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csmurphy8885

By csmurphy8885
in Tallahassee

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seminole Whistle-Stop

seminole

Posted
Posted
I know of at least three proposals (if approved and implemented) that FSU is pursuing which will only enhance the upswing of the manufacturing sector in the Capital Region discussed in today's Democrat:

http://www.tdo.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?A...mplate=printart

A $100 million biomass plant to be built on FSU's property (if approved) would generate electricity via cleaner organic materials instead of fossil fuel. It is hopeful that the biomass plant would provide more impetuous (and fuel) to a proposed hydrogen research center at FSU. Also in the works is a $ 4 million Center of Excellence in Advanced Materials which will also find a home at FSU. Could these developments provide the synergy needed for diversifying our economy? Well, we can only hope so! :)

Even more important is that all of these "possibilities" will be located here in Tallahassee. :P

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poonther Town

poonther

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Posted

Hey look SJ, it's the same ole song. :(

I know seminole, this is absurd! However I watched this tragic saga unfold w/my very own eyes I must say in this specific case....everyone and all parts are at fault. It's so asinine that it's like brainless gorillas thumping their chest.

COT is at fault b/c they want FSU to share in their energy conservation program. While I think that is fine, admirable and with merit, they sprung this on FSU at the last minute w/out consulting them first. Of course TK's at the meeting and springing on him a surprise or just telling him what to do, riles his manhood and springs his back hair into action and he always grinds his feet in firmly and say NO and then goes on to say he is taking all of his toys home w/him (the biomass plant etc.) Now what a true diplomat say like Sandy D'Alemberte would do is to say "I don't think this is answerable at this time, we need some time to discuss this w/our people and possibly sit down w/your people (COT) and see if we can come to some understanding. We all need and want the biomass, so let's work on it." That's all that has to be done. It's that simple. Why it always escalates to this type of juvenile behavior is beyond me. It hurts all of us, COT folks and FSU folks and those like me that are both.

Here would be my suggestions in for the future to keep this type of stuff from happening:

1. COT needs to appoint one qualified, not a commissioner, to be the liaison to FSU (or all the universities) and to discuss any and all proposals like this one BEFOREHAND.

2. TK does NOT need to go to COT meetings. He needs to appoint one of his people to do this job and speak for the university. Over my Holiday vacation I watched the news in Columbia, SC and in New Jersey. Both Univ. of South Carolina and Rutgers (New Brunswick) were asking their respective cities for some items and at neither commission meeting did you see their Presidents. You saw a specific liaison from these universities to handle this type of stuff.

I think this could help out this "circus of the absurd" and help us all out!

Isn't Virginia Wetherall involved in this somehow too? If so, looks like the Wetheralls could work it out w/some pillow talk.

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stjoe Hamlet

stjoe

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Torrey Pines didn't happen primarily because the local govt did not want to contribute any money (as discussed in length on this board).

FSU chipped in over $25-$40 Million.

When UCF recently got a Med School, the local community (business, govt, etc) chipped in over $70 Million. The local community didn't do 10% of that for FSU and it's Med School.

The local area simply does not support FSU very much and on average takes it for granted and occasionally is antagonistic towards it.

This biomass deal didn't fall apart because TK attended a meeting. The city has long taken FSU for granted and treated it in a manner that was not very appreciative. This was the case LONG before TK, but folks want to pretend the strain is due to him.

The COT wants the benefits of FSU without helping FSU make things happen.

The bottom line is, the two sides can not get along (for whatever reason) and the less they partner, the better for both sides.

This is a good thing for both sides. The less they fight...the better.

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seminole Whistle-Stop

seminole

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Poonther - I'm not sure if your question concerning Virginia Wetherell is rhetorical or not, but she is actually to lobbyist for BG&E and proposed the idea of the 75-megawatt to the city in April/May 2006. I do like your recommendations but apparently the company needs to move forward as soon as possible.

I haven't heard much about the details of the dispute concerning the contract but I don't understand how the city can impose it's conservation plan on a changing technology in which they know little about. If anyone knows any of the specifics, then please do share.

The city invited many alternative energy companies to consider building an alternative energy source here in Tallahassee and some were interested in doing so. I haven't heard who the other players were but BG&E's technology was selected because it was more advanced and they have already built a biomass plant in Vermont. And now this company wants to build a $100 million plant on FSU's property, which would be a major economic boom for our area. The international biomass research center could bring in other major players.

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poonther Town

poonther

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SJ, I'm only gonna talk about this one FSU/COT battle for now since we've talked so much about the other battles in the past. :)

If you read what I've said, I did not say the deal fell through just b/c TK attended the meeting, but that did not help. Also I agree this problem existed way before TK's time, but the others knew how to handle it in a more professional way or maybe they just knew all parties must somehow get along for the sake of the greater good? If you have not watched the commission meeting about this on channel 13, do so over the next two weeks. What I see is that it does get territorial as SD says. COT should not have sprung that info on them at the last minute they are absolutely in the wrong for doing that, but I think if anyone else from FSU was at the podium besides TK, maybe we would not be where we are now. Even if all that representative from FSU could only say "I'll have to talk w/TK about this later" maybe that would not have created the knee jerk type of chain of events that happened. Maybe tempers or p***ing matches would not occur if COT addressed FSU privately about these matters before hand(they deserve that respect) and if FSU appointed some type of liaison to COT. And while I understand why you say this is a good thing, I for one do not feel that way.

Thanks for that clarification on V. Wetherall's role in this seminole. I knew she had something to do w/it, however I thought her involvement was deeper like she was on the board of BG&E, but she must just be the lobbyist. I also understand even some form of my recommendation won't necessarily work or help save this deal, but maybe it will when this problem comes up again....and you know it will, it's just a matter of time. The two entities MUST learn to work together and respect each other for the good of all of us.

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seminole Whistle-Stop

seminole

Posted
Posted

Well there is somewhat of a write-up in the Democrat this morning but I still don't understand the issue.

So basically the city is paying FSU to conserve energy, but some of the Commissioners want to include more specific conservation goals which must be met by FSU or the majority would not approve signing the contract. Katz doesn't support a coal power plant so he wants to persuade the other commissioners to vote in favor of the contract. So as a remedy, Commissioner Katz recommended including a clause which states the FSU needs to make a good faith effort to conserve up to 5 megawatts of energy.

In response, T.K. thinks there are too many unknown variables (surrounding changes in biomass energy and future projects at FSU) to commit to Katz's recommendation?

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stjoe Hamlet

stjoe

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"But commissioners' last-minute decision to tie the contract to a yet-to-be-drafted list of energy-conservation goals for FSU killed the agreement."

""We're not going to agree to something that we haven't seen and that they can't define," said Betty Steffens, the university's general counsel. "

I think there is an urgency for this project to move forward and FSU was asked to agree to something that was not defined.

The project had to move forward and FSU shouldn't agree to something that is not defined.

I think this is best that it was moved to Liberty. I think all parties are in a good place now and there should be less conflict, which is good.

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poonther Town

poonther

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I find that the project moving to Liberty a travesty for all parties. COT loses having this bio-mass plant in the city and FSU may lose their research center b/c of this silly conflict.

I read the Democrat article and saw the story on WCTV last night. What agitated me the most was the way Mustain spoke about it. He actually said on TV that COT is not in the business of subsidizing universities. I thought that statement was way over the top and a little nasty. Sure he can think that but why say it? Then when I read his comment in today's Democrat "I felt the city stretched (for FSU)," City Commissioner Mark Mustian said, "and I don't think it's unreasonable to ask for something on the other side." I immediately thought to myself.....What's wrong w/this guy? Does he have no vision? He seems to be trying to sabotage this deal as if he were a Gator or something. And then I looked up his bio on COT's webpage and sure enough, he's gotten his B.A. and Law degree from UF. :shok:

In all seriousness, I hope Katz can patch up this deal and I'm really hoping and I'm sure this is just silly wishful thinking on my part that the bio-mass folks decided to quickly name their alternative spot and say they are moving forward w/it in Liberty knowing that they really want to be in Tally and hoping this announcement will get all parties to scramble to an agreement. Hey a guy can hope can't he? :)

I don't understand why COT can't just table those energy conservation program plans until a later date w/FSU and just let this happen now. Also I thought that Mustain was going to be a real benefit to COT, but w/this topic and a few others in the past, I think his time has come to say goodbye.

It's almost as if lately the County has become the City and the City has become the County.......if you understand at all what I'm tryin' to say there.

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Florida Megalopolis

Florida

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Posted
I find that the project moving to Liberty a travesty for all parties. COT loses having this bio-mass plant in the city and FSU may lose their research center b/c of this silly conflict.

I read the Democrat article and saw the story on WCTV last night. What agitated me the most was the way Mustain spoke about it. He actually said on TV that COT is not in the business of subsidizing universities.

It's almost as if lately the County has become the City and the City has become the County.......if you understand at all what I'm tryin' to say there.

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poonther Town

poonther

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Posted

Ah the above referenced article does hint at what I was hoping. It seems ALL parties really want this thing to happen at Innovation Park. Hopefully w/Favors-Thompson, Katz and the incredible Bill Law on top of this thing, the best solution (Innovation Park) can be worked out.

SJ the quote you pulled from the article seems to be said by none other than the Democrat writers? If I'm reading that correctly, it's good to see them "call a spade a spade."

While I know this thing is far from a done deal, this article does at least bring some hope back.

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poonther Town

poonther

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I'm not thrilled w/the Democrat article either seminole, however the Mayor's memo was written on 1.22, before this tentative reconciliation occurred. I think the Mayor was just trying to say COT would still be using biomass energy no matter where it was built.

However I am happy to see this back on the table. Hopefully FSU will agree to the new terms and things will start to roll.

Why did Debbie L. vote against it I wonder?

Good new good news!

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seminole Whistle-Stop

seminole

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I'm not thrilled w/the Democrat article either seminole, however the Mayor's memo was written on 1.22, before this tentative reconciliation occurred. I think the Mayor was just trying to say COT would still be using biomass energy no matter where it was built.

However I am happy to see this back on the table. Hopefully FSU will agree to the new terms and things will start to roll.

Why did Debbie L. vote against it I wonder?

Good new good news!

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poonther Town

poonther

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^I agree about the memo being better written and more in depth for sure.

I am totally confused as to why Debbie L. voted no this time. The nature of this whole agreement has sorta been confusing for me. I know what they are trying to accomplish, I just sometimes can't follow the particulars. I do wish when only one commissioner votes no on a proposal that the Democrat would report their reasons for this.

Anyway thanks for the heads up seminole. Let us know when you hear/read something official about FSU agreeing to it also.

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seminole Whistle-Stop

seminole

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^I agree about the memo being better written and more in depth for sure.

I am totally confused as to why Debbie L. voted no this time. The nature of this whole agreement has sorta been confusing for me. I know what they are trying to accomplish, I just sometimes can't follow the particulars. I do wish when only one commissioner votes no on a proposal that the Democrat would report their reasons for this.

Anyway thanks for the heads up seminole. Let us know when you hear/read something official about FSU agreeing to it also.

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