PAGE 4 October 3, 2007
The Newscaster/Nature Coast News
Traffic fines pay for new Inglis vehicle
Real Estate Today
the K-9 kennel, for $33,000. He and Roberts
By Tom Russell
If You Listen To Me You Will Get This Home
installed the kennel, themselves, in order to
Newscaster Editor
A Guest Commentary by Darryl Diamond
save money. Bible and Roberts also designed
was the investor buyers. They only wanted a
The Inglis Police Department is
new graphics for the vehicles, which were ap-
low price so they could fix, and then flip these
Every once in a while I encounter a
sporting a new Chevrolet Tahoe patrol ve-
proved by the other officers. They took a bit
same homes. When these investor buyers lis-
buyer, or seller that for some reason does not
hicle, paid for through the department's Fines
of vacation time to strip the older graphics off
tened to me they usually got the
listen to me. My own dad & a his partner gave
and Forfeitures Fund, and a different look on
the cars, install the new ones and install the
investment home they wanted.
me a 20 acre commercial listing in 1989 which
other vehicles with a newly designed graphic.
kennel in the new patrol vehicle. "Now we
However, many of these inves-
was located in Vero Beach, and was listed at
Police Chief Tim Bible said that the
have a K-9 unit the officer can actually trans-
tors felt they knew everything
$25k per acre. We had a buyer that went from
previous Police Chief, Mitch Billups, and the
port in," said Bible. Arrestee's now sit in the
about real estate here in Florida.
$20k up to $21k but my sellers were firm at
town commission determined, last year, that
back seat beside the watchful glare of Dare,
In fact many of these investors
$25k. I was working with an Indian River bro-
any amount brought into the police depart-
rather than in the front seat with Sgt. Roberts
knew just enough "to be dan-
ker who knew the local market well, and he
ment budget in Fines and Forfeitures greater
- and access to expensive police department
gerous" as shown in the above example. I had
pleaded with me to get my sellers to under-
than $10,000 could be used for the purchase
equipment.
many investors recite to me all of the Florida
stand that $21k is "all the money at this time".
of large ticket items for the police department,
"There's definitely a lot of speeders
rules and regulations, that I had to follow.
I did not fully explain to my sellers
in order for the department to avoid going
out there," said Bible. "You can pretty much
After very politely listening to them, I had to
that the new concurrency laws at that time,
back and forth to the commission asking for
sit out there and write six or seven tickets a
inform them that they had all of the rules cor-
stated that developing the 20 acres required 2
additional money in their budget.
day for 15 miles an hour over (the speed limit),
rect for a standard far bar State of Florida con-
acres to be green areas (parks and walk ways)
Bible said the commission recently
anywhere from 60 to 90 mph, coming into the
tract, however we were using a federal gov-
and two acres were to be retention ponds. I
approved the use of money from the police
city." He said the fastest speeds the depart-
ernment contract which had nothing to do
did not understand that even though it was
department's Fines and Forfeitures Fund for
ment has thus far encountered is 110 mph on
with a standard Florida contract with many
my own dad I needed to give him and his
a new patrol vehicle. "The officers became
Hwy. 19 and 125 mph on Hwy. 40E, around
state rules suspended.
partner a lot of proof of what was selling, and
aggressive with traffic enforcement on U.S.
the First Baptist Church area. "That particu-
The investors that appreciated that
for what price along with market trends. Also,
Highway 19," explained Bible. "Just about
lar driver was apprehended, outside of Dun-
I was the only experienced federal govern-
they were predicating their sales price on 20
every vehicle that is 15 miles over (the 45 mph
nellon, and charged with reckless driving."
ment broker in town listened to me, and usu-
acres not the actual 16 acres that was build
speed limit) was issued a citation, and $55,000
"All we're doing is trying to control
ally got the properties they wanted. Many of
able. Since my sellers were firm on the price,
was put back into the fines and forfeitures
the traffic problem. I don't want the 'black eye'
the other investors wanted to "do their own
The deal fell through. This property was fi-
fund. $190,000 in citations was written. The
of being a speed trap, I just want compliance
thing" and many of them did not get their
nally sold years later for $18k an acre which
most done in previous years was $5000 to
with the traffic laws. Coming through the town
properties. As mentioned in lasts weeks ar-
after taxes etc. ended up being just money
$8000."
at 60 mph is just extremely too fast to go
ticle, the first step is to pick a broker you trust,
back for the partners.
Bible said the department needed to
through that traffic light. Another pet peeve
then make sure they have the proper experi-
After that sale I still listed commer-
purchase a sports utility vehicle for use in
of the officers," he said, "Is the Move Over
ence, then please listen to their advise care-
cial properties, but I also started to train with
transporting K-9 Officer, Dare, because his
Act." The Move Over legislation requires
fully before making a decision. If any of my
the US government to sell their foreclosure
handler, Sgt. Brandon Roberts, had difficulty
drivers to move over or slow down when they
readers wish to purchase US government fore-
homes. All through the 1990's there were two
in transporting prisoners in his Crown Victoria
approach an authorized emergency vehicle
closures or other investment properties, both
very distinct buyers that came to me. One was
passenger patrol car, because the kennel for
that is stopped on a Florida highway. "When
residential or commercial, I am available for a
the owner/occupant buyers which loved that
housing Dare took up the back seat, and
they're on a traffic stop beside the road, or
free "investor consultation".
the government was paying most of the clos-
arrestee's had to be transported in the front
any type of emergency vehicle for that mat-
I also have a very popular, and
ing costs, and these properties all came with
passenger seat of the patrol car. Bible said
ter, and you've got a car that won't move over,
unique one night "investments 101" course
low down payments. The owner /occupants
there have been two incidents in which Rob-
the driver is going to get stopped and
available for a small fee which is specifically
were always eager to get the key and move in
erts was transporting prisoners to the Levy
warned," said Bible. "The law has been in ef-
geared for you first time new investors out
so I reassured them that if they listened to me
County Jail in Bronson, and the arrestee
fect, almost four years now, and it's a very
there. Darryl Diamond and "The Diamond
they had a great chance to get their dream
kicked the radio and camera system, and in
good law. A lot of officers have been killed
Team" are available for all of your real estate
home. I was also the only real estate agent
one instance, a prisoner actually knocked the
from people not moving over." He commented
needs at 352-447-4442 I"ll see you around the
that was registered, and licensed to sell fed-
camera off the windshield.
that Inglis had a three-car pile-up, a few weeks
campus.
eral government properties. The other type
The police department purchased
ago, "It can happen, just like that (quickly).
and a lot of citizens who use that road. We want compliance from people who're traveling
the new patrol vehicle from Clint Brandon
And we're trying to stop that. We're trying to
through this town. If they come through this town, they should be doing the speed limit."
Ford in Georgia, where they purchase all their
be a heavy traffic enforcement agency, but
Bible stressed that the police force is taking issue with speeders at, or in excess of, 15 mph
vehicles. He said they purchased the vehicle,
also a community oriented police department.
over the speed limit, not those who are just slightly over the speed limit.
completely rigged-out with the exception of
We have a major highway through this town
Bible said he thinks the speed limit of 40 mph, east of town on Hwy. 40E, is fair,
because there are bus stops there, two sharp curves, a large church, and children who play
Realty
alongside the road.
email your news to: newscast@atlantic.net
Sally Price, Realtor
Email: pricesally@yahoo.com
CELL(352) 302-8556 OFFICE(352) 447-2526
Hickory Island
14 Hwy 40 W. Inglis (next to the Inglis Police Dept.)
LET MY 45 YEARS ON THE NATURE COAST HELP YOU BUY OR
SELL YOUR PLACE IN PARADISE!
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2 lots Peaceful Acres paved street homes only each...........$23.000
4/2 Mobile 1 ac new siding, roof, skirting, carpet ................$69,900
Lighthouse Lounge
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LIVE MUSIC
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Drink Specials
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4.99acreLot between Mastadon and Palm Inglis................$79,900
Friday & Saturday (9pm-1am)
$2 Margaritas
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$1 Draft Beers
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48 Hwy 19 S. Inglis