Panhandle Citizens Coalition

Panhandle Citizens Coalition (PCC) today filed its reply brief supporting the overturn of Judge Glenn Hess's decision which denied the citizens of Panama City the ability to vote on a measure that could force a binding referendum in the city on the proposed new airport.

Attorney Alvin Peters, who represents PCC and individual plaintiffs said, "This brief was used to respond to the arguments raised by the city. They raised once again the issue of unconstitutionality which we were able to deal with rather succinctly since even Judge Hess said our measure met legal muster in this department. They also tried to argue that the State has spoken in the area of appointments by pointing to a statute which deal with removal due to malfeasance, but again we said that this is an area where the state has not exercised its authority and the city in this instance does have the power to place restrictions on its appointees to the Airport Authority, in the absence of any directives to the contrary from the state. It's important to note that the city was arguing against its own appointments process to the Airport Authority and if they were successful it will have a dramatic effect on cities and counties across the entire state since they no longer may be able to change their board members except in very limited circumstances"

If successful, PCC's binding referendum would require the City of Panama City to instruct the Airport Authority to have a public vote on the airport before it could spend more funds on the airport. If the public vote did not happen, due to an adverse vote of any of the Panama City appointees, the City Council would be required to remove those appointees. The replacement appointees would also be required to vote against the seating of the fifth member, if that person did not favor holding a referendum on the airport.

"The appellate court is now ready to hear oral argument and render a decision in this case and we welcome that being done at the earliest possible moment." said Art Stewart of the Panhandle Citizens Coalition.

"The public is also encouraged to attend the upcoming forum on the airport which will be tomorrow night (Thursday), 7PM at Gulf Coast Community College hosted by our partner organization Citizens for the Bay. There they will learn about much information from key people in the community that they will not have heard before and we trust it will allow them to cast an informed vote on Tuesday, added Stewart."

"And on March 9th, we encourage Bay County registered voters of every stripe and party to come out and vote NO on the airport referendum. The airport simply isn't needed at this time, may never be, and a winning NO vote will have a lasting impact on our elected officials and will work to kill this current project. Your vote will count and does matter on this issue-after all, you'll be letting the powers that be know 'what part of NO don't you understand." said John Hedrick, Chair of PCC.

2/27/04

Panhandle Citizens Coalition Denounces St Joe Plan Approval By Department Of Community Affairs + airport fact sheet + info on March 4th forum and March 9th Referendum

2/26/24

Dept. of Environmental Protection's agreement with St Joe

2/20/04

Assembly-Line Environmental Permits For St. Joe Company To Be Issued Soon

2/3/04

Ousted Emergency Manager speaks out on corruption in Franklin County

1/28/04

Citizens for the Bay, Panhandle Citizen's Coalition and Friends of PFN News Release for 1/27/04

1/22/04

AIRPORT REFERENDUM PROPONENTS ACCUSE BAY COUNTY COMMISSIONERS OF TRYING TO UNDERMINE REFERENDUM BY PLACING LEADING QUESTIONS ON BALLOT

Citizen organizations that have pressed for a referendum on the proposed new Bay County airport today criticized Bay County Commissioners Cornel Brock, George Gainer and Jerry Girvin for voting against simple language for the referendum question. The groups also accuse Commissioner Brock of trying to undermine the vote's outcome by putting confusing, slanted and misleading questions on the ballot.

At the January 6 Commission meeting, Commissioner John Newberry suggested simple, straight-forward language that would allow a “yes or no” vote on the proposed new airport at West Bay. “This proposed language, backed by Commissioners Newberry and Ropa, would have avoided confusion to voters and any ambiguity for the voting public’s message to public officials”, said Diane Brown, spokesperson for the Citizens for the Bay.

Brock, Gainer and Girvin voted against the simple referendum language. In its place, Brock suggested four questions: 1. "If the airport is not relocated would you oppose runway expansion at the existing airport even if it may result in reduced service or higher fares? " 2. "If the airport is not relocated would you support the purchase and demolition of homes in the nearby neighborhoods to lengthen the runways? " 3. "If the Federal Aviation Administration concludes that the airport should be relocated, would you support the airport relocation if ad valorem taxes are not used for the project? " 4. "Do you favor the use of the current airport site for governmental, residential and commercial uses, if the airport is relocated? "

“The type of ballot questions posed by Commissioner Brock are leading--worded to obtain the desired outcome or response," said Brown. “They confuse the issue and are pointless. No one is going to favor reduced service, higher fares or the demolition of homes. Question 3 does not address other public funds that may be used for the airport. Question 4 covers every likely use for the old airport, except retaining it for general aviation. These are not appropriate questions to put on a ballot.”

John Hedrick, head of the Panhandle Citizens’ Coalition noted that Brock, Gainer and Girvin have voted against holding an airport referendum in the past. “This could be just their way of undermining the referendum, now that it has finally been scheduled. It’s a real slap in the face of the people of Bay County, who have been asking for this referendum for a long time, not to have a simple ’do you support this airport relocation’ question on the ballot. Unless a direct question is asked, it is doubtful that many folks will even show up at the polls. If the question is properly worded, however, we can expect a very high turnout. In fact, as of the latest count on a TV station’s website poll, by a 2-1 margin folks are saying they will turn out more because of the airport referendum than for the Democratic Presidential Primary race. This indicates just how important this issue is to the Bay County voters."

The vote on airport language will be taken at the County Commission meeting to be held January 20. Commissioner Ropa will be out of town. “With only one proponent of a clear, simple ballot question present, we are very concerned that this referendum will be sabotaged by the same commissioners who pushed through the land use changes for the airport before a referendum could be held,” said Frank Gorham of the Friends of PFN. "The wishes of the people of Bay County do not seem to be a priority of theirs."

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: January 15, 2004
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION: Diane Brown, Citizens for the Bay, 234-5071 John Hedrick, Panhandle Citizens Coalition, 850-421-2483 Frank Gorham, Friends of PFN, 747-0514
 

12/24/03
- Commissioner Gainer Taken To Task For Equating Airport Opponents Ads With Those Backing The St. Joe Company's Position
- Bay County Property Appraiser Praised As Example Of What Should Be Done Elsewhere
- A Historical Review (Year-End Plus) Of The Panhandle Citizen Coalition (PCC) And Accomplishments
Press Release Here

Response to the Partners in Progress statements about the Panama City Airport. 12/25/03

12/17/03:
- Citizens' Groups Denounce Smear Campaign Directed Against Two County Commissioners By Local Daily, News Herald; Paper's Poll Was Fundamentally Flawed, Rigged To Produce The Desired Outcome
- Citizens Note DSAP Vote Last Thursday Was Without Support From Environmental Organizations; Claim Hearing Was Improperly Conducted.
- St. Joe Offers County Commissioner A Deal If He Votes "No" On Referendum
- St. Joe Stock Rose Friday In Response To The Bay County Vote; Stockholders Profit Off Land Use Changes; CEO Makes Over $1 Million In One Day.
- Referendum Scheduled After The Horse Has Left The Barn
Press Release Here
 

12/12/03 - On St Joe's Panama City airport proposal

CITIZENS GROUPS DECRY SPEED OF DSAP APPROVAL WITHOUT PUBLIC REFERENDUM AND OTHER PROPER CONSIDERATION OF PUBLIC INPUT

     Various citizens groups Thursday night criticized Commissioners Girvin, Gainer, and Brock for their unseemly haste in passing the Detailed Specific Area Plans (DSAP) on the proposed airport and West Bay without meaningful consideration of the public's input either at the Commission meeting or a Referendum of the public ahead of the DSAP's approval.

"These 3 commissioners were not interested in considering public input tonight" said Diane Brown, spokesperson for Citizen's For the Bay (CFB). "This vote tonight was to facilitate the St. Joe Company's land development projects, pure and simple. St. Joe’s land values vaulted tonight by the vote of these Commissioners. They were given pages of significant recommendations of changes to make the DSAP's compliant with law. Mike Ropa was the only one that showed any interest whatsoever in doing this right."

John Hedrick, Chair of the Panhandle Citizens Coalition (PCC), was equally blunt. "Commissioners Gainer, Brock and Girvin didn't care at all about public opinion tonight. They didn't even vote to schedule a public referendum, which is what 70% of the public wants, and what Girvin said he would do after the DSAP's were adopted."

Sharon Maxwell, chair of the Northwest Florida Group of the Sierra Club, said "We are disappointed that these commissioners have moved these land changes forward before all the environmental impacts of this project are fully known. The Commissioners ignored Sector Plan backers 1000 Friends of Florida and St. Andrew Bay Resource Management Association (RMA), who also counseled delay so that much needed changes could be made to the DSAP's."

Frank Gorham, Chair of Friends of PFN said "It is sad that a perfectly good airport is being trashed as a strawman to justify an unneeded facility. This entire DSAP/Airport issue is about land values-not about jobs and economic security."

Brown added, "This is a dark day for Bay County when raw corporate economic power is allowed to run roughshod over the overwhelming majority of Bay County's voters’ desires to have a say-so on potentially the biggest project which will ever affect our community.  The citizens will still have their say--it ain't over until it’s over."

Hedrick elaborated that legal and administrative challenges will be intensified, notably on challenging the adoption of the DSAP's. "The electoral process will also be in full swing in all three county commission races plus others. The public will want to know if the candidates will allow a referendum on the airport and if they want to build a new airport. Another thing folks will be looking for is candidates who will be able to stand up to the St. Joe Company. This fight is far from over; in fact, the people have just begun to fight."