugs in during public comment... Another sad day in Manatee County, unfortunately will not be the last one...
I think we have been waaaaay too civil and polite to these 6 commissioners and the Manatee County Planning Department or "Development Services Team" who are equally responsible for amending our Comprehensive Plan and for recommending and obtaining "Specific Approvals" for all kinds of potentially hazardous and costly measures on behalf of all of the developers and their attorneys who keep these "staff" members (who we see each month at the public hearings) employed at Manatee County. And Satcher and Ballard don't even own homes in Manatee County and shouldn't even be allowed on the BOCC. But what was most infuriating to me was how they all kept asking the public to show them the science behind the value of the wetlands, when they should be the ones explaining the science behind how our waters got contaminated to begin with. Nobody ever demanded that science from Manatee County at these hearings. The county should be required to provide us with the blow-by-blow science behind our not so great drinking water, impaired rivers, and beaches - THEN they would have to admit that they have been approving developments within 10 feet of wetlands in the county for years. The county's planners and development services team, the attorneys, the engineers and the county commissioners are supposed to have ethics and to protect the general public they serve...
Van Ostenbridge is no family man----that was made crystal clear last night in the way he spoke about the children. He has never married for a reason...and for whatever the reason, thank God. This is no different than last year when Van Ostenbridge's texts were obtained by public record where he referred to a woman as a C**T.... so, it's obvious now he doesn't like kids... and he made it obvious that he doesn't like women.... who does he like? Can you imagine if he had been married and had kids and gone out - maybe he even took a county vehicle, but who would ever know? and stole a plant from someone's yard at night? A good wife would have screamed her head off at him for doing such thing to embarrass their family. And if he had kids? How mortified would they be to have a dad who conducts himself that way? He would be a much, much better man if he were personally invested in family and community like the rest of us are.
Instead, he's like that neighbor on your street when you were a little kid your parents warned you to stay away from.... just a miserable little prick who loves to spread misery.
Appreciate the thoughtful commentary. Apparently not a lot of thought is involved in the decision making of the axis of 5, who are simply doing the bidding of the developers who funded their campaigns. They refuse to hear their constituents voices and mock dissenting opinions. They ignore science and finance. We will all suffer the consequences of their poor decision making - the quality of life will rapidly deteriorate, taxes will skyrocket (like the 65% increase for sanitation), and we will lament the results to our water resources. Sorry you have to be the lone voice of sanity on that dais.
Thank you for your recent contributions to the BOCC, and for swimming upstream in these maddening times. 1) Retaining old growth in new developments seems only sensible if you want a quality community, for environmental benefits, shade and to give the developments more character. Great idea. 2) Regarding the wetlands decision, could a future BOCC vote to reverse it? 3) If counties can pass regulations more stringent than the state's, it seems it would follow that cities could pass regs more stringent than the counties' regs. Do you know if they can?
Having enjoyed living in Florida since 1975 and Manatee County since 1989, there is no better state or area I would want to live. Kudos to the BOCC and previous boards for shaping and making Manatee County one of the fastest growing areas in the State and country! The standard of living here is fantastic. With that being said, I do pray for balance in approving land development to include parks, preservation of drinking war and our natural beauty. Expansion happens, there is lots of land to develop along with being a good steward of our environment. The negativity of each and every board continues no matter who is elected. As Charlie Daniels once said, don't look at the empty chairs, play each concert with all your heart! BOCC and citizens of our great county I implore you to do the same.
We watched the meeting last night. What an absolute travesty. Every single person who volunteered on the campaigns of these commissioners are responsible because they were WARNED that they were TERRIBLE candidates. The way the commissioners waved away the public statements from concerned citizens and used pathetic shields in effort to silence them was sickening. They are not just bad people..... they are evil, wretched people, motivated by their own self-interest.
I don't think people can grasp the way that this meeting went down. Unless, they were there to endure the agony of hearing US Taxpayers and Citizens beg and plead for the Protection of OUR GOD given animals , lands and waters and for Our rights to be heard and validated. It will disturb me until the day I die.
For what it is worth. I appreciate you for being brave enough to admit your faults and help people like me to become informed and active in OUR community. You have had to endure a lot of criticism from the community and your co workers. I couldn't walk a day in your shoes. Nor, would I want too. Thank you for Opening up conversations for discussions not debates. That is a trait that you are gifted with. Every topic doesn't have to be a fight or loud for people to actually communicate. We need more of that. Open discussions. Becoming Unified not Separated. No matter our color, religion, gender, political affiliation, job title, etc. We have to try to mend what is broken. We have to Start stripping away at what has grown into a web of deceit and lies. I am still Proud of Our communities for coming together and trying to use the proper processes against a corrupt system. When I share this History with Others. I want my take away be. *A broken community stood up and kept thier integrity while we were United as, *We The People. I am Grateful that the Manatee County Commissioners meeting is on recorded documents for the entire world to see. This will be part of Our history. Seeing that We can gather as a community. There just may just be Hope for Change. Without Faith. What would we have? Again, Thank You, Sir. Respectfully, M
I, too, appreciate the thoughtfullness that went into this column. It outlines the kind of action that most voters expect from their commissioners. But I must say I still have a hard time forgetting the verbal distain thrown by Mr. Kruse and then-Administrator Hopes at those of us who argued for a redistricting map drawn by the county's consultant and then dismissed. Instead, we are living with the district map sheparaded by Commissioners Kruse and Baugh that resulted in the board we are dealing with today. So, in the meantime, Let us Hope for Change.
The 5 Commissioners who voted for this policy had their developers handers on speed dial and their earplugs in during public comment... Another sad day in Manatee County, unfortunately will not be the last one...
I think we have been waaaaay too civil and polite to these 6 commissioners and the Manatee County Planning Department or "Development Services Team" who are equally responsible for amending our Comprehensive Plan and for recommending and obtaining "Specific Approvals" for all kinds of potentially hazardous and costly measures on behalf of all of the developers and their attorneys who keep these "staff" members (who we see each month at the public hearings) employed at Manatee County. And Satcher and Ballard don't even own homes in Manatee County and shouldn't even be allowed on the BOCC. But what was most infuriating to me was how they all kept asking the public to show them the science behind the value of the wetlands, when they should be the ones explaining the science behind how our waters got contaminated to begin with. Nobody ever demanded that science from Manatee County at these hearings. The county should be required to provide us with the blow-by-blow science behind our not so great drinking water, impaired rivers, and beaches - THEN they would have to admit that they have been approving developments within 10 feet of wetlands in the county for years. The county's planners and development services team, the attorneys, the engineers and the county commissioners are supposed to have ethics and to protect the general public they serve...
Van Ostenbridge is no family man----that was made crystal clear last night in the way he spoke about the children. He has never married for a reason...and for whatever the reason, thank God. This is no different than last year when Van Ostenbridge's texts were obtained by public record where he referred to a woman as a C**T.... so, it's obvious now he doesn't like kids... and he made it obvious that he doesn't like women.... who does he like? Can you imagine if he had been married and had kids and gone out - maybe he even took a county vehicle, but who would ever know? and stole a plant from someone's yard at night? A good wife would have screamed her head off at him for doing such thing to embarrass their family. And if he had kids? How mortified would they be to have a dad who conducts himself that way? He would be a much, much better man if he were personally invested in family and community like the rest of us are.
Instead, he's like that neighbor on your street when you were a little kid your parents warned you to stay away from.... just a miserable little prick who loves to spread misery.
Appreciate the thoughtful commentary. Apparently not a lot of thought is involved in the decision making of the axis of 5, who are simply doing the bidding of the developers who funded their campaigns. They refuse to hear their constituents voices and mock dissenting opinions. They ignore science and finance. We will all suffer the consequences of their poor decision making - the quality of life will rapidly deteriorate, taxes will skyrocket (like the 65% increase for sanitation), and we will lament the results to our water resources. Sorry you have to be the lone voice of sanity on that dais.
The thought is all done by other, wealthier patrons. These are just the hatchet-men and women to get it done.
Thank you for your recent contributions to the BOCC, and for swimming upstream in these maddening times. 1) Retaining old growth in new developments seems only sensible if you want a quality community, for environmental benefits, shade and to give the developments more character. Great idea. 2) Regarding the wetlands decision, could a future BOCC vote to reverse it? 3) If counties can pass regulations more stringent than the state's, it seems it would follow that cities could pass regs more stringent than the counties' regs. Do you know if they can?
Having enjoyed living in Florida since 1975 and Manatee County since 1989, there is no better state or area I would want to live. Kudos to the BOCC and previous boards for shaping and making Manatee County one of the fastest growing areas in the State and country! The standard of living here is fantastic. With that being said, I do pray for balance in approving land development to include parks, preservation of drinking war and our natural beauty. Expansion happens, there is lots of land to develop along with being a good steward of our environment. The negativity of each and every board continues no matter who is elected. As Charlie Daniels once said, don't look at the empty chairs, play each concert with all your heart! BOCC and citizens of our great county I implore you to do the same.