Mob Rule and Kick the Can Down the Road County Commission

By Linda D. Cooper

For most of you who have jobs to support your family and could not make the afternoon sand pit public hearing, it will be continued on February 6, 2024, at 6:00 PM.

The public hearing started orderly, but after hours of hearing public comments, the hearing turned chaotic with tones of mob rule. Shouting came from all areas of the auditorium, complete chaos. Chairman Brooks allowed this breakdown of decorum by not dropping the gavel stopping the outbursts and making them speak at the podium for the public to hear. It was a complete breakdown of our government process. It was after 5:00 before the BoCC decided to continue the hearing until February 6, 2024.

This hearing was part of the regular board meeting, but the rude commenters, after hearing the public hearing was to be continued on Feb 6, took over the aisles, talking loudly and slapping each other on the back for their temporary stay before all the county business was completed. Chairman Brooks had to drop the gavel to get their attention that a meeting was still in progress and to please go outside so the meeting could continue.

Approximately 34 speakers repeated the same thing over and over and over. Possible water degradation, disease from dust particles produced by digging the sand, University of Florida’s observatory night sky issues, and dust particles harming their telescopes, too many trucks on the road causing damage and accidents, and only one person would benefit if approved.

Food for thought: Perhaps Mr. Thomas should sell out to developers so they can build 1,000s of homes instead of growing peanuts and watermelons. How will the UF observatory like all the limerock road dust and light pollution from the 1,000s of new homeowners?

The sand pit would not operate on weekends or after 6 PM so very little to no light pollution. Buffers and water systems are required to minimize the dust from the digging. When land is cultivated, there is dust. Ever seen a peanut crop being harvested? Lots of dust. Do those complaining liberals and UF want us to stop peanut farming?

Maybe this same mob that doesn’t want the sand pit doesn’t like farming either. Lately, there seems to be a war on farmers by liberals. What about all the increased traffic if new subdivisions were built? Water pollution from septic tanks. Several sand pit protestors stated they were realtors and worried about home and property devaluations. Hmmm.

Several UF faculty and students complained about the pit. The University of Florida is tax-exempt. They pay no taxes for anything. They have the observatory in Bronson that was donated to them in the 60s and was on 78 acres of ag land. They have prime waterfront properties in Cedar Key at the expense of our local taxpayers.

Another misconception thrown around at the hearing was that only one person benefited from this sand pit. Another untruth. Independent truck drivers with CDLs haul sand to home-builders, cement plants, and road building. Many dump trucks are locally and independently owned and operated. They pay their fair share of road taxes. They pay $500 annually in federal heavy highway use tax, $1,000 or more for an annual tag, $35 overweight vehicle blanket permit, an annual $240 specified blanket permit, $24.3 on every gallon of fuel federal tax, plus state fuel tax and I’m sure county fuel tax. They pay for the roads they use.

During the hearing, the county planning staff stated they mailed two letters to 2,800 residents within a two-mile radius concerning the sand pit, not four. BUT residents received four letters. Two of those letters were not from the county. Someone went through a lot of time, expense, and trouble to misrepresent themselves as the county planning department to gaslight the residents.

The No Sand Mine FB page had Commissioner Mills as a Williston alumni, she is a Bronson native who graduated from Bronson High School. Mr. Thomas is a Williston alumni so I can only assume the FB group was trying to connect the two. Comments were made about Commissioner Mills accepting donations from Mr. Thomas but that’s public record and Mr. Thomas has donated to other candidates and organizations such as the Suwannee River Fair, etc. It’s all above board, legal, and public record. Commissioner Mills was publicly attacked by Bronson resident Robbie Blake with falsehoods and innuendos that Commissioner Mills refuted. That FB post is no longer available.

In closing, Mr. Thomas met all the criteria set by the federal and state government agencies as well as the county’s additional requirements imposed on him, but the commission did not have the backbone to do their job. They weakly decided to “continue” the hearing in February 2024.

One final note. Chairman Matt Brooks is also a candidate for Levy Clerk of Court and is campaigning to provide “leverage technology” if elected to the Clerk of Court. In all the years as a county commissioner, he has not provided that technology. The County website looks like something from the beginning of the internet, with no video for commission or planning board meetings, and until Commissioner Mills got lapel microphones, people calling in could not hear much. Brian Gore is also running for the Clerk’s office.

Commissioner John Meeks talks a good game but has produced little in his almost three terms in office. He spearheaded the $116 landfill assessment but that hurt the taxpayers and benefited commercial haulers. I did ask him in public comment a while back what he thought his legacy would be as a county commissioner. I didn’t get an answer.

Now we have garbage haulers bringing in garbage from outside the county because of the no tipping fees for residential garbage. The landfill employees can only do so much policing for outside haulers. Everyone should pay for what they bring. If you live in a municipality, you must pay the $116 county assessment plus your city’s garbage fee. If you live in an unincorporated area and want a private hauler you must pay a private garbage hauler and the county assessment. Commissioner John Meeks is being challenged by Charlie Kennedy for the District 1 seat.