Not A clear Blog..

I will tell you what I've been told about this.

FDOT is in process of advertising for concessionaires to fund, construct, and operate the Outer Beltway.

FDOT is seeking to secure ROW donations for as much property as possible to make this as financially feasible as possible.

one of the large landowners that is negotiating with FDOT for ROW, has approached the county about securing credit for the ROW if the land were donated to FDOT.

I will agree what they are attempting to do will bypass all government input or control.

Taxpayers just foot the bills for the giant sucking sounds of the development industry and large landowners.

I personally don't think they can tell you what the total amount of cost to the taxpayers because I think this has as escalating scale and it gains interest over time. The only figures you heard thrown out there was 77k per acre. Never no bottom line of cost to the taxpayers.

The County Manager said "trust me". That's a statment that always gives me concerns when government is involved.

Angela I believe you are basicly correct. I often hear people refer to FDOT when it is actually somebody else. Since the rise of Johm Thrasher the rules in Tally chamge quickly and quietly. Either way they have to give right a way to get the control they want as well as locations. Yes they will ultimately escape most cost and impact fees. A much better deal than selling the land for rite a way. Yes ,,, if it is Gov. trust me is a red flag, Always.

Questions is this what you are talking about: 

The Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) mitigation program (currently referenced as Florida Statutes [F.S.] 373.4137) was established by the Florida Legislature in 1996 to replace mitigation on a project-by-project basis with regional, multiproject mitigation to offset the impacts to wetlands by transportation projects.

Each year the water management districts develop mitigation plans for projects that FDOT, or a transportation authority established pursuant to Chapter 348 or 349, F.S., expects to implement in the coming fiscal year. Mitigation plans must receive final approval by the designated water management district governing board. Upon approval by the respective governing board, the plan is deemed to satisfy the legislative mitigation requirements and any other mitigation requirements imposed by local, regional, and state agencies, although changes may be made to comply with federal permitting requirements.

Once mitigation plans are approved and funds are available, FDOT transfers funds into an escrow account within the state Transportation Trust Fund. The St. Johns River Water Management District may then request transfer of funds to implement its mitigation projects. Anticipated escrow funds for the next fiscal year form the basis for the program’s annual work plan.

Mitigation—This project will continue efforts to offset the impact of transportation projects proposed by FDOT or a transportation authority.

Is the school you are talking about Shadowlawn?

Boy Angeka you are good. I havenen't had to think this hard in years. I am not sure I can make this clear as I am not as swift as I used to be. I cerrtainly caan't remember statute no's and am too lazy to do a lot of research, like I used to. Any way let me try to explain. I remember in the early meetings with DOT over the beltway rite of way they ststed over and over that they could not accept right away donations. I vaguely remeber many many years ago about a lot of corruption between raod construction and developers, like 45 years ago, so that is what led to them not being able to accept land. Now the water management districts thats another story. and impact fee credits is with the county.  There won't be any impact problems with an authority which is exactly why that is what they have wanted al along This new legislation was all about eliminating obstacles for developement state wide. There has been 6 or 8 roads under it and a consortium to pool funds for bonding. They will have enough impact fee credits with county to last 15 or 29 years.

  Yes the school is at shadowlawn, but I don't know what it will be called. There is no doubt in any ones mind why it is there  Under fdot the project would take way too long

Ex

The School's name is Shadowlawn. Might as well be called Uncle Jack.

The Commissioners can enact the "Florida Expressway Authority Act." FSS 348 which would allow a transportation authority for our county or with other counties.  

The "First Coast Outer Beltway" which is already on the list of the MPO (Metropolitan Planning Organization) planning and design phase and setting us up for the enactment of a Expressway by our Commissioners. As they search for concessionaires to fund, construct, and operate the Outer Beltway

Transportation Authority, yes citizens look out for this fun with another layer of government bureaucracy just waiting to happen. We need to look no further than our very own John Thrasher lobbyist for the Orlando-Orange County Expressway Authority.

That organization has been plagued with issues and something to look forward too when the Commissioner decide that we need to enact this Authority. Orlando-Orange County Expressway Authority has displayed a "shocking lack of accountability, unnecessary spending and waste" in its operations and was so sloppy that an audit couldn't even say how many millions of dollars might have been misspent.

The Orlando-Orange County Expressway Authority detailed how it overhauled the operation in response to criticism that the agency has wasted money through open-ended agreements such as the one PBS&J of Tampa has had since 1986. (This sounds just like the open-ended contract with Jones Edmunds our enviornmental specialist when Clay County was caught illegally dumping in our landfills.)

Just in case you don't remember PBS&J is a client of John Thrasher too. Recently a former top executive with engineering consulting firm PBS&J was sentenced for violating federal campaign-finance laws.

Some of the problems coming out of the Expressway Authority had to do with campaign violation too.

On Nov 14 it was reported that the vice-chairman of the problem-plagued expressway authority has resigned effective Dec. 31, a year shy of completing his second term.

Evora's resignation means that four of the board's five members will have changed since October 2006, when the road agency's troubles began.

If Clay County were to enact a Transportation Authority a majority of all of the members of the board would be appointed by the Governor except one would be elected and that would more than likely be our new elected chairman of the County, which means very little local control.

I think Thrasher had some big plans for Clay County when he returned and with his support of the 7 commissioners. Durwood thanks for your work as a government watchdog and looking out for the taxpayers. Your questions of the Advanced Disposal fiasco may have saved us more money than we will ever know as taxpayers. Keep up the good work. We certainly don't need any selected Commissioners at the helm.

An Orange County grand jury filed a sealed report criticizing political fundraising that went on within the region's toll-road agency, but the panel did not issue any criminal indictments. Well, doesn't that sound reminiscent of Clay County with no criminal indictments.

It is reported that State Attorney Lamar said he hoped that "this will get some sort of an ethical ball rolling" in Florida. (Sounds like our ethics policy which them seem to be constantly revising). Developers, he said, have too much influence in the political system, and closer attention must be paid to the relationship between donors and those who vote on their projects. Lamar stated,"We can't run the state on a good-ol'-boy network forever." At least we know the problems don't only exist in Clay County.

Who needs a better reason to vote for Hometown Democarcy than the statements of the State Attorney Lamar of Florida, and the announcement of the war declared on the citizens by Thrasher.

In July it was reported that they hire new land lawyers for the Expressway Authority. Crotty, who became chairman of the authority earlier this year, said the toll agency has been moving to halt all open-ended contracts and to slash the lucrative marketing and general legal counsel contracts by bringing them in-house. Anybody know any land lawyers in Clay County looking for lucrative contracts?

The school will be called Shadowlawn which sounds more like a cemetery than a learning institute at the request of Jack Myers.

A memorandum was sent in full support of a transportation authority, to our Commissioner from Jack Myers in 2006 for the development of  Clay County Transportation Authority.

If the Commissioner were interested in helping the current citizens with the traffic problems in Clay County we would be discussing the College Dr. North extention which has already had a plan and design study done that would help with the current problems. Instead we are talking about an outer beltway to help the developers as Bush stated.