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Rally and Joint Board Meeting, Alachua/Bradford Counties

bra comms In: Rally and Joint Board Meeting, Alachua/Bradford Counties | Our Santa Fe River, Inc. (OSFR) | Protecting the Santa Fe River

bra comms In: Rally and Joint Board Meeting, Alachua/Bradford Counties | Our Santa Fe River, Inc. (OSFR) | Protecting the Santa Fe River
Left to right, Commissioners Hutchinson, Dougherty, Durrance, Chairman Riddick, [hidden Chandler,] Chairman Cornell, Byerly. Commissioner Chestnut arrived shortly afterward, and Commissioner Thompson was absent.
An historical first meeting officially took place between Alachua and Bradford Counties on March 20, 2017 in Starke when the two groups of commissioners met.  A rally, small in size but strong in passion and dedication took place in front of the court house from 3:30 until about 6:20.

bra woody In: Rally and Joint Board Meeting, Alachua/Bradford Counties | Our Santa Fe River, Inc. (OSFR) | Protecting the Santa Fe River
Woody Blue, Gainesville

Official business consisted of the issue of medical billing services to Bradford County.  That being concluded, a general discussion ensued of mutual good will and cooperation.  Commissioner Hutchison immediately brought up the subject of the pending phosphate mine and again expressed the board’s strong concerns for the dangers it presented to Alachua County and all environs downriver.  He also repeated the offer of assistance in revising Bradford LDRs or in any other topic regarding the mine permit.

bra walterjane In: Rally and Joint Board Meeting, Alachua/Bradford Counties | Our Santa Fe River, Inc. (OSFR) | Protecting the Santa Fe River
Walter Bickmeyer, Jane Blaise, OSFR

Commissioner Pinkoson strayed from the mine topic, but it was revisited by Chairman Cornell, who again offered to share with Bradford County any Alachua County resources in confronting the mine issue.  Bradford County commissioners carefully, politely and totally distanced themselves from any commitment to accept the offers.  Chris Bird of the Alachua County Environmental Protection Department was present and recognized, but did not officially speak.

bra Kate In: Rally and Joint Board Meeting, Alachua/Bradford Counties | Our Santa Fe River, Inc. (OSFR) | Protecting the Santa Fe River
Kare Ellison, Melrose

In spite of the lack of commitment on the part of Bradford County, after the meeting Chairman Ken Cornell unofficially expressed optimism that progress would be made and positive action would be taken, perhaps in the near future.  Your writer is pleased to hear this, because in the past Commissioner Cornell has proven to usually be correct in his predictions.

bra linnahan 2 In: Rally and Joint Board Meeting, Alachua/Bradford Counties | Our Santa Fe River, Inc. (OSFR) | Protecting the Santa Fe River
John Linnehan, Woody Blue

The joint meeting generated a great deal of interest and the room was filled and all seats taken.  Several OSFR members were present, including Jane Blaise, Walter Bickmeyer, Billie Jo Benedict and your historian, who also spoke against the mine.

bra sashia In: Rally and Joint Board Meeting, Alachua/Bradford Counties | Our Santa Fe River, Inc. (OSFR) | Protecting the Santa Fe River    bra mericle In: Rally and Joint Board Meeting, Alachua/Bradford Counties | Our Santa Fe River, Inc. (OSFR) | Protecting the Santa Fe River    bra courtney In: Rally and Joint Board Meeting, Alachua/Bradford Counties | Our Santa Fe River, Inc. (OSFR) | Protecting the Santa Fe River    bra becky In: Rally and Joint Board Meeting, Alachua/Bradford Counties | Our Santa Fe River, Inc. (OSFR) | Protecting the Santa Fe River
Sashia Rudoph                Chris Mericle                    Courtney Snyder           Becky Parker

 

bra frasier In: Rally and Joint Board Meeting, Alachua/Bradford Counties | Our Santa Fe River, Inc. (OSFR) | Protecting the Santa Fe River                         bra mosley In: Rally and Joint Board Meeting, Alachua/Bradford Counties | Our Santa Fe River, Inc. (OSFR) | Protecting the Santa Fe River                   bra Piecznik In: Rally and Joint Board Meeting, Alachua/Bradford Counties | Our Santa Fe River, Inc. (OSFR) | Protecting the Santa Fe River
Mark Frasier                                          Carol  Mosley                                    Steve Piecznik

Comments by OSFR historian Jim Tatum.
-A river is like a life:  once taken, it cannot be brought back-


.

Bradford rally
Courtney, Jane, Gayle, Kate, Walter, Austin, Joey and (across the street) Woody

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