Letter: St Johns County transparency rated “partly cloudy”

Dennis M Clarke
St Johns, FL
Dear Editor:
So, just how transparent is the Saint Johns County website? While the website may provide a wealth of information, one has to dig a little further into the details in order to make sense of various programs the County Commissioners tout as contributing to our collective “quality of life.”
Pine, Joiner and Water Street improvements
The City of St Augustine announced to Historic City News readers interested in the Abbott Tract that a public meeting will be held next week to discuss improvements that are needed to the neighborhood’s aging water, sewer and storm water system.
A desire named “Streetcar”
More details released Friday during a visit to St Augustine by those proposing development of a streetcar local railway that, if approved, would run residents and visitors between the Historic Downtown Parking Garage and the Riberia Pointe location designated as a potential home for an aquarium and children’s museum.
Legislators pursue local vacation rental regulation
St Johns County Representative Travis Hutson and Senator John Thrasher have updated Historic City News on the status of their House (HB 307) and Senate (SB 356) bills; which, if passed, would remove a preemption placed on local governments in 2011.
City Manager, Mayor involved in car crash
Yesterday afternoon about 4:15 p.m., Historic City News learned that City Manager John P. Regan and St Augustine Mayor, Joseph L. Boles, Jr., were involved in a collision on Anastasia Boulevard at the four-way intersection with Arredondo Avenue.
Guest Column: Effective public transportation for our city

Ron Berben
St Augustine, FL
Dear Editor and Historic City News readers:
After years of disappointment, Floridians, especially in our area, have all but given up on the dream of a viable passenger rail service for St. Augustine, along the East coast or to anywhere else in the state.
Public access to meetings improved at City Hall
No need to hunt for a parking space or move from the comfort of your La-Z-Boy any more, now that the City of St Augustine has established a high-definition closed circuit broadcast arrangement for public meetings held in the Alcazar Room in City Hall that can be viewed by the public, without cost, over the Internet.


