"As Wauchula Turns"

[Resasi]

Rick, it is very gratifying to me as an albeit, 'overseas' member of Wauchula, with a gyro in a hanger there, that you have acted in such an energetic and active way on our behalf.

Wauchula and Bensen Days have been very important parts of the sport, and that is from someone who lives thousands of miles away.

There are many overseas members of this Forum who have made the 'pilgrimage', enjoyed the generous and warm hospitality of those residents who host us at Bensen Days.


I certainly am with you on this effort to confront on blind unthinking beaurocracy that is so often found in small town officialdom.

Thank you for your efforts.

 

[RICK MARTIN]

Thanks Leigh. I appreciate that.

 

[leatherneck]

sounds like a we the people vs state beurocracy problem. follow the money.

 

[RICK MARTIN]

You got that right Jeff!

 

[pilotescort]

If only they (City of Wauchula) could be honest and straight forward. Oh what the public ears DON'T hear. I'm sure no discussion will be had on that missing $7.2M, and equally silent why Jim was really terminated when he was such an asset to the airport AND the city.

It does appear Bensen Days shall be in Wauchula THIS year, but it also smells like our days are numbered. Thank God Arcadia welcomes us with open arms. Thank you Rick for being such a Great Ambassador......retirement spent most productive :director: :yo:

 

[BUD ONEAL]

We WILL be in Wauchula from NOW on, The city don't want us to leave at any time.

 

[RICK MARTIN]

I hope you're right Bud. I love it here. And it's especially nice to have you, Rhonda, Trez and Susan right here with us. We'll see how vindictive the city gets in the near future.

Brooke, I appreciate your support and the way you have also stood up. Now if we could just get the local community to do the same.

We have another city commission meeting tomorrow at 6:00. I expect that all that will get done at this meeting will be to formally decide to make the old airport "authority" board an airport "advisory board". This will not really be a change because the old board would not assert its authority anyway.

The real stuff will come after another set of workshops and meetings for the purpose of deciding on fuel pricing strategy, hangar rates, and policies.

 

[RICK MARTIN]

Results of last night's meeting:

The airport authority board has been officially dissolved. And after my inquiries, the commission adamantly rejected the idea that they might be on a track to either close the airport or sell it to either the county or the Mosaic Mining Company.

 

[Doug Riley]

Rick: Where are the businesses that profit from B-days? From the gas stations to the B&B and restaurants, they should be our most vocal allies.

I realize that a couple of the businesses that profit most are outside Wauchula -- Solomon's and that motel south of town -- but I've certainly made the rounds of the in-town eateries, usually with other gyro folk.

 

[NoWingsAttached]

Results of last night's meeting:

The airport authority board has been officially dissolved. And after my inquiries, the commission adamantly rejected the idea that they might be on a track to either close the airport or sell it to either the county or the Mosaic Mining Company.

Rick, you've done an outstanding job of presenting a solid case for the aircraft owners and pilots using Wauchula. You're my hero!

 

[Resasi]

Sounds like a sensible case put forward in a sensible unemotional manner might just be judged in a sensible way.

Good work Rick.

 

[gyrojake]

Rick: Where are the businesses that profit from B-days? From the gas stations to the B&B and restaurants, they should be our most vocal allies.

I realize that a couple of the businesses that profit most are outside Wauchula -- Solomon's and that motel south of town -- but I've certainly made the rounds of the in-town eateries, usually with other gyro folk.

Doug please understand that this whole matter is only a handful of people's actions.
We have the confirmation of the legal authorities that they WANT us there.
So do all the the businesses. Since this is becoming a common place to spread misinformation let me clear things up a bit.
You have probably noticed that I haven't commented in here much.
But since this was pointed out to me by a reader let's be clear on a few facts.
Rick Martin DOES NOT speak nor acts for the Sunstate Wing and Rotor Club. Period!
We have official talks and a future planning comittee who are working with the city on the behalf of Sunstate Wing and Rotor Club.
Nothing is endangering Bensen Days. Nothing. So if you even had any doubts about it .... well don't.
It's a go. I am opening the camp sites next week for the Sunstate members and after that for the general public.
I wish this hasn't happened so close to Bensen Days and there was really no reason for this to happen in my opinion. (strictly my opinion)
Bensen Days was never in jeopardy until a few decided to put it into danger.

Plus if you are moving to Arcadia, why piss off the city of Wauchula?
Why make it rough on the club?

Thanks

~~JAKE~~

 

[Steve_UK]

Thanks for the updates Rick

 

[BUD ONEAL]

Terry ,the city manager, called me last week after I sent a letter requesting the use of the airport for bensen days. What he needed was the dates that it was being held. At that time he requested that we ,sunstate, pick three or four of our members and meet with him and staff to see just what they, the city, could do to make our event better, both for them and us as well. I may be very wrong but I do believe that he is serious about what he says , time will tell but one thing for sure we are going to try and get it done. I don't want 25 years flushed down the pooper ! I and many more of us has worked to hard over the years to see the airport lost. Some may suffer some inconvenience but for the betterment of all.
I will post when we meet and everything that was said and decided by both sides.

 

[SWaRC]

There are a few things here that the great unwashed don't know about.
Let's put everything out there since you have decided to air the dirty laundry of the club.
Very unprofessional I might add.
Just as unprofessional as your conduct during city council meeting.
I have eye witnessed the absolute mindlessness of yelling obscenities and the name calling of an official board that runs the city.
I do not care how much you think they are in the wrong.
There are certain minimums that you afford to them not knowing a lot of things yourself and only speculating or being manipulated by a certain person.
I have yet to see any evidence of our beloved guy who had caused this whole avalanche to come forward and tell us why he was really fired!
You have decided to go out on the limb for him whereof the city had never threatened us to shut down Bensen Days.
Your beloved guy has done it 3 times.
So please forgive me if I fail to see why you had decided to take the bait and go all out and virtually cut the limb under your own butt.
Because it is YOU who had the most to lose.
You had built a little paradise there.....yes a whole bunch of illegal stuff that the "beloved" let you slip by with.
So in anticipation of things to come you have decided it is better to just burn every possible bridges and take the club down with you. Right?
I am also failing to understand why it is your business to sue the city when you are not even a resident of it?
You are a hangar renter. That is all you are.
The real value in Wauchula is Bud O'Neil.
He had sold his belongings and moved there because of the club!
Do you understand that you are destroying the man's last dreams?
Do you care that you are doing that?
He has put more time, energy and work into this club than we all combined.
The club has a board of directors and a president to make decisions.
Do you understand that your actions of negotiating with Arcadia undermined the well proven system of ours?
I am reading all the virtual "attaboys" here and can't believe my own eyes.
A "great ambassador" huh? A great ambassador is respectful and diplomatic and represents the need of the greater good instead of attacking officials for personal reasons.
That is anything but "great ambassadorship".
I wish you have stopped doing this kind of destruction.
Just move to Arcadia and leave Wauchula alone for the future of the club.

 

[GyroRon]

Dam sounds like a mess!

 

[BUD ONEAL]

Dam sounds like a mess!

It is not as bad as it sounds, yet. I don't believe that the city will be vindictive at all, could be wrong but let us all get together and have one hell of a bensen days 2015 :yo:

 

[billygyro]

AMen Bud, sounds good to me.

 

[RICK MARTIN]

Geez..................................words can be so powerful.

You guys are really over reacting. The city manager has given us his word that Bensen days will happen at Wauchula. I don't have any reason to doubt this.

I left no doubt in the commissioner's minds that I am not representing SWARC.
And for the record, when this started getting intense, I had the courtesy to resign on my own, before I was told to.

Believe it or not, I went to the commission meeting last night to try to do our pilots some good (not representing the club). I was promised I could present some information to the commission before airport policies are changed. After waiting patiently through a two hour meeting last night I was not allowed to have my three minutes. They told me to present my information to the new airport "advisory" board after they create it. I know that the people who really need to hear what I have to say are not the airport board members (who will probably be pilots) but the commissioners who will ultimately make the decisions. So I will continue to get this information to them so that they can make more informed decisions.

I commend the commissioners for having the insight to vote to maintain some kind of board with aviators on it instead of letting the city commission be the airport board as they do for many other city boards.

Since I was not allowed to present last night, I also called the assistant city manager today to convey my most serious concerns for our gyro hangars. We had a very nice conversation and she did put my mind at ease a bit.

It would also be good to remember that Joe, Brooke, Hendrick, Bud, Trez and myself are the ones who are actually here to see these wheels turn in person.
Bud knows how much I love him and Rhonda. Bud is one of my heroes for the very reason that he knows how to and has stood up for what it right in the face of adversity.

This whole thing is really pretty simple. The city manager has made a very bad mistake. It has resulted in costing the city money they don’t have, it has destroyed the life of Wauchula’s most valuable and cost-effective employee, AND it has jeopardized the safety of all pilots who use the Wauchula airport. We are trying to correct the problem before more damage is done.

Just a couple of days ago the interim airport managers came out to “stick” the fuel tank to check the level. When they couldn’t figure out where to put the stick in, they forced out the safety pin on the pressure relief hatch and then tried to re-secure it with a padlock. Do you see what I mean? There are issues here even bigger than Bensen Days or SWARC.

I love where we are. I want to see all of us stay at Wauchula and be happy. But if they decide to significantly change the situation at the airport, then as soon as I have somewhere else to go, I’m out of there. I simply won’t put up with it.

The next two meetings are on 2/2 and 2/9. I will keep you posted.
____________________________________________
Doug, I hope all is going well with you and yours. Please come visit with us again soon.
The apathy runs deep in this town. That’s a big part of why all this is happening.
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Thanks Greg. I appreciate it.
____________________________________________
Thanks Leigh. Sensible…………………………………..seems hard to find right now.
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Steve, You’re most welcome.
____________________________________________
Gabor & Jake, I still love you guys no matter what.

 

[gyrojake]

Rick it is awesome that you and Trez are trying to help Jim, but there was NEVER any reason to get the CLUB and B-Days in the cross fire.
Jim wanted to shut down B-days a few times, but yet the CITY never even thought about it.
I offered to Pay the bill you and Greg had disputes over, Jim told me not to worry about it and an hour and a half later HE called the police on GREG !! and the CLUB paid the bill.
There are SEVEN BILLION people on the planet, so nothing revolves around any one man.
We have people that come from ALL over the world to attend B-Days and with the state of our economy, fuel prices and just life it's self, we do not need any other obstacles that may hinder the event.
Ya wanna cause to defend? How about sitting with a dying child and bring a smile to their face before they go. How about opening a soup kitchen and feed some poor soul.
I think Jim is man enough to defend him self, at least he acts as though he is.
And yes WORDS ARE POWERFUL, that's how this mess got started.

This whole thing is really pretty simple. The city manager has made a very bad mistake. It has resulted in costing the city money they don’t have, it has destroyed the life of Wauchula’s most valuable and cost-effective employee, AND it has jeopardized the safety of all pilots who use the Wauchula airport. We are trying to correct the problem before more damage is done.

If this is true, why doesn't Jim hire an attorney to defend his case and file a lawsuit against the city?
Why aren't the residents and employees of the city also defending Jim if this is true?
Why isn't the FAA involved with the so called infractions of the airport if this is true?
After months of debate and rebuttal, it seems as though PROFESSIONAL legal assistance would be in play.
It's just not adding up.
What I see is a bunch of children who got their CHICKEN SHEET feelings hurt and want unwarranted justification.
This started with NO concern for the airport, but the loss of Jims job, bottom line.