Charrette PR has gone too far
Venice resident Peg Tomanio has a few bones to pick with named charrette consultant Steve Albee
-- Peg Tomanio, 08/23/07
-- mtomanio@comcast.net

Got a comment? Make it here.

Dump Albee due to lack of impartiality
Maybe I should begin by identifying myself as one of the over-zealous group of selfish people who only think about their own conveniences OR maybe I was one of a small group of residents (who) responded with negative propaganda to the efforts by the city OR perhaps I am one of a handful of people (who) have managed to stall, and possibly derail, an opportunity that rivals the benefits created by the construction of the Intracoastal Waterway in the 1960s.

WOW! Quite a description!!

I would not identify myself as any of the above, however that is how Steve Albee, your hired charrette consultant, described the residents of Venice in his online paper, The Business Chronicle (PDF file, opens in new window). Based on his article The Game of Truth and Consequences, I believe Albee should immediately be relieved of his charrette consultant position. A charrette consultant is hired to be a neutral party with no ties to either side. He/she should be unbiased, impartial and willing to objectively discuss both sides of a situation and report accurately on the wishes of the people.

Albee, according to his Publisher's Message in the same issue of The Business Chronicle, is obviously on the side of big development. He even goes so far as to provide a prepared email message of support for development which those who are too busy or don't care enough to write their own letters can simply 'click on' and send to Council and Mr. Black (pp. 3).

My version of Truth and Consequences
Truth 1 - Transparent efforts -- you bet! We are people who have chosen to stand up for what we believe is right for the future of this city. We're hard-working, intelligent, tax-paying citizens who just might know what's good for Venice and we hide nothing. Our efforts are as transparent as they can get.

Consequences - The community has been overwhelmed with misinformation, much of it coming from council, MEA and the Airport Advisory Board. Golfers do not believe the Venice Golf Association (VGA) has already sold their lease to Marriott but we do know that approximately 94% of the VGA stock is sitting in a stack ready to be sold to Amalthea Properties. We also know that a new lease will eventually be requested and we're reasonably certain that lease request will involve a great deal of inappropriate development at the golf course. I trust you will think long and hard before you consider signing such a lease, realizing that we will have no municipal golf course during the two to three years of redevelopment. Our future depends on your decision. We are aware that most of us will not be able to play on an expensive, newly designed course. Interesting that Mr. Albee used the word executive course. Is there something else we should know about the golf course plans?

Truth 2 - According to Albee, developers contacted the city to express their ideas to save the golf course and generate revenue? I didn't realize the golf course needed saving and it already generates $180,000.00 per year for the airport fund.

Consequences - Check the videos. City leaders were never called dumb, as Albee said. They were told that that the idea of a marina on airport property was a dumb idea. I do think that through no fault of your own, you were uninformed and out of touch with the real desires of the residents. You had been working with vague information provided by MEA and the residents had not been vocal enough on important issues. There has certainly been a lot of confusion on all sides. I agree with Albee that Government is for the people and by the people and it should react to those who vote and provide the loudest voices. The so called "silent majority" have been just that -- silent. Their reasons, according to Albee, are that they're "not too keen on Saturday meetings." "they did not think the August charrette was important," and that they "are busy with our families, our lives, our jobs and our leisure time."

Too busy to send an email, make a phone call, write a note? Not if they're really interested in what's going on! They surely could fit something as important as this city's future into their schedule somewhere during all these months -- if they truly cared.

Truth 3 - According to Albee, FAA would require taxpayers to pay back more than $40 million to the federal government and we'd be required to pay for future improvements(?). According to Albee, this is more about inconvenience than safety.

Consequences - Scare tactic used to cause undue concern to the residents of our city. As for inconvenience versus safety -- how inconvenienced would you feel if you lived in Gulf Shores and a jet landed in your living room?

Truth 4 - Again, according to Albee, city council has lost confidence in their attempts to do what's right. I do not believe this at all. I think the city council has finally found the confidence to do what's right. They are hopefully trying to do what's right for the residents of this city.

Consequences - Once again, Albee states "It means a window of opportunity will close." In reality, I hope it means a window of opportunity for overwhelming development at the airport will close. I also hope it means a window of opportunity is opening for limited, sensible growth in the proper area while preserving the golf course and leaving our wildlife and green space untouched.

We can all enjoy the view from that window!
 

Peg Tomanio is a resident of Venice.