The Newscaster/Nature Coast News
PAGE 11 - August 27, 2008
Editorial - Opinion - Commentary
Check Your Facts  - Continued from page 10
gued, and I will continue to argue, that some very limited commercial use of specific properties
Yankeetown Mayor’s Report
(Chambers Island) within the Residential Environmentally Sensitive land use area (barrier
islands)…is in the best interest of the town…” In the same letter Mr. Haines further stated
A Guest Commentary by Mayor Dawn Clary
that, “I was successful in advocating for the relaxation of height restrictions for islands”,
while arguing that, “this will not increase development on the islands”. As an experienced
SAY HELLO AND WELCOME to Mr. Jack Schofield to the Yankeetown Town Coun-
developer I beg to differ. This is exactly how high-rises happen on gulf properties. Mr. Haines
cil. Mr. Schofield will fill out the balance of the term vacated by Mr. Ed Candela, and will now
is attempting to open that Pandora’s Box for himself and others that will follow.
be the Liaison to the Planning and Zoning.
You and Mr. Haines have both criticized me for not speaking up during Planning and
SAY GOOD BYE AND GOOD RIDDANCE TO Tropical Storm Fay. Yankeetown took
Zoning meetings when Mr. Haines took the opportunity to argue for changes that favor his
a lot of water and we had street flooding from the rain. Although the National Weather Service
proposed development. The reason for this is simple, I don’t want anything from the town
had predicted a storm surge of 4 to 6 ft over the normal tide which meant a water level of 8 to
other than fair treatment and due process under the rules in place when I submitted my
10 feet, this did not materialize. The YT Fire Department was activated on Thursday mainly
development plans back in May of 2006. While the town government is making potentially
because the storm at that time was predicted to move across much faster and we feared it
destructive concessions to Mr. Haines they brought in Rebecca Jetton, with no experience in
would be here in the middle of the night. However, it was Friday that it finally moved through.
zoning and development plans, to reject my development. Any rational business person is
The Fire Department was activated on Friday afternoon and staffed through the night. As
left with one alternative and so I filed the necessary law suits.
many as nine power lines were down mostly due to trees and as you already know we were
Now, Waterway Estates Association (WEA) in open collusion with town officials
without power for much of the night. The Fire Department barricaded flooded streets, and
and again, Mr. Haines are attempting to further block the IWI development of the Cunningham
downed power lines. At one point we ran out of barricades and the county sent more. Coun-
property by challenging water access that is granted by law. First, the Cunningham Property
cilman Shannahan personally barricaded one downed power line until help arrived. They
is not a part of Waterway Estates subdivision. Secondly, it is zoned C-1-A-1 (Special Marina
cleared streets of downed trees and answered any emergency calls. Levy County Emergency
District) under the current zoning code and has been so since the 1980’s. This zoning specifi-
Coordinator Mark Johnson thoughtfully opened an emergency shelter operated by the Red
cally allows motel, marina and dry storage businesses. These facts are available to you at
Cross at the Inglis Community Center in case we did have to evacuate some people in the low
town hall, in the records or in Bronson county records. I did not make it up. I contend that
lying areas. The Fire Department did a notification of this by driving each of our streets and
developer Haines has much to gain if he can stop a competitor from developing these proper-
announcing this information. At any rate it appears that though we were wet and had a lot of
ties.
trees down, we came through pretty good. We do have a lot of debris.
In the end, the relationship between Yankeetown elected and appointed officials and
DEBRIS REMOVAL. Pile your debris on the right of way and over the next few days
Mr. Haines is at best questionable. I trust that the majority of residents in this town are
we will make arrangements to have it picked up hopefully by Friday. We do have a very classy
unaware of this relationship. But, when the reasonable man or woman understands that their
debris removal plan in place however, on Sunday a very wonderful group of people which
elected and appointed town officials are accepting legal services and advice free or not, from
attorney/developer Haines, the red flags must go up. These are after all the same officials who
included Town Council members and other civic minded individuals did a large portion of the
have made comprehensive plan concessions at the request of Mr. Haines and will be called on
clean up on Riverside and some of the side streets. This gave cleanup a jump start and got us
in the future to vote on other issues affecting the development of Chambers and School
looking not bad far faster than anything a formal plan could have achieved.
House islands.
SPECIAL THANX To all our firefighters and crew that put in extra effort during the
Mr. Ross, the facts are indeed in Town Hall, but in the file drawers, not with the town
storm. Special Thanx to Marsha Drew for bringing in food. Special Thanx to the Levy County
officials.
Paid announcement, paid for and approved by the author, Jim Sherwood
Emergency Coordinator Mark Johnson who bore with us through it all and opened up a
Letter to the Editor: Re: Scams that go unnoticed
shelter nearby in Inglis so we wouldn't have to go to Bronson if we needed shelter. EXTRA
All phone customers - Look at your phone bill to see if there's a charge "Third Party
SPECIAL THANX to the volunteers that helped clean up the town after the storm.
Providers". They are ESBI and BCI putting charges on phone bills not authorized. They send
HAPPY BIRTHDAY to Eleanor McDougall!!!!!! It has been reported that Mrs.
an e mail to the phone company saying it's from you to authorize "Voice mail" or "Calling
McDougall will be 100 years old this month. Hope your hundredth is a happy one. Good
card" payments to them. As the FTC is suing them you can get your money back. ESBI phone
Night and Good Luck, Dawn Marie Clary, Mayor of Yankeetown
is 1-800-ESBI. Betty Berger,Inglis
email your news to: newscast@atlantic.net
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