Around HereBy Leo CoughlinNobody asked me, but – . . . What’s up with procedures with the Largo City Commission? Word is that the mayor arbitrarily, on her own whim, pulls items from the agenda with not an aye, yes or no to her colleagues. No explanation given. The mayor is just another member of the commission with the job of presiding. No special powers. . . . And, along those lines, why do the bobbleheads just go along with it? No question asked – i.e., “Why are you pulling this item, Madame Mayor?” What it amounts to is commissioners not completely doing their jobs. Not good. . . . No matter how many times I see a space launch it is always a breathtaking, spine-tingling, magnificent experience. . . . “Earmarks,” “pork” have become buzz words which many folks can’t pin down to reality and have no idea what they are. Some politicians like to yap about them. F’rinstance, would you not accept the Belleair Causeway – that is an earmark, folks, and some would call it pork. . . . One former local official caused a stir in an establishment where adult beverages are featured. Looks like a big problem which only that effected individual can solve. A call to 530-0415 might be in order. Another individual, still holding office, might pay heed to that, too. . . . Out of business – a local Internet commentary site was put to death just days ago by its creator. Not much impact; only two commentators were at the funeral. . . . A tip of the old Borsolino to former President George Bush, 65 days out of office, who says he will not criticize his successor. That sentiment only underlines the widening of the breach between Bush and his vice president, Dick Cheney, who is a critic and is still moaning that his sidekick, Irving Libby, wasn’t pardoned by Dubya. Bush has been there, done that, so knows what the president job is all about. “I love my country a lot more than I love politics,” Bush said. “I think it is essential that he be helped in office.” . . . One of our faithful correspondents (by the way, the letters are building up and we’ll get to them one day soon) wonders why, for example in Largo, the high paid help is not required to live in the city. City Manager Mac Craig, Police Chief Lester Aradi and Development Director Mike Stephanopoulos live in Belleair Bluffs, Clearwater and Valrico, respectively. It’s a good question. . . . Speaking of Largo, we hear that one frequent talker at the citizen comments microphone plans to mount a challenge to Mayor Pat Gerard come November. No – it is not Curtis Holmes. More on this later. . . . The Bookmark Café at the Largo Library has a sad history – born in corruption and cronyism, it is stumbling as a business enterprise through the lack, apparently, of a palatable menu and marketing efforts that fall short. The current operator is barely surviving, if surviving at all. Why not turn it over to the Friends of the Library or some such and not make it a profit center? . . . Seems like there is no end to the horror stories.. Now we have a police officer from Lakeland charged with sexual crimes involving a child, in an arrest that took place in St. Petersburg involving a young girl from Largo. . . . Ned Ford, who played such a large role in Largo as an official and community service and died March 16, had a classic career – educated in Virginia, law school at Stetson, a Marine pilot in World War 2. His like are passing from the scene too quickly.
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