TRAVESTY!
Well, the Dunnellon City Council is at it again. There is a meeting tomorrow in INVERNESS (Citrus County) to decide the future of the Rainbow River Ranch development. (see the "Must Read" on the Home Page of Dunnellon Online) There is not enough time to notify the public of this meeting. There was no public notice. This is the culmination of the unscrupulous tactics that these "public servants" have used throughout this tragi-comedy.
IT IS NO ACCIDENT THAT THIS MEETING IS BEING HELD IN ANOTHER COUNTY, WITH NO PUBLIC NOTICE.
We have written the Secretary of the Department of Community Affairs and the Governor. We urge you to do the same. If possible, try to attend the meeting in Inverness. Most of us working stiffs don't have the luxury of taking the time off. These scalawags are counting on that.
R. Burke
Dear Secretary Cohen,
I am writing to lodge a protest in the strongest terms in regard to a meeting to be held in Inverness tomorrow between your agency, the City of Dunnellon City Council and the Rainbow River Ranch developers.
This meeting is being held with no prior public notice, in another County, obviously to prevent any opponents of the development from attending. This cannot be a coincidence, and your agency is complicit in this travesty.
It is imperative that you cancel this meeting and schedule a proper one in Dunnellon, with the necessary public notice given.
The Rainbow River Conservation group has presented the Dunnellon City Council with a petition containing over 1000 signatures of residents opposed to this development, and the Council has chosen to ignore it.
The Dunnellon City Council does not have the best interests of the Rainbow River at heart, and does not represent the thousands of residents in the area who have voiced opposition to this development.
A copy of this letter is being sent to the Governor, and the local press. I implore you to cancel this travesty of a meeting, and allow the citizens of Dunnellon to have a voice in the outcome of this controversial development.
Your agency is all that stands between a pristine river and those who would destroy it. Please cancel this meeting!
Sincerely,
Robert Randall Burke
Publisher
Dunnellon Online
www.dunnellononline.com
webmaster@dunnellononline.com
Dear Governor Bush,
I have attached a letter I wrote to the Secretary of the Florida Department of Community Affairs regarding a surprise meeting to be held TOMORROW to decide the outcome of the Rainbow River Ranch development in Dunnellon.
Many residents are vehemently opposed to this development, which will ruin the Rainbow River, a national treasure. I implore you to get involved in this matter and direct the Secretary to re-schedule the meeting in a more convenient venue, i.e. Dunnellon, so that residents can voice their opposition.
There was no public notice of this meeting, and it is being held in Inverness, in Citrus County, with the obvious intention of avoiding participation of local citizens.
Your devotion to Florida's envionment is well-known. I hope that you can bring that devotion to bear on this issue.
Mr. Bush - time is of the essence. Please help us stop this travesty of justice!
Sincerely,
Robert Randall Burke
Publisher
Dunnellon Online
www.dunnellononline.com
Update: July 15, 2006
We received no response from the Secretary or the Governor. So much for a 'redress of grievances'.
The "mediation" meeting was held, but in secret - none of the citizens attending were allowed to have any input. There is a link below to an article on the meeting in today's Star Banner. The Rainbow River Conservation group has vowed to continue fighting the RRR development. We urge you to join this organization and make your voice heard.
The King and his Court has counted on voter apathy to push this deal through. If the citizens don't get involved and fight, Dunnellon will cease to exist as we know it.
http://www.ocala.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060714/NEWS/207140357/1001/NEWS01
Update: Sunday July 16, 2006
The outcome of the mediation is now known. The news is not good, for the river or the town. The mayor and his cronies have succeeded in holding another meeting, out of the public eye, to avoid any nasty opposition. Why was this meeting held in Inverness, in Citrus County? Why would the judge not allow comment from opponents of the plan? Why will NONE of the Council members answer inquiries regarding this project? Why, indeed.
There is a link to the story in the Chronicle outlining the outcome of the 'mediation'. The salient point is this:
"The full agreement will have to be approved by the city council, after notice and public hearing, and then formally accepted by the DCA. Then the council will consider approving the amendment to the comp plan that would allow the changes".
The D.C.A. doesn't care about the river. The Governor doesn't care- he is on a lame-duck junket to Europe, on the first trip in support of his obvious Presidential aspirations. It is up to you to stop this travesty. If you don't stand up and have your voice heard, you will have no one but yourself to blame when Dunnellon resembles Ocala.
The Chronicle column is below:
http://www.chronicleonline.com/articles/2006/07/16/news/news30.txt