You know what I mean, right? "I'll think about it tomorrow?" (If then.)
We live in a place that's nicer than some places, but not as nice as it could and should be. And it appears we wouldn't have it any other way.
We can't practicably have sidewalks or wide streets, but there are things we could do. We could insist upon adherence to the Codes, like the ones controlling outward appearance of properties, and we could strengthen those Codes. We could. But we don't.
We could resolve to make something that's not embarrassing out of our medians. We could. But we don't. No Parks and Parkways Board and no Commission ever wanted to address our embarrassing and dysfunctional median problem.
We could address our considerable, and worsening, drainage problem. We even hired a consultant to tell us how bad it is, and what we should do about it. And that consultation was the end of that project. The consultation wasn't free, either. But we treated it as if it was valueless.
We finally passed an Ordinance doing something simple, that everyone else does: we require all dogs outside to be on leashes. Yay for us.
Several years ago, we outsourced sanitation, to save ourselves money, and keep trucks off the roads more of the time. That was a good thing, especially considering how narrow are our roads. And within a very short space of time then, we also managed a major renovation of the log cabin (double yay), and we constructed for ourselves a proper work environment, which is the administration building. Yeah, we did that. Amidst lots of complaint.
When I drive through the Village, it's nerve-wrackingly common that there are pedestrians, sometimes with young children in strollers, walking with their backs to me in the same side of the street where I'm driving. They do drive, right? They know the rules of the road? They know that walking against traffic, so you can see cars coming, is both safe and legal, and doing what they're doing is neither? They know that, right? Don't they care, either about themselves or about the drivers?
And never mind the people who apparently simply refuse to lock their car doors, then complain when someone opens the door and takes something.
And then, there are the past five years. The Foundation had a plan. They were going to have the walkway to the newly and very expensively renovated log cabin classed up. They were going to "sell" bricks, which would be inscribed, and make a nice walkway. Not the dead-leaves-and-dirt walkway that's there now. A nice one. But Tracy Truppman put an abrupt end to that project for as long as she hung desperately onto her office. (I'm setting aside all the other damage she and her stooges did to the Village over about three years.) And once she was gone, no one else -- no other Commission -- moved forward, either. We (the Foundation) had sold a few bricks by then. $1700 worth of them. You pave that walkway with bricks, and display some of them with inscriptions for which people paid, and you'll see many more people who want their names in brick, too. But no. Nothing. And there was a series of excuses why not. Now that I'm back on the Foundation -- I'm the alternate -- I was tasked with working this out with our new manager, Mario Diaz. I don't think he's slow as molasses, so maybe he's busy. But I kept getting put off. The fact of the matter is that one purchaser of a brick was the Camaras. They moved away a few years ago. I was the big purchaser, and I bought $900 worth (four large ones) of them. Each one was inscribed differently. One was inscribed in gratitude to the Rosses. They, too, have moved away. So I told Mario that I wanted this project substantially under way that particular week, which was about two weeks ago, or I was taking back my $900. (Well, $800 of it. I'd leave $100 on the table for a small paver.) I offered to help. I said I'd work with the PW guys, and I'd even show up with a pick axe and shovel. He started in with some song and dance about "ADA concerns," and that was the end of it for me. Who knows when or if this improvement will take place. If it depends on who cares enough, then the most likely answer seems to be never.
It's a sad thing to be so resolute about squandering our assets and possibilities. Like it's all going to be made better if we sing Kumbaya on Earth Day, and remind ourselves that we're a "tree city," "bird sanctuary," and "oasis in the heart of Miami." More like a mirage than an oasis.
Fred,
ReplyDeleteI’m so glad to hear that the Manager did not knee jerk respond affirmatively to your attempts to start laying down bricks pick and shovel in hand. The prudent thing to do is to contract with a professional for a comprehensive plan for the parking area, all walkways and proper access from the parking area and possibly lighting. That is just good, prudent construction practice.
The historic aspects of the cabin as it relates to the advisability of brick as a walkway material should also be part of the planning process.
The process needs to consider the possible damage to the root system of the large tree next to the path. No trenching or indiscriminate backhoe digging across the roots please.
The plan should also consider the opportunities for developing a shaded seating area in the general area of the existing bus bench.
Once properly planned with construction drawings in hand, work could move forward with construction professionals.
One alternate consideration would be not to have memorial bricks, which complicate the project and its future maintenence, but instead to have a memorial plaque inscribed with the names of the people donating to the cause. This provides for greater flexibility in the design.
Let’s spend the few extra bucks up front to do this and everything else correctly.
I would hope that in the future the Foundation will consider all of the associated costs, including future maintenence costs of projects before selling something that can’t move forward without those associated up front costs.
This is very doable and it should indeed move forward in the proper way.
Dan,
DeleteYour input is sort of appreciated. You were very much there for a number of these kinds of considerations. Not that you need me to remind you, but your career was in the public sector, and you know better than do most people about how to spend forever not necessarily doing anything, while all the spellings are checked and rechecked, so that all the i's can be dotted, and t's can be crossed, if alternate spellings that include i's and t's can be found in some ancient dictionaries.
As for the matter at hand, I did not initially disagree with Mario. His first caution was to be sure that approval from one Commission had not been rescinded by some subsequent one. Good point. So he checked, and it hadn't. As I said, that was very early in my interactions with him, it was quickly resolved in favor of proceeding, and what followed was deflection. It wasn't until I finally said I wanted it under way that particular week that he came up with yet some other imagined excuse: what if there are "ADA concerns?"
We're talking here about a pathway on which to walk. The entrance way on the west side of that building is concrete. Nothing that was done to that building after it was built was historically respectful. Singing songs of "historic aspects" is merely another dodge not to do anything. If the west entry can be concrete, then the east entry can be brick pavers.
We're also not talking about seating. We're talking about a walkway. I attended a meeting in that building Monday night. When the meeting was over, it was dark. I had no idea where the dead leaves and dirt "walkway" was, and where the dead leaves and dirt that were not the walkway were. I couldn't tell on what I was treading.
As for your concern about roots, the trench necessary is about eight inches. Roots for trees large enough to survive hurricanes run a lot deeper than that. And many of us have concrete, brick, paver, or turf block driveways. Somehow, those eight inches are found.
Having served with you on a number of work groups, and listened to you opine about many things, I know you to be a master of "reasons why not." Your "one alternate consideration" paragraph is a fairly typical demonstration of your approach. I will remind you that the design for the Arsht Center was complicated by someone's preference to preserve some tiny part of the old Sears building. And yet, there are loads of inscribed bricks along the entrance the new Center.
When you say we should do this "correctly," there is no "correct" way to do this or many things. There are various ways to do things. At some point, someone picks one. In this case, the Foundation made a proposal, a Commission agreed to it, no other Commission rescinded approval, and that closes the endless imaginings about what other ways there could be to do it. Except... it appears that what we're going to do is what you personally usually prefer, which is nothing. That is unless the project and its conception are yours, in which case you're always more than satisfied. And I will remind you that when projects and their conceptions are yours, you always get the support and help of your neighbors, pick axes and shovels included. It would be nice if that was a two-way street.
Fred
same old fred realize your ideas are from the past no own cares
ReplyDelete"Anonymous" (it's still unclear why you're hiding),
DeleteYes and no. My ideas aren't from the past. They are about things that are true, and consequential, today. We could improve the medians today, or this year, or in the next couple of years. We could have a proper, and donation-earning, walkway to the log cabin today. Or we could do it this coming month. Or this year.
As for your wish to disqualify me by saying that no one cares, it's only true that not enough people care. I care. Some other people I know care. If you cared about BP, maybe you'd care. But I do agree with you that the majority don't seem to care. It's unclear why people don't care about the municipality where they live, but you do seem to be partially right about that.
Fred
ReplyDeleteFred, for someone who is according to you is the “master of reasons why not”, I have certainly gotten A LOT done. All of that has been with the input from and cooperation of others in the community hashing out details and then using picks and shovels to make it happen. None of those projects would have happened without dealing with the details involved with each project and many were made better by expanding our view about what could be accomplished in addition to the initial idea.
You mentioned the concrete walkway on the west side of the building. I believe that this walkway was modified from its original by the incorporation of the “y” shape as it meets the road. The rest of it was likely concrete from day one. Concrete is the material originally used around the cabin under the logia and when the Village had to modify the eastern flat walk into an ADA ramp into the building, Miami Dade County was consulted regarding the historic appropriateness of our (I was on the Commission at the time) plan. You probably didn’t know that the ramp had been created, because we did a good job. Your “if concrete then bricks” statement is just dismissive of a process that you don’t either have knowledge of or that you don’t respect. I hope you don’t prescribe drugs with the same frivolity.
Thankfully, people who did know good process were doing the managing for the log cabin renovation. Thank you for staying out of the way and letting them do the excellent job that they did.
Let’s talk tree roots. I know a lot about tree roots from my academic background and the countless additional meetings and training sessions over 30 years with the worlds experts in that field of study. One of the things I know is that most of their root systems are within 18” of the top of the ground and that they are most definitely, significantly present within the top 8”. They need to be protected from indiscriminate construction activity. There are volumes written on this very subject.
As a psychiatrist, I assume that you know that certain treatment processes are better than others based on years of evaluation of those and alternate treatments. Why therefore can’t you accept that that is true in other endeavors. In this case your pathway treatment plan was, (is not) well thought out and it shouldn’t go forward without a thoroughly vetted plan. A plan that should at least look at the larger area and it’s associated safety concerns and possible aesthetic and functional amenity additions. The vetting process does not need to take long, it just needs to be thorough and the project itself should have a broader focus than just replacing the mulch path.
As to the two way street, I have always been on board with a new pathway and have advocated for it many times. Your problem is when presented with someone who is willing and capable of helping with their knowledge, skills and abilities, you turn around and walk the other way.
The Arsht Center is better because someone initiated the delay to consider the Sears tower preservation and as you say, we have bricks with names on them there too. If you had a well enough thought out plan, maybe you could attract donations without the need for inscribing the amenity with the names of the contributors.
Dan,
DeleteYou have gotten a lot done, because what you did were things you personally wanted to do. And you would not have accomplished any of it without the cooperation of others. All I pointed out to you is that this is a one way street. When it's your idea, you get cooperation, and the projects get done. When it's someone else's idea, your mastery of reasons why not takes over.
I don't know that there's a Y shape on the western side of the building. If it was modified, then it's not the original. So let's not get ourselves too hung up here. And you did such a good job with your ramp that no one knows there is one. That was Mario's latest excuse.
As for your concern about tree roots, I suppose it's too bad we built the log cabin, and renovated it, instead of razing it for the sake of the tree roots. This is what I mean about your mastery. You can go on for hours, days, and weeks like this. Steve Bernard had the same talent, although his application of it and his style were a bit different.
Either you're a psychiatrist, or you misplaced a modifier. And the mastery continues.
The only pathway for which you advocated is the dead leaves and dirt one that's there now. You have just gotten through explaining why nothing else will do.
We already have/had the donors. There was no trouble initiating the vision. It was the execution that got derailed, and it got derailed by Tracy Truppman. If not for her, we would have had a paver path there a few years ago.
Fred
ReplyDeleteFred, the oak tree was planted in 1975, +/- a year, by Charley Allen, a then commissioner. As such it began to grow decades after the construction of the cabin. The tree was pictured on the election material for CHARLEY’s campaign and I borrowed it (with permission) for mine a few years later.
My concrete pathway comment was clearly pointing to the appropriateness of concrete, an original material for the cabin walkways, whereas your bricks might not be deemed by professionals nor to be so. We are bound to ask the professionals their opinion. Deal with it.
From what I understand, Mario is concerned, justifiably, with the access to the ramp area we created that is still ADA compliant. That ramp access met the requirements when the ramp was built, but it may not under today’s rules. Mario is justified in his efforts at correcting the situation.
There are public records that speak to my advocacy for the pathway done correctly and for an expanded look at other opportunities for
improvement in the area of concern. What do you have except for a piss poor plan?
Indeed, the administration at the time of the original proposal did not follow through with the poorly developed plan as you proposed it, nor did they undertake the necessary additional steps necessary to install a good pathway. I guess you just weren’t able to get their cooperation on the project. Neither was I, so we are even on that point.
Your continued attempts at trying to make untruths true are pathetic and they aren’t going to build a pathway to anywhere. You have never met an advocate that wasn’t worthy of denigrating in your eyes. Reap what you sow.
Dan,
DeleteOy. So we have a tree planted decades after the construction of the building, and which you (a professional) believe may be compromising walkways, if not the foundation of the building. And you proudly used a photograph of the tree in your own campaign materials. I'm sorry to say that you seem to be all over the map here.
And concrete, which will crack and/or break with pressure from superficial roots, is fine with you, but gravel, sand, and pavers, which have a lot of give, seems to you to be inappropriate. Same map.
I could pick nits with you about the rest of your comments, too, but I really think they're just about your well-practiced mastery, coupled, or underlain, by your self-presentation as the only person who really knows and understands what he's doing.
As for your next to last paragraph, the "administration at the time" was Tracy Truppman, with a collection of mindless bobbleheads and stooges. Neither I, nor you, nor almost anyone could get cooperation from them, about anything. I'm not sure their blockade of very many things illustrates much of a point for you. I will certainly remind you, when you reference a "good pathway," that the idea was hatched by the Foundation, it was approved by the then Commission, and there was a competent manager. Apart from the fact that the idea was not yours, it's a little hard to find incompetence in all of this. Although that kind of proposal is very clearly your keenest area of mastery, as you continue endlessly to demonstrate. When the idea is not yours.
Fred
PS: I happened to be a member of the Commission that approved that gravel, sand, and paver walkway. Unless you tell me I have forgotten, I do not remember your having made a presentation against the idea (at whatever was the relevant Commission meeting) for the reasons you now state. You were a member of P&P then, and you certainly, in that capacity, said you preferred the dead leaves and dirt pathway we have now. But you did not explain your preference as you seem to do now, and since the gravel, sand, and pavers idea was not yours, it's hard to distinguish "real" concerns from your usual material. Especially if you didn't specify them.
DeleteFred
ReplyDeleteFred, the oak tree was planted in 1975, +/- a year, by Charley Allen, a then commissioner. As such it began to grow decades after the construction of the cabin. The tree was pictured on the election material for CHARLEY’s campaign and I borrowed it (with permission) for mine a few years later.
My concrete pathway comment was clearly pointing to the appropriateness of concrete, an original material for the cabin walkways, whereas your bricks might not be deemed by professionals nor to be so. We are bound to ask the professionals their opinion. Deal with it.
From what I understand, Mario is concerned, justifiably, with the access to the ramp area we created that is still ADA compliant. That ramp access met the requirements when the ramp was built, but it may not under today’s rules. Mario is justified in his efforts at correcting the situation.
There are public records that speak to my advocacy for the pathway done correctly and for an expanded look at other opportunities for
improvement in the area of concern. What do you have except for a piss poor plan?
Indeed, the administration at the time of the original proposal did not follow through with the poorly developed plan as you proposed it, nor did they undertake the necessary additional steps necessary to install a good pathway. I guess you just weren’t able to get their cooperation on the project. Neither was I, so we are even on that point.
Your continued attempts at trying to make untruths true are pathetic and they aren’t going to build a pathway to anywhere. You have never met an advocate that wasn’t worthy of denigrating in your eyes. Reap what you sow.
I’m concerned that excavation for the pathway (pavers
ReplyDeleteor concrete) may damage the tree roots. The fact that you didn’t get this point demonstrates why you approved a project that should have been sent back for more planning or your actions should have included some direction to the manager to deal with the details.
P and P, along with all boards produce minutes and in one set of those you will find the boards comments. Did you ever read a set of minutes? You will not find in the minuets my or the boards advocacy for the current pathway.
It's a large tree. It's a small walkway. And you can dig a trench that doesn't cut the roots. Even if some of those roots were compromised, it wouldn't affect the tree. And again, did you protest the planting of a tree that would grow large enough that large roots "may damage" the log cabin? Oh, wait a minute, no, you were proud of that tree.
DeleteI know you didn't advocate for the paver pathway. The question was what was your stated reasoning, as reflected in the minutes. You did, however, advocate for the "current pathway." If you now think you didn't, what kind of pathway do you think you favored?
Fred
I have live in BP for 25 years Dan Keys has done more in one week for this place than you have done in your life.... who died and made you the saver of this place or the know it all. He has Worked more on medians and master plans for years all you have done is point fingers for this community, be grateful for a Dan Keys so ignorant you are FRED
ReplyDelete