This page space is purchased in response to “streamlining” Lee County Commission meetings to impede citizen input from being viewed and placed into the official record — putting commissioners on notice of actions done well or poorly; ethical or unethical; legal or outside politicians’ authority. The prayerful hope is print after each Commission meeting – i.e., twice a month. Knowing those who fear freedom of speech will disapprove this purchased print, a humble request of forgiveness is submitted. Those not wanting to suffer this freedom of expression are asked to skip-over reading this purchased space.
Many thanks for all [positive/negative] input on the first printing; ‘beating a dead horse’ complaints are easy to understand. The whip is the same, and citizens trying to save the horse are accused killers. Sadly our politicians have destroyed many different good/productive horses citizens tried to keep alive by advocating openness and transparency. To provide input in the spirit of our First Amendment civil right to express and notify, please contact: LeeCounty Commission Watch@gmail.com.
The most addressed issue included for public record at Monday’s [8/9/21] Commission meeting; was comment on efforts to restart the county zoning commission.
Morris Lewis: feared proposed property ordinance would prevent his business of buying/ selling trucks.
Rudy McCumsey: asked for improved meeting times and provision of documents at planning commission meetings. McCumsey felt Beat 13 was mislead into voting for zoning power to block the quarry after Chairman Kevin Flannagan claimed they cannot stop quarries.
Last to address zoning was Peter Byrd, reiterating prior citizen comments on lack of beat/zoning maps, etc. to keep the public informed at planning commission meetings. Byrd reported that Chairman Flannagan encouraged every Planning Commission member contact the Lee County delegation to legislate zoning on all remaining beats instead of allowing each beat to vote, just as Beat 13 has. This citizen found it presumptuous to assume every beat wants zoning. Some beats may NOT want more Lee County rule over them on land use — advocating people of each Beat decide instead of block vote remaining unincorporated areas.
Pastor Roland Austin: requested assistance providing Green Chapel (now sandwiched between two housing developments) broadband access which may require the approval/cost of one utility pole; this would be a one-time expense for Green Chapel to adapt under these difficult pandemic circumstances. Pastor Austin also requested placement on next meeting’s agenda.
Citizen commentary was again not included in this second ‘streamlined’ meeting format, successfully blocked from being on audio/video feed purchased and maintained by citizen taxpayer dollars and not included in our county record.