Today's hatchet piece in the PNJ was not entirely surprising to me. They were named, along with two others, in the county's lawsuit over stolen county records. They knew that the files they received were stolen. They have been told the files have been manipulated. They have published anyway.
The Judge in the case has called a hearing and it will come soon. The Gannett lawyers assigned took great umbrage to this, according to what I have been told today from staff.
I'm told lawyers for Gannett have even actually called the county attorney's office in advance of the soon to occur court proceeding with BS garbage about why they are entitled to hang onto these un-redacted, stolen county files that contain personal identification information on five individuals or more. They are the "media"--that's why!
The problem for them is---nobody has been able to find a single exception to the Florida Statutes that speak to personal identification information being possessed, unauthorized, by the "media".
There isn't one.
Gannett's lawyers probably know that, thus the first of what will be many hatchet jobs as they seek to maximize the damage they attempt to cause with the stolen, manipulated county property they possess unlawfully.
Here's what the relevant statute, § 817.5685 , says. No "exception" for media outlets so far as I can tell.
Meanwhile, the PNJ has been served with an order to show cause as the county's lawsuit for replevin and conversion regarding stolen county files is moving rapidly through Escambia's court system. It is coming up quickly, scheduled for February 5th.
Discovery and depositions are coming--get ready!
Thus, it is not surprising to see their (PNJ's) hamfisted hatchet piece online today--where they once again place me in a false light with actual malice by snipping and cutting purported text messages from the stolen county file they have in their possession (that they know has been manipulated)--putting exchanges out of chronological order purposely and glossing over the fact I was telling anyone and everyone my plan to bring Perdido Key back to D1 once the board decided to rush through the redistricting in a shortened timeframe. I said it directly to my peers on the board at the first workshop in September of 2021 in no uncertain terms---so to attempt to convince readers I have acted unlawfully and violated the state's sunshine law by discussing something I had already stated at an open advertised meeting as well as on the radio prior to discussions with a citizen is preposterous and ridiculous.
That assertion is wrong, and PNJ knows it. It's garbage rubbish and they know it.
These files are manipulated, they know this, too and again the chronological order of the conversations in their hit piece is changed by the PNJ. On top of this fact--in order to make the reader believe unlawful, shady, unethical requests are being made---the reality of the situation is that in the timeline PNJ shared with the readers it is quickly apparent that before this particular text exchange happened I had already told all board members my intention----in public meeting(s)-----to go back to the year 2000 district lines again where Perdido Key was in District 1!!!! I'd also discussed it on the radio and publicly at an advertised meeting.
I also did a blog post on this topic three weeks before the redistricting meeting on October 5th.
It wasn't a mystery--certainly not to the other board members.
They (PNJ) leave that out purposely and conveniently, put conjecture in, change the timeline, and add in opinions from ill-infomed individuals on the sunshine law to add "credibility" to their attack, and insinuate I have done something illegal. It is all garbage though-- a false light attack with actual malice.
This is par for the course with them: they (PNJ) are throwing spaghetti at the wall--because they know that there is likely to be a temporary restraining order issued to curtail their selected release of stolen, manipulated, unverified, and unredacted county files that they and others possess unlawfully.
So they'll likely be priniting a raft of similar stories, based upon these stolen files, over the next several weeks ahead of a potential temporaty restraining order that will prevent them from continuing to publish stories based upon these stolen files--but will rather force them to acquire public records the proper way----by requesting them like everyone else has to do.
That all said, though----------- the most important development to come from PNJ's B.S. garbage pile hit-piece today is the news that yes, they, (PNJ) do indeed have a complete copy of my downloaded iPhone. They admitted it by posting this picture:
Prior to this article and this picture being published by the PNJ today--there was some question as to whether or not a complete copy of my iphone had been stolen unredacted from the county's servers.
Jonathan Owens clammed up when approached by investigators--although he has mentioned multiple times in the media that he has a "jump drive". Others have lawyered up. So nobody knew one way or the other for sure-------------------until today---------------that all of the phone backup files had been stolen and disseminated unlawfully. Thanks, PNJ, for confirmation!
There was suspicion, but not confirmation, until today.
So that will be more good information to develop questions for the coming depositions in the civil trial where folks won't be able to "not answer." Can't wait for that.
Meanwhile-- with today's publication of this picture above (which I verified was on my original, unadulterated, unmanipulated download from the county this evening when I got home from work)---we now know that whomever it was that has possessed this file not only possessed it unlawfully but also at a Felony level due to the fact that the pictures on this file contain personal identification information on at least five individuals, as stipulated in Florida Statutes.
In addition to all of this, I am also aware now that others that possess this file have lied about it to authorities and there is compelling, new information on this now being looked into by investigators.
The thing to remember is not to lie. Tell the truth, or the truth will find you.
Lie to the FBI and all bets are off. period. That's a felony and they don't like being lied to. And it doesn't matter what title you hold or what office you occupy.
Lie to the FBI ad it is a felony. Could be a career ender.
So don't do it.
Jeff,
ReplyDeleteIrrespective of these latest shocking revelations; you have NOT been representing the citizens of Escambia County properly.
It’s public knowledge that you have regularly engaged in text conversations with David Bear DURING Escambia County Commission meetings regarding items on the agenda. That revelation was revealed at Mr. Bear’s deposition prior to a judicial action.
Both you AND your fellow commissioners regularly provide PRIVILEGED ACCESS to your financial contributors at public meetings. “Pay to Play” is not an ethical practice, Mr. Commissioner.
Simultaneously, you and your fellow commissioners LIMIT the great citizens of Escambia County - who you are paid handsomely to represent - to a measly two minutes to address you.
That’s despicable, Jeff! Clearly, the great citizens of Escambia County are NOT your priority.
Further, you obviously aren’t handling the citizens’ public records in a responsible manner.
My understanding is that your personal practice is to horde the citizens’s public records on your personal cell phone. There, on your aging and failing personal phone, you intermingle the citizens’ public records with your personal messages.
Why don’t you use an Escambia County device to conduct the citizens’ business? And why don’t you regularly transfer the citizens’ public records that you possess to Escambia County?
Your irresponsible methodology is problematic. You recently nearly lost the citizens’ public records when your personal device malfunctioned. The Escambia County I.T. Department had to resurrect your failing personal phone. But for some inexplicable reason, you did not provide Escambia County with a copy of the citizens’ public records. That’s perplexing.
The great citizens of Escambia County have paid you very handsomely for well over a decade. You are certainly not providing the professional representation that we deserve.
Tom, you're post demonstrates you suffer from diarrhea of the mouth. When I read what you write, I hear in my mind a nearly empty bottle of hershey's syrup being squeezed over and over, the hershey squirts coming out of you. Your understanding of public records retention and the way I handle records is inaccurate, you just don't get it. Your're glib, and that's okay. :) But my phone did malfunction so I was able to save the records. That's what counts. And that is not the focus of this post, Tom. Stay on topic please, don't ramble around like a pinball under the glass. Take your ADHD meds and focus. This post is about the individuals that stole these files from the county, manipulated them, and sent them to others unredacted as well as the revelation that the PNJ disclosed that they were given a complete copy of the files which appears, according to statutes, to be a Felony. For PNJ, Jonathan, Alex, Clerk of the Court Pam Childers and any and all others that have it and are holding it unauthorized and unlawfully. Mere possession of it appears to be a Felony due to the number of individuals' PII contained within the pictures and the texts, tom. So set aside the ad hominems, stay focused, stick to the topic of the post, or don your tin-foil hat and run back to the Facebook Hate Chamber with your empty "logic" and nearly empty bottle of hershey's syrup. Don't squirt it all over yourself.
ReplyDeleteYou’re doing what all six-year-olds do when caught in a compromising position: try to change the subject, argue that the incriminating information was distributed speciously, lampshade, ad hominem, etc etc. It’s okay, buddy. You’ve gerrymandered yourself into a comfortable seat, but the commissioner has no clothes.
ReplyDeleteHonestly? Both of you sound like brat little kids. Part and parcel for how the political discourse in this country has devolved.
ReplyDeleteCommissioner Bergosh, if the matter of these text messages being stolen is as serious as you make it out to be--and I agree with you on that that--you might want to put down the chocolate syrup bottle yourself, and start acting like an adult on the issue.
Tom, what you could never understand because of your buying whole hog into the Folk Maiden Goddess Warrior Heroine For the People narratives, is that one of the reasons that people at the County are so guarded over who is the custodian of their messages is that the previous administration colonized the process and doled them out as she saw fit. What was already a broken system became only the semblance of a system at all, with the previous administrator lording it over what got released and what didn't. Smart, long-time staff members paid her mandate to go through this system no mind whatsoever, because they knew that if they got a records request that her administration then failed to fulfill, they'd be on the hook about it. Everybody with any sense went into self-protective mode on being custodian, because nobody trusted administration and nobody with any brains trusted the IT department. And you damn well can't trust the clerk to house anything.
Where I agree with you, Tom, is that the County is and has been a wreck when it comes to public record since long before that. And this certainly isn't all the commissioners' fault, with the caveat that they are the policy makers and could have taken the bull by the horns to get the archaic, old school systems under control from their previous administrators. The County Attorney's office is hardly any help, as they also need to update their stuff to electronic storage and quit with the paper games; it looks like they've got themselves in another cluster eff with EMS records from not being able to put their hands on stuff because of their paper filing system. Isn't it about time for ALL these games to be over, whatever legal hairs are split?
Yes, Commissioner Bergosh, the timeline of the narrative the PNJ put out is bogus--I'd already spoken to the possibility of Perdido Key being redistricted publicly at that point, as well. It was no secret. You instruct people to go back and recognize that, rightfully so.
How far would you have to go back into the way back machine of years on end for my first public comments stating that the County's handling of public records was a train wreck, and that you guys needed to institute a stand alone office that was separate from the other functions of the County to handle this stuff--like a lot of other counties do. I reiterated that for a long time. It was already a dumpster fire without corruption on the level of the Doug and Jonathan, and questionable practices by the IT department. Something like this was inevitable, Kevin and I have been screaming it from the mountaintops for years, everybody ignored it, and now we're all supposed to cry a river that the inevitable happened.
You're not making yourself a very sympathetic character in all this with the waving of your own Hershey's bottle around, Commissioner Bergosh. Your texts about County business are public, period, and therefore it's doubtful they can even be "stolen." Not so with the private messages that had nothing to do with county business, or the sensitive information both within and without the County. So thankfully our justice system isn't--shouldn't--pay any mind to the immature ways this is getting talked about, and will simply run its course. God knows if the courts had to take maturity and common sense into account with whether to serve justice, they would have washed their hands on a lot of this already.
Jeff, then why don't you set the story straight by showing PNJ the actual text so they can rectify it?
Delete(1 con.) Tom: as far as your obsession with people texting from the dais. Perhaps you haven't seen that there are thousands of pages of PMs between Doug and Jacqueline that were made record during one of the Bear lawsuits, and that she and Doug were snarking along together during many meetings during nearly his entire time as commissioner? They literally talk about votes, public speakers, how and why he conducted himself and voted, etc. DURING THE MEETINGS. Do you really think that Doug wasn't texting people hot and heavy during every meeting, including back and forth with Jacqueline?
ReplyDeleteIn one message Doug sent FROM THE PODIUM, to a lobbyist SITTING IN THE AUDIENCE, he made an anti Semitic statement that, in so many words, Jewish people had no access to salvation, and made a statement that was tantamount to a member of a local family having to answer to a Christian afterlife on that.
Guess what? You'll never see that message on the front page of the PNJ. I could send that message to Jim Little today and IT WILL NEVER APPEAR IN THE PNJ. Because the PNJ is a political instrument for downtown, pure and simple.
Nor will you ever see and article about, say, Doug and Jacqueline making fun of Teresa Blackwell's advocacy DURING A MEETING WHILE DOUG WAS ON THE PODIUM.
What else haven't you seen? Any of the people who have seen those messages splash them all over social media like they do in the PNJ and on ECW. I have access to *all* those PMs Tom. I've never released any of them. I could get up to the podium and read them; I could take back up a Facebook account and publish them; I could put them down in this blog; I could email them to the press; I could hire a sky writer.
(3. con)
ReplyDeleteSo get down off that fake pedestal of self-righteousness Tom, sit the hell down, and take a deep breath think. And Commissioner Bergosh, you really need to do the same. Because you are, yourself, distracting from the main point of this--it's the illegality, stupids--with your triggered emotions and feels over it all. County staff played you, just like some of us had been warning was going on for years. You got played. Get over that, quit crying about it, and stop insulting other people who are justifiably pointing out that you were careless, and have some humility. You don't have to damage control every turn of this; it is what it is, which is brazen, stone cold illegality and possession and dissemination of private property.
Just let the courts work it out. Our justice system is either going to do something about that, which will be justice served, or they'll fall down and find excuses not to. If that happens, it won't be the first time--federally or locally--and it won't be the last. In the meantime, everybody needs to take a chill pill and get over themselves. This is hardly the end of the universe, whatever happens, and damn well isn't even the most important thing happening locally right now.
To the EMS employee who is posting anonymously on ECW: no, as you're well aware, what I said was that contrary to Jacqueline's fake anonymous posts, what you're posting is clearly the truth. But with you coming on and pretending I said the opposite, you've squarely put yourself in the role of disinformationist with that statement, sadly. The County can keep track, believe it or not. The hardest thing about still wanting help against an unjust administration for EMS is that so many remaining scum bags who set up their fellow EMS still remain there. Are you one of them? From where I sit, however, it doesn't matter. Because the proper due process and following best HR and industry practices *still* need to happen, regardless of what individuals who are raising their voices to it might have been guilty of themselves in the past. And regardless of the fact that you purposely misrepresented my comments to the ECW cabal, it isn't any less regrettable that the truly good people working for County EMS have to compete for space on that vile forum to get their message out. Because whatever the people impacted directly by the stolen text messages may believe, the toxic workplace that continues in Escambia Public Safety is a WAY bigger problem than Jacqueline, Arduini, and Doug circle jerking about fake Sunshine violations.
Read the statute and this seems to apply (b) Obtained that personal identification information from a forum or resource that is open or available to the general public or from a public record.
ReplyDeleteIf you are going to quote statutes why do you keep omitting the exclusions to section 2? It clearly says the possession of personal records does not apply if the person was obtaining a public record during the course of business. No where in the law does it require public records to be obtained through your sanctioned channels. They can be obtained from many many ways, and the PNJ never published any personal information of yours. This reeks of a puff-chest banging his fists on the table of free speech, but only when it serves his majesty.
ReplyDeleteLove this comment!
Delete3:04, nobody with any sense is fooled by the continued conflation of
ReplyDelete(1) actual public records, however they were obtained; (2) sensitive information that is not public record even when pertaining to County business or staff; and (3) private communications that have nothing whatever to do with County business.
It's not the first category that has to do with the crimes that have occurred, obviously.
Weak minds over on ECW may fall for that sort of amalgamation of reality. Investigators, prosecutors, and courts of law, not so much.
The PNJ did not zip up Jim Little in a cat suit and scale the building to Bergosh’s office. Clearly they obtained the file during the course of their business. For him to continue to call it “stealing” the file is just more fist banging.
ReplyDeleteOn the plus side, you have WEAR so far in your back pocket that they will never run a story about this or any that might make you look bad.
ReplyDeleteIm sorry Jeff Bergosh has done nothing wrong on the text issue not his fault that the county IT staff could not be trusted.
ReplyDeleteTom Jardine like harassing Jeff on this issue he must have alot of free time.
Mel you have alot room to talk both you and Doug Underhill put on a battle of insults show for over 3 years Some would call it a old sweethearts quarrel . I never heard people say let up on Doug
I think try practicing what you preach
5:36, how do I say this in a way you can understand.
ReplyDeleteIs it possible for you--can you even make a halfway stretch--to grasp how fundamentally idiotic it sounds to claim "doing business" negates any legal responsibility for the possession and dissemination of stolen property?
Good Lord are you people are outer limits.
The elephant in the room that's getting ignored is the Commissioner's communications by proxy using David Bear to pass information along to the others is a violation of Sunshine laws.
ReplyDeleteEntertainment and comical to read all the political hacks commenting with their theories and “expertise”. Dang funny. But we do have a first amendment. Sometimes it makes for good entertainment. Ahh folks this isn’t the end of the world. In fact this is a nothing burger.
ReplyDelete3:41-Nobody said Jim Little could fit in a cat suit and steal files--he obviously could do neither of these things. What has been stated is that the property they were given is stolen property and they have no right to possess it, therefore the replevin action. The Florida Statute is clear, it is the possession of PII information that the law implicates--notwithstanding how it was obtained. In this case, the files were stolen and disseminated unredacted, unlawfully which is being investigated by the FBI. So, get your facts straight. Taking PNJ's word on how they received the file--they should have returned it to the county when they realized it had PII that they are not entitled to possess nor are they authorized to possess it. I do not believe there is an exception to the law simply because they are the media it does not mean they are entitled to hold SS #'s, medical records of citizens, passport numbers, driver's license #'s etc. etc. on more than a dozen citizens. But hey, opinions vary and the Judge will sort it out in court--that's why we have courts, the law, and judges and not armchair Perry Mason types like you deciding important matters. 8:03 re-read the article carefully. There is no evidence that the message was carried to anyone, let alone to Barry and May. In fact, the article says clearly that under oath Bear testified he does not carry messages for commissioners. Setting that aside, I did tell him, clearly, not to tell me what the others said specifically because I know that to do that would potentially be a violation because closing the loop through and intermediary to create two way communication is not permitted. You obviously do not understand the sunshine law--which is not surprising. Sending one way communications, point papers, position statements from one commissioner to another are lawful and occur quite frequently and are completely legal so long as no response is given back by the end receiver to the sender AND the public record of what was sent out is maintained, as is the case here---they have the record of the picture because I maintained it. But that even is a moot point if the message never went anywhere in the first place, so, good luck with your logic because it is badly flawed. As is the PNJ's actions and reporting here. But they know that already, as does the community at large.
ReplyDelete12:07--Incorrect. The files were stolen from the county, no records request was made for them prior to the county being informed that others already had possession of them in their entirety, unredacted and complete with Personal Identification Information and medical records on more than a dozen citizens as well as attorney client privilege conversations that would NEVER have been released under any public records request ever; they (the files) certainly were not made available through any public forum nor via any request made of the county--because had such a request been made--it would have been fulfilled per our process and it would have been time consuming and at a cost to the requestor to redact all the non-public records contained therein--which are voluminous. "Not Today" 3:12 that will occur via the FBI investigation, the subsequent prosecutions (potentially) and the court proceedings which have commenced and the first hearing of which will be on February 5th.
ReplyDeleteI guess thats where we differ. There is no law I know of that says public records MUST go through a redaction process. The redaction process is a layer of scrutiny or a stop gap between politician and citizen.
DeleteWe are being ripped off from our own local government while a crime is committed. Yes, Jeff - you have broken the law. How’s life at Pensacola Beach for you these days - living out of district, persuading votes with your other want to be relevant friend, David Bear, can’t make this stuff up - poor Escambia County - we are just suckers for your antics.
ReplyDeleteFunny how Bergosh claims no fault even in the face of clear sunshine violations. Doesn’t matter how it was discovered you were still wrong
ReplyDeleteTom, I'm going to respond once more to this blog post, taking your above concerns seriously, because I believe you to be an honest person--who is also honestly confused.
ReplyDeleteThe main problem, Tom, is that you have been inculcated to believe that the ECW lens is actually problem free, and viable, true information through which to see things. So it's very difficult to get through your preconceived notions that you don't even realize they've pounded into you over the years.
My responses inline:
---------
1. Tom Jardine said...
I’m not concerned whether or not former Commissioner Underhill engaged in text conversations at public meetings with any individual or multiple individuals.
--Why? You're going berserk over other commissioners communicating via text on the dais. Why are you bothered at all? I have no issue with it whatever. It's neither illegal nor unethical.
What concerns me is that: according to the sworn testimony of David Bear; Mr. Bear regularly engages in text conversations with four of our current county commissioners regarding AGENDA ITEMS during Commission meetings.
--So what? Again, there's nothing illegal or unethical about that. Moreover, why did you automatically assume that Jacqueline and Doug weren't communicating "regarding AGENCA ITEMS during Commission meetings?" Man, Tom, I agree with some of what you say, but you are just hopelessly naive in a lot of regards. I can *assure* you that's exactly what they were texting about in many cases. And you ought to see their exchanges about how to set stuff up politically for the meetings, as well. Nobody in the County has worked more closely together on every trick in the book to get legislation passed than Jacqueline Rogers and Doug Underhill. Oh, and Wendy, when she'd pop onto Doug's PM. So cute.
Further, we have now been presented with evidence that Mr. Bear is acting as a Go Between in order to pass communications to multiple commissioners outside of the Sunshine.
--You have been presented with no such evidence of the sort. In the texts produced by the PNJ, Mr. Bear didn't even answer those text messages. And even if he did decide to discuss the issue with any of the other commissioners, in order for it to be a sunshine violation he would have had to go back and complete the loop to report back to commissioner Bergosh--*that's* where potential illegality can happen. Because there is no vote fixing without that--otherwise it's just one-way communication like any other. "Hey can you make sure [X commissioner] sees my public blog post?" Same diff, legally. Grover Robinson used to send announcements and thought pieces to his fellow commissioners via email prior to vote, so of course they couldn't respond back to them. Rude? I think so, and people can certainly think that Commissioner Bergosh's texts were rude. I think they are. But that doesn't mean there was anything unethical, let alone illegal.
2. It is equally troubling that Mr. Bear has been appointed to multiple Escambia County and regional boards by our questionable commissioners.
ReplyDelete--I agree with you entirely that if Pensacola is ever going to get with the modern program and achieve its full potential, many of the old-timey practices need to be done away with, nepotism being at the top of the list. What you don't seem to realize, Tom, is that it's hardly Mr. Bear alone who sits all these committees. This is the way Pensacola has functioned since its foundation. It's historically the way people from here consider getting business done; it's wild to me, but it's not considered unethical, and in fact is de rigeur for how this town works. If it were considered unseemly culturally here, it wouldn't happen so openly. It's archaic, not illegal. Why do you bang on the drum of Mr. Bear sitting multiple committees, when it happens all over town with every single person who realizes a certain level of stature? You can't throw a rock from one committee without hitting another committee with at least one shared member. It's the way this town rolls. I don't like it either, but if you stripped away that functionality, guess what--there wouldn't *be* any functionality. This is something that only changes culturally and organically with time. And the WORST--the absolute WORST--purveyor of nepotism in Escambia County that I've come close to seeing in my ten years of engagement was Janice Gilley. For God's sake, Tom, she gushed about how she had to bring Debbie Bowers in as one of her right-hand heavies so she could get one up on her for becoming the drum majorette at Tate high. And that is just *one* example. So this is where you make yourself look silly. When you're right you're right, but you still don't apply your reasoning equally across the board, and instead let the ECW mavens lead you into focusing on their appointed good guys and bad guys, rather than making objective assessments yourself. You're the exact type of person their propaganda is meant to target, and that includes the crap our waste of space Clerk of Court runs as well.
The population of Escambia County is approximately 330,000. Why must the same handful of political donors receive appointments to multiple boards?
--ibid
Mr. Bear has never been elected, but he receives multiple political appointments. And the great citizens of Escambia County are regularly being fleeced.
--Logical fallacy/jump between the first and second sentence. Correlation? Causation? Mr. Bear receiving multiple political appointments actually keeps you from being less fleeced, as long as we're going to be run by archaic nepotism, because unbeknownst to you he's one of the most honest and objective political operators Escambia has going for it.
Clearly, we have been sold out to the tourism industry and sold out to private developers.
--I agree pre the tourism industry but specifically to the ad people gobbling up so much revenue and laughing all the way to the bank; as far as development goes, this is a deep red meat area. Why on God's green earth do you think the commissioners would run anything but deep red meat development practices? News flash, Tom. Republicans aren't environmentalists. "What the market will bear" is pretty much the slogan of the republican party. That's what voters want here. Until it hits their back yards.
3. Today should be a Golden Age for Escambia County, but Escambia County is always dead-broke.
ReplyDelete--Today isn't the Golden Age, or Day for that matter, for any place on earth, so I don't know what La La land you're living in on that note. Escambia County isn't dead broke; you just disagree with how they spend the money they have. (I do as well, but I don't accuse them of being "dead broke" in order to make that point.)
The citizens are not adequately sharing in the profits. But the citizens are experiencing the traffic, the crowds, the damage to our environment, the failing infrastructure, and the flooding.
--Agreed, but this is what the voters of Florida have ushered in with the republican super majority. Can you please point to a place in Florida that's any difference? (One that isn't an enclave of the super rich, where they can write their own land development codes.)
Meanwhile, Jeff and his colleagues are doling out political favors, communicating through third parties, hoarding public records, and restricting the citizens’ voices to a miserly two minutes of speaking time at public meetings.
--I've responded to everything but the two minutes, which I agree is ridiculous, disappointing, and deflating. The BCC as a whole has absolutely gutted public input and made it very clear they really don't care what people have to say at the podium. It's really different than it used to be when I first started attended meetings, and it makes me very sad. I don't know why they can't see it, but it is indeed really painful, hard to watch, and disrespectful. It's a far cry from the chambers that used to be a really vital source of ideas, important contention, and public vetting and ideas.
I believe those all to be legitimate concerns.
--Have a great weekend.
ps. Tom I'm sure you read through my typo to the correct meaning above:
ReplyDeleteMr. Bear receiving multiple political appointments actually keeps you from being [strike "less"] [insert "more"] fleeced, as long as we're going to be run by archaic nepotism, because unbeknownst to you he's one of the most honest and objective political operators Escambia has going for it.
Mel Pino its seems all you bring up is the negative side Jeff Bergosh has done nothing wrong and when defends himself you say he is acting like a brat.
ReplyDeleteMel can you prove that or you just flapping your gums make wild statements about jeff Meanwhile, Jeff and his colleagues are doling out political favors
I must say your not helping with your gloom an doom forecast Its time to stop crowing total nonesense lets rally behind our county commissoner and support.
Maybe Tom could start his own harassment firm All I see harassment maybe if yall run for office become a County Commissioner you might understand the job Jeff Bergosh understand the job
Mel is spot on.
ReplyDeleteWhy don't we do this:
David get a keg beer. Doug and Jeff drink a few belly fulls of beer. Get 850 or somebody behind them but being able to video the stream. Live even.
Someone get a measuring tape. Doug and Jeff piss as hard as they can and we have an objective bystander measure who pissed the farthest and call it done.
It is not a sunshine violation. Ginger. And empty nester. You know who you are.
If one can go back with a search term on this blog of redistricting in 2021 and or watch that again but why bother. I did.
It was voted on. Done. In the past.
Really the only gerrymandering that occurred might be deciding D3 based on race. But if you challenge that you got NAACP crying racism and people chiming in about fragile tears or something stupid like that.
Just no bud light.
Bring the king of beers 🍻
Meanwhile on the so called watchdog page you got the same 25 people that know everything about everything dissecting course of action. Amateurs. Wanna be politicians. Doesn’t the lawn need mowing or something?
ReplyDelete615
ReplyDeleteGoogle is your friend.
Put the search terms "redaction of public records". Hit enter. Read. Learn.
What is this, scrabble with friends? Please link where the law states redaction is mandatory “by a government public records office.” Because that’ll make the first amendment obsolete. Citizens and media can also self-redact. The law does not require spit-shining the boots of self-declared gate keepers to free speech here in America.
DeleteContrary to popular opinion; I don’t have a personal ax to grind with Jeff. Actually, Jeff possess a few qualities that I admire.
ReplyDeleteHowever, Jeff undeniably has MAJOR personality flaws. Jeff’s comments and temperament are frequently unbecoming of someone who has been paid handsomely over several years to provide the great citizens of Escambia County with professional representation. And clearly, both Jeff AND his colleagues OFTEN fail the citizens.
I’m 60 years old and I’ve been around the world twice on sea deployments while serving in the Navy. I can tolerate Jeff’s personal shortcomings. I’ve seen it all before. Besides, I don’t win too many popularity contests myself.
It’s Commissioner Bergosh’s short comings as our paid REPRESENTATIVE to which I take exception.
Jeff has been placed in a position of trust. There are only five seats on the Commission. And Jeff possesses both the ability and the privilege to act as a positive change agent for Escambia County. Instead, Jeff frequently behaves like an egocentric child.
Jeff clearly has mismanaged the citizens’ public records. In my opinion; Jeff is responsible for this mess.
Jeff has received MULTIPLE briefings every year from the Escambia County Attorney’s Office regarding the Sunshine Laws and regarding Public Records. But Jeff obstinately has refused to comply with Escambia County recommendations.
For example; at the 33:50 mark of the 21 June 2022 TDC meeting, at which Jeff was on the dais, Escambia County Attorney Steve West specifically advised the TDC members to “Not keep public records on your own! Turn those records over to the Clerk”.
Yet Jeff failed to comply with Escambia County’s recommended policy. Jeff hoarded over 50,000 text messages on his failing personal cellphone. There’s no telling how many public records have been lost over the years.
Worse, Jeff intermingled the citizens’ public records with his personal texts.
Jeff is largely responsible for this current saga. Jeff is NOT providing proper professional representation to the great citizens of Escambia County. And now Jeff has involved our citizens into yet ANOTHER very avoidable judicial proceeding.
Moreover, Jeff’s continued mismanagement of the citizens’ public records is merely one of the many examples of how Jeff is failing our great citizens. And three of Jeff’s fellow commissioners, likewise, frequently fail the citizens.
The citizens are continually being under-served. We definitely need some fresh faces on our Commission and on our appointed boards.
Tom, you are certainly entitled to your opinion about my performance. Always remember: You don't have to be frustrated :) Get involved and run for something, maybe the SRIA since you have so many gripes about them all the time. Or, run for the BCC. Write a big check to one of my opponents and go volunteer to help them win. Good luck with that. I may not have been around the world as many times as you on navy ships, but I've traveled around the world and seen a lot and done a lot. I've also won the last 6 elections I have been involved in by large margins because the folks that truly matter, the ones I represent, do not share your defective, delusional view of my performance and that of the three others you slammed in this post. Yes, I have dealt with your type over and over. Talk, talk, talk. Talk is cheap Don't be frustrated, Tom. Do something about it. Or do what you typically do, nothing. Nothing by bang away in frustration on your keyboard on facebook chat sites that are echo chambers of your like minded simpleness.
ReplyDeleteRoughly 1/5th of the county population is eligible to vote in District 1 and of that you received 38.71% or 5,464 votes last election yet you and the other four represent approximately 319,000 residents. I may not be able to vote for you but your decisions still impact me and I would love nothing more than to see you go.
ReplyDelete5:58--In the 4 man race I was in last election, I won a plurality with an 8 point margin of victory over my closest rival, 16 points over your boy Jonathan Owens, JC. Yes, yes I know you have your own system you wish constituted the election rules but our elections are governed by Florida law, not what "JC" and the freakshow bus of 12 on the Citizen's Hate Chamber thinks it should have been. Now, hop to it JC, move to my district, and vote for your boy this time around, and/or pry open your wallet to actually write him a check. Write him a big check, too. He's going to need it! :) See you on August 20th.
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