Well, we should have known that after the last two blogs emails would be headed our way. All kinds of emails. Enough to make us think, hmmmm, let’s take a closer look at the Foundation. Here now is “OUR” look and opinion of this fast growing insiders group.

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The Education Foundation of Osceola was created several years ago with the main goal of providing scholarships to every student who qualified and needed one. For that, it was a wonderful idea and an amazing challenge. Everyone supported it, including both cities and the County. The Foundation was headed by Now, Commissioner Ken Smith and 2 other ladies who did most of the leg work. An outstanding job was done and the groups supporters grew steadily, as did the group’s donars, to where it is today, a somewhat political force entrenched in attempts to participate in managing a rental property of which the taxpayers would construct and pay for, while the Board of Education would claim the project supported teachers, and the Foundation would collect the rents, making the project a win-win for just about everyone except the taxpayers.

However, the scholarship program is a truly wonderful program and has helped so many students go on to a much better life because of the assistance given.

Ken Smith, currently an Osceola Commissioner, is now a paid employee of The Foundation, along with over 30 others now employed at the Foundation. It also has a Board of Directors which includes quite an impressive(?) list of members.

Amongst those are, Board Vice Chair and Chairman elect FRED HAWKINS, who also is a candidate for the Osceola Commission. Pete Edwards is currently the Chairman and formally a school board member and rumored to be a wannabe County Commission successor to Ken Smith, if/when Smith ever leaves. Tom Greer (school board member), Donna Hart(school board employee & St Cloud Mayor), Mike Horner (Chamber President & candidate for State House of Reps), Tim Hemphill (FORMER Director at the County’s Convention & Visitor’s Bureau), Wade Davis (FORMER St Cloud Councilman & rumored to be a School Board wannabe after one of his bosses, John McKay decides to leave the board), Carlos Irizarry (Kissimmee City Commissioner), Jim Murphy - Finance Committee Chairman (AND Chairman of the TDC who has given the Foundation $10,000 a year for the past 10 years as a “corporate sponsor"), Blaine Muse (FORMER embattled school superintendent), Dimitri Toumazos (husband of Maria Grulich, Dir of CVB & Economic Growth for the County), and Tom Tompkins, (developer) who is declared the Chairman Emeritus.

These are amongst the names mentioned on the Foundation’s web page, located at www.foundationosceola.org/site/board.htm and you can see for yourself.

Again, we believe the ORIGINAL intent of this group was wonderful thing and each year they continue to provide Osceola’s graduating students assistance to move on to college. We all, here, wish such a noble group existed when we were in school.

So, why all this background? We’ve been told that we were “picking on the kids” by pointing out certain irregularities in some transactions between the County’s TDC board and the Foundation. Upon asking a couple questions, we were told that this may go deeper, such as political influence POSSIBLY being used to get donations for certain “charitable” groups in exchange for a favorable view of certain ideas or projects. We do NOT know if this could be true or not, but it is worth looking at. Perhaps looking at those who have made donations to certain groups along with when their projects may have been going up for a vote at a certain political venue.

IF this could even work is beyond our expertise and we only ASK the question, COULD THIS HAPPEN? We certainly hope it hasn’t, despite emails that tell us to look at the actions of some people and how they hand out donation forms for certain groups.

This troubles us as we sure hope there isn’t any influence peddling going on in any of our local political Commissions, Councils, or political sub committees such as planning councils or otherwise. That would be something seriously wrong with the system and would certainly warrant an investigation by outside authorities. We can’t, and don’t believe anyone would be that stupid to do such a thing. Don’t you?

At last week’s lovefest Kissimmee City Commission meeting, Commissioner Gemskie did something TO us, no doubt, without ever thinking it all the way through.

In an effort to “protect” City Manager Mark Durbin, Gemskie proposed doubling the amount of severance pay if/when Durbin was terminated for lack of specific cause. Nice for Durbin, VERY BAD for the taxpayers in Kissimmee. This move would cost taxpayers nearly a hundred thousand dollars IF a city commission in the future decided to terminate Durbin.

No approval needed by the citizens, and none of their opinions were apparently sought by Gemskie, who continues to believe he’s something more than what he truly is. His last election proves he did not receive the mandate he thinks he got.

Mr. Gemskie needs to seriously THINK things out BEFORE spewing his thoughts out at a Commission meeting and putting it for a vote! The only hope is a future Commission takes that abnormal 6 month severance package and cut it back to where it belongs, like almost every city in Florida! Once again, Gemskie places himself & his friend above the PEOPLE.

Fallout from the county Manager’s pay raise continues. Many county employees are actually speaking out regarding the manager and his pay. Most are upset with him AND the County Commission and promise different election results this November.

We received an email last week regarding an item in St Cloud. It seemed like something we’d like so we asked. It appears that at last Thursday’s Council meeting, Jarom Fertic, the councilman who has difficulties with the city manager and city attorney, was lashing out at the city attorney for not answering a citizen’s questions. The mayor tried to explain, but neither the citizen or Fertic seemed to understand the basic logic that the city attorney represents the Council and the city, as a whole, and not individual citizens of the city.

Seems Fertic wanted the city attorney to tell the citizens how long they had to sue the city for alleged damage they think the city construction at the lakefront caused their homes. The city attorney, as we’re told, nicely but firmly stated he couldn’t and wouldn’t answer that question. Fertic tried to press the attorney, but, as usual, Fertic ended up with the egg yolk all over his face. Problem? Fertic still doesn’t understand how the city attorney’s office works. Of course, Fertic has only been there little more than a year so he needs time to learn, right?

Meanwhile, we’re going to city hall here and asking Don Smallwood to tell us about a case we have and get his advice, for free……ugh!

Thank you all for your (mostly) wonderful comments. Keep the emails coming to Carlcrckt@yahoo.com and we’ll read every one.

God bless you all. Be healthy and please, stay safe!