There are more folks who have signed up for the Supervisor of Elections appointment by the Governor. According to Tallahassee, they’re still hoping for more applicants so the Governor has a good, solid pool to choose from. These are the names which are listed as applicants, as of today.

• Michael Brigmond (current employee at the SOE)
• Connie Click(current employee at the SOE)
• Jack Elbon(St Cloud resident & Realtor)
• Beaulah Farquharson(need we say anything else?)
• Joeseph Miranti(St Cloud resident & Operations Manager for DCF in Volusia County)
• Mary Ann Rosenbauer(St Cloud resident, former State employee)
• Glenn Sangiovanno(FORMER St Cloud mayor,currently employed by Florida League of Cities as a consultant)

Folks, there’s at least one political hack who simply wants to collect a public paycheck. We won’t comment on this too much BUT we sure don’t believe the Governor will be wanting to appoint anyone who doesn’t reflect the Governor’s beliefs regarding family values. But hey, that’s just our assumption.

We’ll see how many more people will apply and hopefully, within the next few weeks, the Governor will make a selection by the applicant’s qualifications and NOT by political connections.

The County Commission met at a mini retreat and came out with some pretty lofty Strategic Initiatives.

Here’s the four they selected:

1. A Diverse and Robust Economy
2. Education
3. Public Safety
4. A Healthy Community

Huh? Excuse us for actually thinking but aren’t these so called “initiatives” something that should have already been receiving attention, like for the past 20 years or so? To think they’d actually make a deal out of this and make it an actual Press Release causes us to seriously worry just what the heck is going on over there.

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*The Diverse and Robust Economy is simply stating we need jobs and industry other than the tourism and service industry. Duhhhh The county was told this many years ago by Mr. Fishkind and gave them step by step written directions on what was needed. Did anyone follow these steps? Nope.

*Education. Well now, there’s a darned good idea. Let’s look at education. Unless the Commission is going to take over the schools (they couldn’t do any worse than the current school board) what on Earth can they do? “Encourage” the school board? The 6th school board member already sits on the Commission where he outright asks for, and collects donations towards his little Education Foundation which has more than $10 Million in the bank today, thanks to developers and others who want to make sure their projects are favorably looked upon. While he’s never openly stated, give me or I won’t vote for your project, what other message is being sent when he asks for money during a commission meeting? Anyway, education IS something which needs improvement throughot our county. Just look at some of the emails sent out by at least one school board member. Can anyone say Spellcheck?

*Public Safety. This is a public service which ALL taxpayers pay dearly for. Unfortunately, the City of Kissimmee would rather have a water fountain in a turn around than hire adequate police and firefighters. The County needs to improve firefighter status throughout the county, as well as fully support an overworked and short staffed Sheriff’s Office. How about petitioning Tallahassee for a piece of the tourist tax dollars to go towards the public safety of the tourist alley? We have a drain on Fire service and the Sheriff’s office (who had to place a sheriff’s substation out W192) just to support all the tourist crimes. Why should Osceola taxpayers continue to pay for these drains on OUR budget dollars? If the County Commission is serious about Public Safety, then let’s see at least one of the current candidates call for action and a part of th touris tax. Then, and only then will you knowthey take it seriously.

*A Healthy Community. Okay, just what do we mean here? Will the County begin providing free medical care to EVERY taxpayer? Will we see more harmful roadside garbage actually be collected more regularly? How about storm drains and culverts? Will we see the County actually fill them in and run pipelines to drainage canals?(That is if a school or school parking lot wasn’t built on one).

What we’re saying is all these items are wonderful initiatives but come one, shouldn’t they have already been on top of the list years ago? Coming up soon, after the understaffed staff comes up with them, the County Commission will also be releasing a list of Goals and Objectives which will then be set by the Commission. Let’s hope the staff who is actually coming up with them will have enough time to put creativity into them!

Recently, a contract was given out for advertising services for the TDC. Fortunately, there’s no “boomerang” connected to it, this time around. That’s not to say a certain boomerang operator didn’t try. Thankfully, he won’t get a cent off this contract, and hopefully, never again. There should have been an investigation into the, what we call, “payoff” for services not ever rendered. Shame on those in that secret meeting, shame on those who agreed to pay, and shame on those who did pay. We understand the county manager told the payee that his services would not ever be needed as long as he was the manager. Let’s hope that stands and at least one County Commissioner will resist trying to use influence where it shouldn’t be used!

John Quinones is now on the East Central Florida Regional Planning Council beginning next month. Let’s hope he actually attends all the meetings and is able to persuade this Council to consider Osceola County in their planning!

For those who receive Access Osceola, (we know St Cloud does not) the channel 9 will be moving to channel 199 on January 19th. IF you have a newer TV that is equipped to handle digital/HD you’re in luck as there’s no extra charge. If you have an older analog type TV, it’ll cost you $1.00 per month to be able to watch the channel. So much for PUBLIC ACCESS!

Regarding last article’s reference to a former employee who didn’t get the job he was looking for in Manatee county, you’ll be happy to know he did receive one month’s severance pay just to quietly leave, we’re told. Hmmmm Guess it’s better for the county to get rid of their hiring mistakes no matter what it costs?

You still CANNOT apply in person at the County’s personnel office. Doesn’t matter that the online application is dramatically shorter, and contains much less information for a background investigation, it’s “the way we’re doing it from now on". We won’t say who that quote was from but they are in a supervisory role. *It just gets better doesn’t it?

We have traffic-vehicular complaints. Know why traffic is always backed up? LARGE vehicles continuing to be allowed in the outside(passing) lane. Every day, they rumble slowly down the road, blocking traffic because the slower traffic is keeping to the right EXCEPT for these bozos! Dump trucks, tractor trailers, school busses, Lynx busses, all of these and even some cars who have no idea anyone else is actually on the roads with them!

We heard one fellow say, in a downtown cafe, he was going to make a left turn onto John Young Parkway and couldn’t understand why people were giving him a salute! What he forgot to mention was he was driving all the way from St Cloud, in the left lane, holding everyone up. School busses do the same thing, pulling out of Simpson road, getting into the left lane immediately, and making a turn onto Michigan Avenue. What’s wrong with you people? And what’s wrong with law enforcement for allowing it to continue? There’s a law on the books, ENFORCE it, PLEASE!!

Okay, off the soapbox.

Election time in St Cloud is bringing out the signs, for Chuck Cooper at least. This is a serious candidate and he’s working the streets, knocking on doors and wanting to earn the votes.

Other than Cooper, the only other candidate in St Cloud that’s done anything, is John Rallis, who now has a web page. You can look it up at JohnRallis.com It is amusing and we’ll wait to see if anyone picks up anything while looking at it.

The Sheriff’s Office will be conducting DUI checks all over the county Friday, the 21st, and we believe it will continue through the weekend as deputies take to the roads to stop idiots who drink AND drive.

Okay, that’s it. We’re shutting down for the Holidays, and some of Carl is going away. Please feel free to continue writing us at carlcrckt@yahoo.com and we’ll get to the emails when we return in about 10 days.

To each and everyone of you we wish you the very best of Holidays. May Christmas bring you Peace and Happiness. May God bless you all, and we wish you all to have good health and to be safe!

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to YOU from YOU!!