HomeMy WebLinkAbout2002 11 11 Other - Document was Read by Commissioner Martinez under Reports
Date: 111102
The following Document was read during the
11/11/02 Meeting by Commissioner Martinez
under "Reports".
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November 11, 2002
STATEMENT
A few weeks ago I spoke about the low level tactics being employed by an insidious
group and their followers during the recent political campaign in our City.
Incidents of 12 years past were used as part of a campaign of character assassination
against candidates seeking to represent our City and its constituents, whose records of
accomplishment were an open book.
It is reported that a certain commissioner was knocking on doors and dispersing the same
low level mode of campaigning as the gutter dwellers were.
Right from this forum we were witness to the shocking and scathing indictment by one
fellow commissioner against another sitting commissioner.
This was permitted in violation of the Orders of the Day. Oh, yes. You need only
remember that only a few weeks before when yours truly attempted to make a statement
referring to the Chair and the Commissioner in question, the same Commissioner made it
a point to bring up Robert Rules and requested from the Chair that we observe the Orders
of the Day. The Chair complied with this request; thus keeping the statement from being
read while the public was present.
However, and because of political advantage, and on the recent day in question, the Chair
obviated his previous ruling that we were to follow the Orders of the Day, and prompted
the Commissioner rendering the scathing indictment twice. The first time the record will
show that the Commissioner declined for apparently the timing was not yet right.
The second time, the Commissioner promptly and in a pompous fashion proceeded to act
as a prosecutor charging the fellow commissioner with some form ofliability,
questioning the City attorney as to the City liability revolving around the following:
Apparently, the fellow Commissioner, running for the position of Mayor received
information to the effect that a teacher in Winter Springs High School was prodding her
students to become involved in the campaign process. The teacher was referred to as the
daughter of the candidate in opposition. There were also remarks to the effect that the
indicting commissioner's daughter was a student at the teacher's class.
The indictment read that as the result of a complaint filed by the challenging candidate,
the teacher stood to lose a possible promotion f some sort, creating a possible liability.
The prosecuting commissioner ended his presentation by stating that he personally would
investigate further and bring back to the commission the results of his investigation,
which had not been requested nor authorized by this commission.
How low can we get? Is there gold in them there hills in Winter Springs? Why the
power struggles?
We all take an oath of office to uphold the constitution and. to serve the City. and residents
of Winter Springs.
Can someone explain if there is a hidden agenda here?
In the twelve years of residency and political involvement in our City I never before
witnessed such low levels of political struggle.
.'
Even the challenger a man of letters and describing self as a man of integrity took the low
road and at the end and through his literature stood shoulder to shoulder with the gutter
srupers.
I do hope that our citizens in their wisdom for the future refuse to support candidates for
office in our City who choose to run employing and/or allowing others to employ such
levels of character assassination as during the recent campaign.
I do believe that unless we make a serious effort to curtail this type of campaigning our
City will suffer the consequences and instead of being the most sought after City for folks
to reside, work and play, we would only be considered an after thought.
Respectfully submitted,
'~nezJr.
Commissioner
District 3