Historic City Strength: The University Partnership

Apparently the mayor and some of his co-conspirators have imbibed enough of the “Kult-Kouncil-Kool-Aid” to put their bias and prejudice in writing for all to see.

The University of Florida, on the other hand, has put all the things we want to see about their collaboration with stakeholders in 34 historic properties and 2 additional parks, in writing on a public Internet website.

A direct support organization, “UF Historic St. Augustine, Inc.”, was formed in December to oversee and develop support for those properties. They have already published their Strategic Plan, the Memorandum of Agreement with the City of St. Augustine, minutes of meetings, and a host of other professionally prepared material about the role of the Board of Trustees, relating to management and operation of the Colonial Spanish Quarter and other state-owned properties.

You know — all the stuff that we aren’t allowed to know from the clandestine First America Foundation; despite the fact that Mayor Boles used $275,000 of taxpayer money to pay for four birthday parties.

If you have any doubt that the University of Florida is better qualified and capable to manage a grant program and to market St. Johns County as an art, cultural, and heritage destination for the St. Johns County Tourist Development Council, just visit their St. Augustine website: http://www.staugustine.ufl.edu/

That is what accountability and financial strength looks like; not the edge-of-bankruptcy condition of the St. Johns Cultural Council.

That is also what openness and transparency looks like; not the spoon-fed Pablum the First America Foundation gives us.

In last month’s issue of Florida Law Online, the mayor described his University of Florida law degree as “his most useful life tool”. You’d never know that by the 37% failing score he gave the University on January 24th, ostensibly judged on knowledge and understanding of local and regional cultural tourism and cultural industries, marketing expertise and experience, proposed organizational structure, financial stability, project approach and quality of submittal.

Perhaps he should put those words into action and not disgrace the University with his overabundance of hubris.

Boles also told Florida Law Online that his first job as a teenager was to dress as Ponce de Leon and ride horses down St. George Street. What with all the mayor’s new ordinances, there’ll be no chance of anyone taking that honor away from him.

After all the “He’s not a Gator, He’s a Traitor” signs go up, do you think UF will ask for their diploma back?