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BIG BEND ENVIRONMENTAL CANDIDATE FORUM

 

Thursday night’s candidates forum at Tallahassee City Hall was a mix of candidate opinions, rehearsed quotes with a few good ideas mixed in.  Few candidates were well versed in the issues and fewer still had any good suggestions to address global warming, transportation alternatives, reducing the local governments’ carbon footprint, supporting alternative energy and smart growth policies.  The event was sponsored by the Big Bend Environmental Forum, the League of Women Voters, the Council of Neighborhood Associations and Sustainable Tallahassee. For the most part, questions came from the audience and were read from cards by the moderator, sometimes with his own additions, interpretations or commentary. Each candidate was not asked to answer each question.  Sometimes candidates were asked new questions instead of being provided a chance to answer the same question as his/her preceding opponent.  This meant that either the second responding candidate had to take time allotted to answer the new question to address the preceding question or he/she had to skip the preceding question altogether.  This format made it difficult to track each candidate’s response to each issue.

 

Here’s a summary of candidates as they appeared. 

City of Tallahassee Commission, Seat 1

How Would You Address the Issue of Urban Sprawl?

 

Mark Mustian (incumbent) talked about using Blueprint 2000 funding for Capital Cascades funding and possibly requesting a vote to extend the one cent in sales tax that funded the original Blueprint projects.  He also talked about raising private sector money to complete the Capital Cascades project, including Phase Three, as there is not enough Blueprint money to complete the entire project.  He also mentioned the need to complete the Franklin Blvd. project to further address flooding.   

 

Larry Hendricks, qualified write-in candidate, said he takes a “no growth” policy within the urban service area and criticized the Gaines Street project as a “state sponsored bohemian village.” He also mentioned the need for financial support for solar but did not identify any source of this revenue. 

 

What are your views on alternative energy?

 

Mustian said that the City of Tallahassee has the most aggressive demand side management program in the country and his focus would continue to be on decreasing the demand for electricity through further conservation and education of the public.  He said his view may include subsidies for solar and other alternative sources.  He commented on the proposed bio-waste plant near Innovation Park and the questions raised about the safety of the emissions from the plant.  He said that this is not the City’s project, and that the City’s only involvement in the proposed project is the agreement for the City to purchase power generated.  He said the City may need to look to building codes that require more efficient energy-use buildings, but he also thought that public demand may do a better job in driving more energy efficient buildings. 

 

Hendricks questioned why citizens should ask the utility company to send back the citizens’ own money. 

 

Should the City join Leon County’s energy initiatives in reducing its carbon footprint such as joining ICLEI (INTERNATIONAL COUNCIL FOR LOCAL ENVIRONMENTAL INITIATIVES)?

 

Mustian answered that the City should work to establish base lines of energy useage, then establish guidelines.

 

 Hendricks responded that people need to be angry about environmental pollution.

 

Leon County Commission At-Large

What is the top environmental crisis facing Leon County today?

 

Ed DePuy (incumbent) made comments on the current economic crisis in the US.

 

Akin Akinyemi mentioned urban sprawl and the need for directing new growth into the existing urban services area and criticized the current County Commission’s frequent approval of (development) plans that are in direct conflict with recommendations made by its own planning staff. 

 

DePuy said he also supports an aggressive in-fill program.  He addressed his vote to approve current development projects such as Rockaway (on Mahan Drive in eastern Leon County) saying that he was in the voting majority in approving the project over the objections of the state growth management agency the Department of Community Affairs.  He went on to say that if public opinion indicated a need, he would reconsider his approval of the project. 

 

How should the Florida aquifer, what steps should be taken to bring water back to Lake Jackson and limit development around its perimeter?

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Where to get rid of those used electronics? They can’t go in the land fill.

• Leon County Electronics Recycling Center, 7550 Apalachee Parkway which is also the Hazardous Waste Center and right before you actually get to the land fill.

• Marpan Recycling on 6020 Woodville Highway takes construction and demolition debris, scrap metals, furniture, appliances, yard and landscape trimmings, and cardboard. Their tipping fee is $34 per ton, currently two dollars less than the County with a minimum fee of $5.00. They take some types of hazardous waste, as well televisions and monitors, charging $20 for monitors smaller than 19 inches and an additoinal fee for monitors larger than 19 inches and devices that contain Freon.

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