Clearwater Island Estates Boat Parade - Possibly one of the areas best holiday boat parades was right here in Clearwater last Saturday. Large and small boats were carefully strung with lights while playing holiday music on a cool December evening.
Dozens of Island Estates homeowners coordinated holiday parties with the timing of the Island Estates Yacht Club holiday boat parade.
Well done, IEYC, another successful boat parade.
Kudos To The City Of Largo - If you have driven by Largo Central Park complex on East Bay Drive, then you noticed the wonderful holiday light display.
Magnificent.
In fact, if you are looking for something to do with young children over the weekend, go and visit this holiday display in Largo.
More.
Last Friday evening Rotary Club of Largo hosted "Death By Chocolate." The annual fundraiser was another huge success thanks to the many volunteers and local businesses that participated.
Death by chocolate?
Some folks tried.
Changes In Belleair Beach? - When citizens thought managerial problems in Belleair Beach could be best solved by the hiring of a fulltime city manager they supported a referendum that would switch administrative power in the city from the city mayor to the city manager. Thus, police and other city staff would no longer report to the mayor, but would report to the city manager. For an annual taxpayer expense of $100,000 (plus) this managerial situation was resolved.
That was then . . . .
Now it appears that police services might end-up being serviced by the Sheriff's office at a great savings to Belleair Beach taxpayers (over $200,000 a year!) Management would be provided by the Sheriff's office. Thus, the largest city expense could be removed from the city manager's list of responsibilities.
Not a bad deal.
Of course, with this potential taxpayers savings there should be another saving. The new city hall project could be revised to exclude police department personnel. The savings? Depending upon whom you talk to about construction costs, the possible savings per square foot of city hall space could be as high as $20 per square foot. Not bad, one would think.
Thus, and with taxpayer support, an annual savings to taxpayers of Belleair Beach could be over $250,000 a year plus cost savings of downsizing a new city hall project. All of this makes me wonder how much the city manager should be paid (reduced managerial duties, etc.)
Where to put some of the annual savings?
How about paving the city marina parking lot! (Not an annual expense.) And why not renew talks with Pinellas County about adding additional boat slips to the existing city marina. There is a countywide need for more boat slips, right?
Yes, things could be changing in Belleair Beach in the best interest of taxpayers. Imagine.
How About Some New Faces In Government - The way I see it, voters are getting pretty tired of some family legacies in politics. Perhaps it is time for the "Big Two" political parties to allow some new faces in party leadership.
Imagine an election without a Bush, a Clinton, or a Kennedy?
Yes, it would be nice to see new faces in government.
Could such a thing occur in the 2008 election?
Yes, it is possible. New, fresh names are being raised by both major political parties as potential presidential candidates.
Isn't that how Bill Clinton won election? George W. Bush?
Both men were state governors (Arkansas, Texas) and did not have experience in Washington, D.C. politics prior to election as president.
And, yes, we do not need to see another Bush or Clinton on the ballot in 2008.
Cooperation - It's difficult for men of different nations to work shoulder to shoulder when they carry a chip on one and a gun on the other. - Adrian Anderson