This will be a short blog as we want to get plenty of sleep for Monday’s Commission meeting, so here we go.

Seems Jay Wheeler’s weekly diatribe email appears NOT to have shared some brand new news sent to him from Tallahassee! Seems that Mr. Wheeler has had a complaint filed AGAINST him with the Florida Division Of Elections in Tallahassee. We’re sure that when he returns from vacation Mr. Wheeler will be eager to share his news with his weekly readers! Until his return, we only wonder what EXACTLY he did, or was that did NOT do to get himself in some hot water? Perhaps it was some of his political advertising which may have been missing some of the legal stuff required of ALL politicians? We’ll see but we’ve been told the fines could start at $500.00 per violation. OUCH!

[More:]

Meanwhile, the new/old superintendent, Mr. Grego continues his attempts at remolding the Osceola School system into Hillsborough East by letting a couple more employees go. One, Danny Jones, a good guy, will be missed by all he worked with. We wonder if Grego plans to replace him with someone from another county. Also gone is Eric Huston, the fellow who we’ve mentioned once or twice here, and very close to School Board Chair John McKay, who seems to have cut that tie and simply allowed Huston to hit the road. Sorry Eric but you know how politicians can be. One word today, forgotten tomorrow!

Monday afternoon’s County Commission meeting will be packed with drama, AND members of the Kissimmee Chamber, headed by current State Representative Mike Horner. We’re told by more than one person that current Commission Chair John Quinones, also a FORMER State Representative, has been busy on the telephone drumming up support for, what appeared to be, the outgoing county manager. Seems Quinones likes how he is able to get all that EXTRA funding for his district, and would hate to lose this manager to someone else who just might not be willing to play catering games. We’re also told Mike Horner has been telling people that he has secured 4 votes on the commission to retain the manager and that there is only a problem between the manager and Commissioner Fred Hawkins, which appears to be a personality conflict. Really? And all this while we thought Hawkins just wanted accountability from the manager which REAL citizens and taxpayers have NOT been receiving. Also, Horner claims that Commissioner Ken Smith is on the manager’s side which is a puzzle to us since Smith, himself, had questioned the wisdom of the manager’s greed in refusing to take a salary cut while other county employees were losing their jobs. Could Smith have sold out to the Chamber that easily? Also, just how many members of the Chamber will stick their heads out for the manager? Well, we’ll be willing to wager the members of the alleged cigar club will be out in force. Will King Tommy show up and speak in support of pawn Mike? Will Representative Horner actually involve himself in local politics and defend one of the most unpopular county managers to have held the job? Look for this to be a true power play for Quinones, who already has stated he’d like to stay on as Chairman. For some reason, he thinks he’s doing a good job. Will everyone be awake after the rousing presentation being given by the “MyRegion people? Will Lynx actually show up to beg for more MONEY after being turned down in Orange County? Citizens are already talking amongst each other and they are NOT happy. Politically speaking/guessing, the Commissioners had better choose wisely or many may end up being one termers, and for Q, this could be his LAST term. Citizens MUST stand up for themselves and NOT allow Chamber types, like Mike Horner, try to influence OUR government and have the commission do their bidding and to hell with the taxpayers. Secret handshakes, secret clubs, and whatever else MUST be eliminated. You’ve already seen the job Mr. Horner and the State Legislature did this past session. THEY did it TO us! Don’t let them do it again TO US!
For those answers you need to attend the meeting, watch it online, or read here afterwards and see what happens!

Also at Monday’s meeting the commission will decide if three (3) OUT OF COUNTY engineering companies should be given a contract for “as assigned” type jobs, yet to be determined, while other OSCEOLA firms are excluded, admittedly by the county in its own support notes? BUY LOCAL? You’re kidding, right?

Thanks to the current manager, who has violated his contract, we’re told, by seeking employment elsewhere without notifying the commission, and only notifying them AFTER our blog revealed his application at Lee County, this county is fast becoming a laughing stock. The time to end this is now. Will Commissioners be strong enough to actually DO something about it?

GOD bless you all. Be healthy and always be safe!