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O'Dell says we will lose our tourism economy.

From: Carl Bergmann
Remote Name: 24.4.252.246
Remote User:
Date: Monday, October 02, 2000
Time: 08:44:15 AM

Comments

I spoke with Ms. O'Dell not long ago to hear her side of the story, and one thing that bothered me the most was the statement she made that "...we will lose our tourism to Walton County if we don't build a conference center." That's right on par with Rick Deckert and Darrell Jones "Gore like" comments that we will lose the tourism economy if the TDC is killed.  I suppose they invented the beaches too.  

Another troubling comment was the statement Ms. O'Dell made that no one from the Freedom Committee was there at the Public Hearing on May 11 1999 speaking against the bed tax increase which would help fund the conference center. Reading the minutes of that hearing I saw that many folks did, in fact, speak in opposition of the bed tax increase for the conference center, specifically: 

1. Ken Beaird, 
2. Ms. Sam Seevers, 
3. Doug Rouse, 
4. Keith Myers, 
5. Gary Colsch, 
6. Ron Harsh, 
7. Larry Sims, 
8. Ed Donze,
9. Anastas Pazevic, 
10. Diana VanOeveren, 
11. Julie Brashears, 
12. Donald Ware, 
13. Vince Bruner, 
14. Dr A.A. Babinger, 
15. Steve Czonstka, 
16. Wesley Poole,
17. Kim Shinkman,
18. ...and Mike LaGarde who even went as far as to urge that a referendum to be placed on the ballot for a vote.

Those who spoke in favor of the bed tax increase to fund the conference center were:

1. Martha Bass Garvie (direct descendent of the Camp Walton citizens)
2. Kim Shinkman (Works on Okaloosa Island)
3. Doug Couch (Resident of Atlanta ???)
4. Tom Moody (Destin businessman)
5. Richard Geron 
6. Ken Gunderson (Lyons Club member)
7. Tripp Tolbert (Family member of the owners of the Ramada Beach Resort)
8. Philippe Miceli (President of the Fort Walton Beach Chamber of Commerce)
9. Linda Page
10. Pat Tolbert (co-owner of the Ramada Beach Resort)
11. Todd Allen (President of the Northwest Florida Ballot)
12. Harris Warren
13. Doug Reed (Ft Walton Beach business owner)
14. Rip Kirby
15. Doug Murphy (speaking on behalf of Main Street in Fort Walton)
16. Gene Smith 
17. Betty Hova Mantey
18. James Johnson
19. Steve Riggs (Husband of Commissioner Paula Riggs and business owner)
20. John Hamilton
21. Marvin Holdman (Photographer)
22. Ron Deckert (related to Rick Deckert, TDC Chairman)
23. Jim Glenn (Fort Walton Beach Chamber of Commerce Rep)
24. Sue Ellen Dickerson

Of the 42 people who actually spoke, 24 were for the bed tax increase and 18 were against. Well, the rest is history.  As for the Freedom Committee not being there at that specific hearing (which Ms. O'Dell repeatedly reminded me of), we were not even formed till July 4th of 1999, almost two months after that meeting. One of the primary reasons the Freedom Committee was formed was because we felt that the current members of the BCC (with the exception of Ray Sansom) were not listening to the people's complaints about their propensity to cater to special interest groups, and their less then stellar performance as a representative of their constituents. Nick Nickelson, Paula Riggs and Bill Harrison being the most guilty of the lot. Some of those who spoke in opposition to the conference center that day are active participants in Freedom Committee activities today.  Might I also remind everyone that Ms. Rigg's camp is heavily backing Jackie Burkett and Ms. O'Dell's campaigns. You just can't help but to wonder why... because they are good buddies?

Either Commissioner O'Dell misses one of the key points we are trying to make, or just doesn't care, but as long as we preserve and maintain our natural resources, that's all the tourism promotion we need to be responsible for as taxpayers.  People don't come to Okaloosa county's south-end for heavy traffic, condo canyons, conference centers and cheap tourist shops, they come to relax and play on our dunes and beaches - which is rapidly becoming a dwindling resource with all the development.  I helped gather hundreds of petitions for the referendum on CO89-23, and the number one reason folks said they were against the conference center was because they felt that "their voice in county government was being taken away."  The second reason was because "they don't trust the county government anymore."  Thousands of people signed that petition, all of like mind, but the BCC still isn't listening.

The TDC and conference center amounts to nothing less them corporate welfare. The businesses that thrive off of the tourism industry are responsible for promoting their own business interests - not the taxpayer.  We, as a community, are not so hard-up for tourism capital that we have to sponsor multimillion dollar, annual tourism promotions, and conference center projects.  Not when we are living in a booming national economy as we are today.  As for the argument that the conference center will be solely supported by a hospitality tax is only the partial truth.  Conference centers lose money and require huge amounts of revenue and infrastructure to support them.  What happens if that source of revenue is suddenly disrupted?  Like the beaches, the tourism industry is a dynamic economy - influenced by many factors.  If, for whatever reason, the bed tax revenue drops, and we can not support the conference center with that tax revenue, then funding to support the center will ultimately fall on the consumer and property owners.  That is a risk Kathie O'Dell, Nick Nickelson, Paula Riggs and Bill Harrison are wiling to take with OUR MONEY.  The question as to whether or not the newly elected BCC will do anything different remains to be seen, but I strongly suggest you review the campaign financial statements in BeachBrowser's feature  "Follow the Money" to get a very good idea of who is really pulling who's strings.

Ms. O'Dell also expressed dismay at why people were judging her so harshly on this single conference center issue.  She commented that after all these years of service to the county, that it all comes down to the conference center issue...  Ms. O'Dell, you may have had a humble and sincere beginning in office, and you may have done some positive things for your constitutes and the county in the past, but like all other politicians in office too long, you have lost touch with the people you are supposed to represent.  It is evident in your recent voting history as a member of the BCC, and your stand on the conference center.  In addition, your recent character attacks on Mr. Hutcheson, and your skewing of the facts on the conference center, especially in your recent campaign ads, tells me you are not the person I would have represent me in government.  If you get reelected into office for yet another term, this county will continue to see more of the same pork projects such as the conference center.  I'm not convinced that you will be a better candidate for county commissioner and my vote will be for Doug Hutcheson.

Carl Bergmann
(Treasurer Freedom Committee)

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