Update

Thu Jul 06, 2006

Grapski was Right - City Run by City Manager, Commissioners Mere Rubber Stamps

The problem is, the City's Mayor is ignorant of the rules and the law, and the City's Manager has never had any formal training for his "profession." Meanwhile, the City's other elected Commissoners praise the "efficiency" of a government in which their presence is rendered unnecessary - as it is run by one man: Clovis Watson.

Today's High Spring's Herald takes a brief peek into the corrupt practices that have dominated Alachua's legislative activities for the past year. Reader's beware. The following story is not for the weak of heart. Caution: This is a Corruption Exposing Zone.

Find out the real reason why Grapski has been arrested (but not charged), threatened, harassed, and now legally outlawed from the City of Alachua. What have the Mayor and the City Manager been attempting to hide. Read how the entire City of Alachua, and its "big-box" corporate welfare strategy, has been actually being run by one man alone: Clovis Watson - in the latest story from the High Spring's Herald:

Commisioners gave themselves pay raise without allowing residents to comment

http://tinyurl.com/zpffg

Charlie

HSH Confirms Charlie's Charges

The High Springs Herald is OUT. And in an unusual turn of events - is ONLINE the very same day. And the front page is LOADED with important information.

The stories are as follows - and can be found at http://www.highspringsherald.com - these are a MUST read:

Commisioners gave themselves pay raise without allowing residents to comment

This details the legal and parliamentary procedure battle that I have waged over the past month in the city which has led to my being "outlawed" from the City limits. As it turns out - the evidence is now clear (as if it were not already) that I was right. The city is breaking the law - grossly - and it is even worse than that.

The five member commission - including the mayor - have almost nothing to do. They have openly admitted that most of the City's legislation is being done BY THE CITY MANAGER (Clovis Watson - who has no formal training in this profession).

He, alone, decides what to place on the "consent agenda." Sometimes he discusses such matters with the Mayor. But the other four commissioners simply come to the bi-weekly meeting, sit on the dias, and "move to approve the agenda." They don't even necessarily LOOK AT what is being passed in one fell-swoop without any discussion (or public oversight or input). No wonder they don't want me to speak in City Hall.

Then the related story:

Except for his home, Grapski now banned from Alachua

You've got to read this - to believe this.

Charlie

Mayor Proves Charlie's point, HSH Conducts Alachua Review

Checking in.

GREAT series of stories in Today's High Spring's Herald.

They won't be online till tomorrow. But when I get a copy - I'll see what I can do to give you an update.

Here is a teaser:

I was "thrown out" (and threatened to be re-arrested) of the City of Alachua's Commission meeting - and subsequently "outlawed" (I really can say that I am a 21st century outlaw now - in the real sense of the term) from the City itself as a result - for doing what?

I went to the City, and attempted to prevent it from breaking Florida's Open Government laws (which require all business be done in public meetings, with public observation and participation) - by attempting to get the CIty to actually follow its rules - by using Roberts Rules of Order which are established by the CIty's Rule 10 as the procedures for "order" in the meetings.

By following Roberts Rules - I was ruled "out of order" by the Mayor - who is totally clueless as to the laws, the rules, and Roberts Rules - and she used that to have me thrown out and on two occasions, later, tried to get the State to throw me in jail as a result.

Well, this week, even though I was not in attendance - John Prosser again made a point of order. She didn't throw him out or arrest him - but she did freak out again - and threatened to have him removed.

But then she read into the record from the Florida League of Cities Manual on what a consent agenda is supposed to be used for.

Silly enough - she thought she was PROVING she was right. Instead she proved MY point.

THe High Spring's Herald did not miss the irony of this - and now has done a year's worth of review of what has been passed via the COnsent Agenda. And the verdict is - NEARLY EVERYTHING from the land use and rezonings to pave the way for Wal-Mart, to the subsidization of big boxes, to CLovis Watson's contract - and payment for his "education", and even for their own pay raises.

Persistence is what is necessary to expose those in authority - who use the air of legitimacy as their tool - to break that down despite their draconian tactics.

More to come.

Charlie

Charlie now at a safe distance, city business goes on, uh, peacefully?

I just got an update from the Alachua City Commission meeting. (I am banned from the city you know - gotta protect them from me!).

All hell nearly broke loose tonight.

It started as the City placed on the consent agenda an item for the taxpayers of FLORIDA to pay $1 million to pave a driveway for the WalMart distribution center (and by the way - it goes the LONG way - so there are 2000 other acres of commercial development that will now get a free paved road - not to mention the sewer and other utilities that they conned the taxpayers into paying).

John Prosser got up - and made a point of information - and the Mayor went ballistic.

She eventually read from the Municipal administration handbook on what can be on a consent agenda (and amazingly she thought this came to their defense) - which stated that only ROUTINE PROCLAMATIONS could be placed on there. Of course this is consistent with my claims - which are that such maneuvers can not be used for either substantive legislation or any debatable/controversial matter (even proclamations). So she read into the record what I have been asking for her to recognize - but she did not even realize the significance of this (that is Hugh's wife by the way).

She ranted and raved and threatened to throw John out. Then Connie, and a whole host of others, spoke out in CItizen Comments about the abuses of the City.

The meeting is still going on. But I am sure they are not very happy. They had a reverend open the meeting - with a call for peace and harmony in the City of Alachua.

Charlie

Favorable Press Coverage

Here is an editorial from yesterday's Gainesville Sun:

Looks like a witch hunt

July 01. 2006 6:01AM
I am very concerned at what I see going on with regards to certain officials of the City of Alachua, the State Attorney's office, and Charlie Grapski. I wonder why taxpayers' money is being spent to go after a man who is exercising his rights - our rights - to see what our government is doing.

The charge against Grapski of illegally recording Clovis Watson is bogus. Watson is a public official that Grapski recorded during a conversation about public business in his public office. What is more incredulous is that Watson knew he was being recorded. As a matter of fact, public meetings are routinely recorded. Did you know that when a citizen gets up to speak at a City or County Commission meeting, every word is being recorded? Did anyone ask for your consent? No, because it is public business.

Did Watson make the same consent demand of the TV20 crew that videotaped him in various capacities while he was on the public time clock? Has he sought to get them arrested, too? What Charlie Grapski did is not a crime and is certainly not an arrestable offense.

What is the purpose of our police force, our jail and our State Attorney? To protect the government or protect the people? What is going on here?

John Prosser,
Micanopy

You can also see it in the High Spring's Herald:
Why is tax money being used to go after Grapski?

oh - and good news too - I have been successful in my efforts to reform elections locally - advocating Choice Voting - and as a member of the Charter Review Board of Gainesville I can proudly announce that our REport to the City Commission was strongly in support of adopting IRV (Instant Run-Off Voting - a form of Choice Voting) - and the City did the unprecedented act of adopting several of our recommendations ON THE SPOT last week - including seeking to have the State certify machines for the use of Choice voting in Florida. That is a major victory - that can't get lost while we fight another aspect of voting/elections just north in the City of Alachua.

Charlie