News Reedy Creek Improvement District and the Central Florida Tourism Oversight District

[Brian]

The BoS meeting was moved to the B Resort, across the street from the district's HQ building. I do have to wonder if the new board members are concerned about potential hostility from the district staff, or perhaps taking a cautious approach and just trying to ease into things.

 

[lazyboy97o]

The BoS meeting was moved to the B Resort, across the street from the district's HQ building. I do have to wonder if the new board members are concerned about potential hostility from the district staff, or perhaps taking a cautious approach and just trying to ease into things.

I don’t believe the new board has been confirmed by the Senate. They’re not yet showing on the Senate’s Executive Appointees website.

 

[flynnibus]

The BoS meeting was moved to the B Resort, across the street from the district's HQ building. I do have to wonder if the new board members are concerned about potential hostility from the district staff, or perhaps taking a cautious approach and just trying to ease into things.

The board doesn’t meet in secrecy. Its quite common for staff to give briefs during these kinds of meetings, the management to be there, outside parties presenting or listening, etc. additionally the new directors haven’t taken over yet. I think people are reading too much into things.

 

[Brian]

The board doesn’t meet in secrecy. Its quite common for staff to give briefs during these kinds of meetings, the management to be there, outside parties presenting or listening, etc. additionally the new directors haven’t taken over yet. I think people are reading too much into things.

What's your take on it then? I'm not saying necessarily that I'm right, I'm just guessing, but I do have to wonder why they would pay to rent space from a hotel for a meeting that can be, and usually is, held at the district HQ building.

 

[GoofGoof]

What's your take on it then? I'm not saying necessarily that I'm right, I'm just guessing, but I do have to wonder why they would pay to rent space from a hotel for a meeting that can be, and usually is, held at the district HQ building.

Maybe they need more space. With the publicity this story got there may be media members and just people in the general public that want to attend to see what happens when the new board takes over. I can’t imagine these meetings in the past drew a big crowd so no clue how much space they have set up.

 

[GoofGoof]

Found this on the RCID site with the rules on attendance:

Public Meeting Rules

www.rcid.org

In-Person Attendance
All meetings of the RCID Board of Supervisors are open to the public (except for portions thereof that may be closed to the public as permitted by applicable law) and noticed via the RCID webpage (https://www.rcid.org/about/board-of-supervisors).

All visitors to the RCID Administration Building are required to check in at the lobby Security Desk.

All attendees to the meeting shall register their attendance on a sign-in sheet located in the meeting room.

It goes on to say this:

Media Attendance
The meeting room is small and, therefore, has limited space for in-person attendance. In an effort to ensure that the maximum amount of space is reserved for members of the public who wish to attend the meeting, if there are multiple requests by the media for video footage of a meeting, one (1) pool camera will be permitted at that meeting and each network/affiliate seeking video footage will be granted access to that footage. Still photographs and recordings taken on devices (such as cellular telephones) is permitted.

So based on that if they got a number of advance requests they may be moving to a bigger facility.

 

[Lilofan]

Maybe they need more space. With the publicity this story got there may be media members and just people in the general public that want to attend to see what happens when the new board takes over. I can’t imagine these meetings in the past drew a big crowd so no clue how much space they have set up.

One would think after a stressful meeting one would head to the nearby hotel bar and start ordering rounds of drinks. And if you had a little too much don’t drink and drive. Just check into your clean hotel room upstairs.

 

[flynnibus]

What's your take on it then?

That it’s nothing - why do it? some conflict we are not aware of. Amount of space, schedule conflicts, who knows.

But the change of venue to across the street doesn’t do anything to discourage anyone’s attendance or stand to notably change anything except cosmetics. Same audience, same availability, same same.

I'm not saying necessarily that I'm right, I'm just guessing, but I do have to wonder why they would pay to rent space from a hotel for a meeting that can be, and usually is, held at the district HQ building.

Call and ask

 

[JoeCamel]

What's your take on it then? I'm not saying necessarily that I'm right, I'm just guessing, but I do have to wonder why they would pay to rent space from a hotel for a meeting that can be, and usually is, held at the district HQ building.

Who owns the hotel? Tfg was good at having gmnt rent his spaces

 

[GoofGoof]

Who owns the hotel? Tfg was good at having gmnt rent his spaces

Based on a quick web search, B hotels is a FL based company founded by a woman named ayelet weinstein. I have no idea what her politics are or if she is a donor to the gov. I suspect this may be simply that the hotel is next door, but you could also be on to something if she is a DeSantis donor.

 

[lazyboy97o]

Again, this looks to be the locally elected board, not the state appointed board.

There is a process for senate confirmations. The first slate of executive appointments are to be reviewed on Tuesday by the Ethics and Elections Committee and none of the CFLTOD board members are part of the meeting agenda.

Ethics and Elections Committee Page - The Florida Senate

www.flsenate.gov

Some sort of weird kickback seems doubtful. The city council meetings also scheduled for Wednesday have not yet been moved, so some sort of sudden building issue seems unlikely. More space seems like the simplest, easiest explanation. Regardless of what happens, this is the first meeting post reconstitution and probably the expected last meeting of the Reedy Creek Improvement District Board of Supervisors.

 

[GimpYancIent]

Based on a quick web search, B hotels is a FL based company founded by a woman named ayelet weinstein. I have no idea what her politics are or if she is a donor to the gov. I suspect this may be simply that the hotel is next door, but you could also be on to something if she is a DeSantis donor.

 

[mkt]

Based on a quick web search, B hotels is a FL based company founded by a woman named ayelet weinstein. I have no idea what her politics are or if she is a donor to the gov. I suspect this may be simply that the hotel is next door, but you could also be on to something if she is a DeSantis donor.

Public records search shows donations only to a few South FL dem candidates. But nothing recent.

 

[mkt]

Who owns the hotel? Tfg was good at having gmnt rent his spaces

Not DeSantis, or based off of a search of public records, also not a DeSantis (or GOP) donor. In fact, a South FL Dem Donor, but nothing recent.

 

[GoofGoof]

Public records search shows donations only to a few South FL dem candidates. But nothing recent.

Yeah, seems like the move is just for more space.

It is kinda sad that our minds even go the other way, but that is what happens when a Governor appoints a board with clear political ties including donations to his campaign. If this was a normal situation and if a local government passed out favors the people could ultimately vote them out for it. In this situation with an appointed board that is accountable to nobody but the Governor I think they opened the door to more scrutiny and skepticism.

 

[lazyboy97o]

Bay Lake and Lake Buena Vista have both cancelled their city council meetings that were scheduled for this Wednesday, March 8.

 

[JohnD]

I don’t believe the new board has been confirmed by the Senate. They’re not yet showing on the Senate’s Executive Appointees website.

Here's where you can find Executive appointments to be voted on for confirmation by the Senate: https://www.flsenate.gov/Session/ExecutiveAppointments

 

[JohnD]

Yeah, seems like the move is just for more space.

It is kinda sad that our minds even go the other way, but that is what happens when a Governor appoints a board with clear political ties including donations to his campaign. If this was a normal situation and if a local government passed out favors the people could ultimately vote them out for it. In this situation with an appointed board that is accountable to nobody but the Governor I think they opened the door to more scrutiny and skepticism.

Of course its for more space. The idea that people immediately wanted to dig into the background of the B Resort CEO and then blaming the Governor because that is where your mind goes is just weird. Criticizing the Governor for his board appointments is valid. Criticizing him for your having bad thoughts about the meeting space isn't.

 

[GoofGoof]

Of course its for more space. The idea that people immediately wanted to dig into the background of the B Resort CEO and then blaming the Governor because that is where your mind goes is just weird. Criticizing the Governor for his board appointments is valid. Criticizing him for your having bad thoughts about the meeting space isn't.

He brought it on himself. Appointing people with little experience who also contributed money to his campaign is going to result in a lot more scrutiny on their actions. You can’t have your cake and eat it too. He got to appoint whoever he wanted. He had the cake.

In this case, yes, as was said after the original post it is most likely about lack of space and nothing more. However, I don’t think it’s weird that people questioned the possible motivation. Most people do not trust politicians on either side and when you setup a situation ripe for abuse people will naturally be even more skeptical.

 

[drnilescrane]

However, I don’t think it’s weird that people questioned the possible motivation.

The weird thing is how transparent they've been about their motivations. They haven't even used any of the typical doublespeak you'd expect.