GSCDD MEETING ADVERTISEMENT
I was one of the three residents who attended the scheduled 4:30pm GSCDD meeting today in order to speak on the Agenda topic that I initiated back in October 2008 - the alleged missing $1.1 million in our reserves due to uncollected Connection Fees.
As it turned out, today's meetings was cancelled because Stanley was absent and Nielson didn't show up until 4:40pm. Only Fineberg & Neubauer were present and Sichel attended by phone. I am advised that three people need to be physically present to make a quorum.
Why wait to see when the meetings are advertised? I phone the District at 561 1313. If the district staff is unsure, as is often the case, I phone a supervisor or Brian Lamb, (the District Manager who chairs the meetings) at DMS at 813 873 7300 until I find out. I also ask for an Agenda to be emailed to me in advance if it is not on the GSCDD web site at www.gatewaydistrict.org
I have attended most GSCDD Board meetings since 2007 when the Stop The Park campaign (led by me, Vince Sardo, Ed Sichel & Roy Kempf) put GSCDD on the radar screen. If Gateway residents had not been mobilized into action then, we would now be on a 30-year hook for a multi-million dollar white elephant at Gateway Commons in the midst of this debilitating recession. I hope you will bear this in mind at the polls if Nielson, Stanley or Doragh decide to run this November.
My experience is that few Gateway residents bother to attend the GSCDD meetings. Although you and your readers rightly criticize GSCDD for not advertising their meetings, I doubt if many of you would turn up even if the meetings were better advertised. Ed, I can't remember how many months it was since I saw you at a GSCDD Board meeting so what are you carping about? (RESPONSE FROM ED: I HAVEN'T MISSED A MINUTE OF A MEETING SINCE THEY STARTED STREAMING THEM MONTHS AGO.).
GATEWAY GOLF & COUNTRY CLUB
I think that all private Gateway businesses should be able to have their sign at the main gates and use the GSCDD e-mail list, since Gateway Golf & Country Club already enjoys these privileges. However, I don't think the issue you raise is really about charity. I think the central issue is that GGCC decided
to become a private members club. Other than the Boulevard Tavern, GGCC is the only licensed dining establishment in the community. It is a shame that GGCC has not exploited the opportunity to earn lunch revenue from local businesses such as Comcast, Gartner Group and Sony and the many smaller Gateway entrepreneurs trying to contribute to the local economy. I applaud GGCC for its invitation to open its doors to Gateway community on May 1st. But I think the club would enjoy more ongoing success in connecting with the local community if its Board and Membership Committee thought outside the box and introduced an annual Gateway Social Membership without the dues and assessments that a Golf or Clubhouse membership brings with it.
