Remembering before we had lions, but we still had a restaurant on the bay

Wolfgang Schau, the man who the city allowed to donate a pair of lion statues for the east side of the Bridge of Lions, owns a catamaran. It is a beautiful sailing vessel and I am sure that he and his family find it easy to navigate in and out of our historic channel when they want to have some fun on the water. After all, he keeps it tied to a mooring ball owned by the city — but not just any mooring ball.

As I continue to look at the “wink-wink, nod-nod” relationships under the current management regime at St Augustine’s City Hall, I find it curiouser and curiouser how often the trail either starts or stops at the city manager’s door. (And, we have a junior city manager in the same suite who gets to enjoy some of that same trail.)

I find it interesting that our 56-year-old world traveling city manager can afford so many luxuries on his meager $164,110 salary, plus benefits, when the rest of us working folks are doing so much better.

Did you know that he spent a lovely ten-day vacation in Germany this spring? Did you know that he was with Wolfgang? First the much-desired lions, and then this? There seems to be no end to the Schau’s generosity. Well, two years ago, John did give a non-competitive internship in the city finance department to Wolfgang’s daughter, so at least they were friends. And, since then, Regan has managed to earn some more vacation from the city and traveled back to Spain, where he seems to spend a lot of time, compared to me.

Anyhow, I heard it rumored that since Schau has finally become a US citizen, he might be considering a run for political office, maybe in the city, maybe for the mayor’s seat. That really makes more sense — I’m just not sure if John is trying to get on Wolfgang’s good side or if it is the other way around. A good hand strokes both ways, right?

But, that mooring ball in the bay, you know, the one that Wolfgang is entitled to, wouldn’t you know it’s the closest one to White’s Wharf. Right near where the White’s want to build their slips for restaurant patrons to ride over on their wave runners, or tie up their boats for a couple of hours while they enjoy some food, drinks, and listen to some good musical entertainment.

All of that will be great … so long as it doesn’t interfere with Wolfgang and the White’s remember that there is a ring to kiss.