Public Meeting 1

I went to the Mango Recreation Center for a public meeting regarding the road expansion for MLK and Williams road. I expected the meeting to be packed with citizens looking to express their views on the construction slated to begin early next year.

The actual meeting was hosted by engineer/ project manager Ben Keniesly and lasted a mere 20 minutes. There was really no need for me to take off from work as I did. If I had known the meeting would be so short I would have scurried over on my lunch break and been back to work within an hour.  Keniesly showed a video explaining what the project is about. The county is looking to reduce heavy traffic congestion by implementing a $4 million project to expand Williams Road into a four lanes. I did learn that the county will pay the property owners for the land they build over. Unfortunately property owners aren't concerned with the little pay out they receive from the county, they are more concerned with the depreciated value of their land that the new four lane intersection will cause.

I could count on two hands how many people actually attended the meeting. Seven of the people in attendance were USF students I recognized.  Most trying to complete a public meeting assignment for their photo journalism class, the other a reporter for the Oracle. The three property owners who attended the meeting were not very happy with the counties plans.  Keniesly, got an ear full. Both property owners offered an alternative solution. I didn't think either was realistic and I could tell by the response  Keniesly gave to their alternative options, that he didn't think their solution would be entertained either. The first property owner suggested that the county buy his entire property for $1 million and he would go away quietly. If the county offered me a million dollars I'd walk away with out a peep as well. That obviously wasn't going to happen. I was shocked when the gentleman left angry when  Keniesly didn't accept his offered right away. The other property owner suggested that they do the expansion on the other entrance of the street. Granted the county approved a detailed $4 million expansion plan. I know the purpose of these public meetings are to address the concerns of residence but it seemed more like the purpose of this meeting was to convince residence to accept the project.  Keniesly and the property owners went back an forth for about half an hour. As I suspected, no resolution came about.

The only residences/owners who attended the public meeting where those who's pockets would be directly affected from the expansion. Like the old saying goes, money talks and when you dip into someones pockets they begin talking. There were no residence in attendance who spoke up for the expansion, I guess in their absence the county assumes they appreciate the road expansion to ease traffic even though the residence at the meeting threaten to obtain lawyers. But, I do appreciate that these public meeting exist. Its so important to allow people to have a voice.