Getting right in to it we’ll start with the upcoming vote this Wednesday, the 29th. See Tom Long’s email we’ve copied below.

Greetings Fellow taxpayers,

This coming Wednesday, October 29, 4PM at the Osceola Center for the Arts, The Education Foundation will revote on the government subsidized housing project known as Signature Crossing.

I have fought this project in your name for the last two years. Now I am asking for you to take one hour of your time to attend this meeting. You do not have to speak, just be seen.
There is little chance that I will be allowed to speak, so having many of us there may tip the scales for our side. I will be there early. Please let me know if you are will to spend one hour to take back our county. If you know anyone on this list, please call them to stop the waste of millions of our tax dollars.

Chairman Emeritus
Tom Tompkins State Housing & Development
Board Chairman
Pete Edwards CBME Hospitality Inc.
Board Vice Chairman
Fred Hawkins, Jr. Waste Services
Raquel Berberena Tupperware Brands Corporation
Sandy Borders C & S Acconting Services, Inc.
Raymond R. Bradick Bowyer-Singleton & Asso., Inc.
Alan Byrd McCree, Inc.
Wade Davis School District of Osceola
Kevin Dougherty, Sr. V.P. CFE Federal Credit Union
Linda Downing Valencia Community College
Deborah Fahmie
Nancy Gemskie
Richard Greco Celebration Homes
Tom Greer School Board Member-SDOC
Michael Grego, Ed. D. Superintendent SDOC
Donna Hart Mayor of St. Cloud
Bill Haupt Florida Hospital
Bob Healy, Jr. Funeraria San Juan
Patsy Heffner Osceola County Tax Collector
Tony Iorio Avatar Properties Inc.
Carlos Irizarry City of Kissimmee
Paul Kinser
Chris Klinger Valencia Community College
David Lane St. Cloud Chamber
Tom Lang KCVB
Hector Liasuain Osceola Couonty-Engineering Department
Sarah Logan Gray/Robinson PA
Melba Luciano School District of Osceola County
Mark McHugh Gatorland
Mike Mekdeci Stetson University-Celebration
Ed Moore Osceola Center for the Arts
Jim Murphy Osceola Management Consulting
Blaine Muse
Pam Ollis
Kathy Pierson MPB Communications
Scott Polodna Circuit Judge
Jo QuittschreiberFlorida Republican Women’s Network
Marc S. Reicher Champions Gate
Laura Rhinehart, Ed D School District of Osceola County
Diane Salisbury Hanson, Walter & Associates
Jim Shanks Behavioral Healthcare
Allen Sims
Ed Smallwood
Shad Tome Hamony Development
Mel Welch Total Design Consortium
Lawrence Williams Waddell Williams & Associates, LLC

We believe Mr. Long has said it all. Let anyone on the above list know just how you feel. Either way, just voice your opinions.

[More:]

This afternoon the County appears headed towards awarding Greer Landscaping a very nice mowing contract worth $150,000.00 per year! We don’t think this is what The Sentinel and Gazette had in mind when they said everyone should get along with the school board!

So, there we are, sitting at the most recent vote at The Foundation when the accountant says they have $20 Million in the bank! Huh? What’s he say??? That’s right, it was loud enough, and certainly clear enough. Could this be true? $20 million in the bank, but The Foundation only gave out $360,000.00 worth of scholarships, part of which came from areas outside of The Foundation.

Why is this NON PROFIT holding on to that much money, if this is true?? We’d sure like to understand the logic behind going after taxpayer’s money when The Foundation could well afford to float the $2 Million they’ll be asking for, presumably on November 10th! If the projects are such a wonderful deal for all, wouldn’t you think they’d just go ahead and use their OWN money? SHAME on them.

The Teka Village fiasco comes to the county agenda, once again, this afternoon when commissioners are expected to finally vote their denial to fund approximately half the cost of the village’s new wall/fence. By the way, it’s already up.

You’ll recall this is also the subject Commissioner Ken Smith apparently took upon himself to tell the Teka Village rep, TWO DAYS AFTER THE VOTE they would not be getting the funding as voted. No other official county meeting between the time of the vote and the time of Smith’s call to Teka, so you tell us, how does Commissioner Ken Smith make that call without any official action by the County Commission?

If you say hmmmmm, you’re not alone. The State Attorney’s office is well aware of this one as well! With all that’s going on with the illegal expenditure of TDC funds, Commissioner Ken Smith’s employment at The Foundation, the receiver of those illegally spent TDC funds, and then this call made by Commissioner Ken Smith to the Teka folks, makes you begin to wonder what the word ethical behavior really means!! Sniff, sniff… It certainly does NOT pass the smell test!

Finally, we need to cover one more election race, as we’ve been reminded about a hundred times over the weekend.

In the Kissimmee Seat 1 race for City Commissioner we support Art Otero.
Gail Eck is an absolutely nice woman, smart, and very pleasant, BUT, she’s worked for Mr Durbin for many, many years. We just find it difficult seeing her turn the tables and NOT continue to take instruction from him. We need new, and fresh faces in City Hall government and Art Otero will fill that bill!

God bless you all. Be healthy and please, always be safe.

**One week to go to Election Day!!!