5  priority’s forgotten by 4 on the Council

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Sometimes the things we expect to happen, because they are designed that way, don’t really work out as planned. Let’s look at the Village of Indiantown as an example.

Remember the design phase? Utopia, grand plans and Independence from the reigns of the awful Martin County. A whole lot of money and political capital was spent to form a new municipal government so the People could be served better. All the while the idea was for those who had large capital investments and landholdings in the area to be able to rapidly develop their land and do it with far fewer restrictions from government. Things were not moving fast enough for them so they had to grease the wheels a bit to get things moving.

Remember that? “The Indiantown Independence Movement”.

Promises of grandeur and streets that drain themselves. Parks, roads, buggy trails and Government lite. It was designed to make Indiantown a place of overnight increases in standards of living for all. Especially the down trodden and oppressed.

Well, that was nearly five years ago. Now look at it.

What has been done?

Well, the Council has elected a manager that was involved with a major FBI scandal in 2010 through 2015. The same manager that brings in brotherhood consultants that work directly with his own personal Municipal Consulting firm for finders’ fees and other considerations. Some of these consultants having racial scandals of their own in Orlando. The manager himself is a Social Justice advocate from the school of progressive socialism.

The same manager that does not have to drink the water, drive the flooded and pot holed roads or shop here. Why? He is not required to live here to run the place. He is two County away. A manager that has climbed in the heads of some Council members and is using them like a bad scene from Children of the Corn. Why do we say that?

Well, priorities are the reason. In life our outcomes reflect our actions and our actions are generally a reflection of our priority. So let’s take a look together at how outcome has stacked up with priority.

Here is a list of five things the people of the Village can use for its people. These were top priority of the initial effort to incorporate too. We have all been reminded about the countless hours and dollars spent making sure this whole thing worked. Or did it?

(1) Roads / Drainage. We would all agree I am sure that there are some real issues with the water run off in Indiantown. We can also agree that there are a lot of holes that need filled too. A couple years ago an initial micro asphalt had been placed over a small portion of the roads just weeks prior to the last election cycle. It served as the best campaign sign for an incumbent that she could get. This was a wasted tax payer expenditure that did nothing but make things look pretty and give incumbents a chance to declare their fitness for office. It was more a ploy that wasted tax money and did very little to improve the roads. It sure was visible though.

Now we have a Two Million Dollar Federal Grant that is repairing roads in the next up for re-election incumbents’ areas. While the timing seems very convenient, there can be no argument the road work was needed. Where is the next improvement and when is it planned? Next election?

Meanwhile, the Village could have spent a whole lot on roads and nothing on consultants, commissions and soap boxes had they never considered the Fire Rescue. Ask yourself, who has the most to gain from the outcome of removing fire rescue? Is it you?

All of this while we, the people, continue to fight to prevent the number one priority from being replacing Fire Rescue with a less effective and more expensive service. Why should you have to fight your own elected to do what is in your interest?

The action of four of the Council do not match the priority unless you are in it for yourself and see opportunity for strengthening a base or a personal bank account. Who is telling them this is a good idea?

Or, maybe they think that the EXPERTS know more about what the people want and need than the PEOPLE do. Sound familiar? Lines like, “Well we have been listening to staff” and “we have been told by experts”. So, while you scream for roads & drainage, they are wasting your time, money and attention on something that is not even on the top 50 list right now? Why?

(2) Water Plant. The water plant needs 20 million in repair work just to be capable of handling what it should be able to handle already. Why did the Village pay 500k over market value for it? It is limping along with only one of three pumps working and no fail over for the old worn-out pump that is in service. When it quits like it did a few short weeks ago on a Sunday, well, you will see another outage and boil order like before. Hopefully it will come back up next time.

Not only that the system does not have enough pressure to supply water for a large fire if there was one. Then you look and see that there is no tanker truck in the plan for Fire Rescue changes. So where are these so-called experts? Who is saving? With savings like that you might as well be broke. We see the outcomes, so what is the priority?

Oh, and the fire hydrants attached to the under pressured water system. Well, more are inoperable than operable. But you still have Antony, Guyton and Janet all screaming about how the experts know better and that Fire Rescue is somehow a priority. All the while your water system, that fire trucks need, cannot handle it without a tanker truck for backup.  Where is the priority?

(3) Additional Housing. Well, with early information about proposed projects the rents start well above the median income in this market. That was before material shortages and inflationary pressures from the White House. Several months back the LOW end is estimated around 1,800$ per month. Affordable? For who? So, who are they looking out for? You or someone with more money than you?

Sad too the first attempt at it is going to take out a micro-oak hammock of rare environmentally sensitive lands. It will be placed in a residential area that it is completely incompatible with as well.

Another developer that is already greasing the skids behind the scenes wants to put in 850 more houses. They will bound Indianwood on two sides. This group has left their calling card at the door. The large portion of land North of Indianwood that was scorched for over 2 weeks causing respiratory issues for their neighbor’s smack dab in the middle of pollen season is theirs. If that is not enough, they destroyed an Eagles nest in the process as well. But they promise to be the best neighbor to the hood you have ever seen. Priorities?

(4) Retail / Commercial. Well, there is a plan for a Tractor Supply to go in at 609 and 710. Some 18 Oak Trees that line 710 will need to be eliminated as a starter. It is the same land that has what are said to be Indian Burial Mounds on them. Will anybody care to look?

All 15 or so of the jobs this standalone store might create will be low paying retail sector jobs and most of the upper-level jobs will be brought in from the outside. It will also create a great deal of unwanted traffic and outsiders. Not to mention the unwanted urban environmental impact that is not in keeping with the rural atmosphere of Indiantown. It does demonstrate the scorched earth effort though to radically transform the Village. For what? For who?

Besides, we already have all the services that a Tractor Supply furnishes. What is the rush to displace the locals and bring in the box stores? I guess we are supposed to be like the rest of South Florida. Nothing unique here. How about trying that old home town feel and enlisting the Chamber of Commerce for a little help on the insights of the needs of the existing small business owners that are struggling to serve the market before you lop their heads off and bring in Tire Kingdoms, Public, CVS, and Tractor Supply. Way to look out for the local’s gang. I bet if the Manager and a couple of the Council Members actually lived in the boundary of the Village they might think differently.

(5) Reduction in government. One of the TOP priorities of the “Founding Fathers” as they are so over the top referred to was in their own words; Government lite. You now have 25 plus full-time people and a large pool of consultants being paid to create more work for themselves at your expense. The idea was supposed to be benefit for the people.

Less Government, including code enforcement. More freedom to do what the people wanted to do. No one asked for a central polit bureau of elitists to run our day-to-day world. There is enough in the mix already without the immature and corrupt crew in charge making things worse.

The angst and blood pressures are culminating into what is sure to be a well-orchestrated and combined financial effort to make sure that two of the incumbents are removed and the other fully supported in the next election cycle. If Howard Brown is not gone by then we feel confident he will be gone after the next election.

Walking on the backs of Church groups for PR stunts and micro pavement is not going to work this time for young progressive clad candidates. Your actions have shown your priorities.

Many within are already combining and enlisting attorneys to assist in the possible Abolishment and dissolution of the Village all together. For those that think that is not possible, well, see you in the morning, sleep tight.

Currently less than 300k of the Villages revenue, outside of grants, come from residential roof top taxes. You have heard certain Council members crying that 300k a year was not enough. It was too small and there was nothing that could be done with so little money. They feel they are owed more because of their racial heritage. Well, tick FPL off and that is all you have left.

I bet if they gave you and I the 300k, we could find a few things that need repair in town! How about we start with new pumps for the water plant, then connect the loop so we get some real pressure and fresher water. Estimates are the cost of that is two million. Well, you said it would take 1.8 the first year you start fire rescue and 6.5 the year following. So, scrap fire rescue and use that money. Now add 300k to it a year from the County and you actually have more than you started with. Amazing isn’t it. You found the money for Fire Rescue – now find it for the real needs.

Oh, and one last note before we leave you. We would like to address a question that was raised by Guyton Stone at the last Council Sandbox play time get together.

He said that he was no longer able to remain quite and had to ask Council woman Gibbs-Thomas which crew she was supporting, the County Commission or the Council?

Here again folks, priorities. You see, he did not say the people of Indiantown. No, he made enemy of the Commission and cast Susan from the sandbox of the Council.

Given Ms. Gibbs-Thomas is serving” The People” neither of your derogatory assumptions are correct Guyton. Why? Well to begin with, as you and your Council Crew have demonstrated many times over, you do not include her as part of your little click. We are sure she wears that as a badge of honor.

Second, your priority is seriously skewed if you think that her loyalty should lie with the Council and Not the people. Whose side are you on Guyton?

We know most people do not like protest, strong actions, or even controversy. At some point someone has to shout though. But those shouting cannot be expected to carry the ball over the line alone for you. You still have to participate. It is part of being an American. It is a part greatly missing today. We can however affect our local world though.

You have to make your feelings known whether it is with a hallmark greeting card, a letter, e-mail or a protest sign and a bull horn.

This is your home. You have to protect it from those that want to take it from you. Get informed, get involved and be counted. Stand with your neighbor on common ground and be heard.

Tell the Council to get their priority in line with yours. Or you can sit back and get ready to go for a ride to wherever they want to take you, we have a feeling you will not like the ending if you give away your freedoms and let others greed and corruption guide your future.

So, Until next time – Standby