Traffic, Taxes, and a Barking Dog Discussed at the Shadeville Town Hall Meeting
Commission Kessler held another of his county-wide town hall meetings on April 29, this time in Shadeville. Traffic speeds, speed limits, and lack of enforcement were the first issues that came up. The varying speed limits from 45 mph to 55 mph and back to 45 mph along Shadeville Highway were questioned. Citizens felt that the speed should be uniform and set preferably at the lower speed. Another safety issue is the interference with night vision caused by a lighted sign at the intersection of Shadeville and Spring Creek highways. The lack of centerline striping on roads such as Rehwinkle was pointed out. The intersection of Tafflinger and Rehwinkle was singled out, as were several other curves where the centerlines are not visible.
The lack of speed enforcement was of great concern on these and other roads. County Administrator Ben Pingree will look into all these issues.
A mention of dogs who bark all night evoked groans of reluctant familiarity from many in the room. A citizen told his dog’s tale. When his dog is penned or tied up, it barks. If he lets it free, it roams onto his neighbor’s property. Under the county’s new animal control ordinance, he is visited by the county animal control officer when the dog is reported free. Other citizens suggested that he try a special electronic device that can quickly train the dog not to bark. This is being looked into by private initiatives.
A discussion on charter government drew considerable interest. Some citizens were well-versed in the differences between chartered and unchartered counties. Citizens were concerned because Wakulla County’s unchartered status will force citizens to pay for a lot of basic services in CRAs (Community Redevelopment Areas) set up by city governments. Florida law says the county has no say in these CRAs because it is unchartered. Many were distressed about the City of St. Marks’s proposed CRA and the taxes diverted from the county, which will force the county to raise additional taxes from the pockets of citizens who live outside the St. Marks CRA. This is a fairly complicated subject, but the citizens were up to the task, and the discussion resulted in a better understanding of how one-sided a city CRA is to the rest of the county. There was a general feeling that citizens needed to be educated quickly on the charter issue. (Click here for a discussion on chartered counties by Commissioner Howard Kessler.)
The next town hall meeting is scheduled to be in Smith Creek on Tuesday, May 27, 2008.
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