Letter to the editor: Jeanne d’Eauèdé

Published 2:50 pm Wednesday, April 3, 2013

Headlines in the Gainesville Sun today “Alachua company lands Dept. of Defense contract” worth up to $360 million and adds 150 jobs. Those headlines are another reminder that Alachua County took the risk in the 1970’s to build commerce centers.

 The shame is, Suwannee County has the opportunity to have this be our headlines but our Commission still 15 years later to steer its own ship and stop living off welfare (Suwannee County is a “County of Economic Concern”).  A county of economic concern means we get welfare from county’s that can provide for themselves. Alachua County had the vision to build their commerce parks back in the 1970’s and today Alachua is one wealthy county. They had vision, fortitude and intelligence to know you have to invest to benefit.  They wanted to decide how their county would grow and they choose tech. So when you get off I75 at Hwy 441 in Alachua going south to Gainesville is nothing but solid commerce parks full of tech businesses.

We could do the same with our catalyst site but even 15 years later our Commissioners do not have the vision or the realization that you must make an investment if you are to receive the benefits.  

I have repeatedly heard Mr. Baker our Clerk of the Court; warn of impending bankruptcy if we buy the Catalyst Site property. However, I attended every budget hearing when the $1,000,000+ 40x 60 metal building, that is referred to as the Court House Annex was built, and he never warned the commission of over runs or impending bankruptcy.  He simply kind of chuckled, and presented the bills.  He is not on the cover of the newspaper warning of bankruptcy over the $500,000 dollar dragline that is still in pieces. Neither one of these fiascos will bring Suwannee County a dime, but our Catalyst Site will bring untold millions.

The sky is falling, the sky is falling, he warned repeatedly, yet Klausner is on their way, with a signed contract and hundreds of jobs. Additionally, we are in talks with 4 other companies who need approximately 190 acres of the 223 acres we must purchase for the Catalyst Site, but NO NO THE SKY IS FALLING. Suwannee County will have almost nothing invested at the end of a year in the Catalyst Site, but our Commission WILL NOT do what it takes to protect the future of our children and Suwannee  County.  Money under the mattress does not earn money nor increase your tax rolls or provide jobs for ourselves and our children. Money spent foolishly does not do that either.  

Understand the idea of spending $1,770,000 seems like a lot, but our commission spends that at every Commission meeting, it’s just broken down into smaller numbers i.e. metal building, dragline.  There is currently floating around a rumor regarding the future purchase of very expensive equipment for the landfills, which will be many millions more than the purchase of this property, and I guarantee you that will be spent. THE SKY WON’T BE FALLING THEN, just stupidity prevailing over common sense.

Suwannee County must complete the Catalyst Site and insure a future for ourselves and our Children.  However, that will take vision and the desire to be in charge of our future.  It is the same story as people on welfare; if they get a job they lose the pittance the government gives them. THE SKY IS FALLING.

Jeanne d’Eauèdé