Florence City Council: Just Trust Us?

 

There was a crowd in attendance. The usual Florence City council meeting has perhaps 2, maybe 3, concerned citizens in the audience. When I arrived, there were only a handful of seats left. And within 5 minutes of arriving, it was standing room only. I didn’t count but it was well into the high double digits of “concerned” citizens. I took a look at the council people sitting on the podium. They either looked indignant, scared or bored.

There was only one item on the agenda which would have stirred up that much interest: 12A. I printed my copy of the agenda earlier and took particular notice of the item which read: “Ordinance to amend the Zoning Ordinance to add definitions for medical cannabis facilities and short-term rentals to the Chart of Permitted Uses, sponsored by Melissa Bailey”. It was my understanding this agenda item was affecting either continuing to allow or shutting down the many B&B’s that had sprouted up all over town. I didn’t really know what they were doing to “pot” or why the two were “lumped together”.

From the start, it was obvious that Dick Jordan had lost control of the meeting. Most of those in attendance had never heard of the “Roberts Rule of Order” and things got pretty loud when he asked for citizens to come to the podium to oppose items on the agenda. The first speaker was in a “who shot John” situation. Her questions were answered with “contact SO and SO in this department”. The lady did not know how to navigate city hall.

When a retired attorney addressed the council, he let them know he could talk as long as he wanted to. He knew when the “5-minute rule” applied. Other citizens made passionate appeals to the council to not let short-term rentals operate in their neighborhoods. Most were awe struck to find that what was on the agenda was only an “enforcement” item. An ordinance had already been passed allowing the operation of the short-term rental properties. They didn’t know.

From this point, the meeting deteriorated. Citizens who had other projects on their mind from the waste of money to spend millions on McFarland Park to the promise of a new recreation center from the ground up instead of another job of paint and flooring on Handy Recreation Center. Many stated they were “promised” a new center at community meetings and did not know the council had passed another “rehabilitation” agenda item for the building. They didn’t know.

Why did these citizens not know what ordinances had been passed on the agenda items? It seems they had not followed the “live stream” which is broadcast from the city of Florence Facebook page group. They had not joined and liked the group and requested to be on the list of those who received the broadcast live. Sound complicated? Well, maybe they could read the occasional article from the reporter at the Times Daily that posts agenda items after they had been passed. If they had actual busy lives and no time to follow the goings-on at city hall: too bad.

And the outcome of this item on the agenda? It was tabled. That seems to be the usual route for controversial agenda items. Move it up so not as many people will take the time and trouble as to come to city hall to voice their opposition. Is this any way to run a city? APPARENTLY, it is!

The council seems to like it that way, it keeps the local newspaper from having to actually report on items that affect citizens live, and the rest of the public? Well, they do not need to know.

“Just trust us”

𝔽𝕝𝕠𝕣𝕖𝕟𝕔𝕖 𝔻𝕖𝕥𝕖𝕔𝕥𝕚𝕧𝕖