Misleading Petitions

[Stenodave]

Stick around Steno.  The Springfield forums are screedy in general.

Here, like the rain, it screeds upon both the just and the unjust.

If we end up joining SPAR and putting one of their signs on our house, is that the equivalent of wearing a "Scarlet Letter?"

[Stenodave]

Nah, it would just initiate a private betting pool as to how long it would remain there before you ended up tearing it down and burning it.

Stephen, am I going to be able to meet you at First Friday?  Just wondering who I will meet so I can put some faces and names together. I'm interested in meeting everyone, even if I disagree with you.   

When I walk in, will everyone see me as the giant chicken leg that cartoon characters see when they are on a deserted island?  Will there be a bidding war?  What if my wife goes to one side and me the other?  Will this destroy my marriage?  Who gets the kids?  Does SPAR end up taking custody of them and sending them to China to knit soccer balls for 0.23 an hour? 

Maybe I should skip the First Fridays and the wine and stay at home with the wife and share a Zima? Hmmmm, decisions, decisions, decisions....

[Stenodave]

Unfortunately I will not see you at the First Friday, Steno.

While I live in the neighborhood, I also have a pretty demanding personal schedule.  On the first friday Im scheduled for several other events.

Im much easier to locate on weeknights, and of course you are welcome to drop by the metrojacksonville.com public meetings on Tuesday Nights at Three Layers.  Its a good group and the discussion is always entertaining and stimulating.

I think you will find that the division of opinion on the boards will have not much to do with how people treat each other in a personal manner in the neighborhood.

For instance, I personally have endless amounts of (unrequited) affection for Chris Farley, as I think she is well spoken and occasionally clever.  I suspect that the unrequited nature of my fondness for her is due to the exact same reason on my part.

And I adore several of the SPAR hearties.

Several of them can't stand a word I write, but when we are together in person cant find a thing to disagree with and generally spend a lot of time laughing at all the nonsense.

Its a friendly hob nobby gossipy bunch.  I often think of it as hobbiton as conceived by Dixie Carter.

On the worst day its like having dinner with Aunt Bea and Barney and Andy and hearing on the radio that the Wicked Witch of the West just got elected Mayor of Mayberry, and really when you think of it, thats not such a bad thing.  At least theres still the pot roast.

I think the party is at Lisa's house this time?  If it is, you and your wife would be missing a good thing to pass up a chance for hospitality in the home of this happy energetic and iconoclastic family.  If I were the two of you, I would get thee hence!

I think I saw that Lisa wrote that it will be held at the model on W. 3rd St. 

[chris farley]

As I said, Chris, in the end, I agreed with the compromise. However, I believed it was an issue that should have been voted on by the board, before being brokered with Gaffneys office. It was not.

Dan I have thought about this and I think that this is not a reason for you to stay away from SPAR.  The compromise was suggested by Mack, Michael, and some language volunteered by Alberta Hipps, that is why she took the tongue lashing at the city hall from the 300 sq. footers.  Spar put no money into this deal, it was Michael, Katherine, myself (and I only paid for one hour's time) and others, "He who pays the piper picks the tune".  It was thought absolutely nessessary to work a compromise between the hired lawyer and the city, it was thought that large prolonged  law suits would do more harm than good.  Gloria wrote on this web somewhere that Michael hired a lawyer to put them out of business, that is not so, at no time did the compromise group say this, that is why the 300 sq footers were so angry at us and accused SPAR of causing the proliferation of boarding houses.  It really was not a subject for a vote at the SPAR board, the money was put up by others and the matter settled. (somewhat it seems)

[Springfield Girl]

Yes, I'm using the model home, since I just hosted one of the New Years wandering coctail party stops at my house. My family members are not all as social as I am so I try to use my house sparingly. Plus the model has concrete floors so the cleanup is much easier.

[CS Foltz]

Something that has caught my eye is the numbers that have been posted regarding the population of the Springfield area.........there has been posted 2,500 to 5,000 for Springfield proper! So I have to ask, if SPAR can only muster 100 signatures on any petition how can this organization speak for the area? I mean to say, your not even talking about 10% which would be 500! So how can an organization with that few, represent the area?It is bad enough that SPAR dictates who does what, where and how, but in order to be an effective organization is it not customary to represent all of the people who live there and not just a select few for whatever purposes they have in mind?

[chris farley]

CSFOLTZ  again SPAR did not organize the petition. It was done by a couple of residents at the last minute, due to the fact that one for the pro group appeared on Facebook, which got 59 signatures.  Please let it go the car wash is going in.

[nvrenuf]

Chris, you might as well give up. Some of the people who post on here seem to do it only to hear themselves. No matter what the topic, they are like that old man who sits next to you on the bus every friggin' day telling you repeatedly about his proctology exam. Yah, we know and no I can't answer as to why your doctor has such large hands.

[chris farley]

Never you gave me a good giggle

[cindi]

Chris, you might as well give up. Some of the people who post on here seem to do it only to hear themselves. No matter what the topic, they are like that old man who sits next to you on the bus every friggin' day telling you repeatedly about his proctology exam. Yah, we know and no I can't answer as to why your doctor has such large hands.

nvrenuf i think the quote you are looking for is "The tendency to whining and complaining may be taken as the surest sign symptom of little souls and inferior intellects."
Lord Jeffrey

[strider]

ChrisFarley" Dan I have thought about this and I think that this is not a reason for you to stay away from SPAR. The compromise was suggested by Mack, Michael, and some language volunteered by Alberta Hipps, that is why she took the tongue lashing at the city hall from the 300 sq. footers. Spar put no money into this deal, it was Michael, Katherine, myself (and I only paid for one hour's time) and others, "He who pays the piper picks the tune". It was thought absolutely nessessary to work a compromise between the hired lawyer and the city, it was thought that large prolonged law suits would do more harm than good. Gloria wrote on this web somewhere that Michael hired a lawyer to put them out of business, that is not so, at no time did the compromise group say this, that is why the 300 sq footers were so angry at us and accused SPAR of causing the proliferation of boarding houses. It really was not a subject for a vote at the SPAR board, the money was put up by others and the matter settled. (somewhat it seems)

I just love how some things get twisted around to fit someone’s desires.  

The “compromise” that  ended up as 2007-1046 was basically the same one that was told to Louise and Alberta months and months before the final vote.  As soon as Alberta tried her little end run at City Council and couldn’t get it done, they had a meeting with Dr, Gaffney and  members of the Office of General Council.  Louise and Alberta went to this meeting hoping for a much stricter law than was then enforceable.  They did not get it.

You might remember that both Louise and  Alberta (hired by Mack, I believe.) spoke against the compromise many times.  After months of “debate” and many hurt feelings on everyone’s side, and after we had hired a lawyer ourselves,  Michael hired a lawyer just before the compromise, which had been almost set aside, was going to a vote.  The lawyer spent time with General Council and discovered that he could not get what his client wanted.  Which was indeed a law the would effectively shut us down.  By his own admission, all this lawyer was able to do was change some wording, and again, by his own admission, to justify his charges.

While there was indeed a “300 group”, and there was indeed a “just get rid of them group”, the ending compromise did absolutely nothing but gave us, the operators of the “special uses” what we wanted to begin with, simply to be left alone and to be allowed to exist as we had for many years.

The simple truth was that all of those months were for not, if the original correction had been passed, the “special uses” would be exactly the same as they are  now.

That whole affair was indeed the fault of SPAR Council as when they were informed by Dr, Gaffney, they raised a battle cry instead of finding out the real facts.  When the compromise was first given to them and they were told that was what should be done, they did not embrace it, they fought against it.  When it became obvious that they could not hurt us without causing a very expensive lawsuit for the city, the city convinced them to back down.

I get very tired of the BS that some post as fact.  What I just described is indeed supported by various  information available from the city and is all public record.  By and By, Mack,, Michael and a few others did indeed come out and publicly say they wanted us shut down.  We didn’t imagine it, it was fact.

Again, this particular issue was a great example of Louise and Company and let’s not forget, Kathryn, at their best (or worst?). Misinformation, incorrect information and suddenly, a small thing that should have been done in a few weeks took months and thousands of dollars to lawyers.  All because they do not like a group of people.

Louise and Company are at it again and will indeed take this community and the city through lawsuits  or worse if they have their way.

[CS Foltz]

I am not sure just how SPAR and its bylaws are set up......but most organizations have an out, such as a vote of "No Confidence" in which case SPAR's Board would in essence be told to take a hike............is this a viable option? If its not.....start an alternative organization because if you have an organization that truely represents the area, then the Board is elected and WANTS the area input! THey have no hidden agenda, no catering to a select few and true representation of the area!

[ChriswUfGator]

I am not sure just how SPAR and its bylaws are set up......but most organizations have an out, such as a vote of "No Confidence" in which case SPAR's Board would in essence be told to take a hike............is this a viable option? If its not.....start an alternative organization because if you have an organization that truely represents the area, then the Board is elected and WANTS the area input! THey have no hidden agenda, no catering to a select few and true representation of the area!

Hahahahahahaa...that's a good one! Like SPAR ever takes a vote, LMAO!

Ask anyone when the last election was, that is required by their bylaws? <*crickets chirping*>