The Tuesday meeting between the DIB board and homeless advocate Michael Kimberl and his attorney fell apart when Kimberl’s attorney got tied up in court and the board refused to wait. Fortunately, Kimberl’s court date has moved, giving the two sides time to still meet.
Meanwhile, the Downtown Deterioration Board continues to push for a boycott of the businesses associated with the board members. The feeling among their supporters is Pensacola and its leaders care more about image and branding than people. The business listed on the group’s Instagram that are being boycotted are:
Atlas
Five Sisters
Fish House
The Dog House Deli
Jackson’s
Angelina’s
O’Riley’s
Fosko
Pure Barre
Ride Society
Alfresco Tex Mex
aDoor Properties
Bay Lumber Trading Co.
Sir Richard’s
Mugs & Jugs
The Downtown Deterioration Board is also calling for a protest at the Gallery Night scheduled for Friday, Aug. 19:
“We’re inviting everyone to protest at Gallery Night. We want to make what’s ‘under the surface’ of elite Pensacola known and impossible to hide from. We want people beyond this account to understand what’s going on and that people care.
“We want to disrupt the fiction of progress that Pensacola spends all our resources trying to uphold.”
Among the list of requests attached to the boycott of the DIB are that the charges against any activist assisting the homeless be dropped; that a free ADA-accessible public restroom facility be provided downtown; that the city of Pensacola return benches to MLK Plaza; that Escambia County return tables and benches to the downtown public library; to stop the “community policing” of the downtown homeless community; and a stop to any effort to criminalize panhandling.
At some point, the politicians need to get engaged. Where are Mayor Grover Robinson, Councilwoman Ann Hill (downtown is in her district), Councilman Casey Jones and Commissioner Robert Bender (both are ex-officio members of DIB board)? Maybe it will take Commissioner Lumon May to weigh in.
Meanwhile, Inweekly has paid for an ADA-accessible port-a-potty on North Palafox that is available 24/7.
UNBELIEVABLE. My apologies, CJ. Because somebody just pointed out the actual removal process for the DIB, per the bylaws, which are available under the “documents” section of the DIB home page:
https://downtownpensacola.com/about
p. 6 Section 6: although the mayor appoints, the City Council can remove DIB members (now I see what you were getting at, CJ)
p.9 Section 6: any two board members of the DIB itself can call for a removal of a member.
Man, if I were a member of that board, I would be all over that with the mess that Carro is orchestrating for them.
Dissolve the special district.
http://www.leg.state.fl.us/Statutes/index.cfm?App_mode=Display_Statute&Search_String=&URL=0100-0199/0189/Sections/0189.072.html
Or at the very least …drop the charges.
Good job on the port a potty Inweekly.
Michael Kimbrel is a legend. We could build a public restroom facility and name it after him. Somehow, I think he wouldn’t mind.
Perhaps there is a time for Civil Disobedience. As Henry David Thoreau wrote about.
“It is not desirable to cultivate a respect for the law, so much as for the right.”
But seriously, DIB, when I go to the market and have to go to the bathroom, I would prefer to use a slightly used port o potty then step over a pile of poop on the sidewalk in front of it.
Think about it — do you want to be sunsetted or reach compromise?
Where has Grover been? Melting down daily on multiple email strings pertaining to this issue, stating flat out untruths, fighting with Sherri, defaming citizens, putting down public record requests, and cowering from his duty as the mayor who appoints the DIB board he is apparently completely beholden to.
Where is Ann Hill? Campaigning against a contender who was hand-selected to unseat her as one more voice for the Marbut plan.
Where is Casey Jones? Probably trying to decide whether he’s going to be for the good or the bad on this issue (we’ve got fingers crossed, Casey).
Where is Robert Bender? Blathering nonsense at the morning agenda review and not saying a word once the public could speak on it this evening, and probably one of the people at the County blocking the joint workshop with the City so he can appease Ferry Pass.
Lumon May, however, was blasting the fact that there are grants available RIGHT NOW–scads, I mean buckets full, of federal grant money for homeless–that County staff hasn’t been pursuing (haven’t heard any mention of City staff pursuing it, either.)
Kevin Wade and I spoke this evening at the BOCC meeting on the item Chairman Bergosh brought on the scheduling of the workshop with the City Council is getting nowhere. 1:27 mark:
https://escambiacofl.civicclerk.com/Web/Player.aspx?id=658
CJ Lewis, the DIB Board is appointed by the mayor, not the Council. Whether Grover likes it or not, he is still the mayor. He has a fiduciary and ethical responsibility to not let a group of bull-headed, elitist, out of touch, reactionary, tone deaf, bullying, and hopelessly inept Board members drag the City into another futile and unconstitutional war against the homeless–and the public. We’ve seen this movie before, multiple times. It doesn’t end well for these types.
Grover has it well within his power to stop this fiasco, and he could yank every member of that DIB tomorrow. Why doesn’t he? I assume because either he’s beholden to monied special interests, or he’s a coward.
So if he doesn’t have the guts to wipe that Board clean, as should happen, then he could find a little bit of backbone and remove Michael Carro, the Chair. Carro’s not the only problem, but he’s definitely the worst one. Remove him immediately, replace him with somebody reasonable and competent, and then see what the rest of the DIB does.
Last thought: it just shows how totally out of their realm Carro and the lawyer for the DIB really are that they cut out on that meeting because JJ got stuck in court. Really? No lawyer does that to another lawyer, ever. It is the height of professional discourtesy. Does the DIB lawyer have any court experience, at all?
Last thought: it’s a flaming irony that Carro has been presiding over the arrest of Michael Kimberl for cutting a padlock with what’s going on with some of that budget. Talk about kicking the hornets nest.
Karma’s a bitch, and he may be about to find that out.
My position since 2008 remains that the DIB has accomplished its 1972 legislative purpose and should be abolished and downtown property taxes so reduced. The DIB is one part of a three agency city government. The DIB acts in the shoes of the City Council. Legally, since 1972 to present, this is why the DIB exists:
Section 3. – Statement of policy and legislative findings.
(a) It is the policy of the state to make it possible for the city to revitalize and preserve property values and prevent deterioration in the downtown area by a system of self-help to correct the commercial blight of such deterioration as has developed there. The board hereby created is intended to provide a vehicle whereby property owners who will benefit directly from the results of such a program will bear the substantial cost thereof and thereby local problems may be solved on the local level through the use of machinery provided by local government.
(b) The legislature hereby finds and declares that among the many causes of such commercial blight in the downtown area are the following: Automobile traffic flow is strangled by outmoded street patterns, proliferation of uncoordinated uses and parking areas, faulty lot layouts, fragmentation of land uses and parking areas necessitating frequent automobile movement, lack of separation of pedestrian areas from auto traffic, lack of separation of vehicle traffic lanes and railroad traffic, and excessive noise levels from strangled auto traffic. Voluntary cooperation for coordinated development has limitations because of fragmentary ownership, distant absentee ownership and unusual conditions of title and other conditions.
(c) The downtown area is plagued with vacant and deteriorating buildings which are neglected and produce a depressing atmosphere. Many businesses of all types have left the area for new locations in suburban shopping centers and few businesses have entered to take their places. The oldest commercial structures in the city are in this area and some are obsolete, of inferior construction and incompatible with modern functional design as is featured in competitive shopping centers.
(d) The area now has few residences and many of the residences which do exist are undersized and of inferior construction which would not be permitted for new construction under the city’s building code. It is in some instances a proper function of government to remove blight and blighting influences from commercial areas. The police power may be inadequate to accomplish this purpose. One effective device for removal of the blight of the downtown areas is the planning and implementation of planning for appropriate land use, beautification, continuity of planning and aesthetic and technical design concepts, and removal of deteriorated and obsolescent structures.
(e) The legislature further finds and declares that the provisions of this act and the powers afforded to the board are desirable to guide and accomplish the coordinated, balanced and harmonious development of the downtown area in accordance with existing and future needs, to promote the health, safety and general welfare of the area and its inhabitants, visitors, property owners, and workers, to establish, maintain and preserve aesthetic values and preserve and foster the development and display of attractiveness, to prevent overcrowding and congestion, to improve auto traffic and provide pedestrian safety, and to provide a way of life which combines the conveniences and amenities of modern living with the traditions and pleasures of the past.
(f) The legislature further finds that the powers conferred by this act are for public uses and purposes for which public money may be expended, and for which the eminent domain, police and taxing power may be exercised; and that the necessity in the public interest for the provisions herein enacted is hereby declared a matter of legislative determination.
Since 1972, this is what the DIB does on behalf of the City Council.
Section 7. – Functions of the board.
The board shall perform the following functions:
(a) Prepare and maintain on a current basis an analysis of the economic conditions and changes occurring in the downtown area, including the effect thereon of such factors as metropolitan growth, traffic congestion, lack of adequate parking and other access facilities, and structural obsolescence and deterioration.
(b) Formulate and maintain on a current basis both short-range and long-range plans for improving the attractiveness and accessibility to the public of downtown facilities, promoting efficient use thereof, remedying the deterioration of downtown property and developing the downtown area.
(c) Recommend to the city council for its consideration and approval the actions deemed most suitable for implementing the downtown development plans, including removal, razing, repair, renovation, reconstruction, remodeling and improvement of existing structures, addition of new structures and facilities, relocation of those existing, and changes in facilities for getting thereto and therefrom.
(d) Participate actively in the implementation and execution of approved downtown development plans, including establishment, acquisition, construction, ownership, financing, leasing, licensing, operation and management of publicly owned or leased facilities deemed feasible and beneficial in effecting implementation for public purposes, but this subsection shall not give the board any power or control over any city property unless and until assigned to it by the city council under the provisions of subsection (e).
(e) Carry on all other projects and undertakings authorized by law and within the limits of the powers granted to it by law, and such additional lawful projects and undertakings related to the downtown area as the city council may assign to the board with its consent.