Amos made it to Fox News--> 2nd item on page -- Unbeknownst to this web site, Fox News carried the story of our canine candidate back in July of this year
-- Fox News, 07/22/03

The Evans letter -- The original document that caused the current brouhaha and earned the city a threat of legal action under the Whistleblower's Act; Evans complains of harassment, cites examples, asks that the behavior be stopped
-- posted to the web on 12/24/03

Whistle-blower's attorney threatens legal action, city tries to hide attorney's letter behind loophole in open records laws -- City's attempted cover-up fails miserably; employee ordered to see a psychologist as punishment for writing a letter of complaint; Hunt had enemies list, had let it be known that he was out to get whistle-blower, much more...

The Meyer letter -- Assistant City Manager Jane O'Connor scrambled to try to keep this letter from public view -- we reprint the entire text anyway

The Taylor memo -- Councilwoman Vicki Taylor weighs in on the shenanigans at city hall; reading between the lines in this memo, it's safe to assume that she is not a happy camper

The Moore memo -- Text of entire memo: City Manager George Hunt goes head-to-head with Councilman John Moore again over the Sharky's lease, this time at a meeting with Moore and Sharky's reps; Moore asks questions, Hunt cops an attitude and storms out

Patten joins the VTL, immediately gets the obligatory introductory ass-whoopin' from a city official -- Hey, do I get any medical benefits from this gig? Plus -- Levine's lawsuit; Dan Boone whines about whiners; Foglietta declares war on the Mitchell family

For the good of whom? -- Herb Levine guest authors a piece for venfl.com

Patten and Foglietta and a dog named Boo named Amos -- venfl.com writer and VHA chairman have a hissy fit, hilarity ensues; Amos wants to get back into the car -- Venice Police Department report (PDF file)

VFW diners hog voter parking on election day, leave 0 (zero) parking spaces available for voters -- County elections office received over 50 complaint calls stating that voters couldn't get into polling place due to lack of parking

Mote Marine still interested in Island Wastewater Plant -- Potential project, ignored by council so far in its quest for bond money, may still have legs; would negate the need for much of the beach purchase expense

Our endorsements for the 2003 elections -- NO to the bond issue; Gelormino and Anderson for city council

OK Bob Vedder, let's talk about unethical -- Gondo publisher goes after council candidate Gary Anderson for filing ethics complaints against city officials; forgets that it was his own paper that had reported that some of the incidents were illegal

The FAA agreed to... what? -- Newspapers are reporting that Hunt and the FAA are now in agreement; FAA is stating that they don't know anything about it

Simmonds, Cheatham (and how) -- A Gondo article profiling John Simmonds cites his long political experience; Venice Florida! dot com takes a closer look and finds some bad experiences on Simmonds' long, strange trip to Venice from Winter Haven

Election notes -- The bond referendum sales pitch moves jerkily along; George Hunt's resum; Farley may replace Warren; Taylor gets a web site; Anderson bribes Amos out of the race

Department of Environmental Protection Consent Order of June 4, 2003 -- DEP puts out the first hurt on Venice, demands $87,000 in fines, alleges deliberate undocumented spills into the Intracoastal Waterway, Curry Creek, Roberts Bay and on Groveland Street

City's response to DEP's Consent Order -- "I never touched the girl, I swear!!!"

Gondo caller finds this web site "not acceptable" -- ROTFLMAO

Cells, Pell and The Truth Squad's bells -- Boones, council in a panic as wave after wave of scandals rock city hall; public opinion and $10 million bond referendum hangs in the balance; EPA indictments waiting in the wings

An entertaining evening, an ugly sales pitch -- Myers and Hunt somehow miraculously avoid being pelted with vegetables in their attempt to raise $10 million

Expect the Spanish Inquisition-- What to do when Hunt accuses you of heresy

Union forces city to reinstate fired worker Michael Pell; also: AFSCME elects new officers -- Pell to receive two years worth of retroactive pay and benefits; arbitration ruling states that city had entered into an agreement with employees that allowed employees to take city property

Full text of the Pell Arbitration Order -- dated 08/21/03 (PDF file - requires the free Adobe Acrobat Reader)

Names, dammit, we want names!!! -- Part 3-- John Lane and Pat Wilson respond to allegations raised by Venice Florida! dot com; Lane threatens to sick the city attorney on this web site for publication of "half-truths, no-truths and lies that are being told about my department." Also: Roy Stout of the VTL takes a look at Pat Wilson's phone charges.

Names, dammit, we want names!!! -- Part 2 -- Random stuff that wouldn't fit into the original story

Names, dammit, we want names!!!-- Area residents, fed up with constant sewage in their streets, end up in a verbal showdown with wastewater supervisors; supervisors deny the existence of sewage, instead try to give residents the third degree

Dial M for Moron; police department gets Randallized; city workers ratify union contract (sort of) -- Levine uncovers expensive abuse of cell phone privileges by wastewater supervisors; police losing more and more communications abilities; new union contract is a done deal, has some dissenters crying foul

Me thinks thou protests too much [sic]-- City Manager George Hunt accuses the Gondolier Sun of secretly conspiring with the Venice Taxpayers League; article by City Manager George Hunt, with a commentary by venfl.com and a link to the Gondo's reply

Would you like to pet the candidate? -- Venice Florida! dot com puts up its own council candidate -- a short, friendly, funny looking mutt of indeterminate breed; campaign slogan: "No bribe too small"

EPA's grand jury is in progress -- Pat Horwell of the Gondo breaks the Venice story of the year; Brennan reportedly testified prior to Hunt's "meeting" with the EPA

EPA criminal investigation into pollution control appears to be coming to a head -- Details are still hush-hush; Hunt scrambles to distance himself by trying to privatize the division in a hurry

The Good Ol' Taxpayers Silent Majority Club -- Taxpayer's League prez Levine goes after special interest groups; Gondo publisher Vedder goes after Levine

Sewage release valve minus lock plus neighborhood children equals 300 gallon spill of raw sewage -- Press, neighbors, parents never notified of spill that took place over Memorial Day weekend into Curry Creek at a location frequented by area children

Meet me at the corner of John Ln and Wilson Way -- This week on The George Hunt Show: a flustered George tries to tighten the belt on spending while that wacky pollution control gang sneaks an unauthorized invoice into purchasing; hilarity ensues

Count the cost-- Police supervisors finally get their raise; city claims FAA investigation is over, FAA says otherwise

Atheism, Theism and Huntism-- An atheist faces off against a local Baptist church; at issue is the separation of Hunt and state

Death of a Manager -- The story behind the script -- A "blank lease" with an airport tenant becomes the subject of a one-act black comedy improvisational piece; written and originally performed by the Venice City Council Players

Death of a Manager -- The script -- PDF file, requires the Adobe Acrobat Reader

Hunt kept attorney, council deliberately in the dark-- His cover story that he didn't know the city was in a legal mess with the FAA doesn't fit the facts

The complete text of the FAA's Notice of Investigation -- includes a mammoth history of the dealings between the city, the VGA and the FAA and details the FAA's concerns over charges of Diversion of Revenue aimed at the city.

Venice Burning- Just when you thought things couldn't get any weirder in Venice, they somehow do: the FAA accuses the city of diversion of revenue and the city manager responds by playing hide and seek with the paperwork; there's talk in the police department about picketing city hall; Levine hints at a lawsuit. Oh, and a postal employee is shot while delivering the mail, but really: who cares?

Men in Plaid-- Muppets terrorize city hall, Emergency Services Director Joe Slapp saves the day