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 Hizzoner to Herald-Trib's Hackett: "You are a bit of a
loose cannon"
Mayor Martin comes out swinging after Herald-Tribune accusation
of Sunshine Law violation -- Secrets? We don't need no steenkin' secrets!
-- emails to and from Mayor Ed Martin, posted to the
web on 05/02/08
Got a comment?
Make
it here.
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From: Ed Martin
To: Kim.Hackett@heraldtribune.com
CC: Victor.Hull@heraldtribune.com
Date: Thursday - May 1, 2008 9:28 PM
Subject: Re: Your Questions re various meetings.
Ms. Hackett, thank you for your comments. I feel you did not
search far enough to find out the justification and the council approval. Also I
think you must realize now that some people in and out of government resent our
election and love to feed you things that might make us look bad. We are asking
questions, analyzing issues, changing things and not going along with the way
things were. One way of fighting back is to complain about long meetings,
changes in Tramonto which you now know did not happen, but only after you wrote
there were major changes. You were also spun on the CMU zoning, Jeff Boone was a
source, and you ignored my advice to speak with council member Moore who was an
expert. Now, I know and others in city hall know, that you ran into some jealous
and resentful sources who led you in the direction you took.
I did not publicly criticize you over Tramonto, even though invited to by the
editorial staff out of fairness, because I hold no ill-will toward you as a
person, but you are a bit of a loose cannon as a reporter, who took a positive
effort to solve a problem with citizen volunteers and turned it into a
front-page story full of errors. Your editors deserve blame as well, they should
have done some fact-checking, especially given the earlier stories. The Tribune
has been a favorite of mine, I wrote over 100 pieces, (mostly restaurant
reviews) but some op-ed as well, but this is a low moment in journalistic
responsibility. Perhaps you and some others should read, if you have not, the
book on the Sulzbergers and Ochs, I believe it was called "The Trust", but it
has been a long time since I read it. The Times has had a great tradition of
responsibile journalism.
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From: <Kim.Hackett@heraldtribune.com>
To: "Ed Martin" <emartin@ci.venice.fl.us>
CC: <eric.ernst@heraldtribune.com>, <Larry.Evans@heraldtribune.com>, <Michael.Connelly@heraldtribune.com>,
<tom.tryon@heraldtribune.com>
Date: Thursday - May 1, 2008 6:57 PM
Subject: Re: Your Questions re various meetings.
Mr. Mayor,
Thank you for your response. I'm not sure where you got "secret plan." I wrote
that the plan was developed in private. Regarding the city attorney, I called
him for comment last Thursday and when he did not return my call, I asked Marty
and Pam Johnson to call him and ask him to return my call for comment. Mr.
Anderson does not return our calls as a general rule, but we always try.
Sincerely,
Kim Hackett
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From: Ed Martin
To: Kim.hackett@heraldtribune.com
CC: Michael.Connelly@heraldtribune.com, tom.tryon@heraldtribune.com, larry.evans@heraldtribune.com,
eric.ernst@heraldtribune.com
Date: Thursday - May 1, 2008 5:37 PM
Subject: Your Questions re various meetings.
Ms. Hackett, In your phone call earlier this afternoon, you
posed questions about various meetings I had several months ago. Without my
calendar it was impossible for me to recall the circumstances of what I spoke
about on January 22, etc. That is why I asked you to put your questions in
writing.
I do not take notes during meetings so I am unsure about the content of some
meetings. I have, however, gone over my calendar in an attempt to provide you
with information I can recall with fair certainty. As I understand the intent of
your questions you are trying to determine if I worked with the citizen groups
in their development of different plans. I have told you and I understand they
have told you, that I did not.
On March 4, I met with Chuck Schmieler, president of
VABA and Patrick Jaehne, VP. They explained their concept of airport layout and
gave me a copy for possible use in DC with the FAA. Their plan, they explained,
provided that that the RPZ would not encroach on Gulf Shores and agreed with a
plan developed by Rafferty, et.al. on that point. They did show extended RPZ
areas on the other three runway endings. They reported that neither their plan
nor Rafferty's would interfere with jet or other classes of plans. (contrary to
your story.)
On March 5, I met with Mike Rafferty and Jim Marble.
They provided me with the concept drawing their group had developed, which
avoided problems at Gulf Shores and at the Golf Course. It was essentially the
same as layouts the FAA had approved in 1975, 1986 and 2000 before the FAA
changed its standards for RPZs.
I took the Rafferty document to Washington, D.C. for exploration with the FAA
along with runway funding request on March 12-13. I had this plan sent to you
today.
I reported on that meeting in writing to council and also addressed the subject
of a visit to Orlando FAA. All of that is on record, audio and video of the
council meeting. The discussion was about an hour long and involved several
members and the city manager and if I recall, some public comment. Had you
reviewed the minutes or the video recordings you would not have written about a
"secret plan", since it had been discussed at least twice in open council
meetings. That is one of the points I hope the HT will "retract."
My record shows no meetings with any of the participants in developing the
conceptual ideas for the Orlando meeting between March 5 and April 21, the
period when the group was apparently working on the revised concepts. This again
confirms my account and theirs and is critical evidence not supporting your
continuing efforts to link me with their planning.
On April 21, Chuck Schmeiler brought me a black and
white drawing of the concept-APL and explained the placement of the material
EMass which the group hoped would solve the main Gulf Shores and Golf Course
problems. I had a copy of this made for you after determining it was a public
document as soon as it was transmitted to me.
On April 23, Jim Marble brought me a color copy,
marked to show the various FAA required areas. I sent that plan to the FAA in
Orlando in advance of our May 8 scheduled meeting with them.
Earlier Contacts with people involved with airport issues:
On December 13, I met with Jim Leis, AAB member. I
have occasional meetings with various board members to bring me up to date.
On December 17, I met with Rafferty, Marble and Kit
McKeon. I believe you asked about this meeting. My recollection of this meeting
is that it was one of a series of meetings, one each with six of the seven
council members to provide background briefings on airport issues, e.g., the
various safety zones, classifications of airports, issues they saw, etc.
On Jan. 4, I met with Fred Watts, Airport Manager.
On Jan. 14th, I met with Kit McKeon, topic unsure but
most likely the Planning Commission to which he was about to be appointed.
On Jan 15th, I met with Jim Leis.
On Jan 22, I met with Jim Marble. This meeting, like
the McKeon meeting above was probably about his pending appointment to the AAB.
I usually have an informal meeting or at least phone conversation before such
appointments.
On Jan. 29, I met with Fred Watts.
On Feb. 1, I met with Paul Hollowell, Chairman of the
Airport Advisory Board.
On Feb. 21, I met with Jim Marble, topic uncertain,
could have been Golden Beach, he is new president, could have been update on
airport.
On Feb. 27, the calendar shows a meeting with Art Nadel of the Jet Center, but I
recall only one such meeting, so either this meeting or the other noted was
probably cancelled.
Conclusion: There is no pattern of meetings with the citizen groups. In
conversation with the City Attorney about the Sunshine Law allegation in your
article, he said there was no substance. He also said that there was no barrier
to my meeting with the citizen groups had I wanted to. I didn't. They would only
be official groups if the council voted to make them representatives of the
city, which did not occur.
Schmieler and Marble have told you I did not meet with them, direct them, or
otherwise take part in the process. The groups were started independently by the
citizens involved. I have told you that.
I have a hard time understanding why you, Mr. Connelly or your intermediate
supervisors would think all six of those people are not telling the truth. It
seems you have a false premise and having printed it, you are now searching
desperately for something to validate your statements. Is this ethical
journalism?
With regard to your question re the Airport Board. Chairman Hollowell spoke with
me about his wish for these efforts to be independent. He perceived that the AAB
has been a lightning rod for some citizen attacks and felt that the public and
the aviation community would have more confidence in the group as constituted.
In addition, and this has been repeatedly said to you, we are not presenting a
"city plan", but bringing along conceptual ideas for discussion with the FAA in
the hope they will make recommendations which will allow the city to submit a
formal plan. That plan will be reviewed by the AAB and the Council in public
meetings before being submitted to the FAA.
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From: Ed Martin, Mayor, City of Venice
To: John Patten, Venice Florida! dot com
Date: April 29, 2008
In answer to your question, I did not meet
at any time with the people drafting the plan, nor did I discuss its contents or
give them any direction. [Note: My question to Martin, posed verbally earlier
the same day, was specifically if Martin had attended and participated in any
meetings during the development of the plans -- JP]
[newly appointed Airport Advisory Board member] Jim Marble
brought me a draft plan before the Washington meeting to use as a concept or
discussion item for FAA suggestions.
Last week, [president of Venice Airport
Business Association] Chuck Schmieler brought me an updated plan for the FAA in
Orlando which I shared with the city manager and sent to the FAA in Orlando.
Schmieler said in a comp plan meeting before council today that he and Marble
told this information to Kim Hackett and that he was outraged, (or some similar
term), at the misinformation presented to the public.
I had made the public aware of these citizen group meetings in several council
meetings and their development of a such plans. Council approved my trip to
Washington and to Orlando with "a delegation of my choosing" with full knowledge
that we would share the citizen plan with the FAA as a concept, not a request
for approval or as a submission.
The city attorney tells me these events do not in any way entail a Sunshine Act
violation.
Finally, the process will be to gather suggestions from the FAA and if
appropriate to include them in a city of Venice plan which will be discussed in
one or more open council meetings and voted on prior to submission to the FAA.
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From: Ed Martin, Mayor, City of Venice
To: tom.tryon@heraldtribune.com, larry.evans@heraldtribune.com
CC: eric.ernst@heraldtribune.com, Kim.hackett@heraldtribune.com, citycouncil@ci.venice.fl.us
Date: Wednesday - April 30, 2008 9:47 PM
Subject: Tom and Larry and Eric, It has come to my attention...
Tom and Larry and Eric:
It has come to my attention tonight that
John Patten has posted video on his web site [link]
showing an extended discussion at council meeting of my proposed trip to
Orlando. It bears out what I have written and spoken to you and the editor and
publishers. There was no secret. The video also discloses that there were some
questions about the trip by Mr. Tacy and Mr. Simmonds and Mr. Simmonds noted
that the plan which we took to Washington was on the council chamber table for
inspection before the trip. while the tape does not show it, the council voted
approval of my requests at the end of the discussion.
I hope you will take the time to view this tape which should answer questions
you may have about the process. I believe it confirms that major elements of the
Tribune's story were misleading and/or in error. I realize that reporters depend
on sources and I certainly did when I was writing, but it is also reasonable to
ask oneself if the source has any ax to grind and to try to balance that kind of
information with other sources.
I hope you will advise Mr. Connelly and the others involved of the availability
of this video material.
In sum, the citizens have done Venice a service, bringing together disparate
forces, creating more community trust, and did so at no cost to the city. It
gives the city a visual plan to discuss with the FAA as we seek solutions. By
the way, the RPZ does not involve a few houses, upscale or not, but between 20
and 25 houses in Gulf Shores. Homes which were purchased when the area was not
in a Runway Protection Zone. Unless we can get some advice from FAA about
mitigating that problem these houses will be subject to a future FAA request
that the city condemn them at FAA expense. Meanwhile I would expect sellers
would have to notify buyers that the property is in a RPZ.
Ed Martin is the
mayor of the City of Venice. He
is usually quite polite.
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