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The following are video excerpts showing the Treasure Coast Regional Planning Council (TCPRC) in action at it’s regular Board Meeting on January 17, 2014.
“As far as bypassing local governments, that’s why we all are here.”
Perhaps the most stunning comment came from St. Lucie County Commissioner Paula Lewis, when she made the above statement in response to Indian River County Commissioner Bob Solari’s statement that he believes the activities of the TCRPC are indeed bypassing local governments.
Is it Four50 or Seven50?
Gubenatorial appointee Peter Sachs of Palm Beach County triggered and interesting exchange of comments from first, Martin County Commissioner John Haddox, second, St. Lucie County Commissioner Tod Mowrey, and third, Indian River County Commissioner Bob Solari.
Peter Sachs:
Commissioner Haddox followed by Commissioner Mowrey:
Commissioner Solari
Who “owns” Seven50?
Gubenatorial appointee Kevin Foley of Martin County, a proponent of Seven50, explains:
Slippery Slope
Kevin Foley, in an attempt to explain why Seven50 does not risk loss of local control, actually highlights the risk:
Mr. Foley says: ” . . . Seven50 even becoming an advisor to these [local] governments is a slippery slope that I would never want to see.” So, ask yourself, what is Seven50 attempting to be, if it is not even advisory to local governments?
Gubenatorial Lobbying Committee
The TCRPC is creating a committee that will lobby the Governor. The following three videos capture the heart of the discussion.
Board Chairman Indian River County Commissioner Peter O’Brien states the need for TCPRC to begin lobbying the Governor:
Commissioner Bob Solari opposes doubling the Board meeting frequency to support increased state lobbying by the TCRPC:
Commissioners O’Brien and Solari engage in an entertaining discussion about good leadership:
Region discusses plans for a County Bridge
There was an interesting discussion around an agenda item to approve plans for a bridge to be constructed in St. Lucie county that has popularly been termed by many county residents as “The no bridge to nowhere”. The item under consideration is the proposed bridge that will connect the Crosstown Expressway to US Highway 1, the two main north-south arteries in Port St. Lucie, at the geographic middle of St. Lucie county. Presently the Crosstown Expressway runs from an interchange at interstate highway I-95 east and end right in the middle of a residential district. Presently, the situation would be humorous, if it weren’t for the fact that it has created a traffic headache for many local Port St. Lucie residents, who want to see the extension of the Crosstown Expressway completed.
AC4PR observed two interesting comments that we have clipped for your video viewing, below. The first clip is in response to a public comment statement offered by a Sierra Club member, in which he said placing a bridge through a state park is simply unacceptable and the governments involved will be sued if the current plan proceeds. One Board member then asked the TCRPC’s legal counsel whether there are any legal restrictions on bridges in state parks. The response from the TCRPC’s legal counsel was interesting: the Staff doesn’t really focus on laws. Staff only reviews plans to see if there are conflicts with the policies of the regional plan.
This is the video of the actual Board vote to accept the Crosstown Expressway Bridge proposed plan. The item passed, with two Board members opposed: Martin County Commissioner Ed Fielding and Palm Beach County Commissioner Paulette Burdick both voted NO.
Again, what AC4PR finds so interesting here, is this is a project that primarily affects St. Lucie county, and most specifically City of Port St. Lucie residents. And yet elected officials from three other counties are being asked to vote on whether or not Port St. Lucie gets to complete their local expressway. Why are elected officials in other counties being given any authority to decide the fate of an issue outside their elected jurisdiction?
Public Comment from AC4PR Members
Mark Gotz raises questions about the funding of the TCRPC:
Phyllis Frey, Chairwoman of AC4PR discusses the need for local jurisdictions to formally withdraw from Seven50:
Mark Gotz reviews a number of undesirable consequences of the Seven50 plan as well as the All Aboard Florida program:
Stephanie Austin reviews the unintended consequences of regionalism in other areas of the country:
Gayla Tanner reviews the insidious federal hand in the purportedly local Seven50 program:
