Emergency BCC Meeting - 8/1/05

[For The Health Of It]

After much work today, County Commissioner Ken Pridgen has requested an emergency BCC meeting to take place on Monday, August 1, 2005 at 5:00 p.m. in the South Walton Annex. The sole topic will be the horrendous use of the brown muck that was placed at Blue Mountain Beach.

We need a full house in attendance. If you are concerned over the photo's of Brown Mtn Beach and concerned about the direction our county and the beaches are heading than please make your presence felt monday.

If you have any further questions, please contact ed berry at 267.0558 or ed@shopforthehealthofit.com

 

[Sandie]

Re: Emergency BCC Meeting

I hope that the house is full for this meeting. What they have done to the beaches is horrible. Hope everyone remembers this when it's time to elect the new officials. There's always a way to show folks how you feel, esp. when they don't seem to listen.

 

[wetwilly]

Re: Emergency BCC Meeting

Hopefully as a result of the flood of emails and calls and the emergency meeting on the 1st, the commissioners will take action and get the contractors to take this subgrade brown sand off the beaches and bring in the 6.2 grade sand as specified. This brown "dirt" is obviously not what the 7/21 letter issued by the commissioners office specified as acceptable.

 

[saj300]

Re: Emergency BCC Meeting

As a frequent visitor to the area, I was shocked by the pictures as well. I emailed the county commissioners today, and quickly received a response from one of them, stating that she was against the brown sand. While many of us visitors won't be able to attend the meeting, I hope that they take into account the letters we sent, and that the locals that are able to attend make all our voices heard. Thanks to those of you in the area who are fighting this fight.

 

[JB]

Re: Emergency BCC Meeting

That isn't even sand. It's dirt.

Is it too late to remove the sand and replace it with something that falls under the guidelines? Will they do this, or just allow that section of beach (where I happen to spend three weeks a year) to be permanently ruined?

Inquiring minds want to know.

 

[aquaticbiology]

Re: Emergency BCC Meeting

just time for a quick science experiment for the meeting - kurt, you will probably want to take photos of this for documentation with date and time displayed - grab a handful of the dirt and drop it into a mason jar of water. shake well, label and leave overnight to settle - see just how much is 'white' sand in case they say there's more 'white' sand content than there obviously is. bet you 5 bucks it's mostly decomposed peat and its about 5% white sand. also, if you can do it before the meeting, check for radon gas emmission from the dirt - should be a lot more than real beach sand - thus backing up the claim that the soil is 'harmful' as well as just ugly. one more quick exibit for the meeting (with photos for documentation of how it was made) - take a cardboard box top (about 2*3 feet) and place a 1" deep layer of white beach sand on the right side and a 1" deep layer of the dirt on the left (sinister) side. contrast is everything - johnny gloves would have put little cutouts of children playing in the white sand side but that may be a bit overkill for this meeting

marine and aquatic biology lawsuits totally rule and this is really close to the perfect panicked screwup. screw em back, hard!

 

[aquaticbiology]

Re: Emergency BCC Meeting

be the 'sensible' complainant, hustle outside any loudmouths unless the panel just won't listen or appear bought off, and if the latter is the case, then call in the press with suggestive implications and bring the loudmouths back in en masse

rest in peace, johnny gloves, we will miss you

 

[bsullie]

Re: Emergency BCC Meeting

This is the most disgusting and disheartening turn of events possible. We can't be at the emergency meeting on Monday, but positive vibes will be coming your way...give 'em helll!!!!! Thanks for the great job in keeping us informed. We're sending emails today...

 

[Smiling JOe]

Re: Emergency BCC Meeting

just time for a quick science experiment for the meeting - kurt, you will probably want to take photos of this for documentation with date and time displayed - grab a handful of the dirt and drop it into a mason jar of water. shake well, label and leave overnight to settle - see just how much is 'white' sand in case they say there's more 'white' sand content than there obviously is. bet you 5 bucks it's mostly decomposed peat and its about 5% white sand. also, if you can do it before the meeting, check for radon gas emmission from the dirt - should be a lot more than real beach sand - thus backing up the claim that the soil is 'harmful' as well as just ugly. one more quick exibit for the meeting (with photos for documentation of how it was made) - take a cardboard box top (about 2*3 feet) and place a 1" deep layer of white beach sand on the right side and a 1" deep layer of the dirt on the left (sinister) side. contrast is everything - johnny gloves would have put little cutouts of children playing in the white sand side but that may be a bit overkill for this meeting

marine and aquatic biology lawsuits totally rule and this is really close to the perfect panicked screwup. screw em back, hard!

Perhaps we could even add potting soil beside the dark dirt and white beach sand so that there even a bigger visual to see what that north Florida topsoil comes closest to matching. Unfortunately, I will not have any time to do this exeriment because I will not be rolling into town until just prior to the meeting. Peaboy, will you be able to do this experiment for some evidence? From past experience, I know the County Commissioners will not listen to all of this rage from us all. They will simply ask for people to bring forth new evidence for testimony. (of course emails and mail should be sent, but at the meeting, they will limit the b_tching session.) They want to see evidence. I encourage everyone to bring evidence of the problem to go with their testimony. The color chart for what is acceptable would also be a good instrument for which to compare the topsoil (new beach dirt).

 

[aquaticbiology]

Re: Emergency BCC Meeting

work on the injunction ad nauseum from wherever you are - get a list of local judges phone numbers and call their clerks and try to swear out complaints over the phone, it wont work but it will bring attention to the situation in the judges busy lives who have no clue this is even happening - the law has been set via the ruling allowing the non-white sand to be used and a injunction stopping the dumping gives you the biggest edge ever on getting the bad dirt removed and good sand reapplied, also forces the county officers to notice the dirt was 'bad' because there was an injunction attempted to stop its use.

the same idiots who opposed dredging will probably be at the meeting so dont be baited, just steer them gently toward the press to let them make fools out of themselves

go for it