Quality of Life Council
I read with great interest the article here in MCS about the Quality of Life Council we have here in Clay County. For all of you interested in sharing your views on a survey you can go to Clayqol.com, the article also gives a phone number for those who don't want to use the internet. I took the survey, some of it is select an answer, there are several where you actually get to use your own words about how you feel about the Quality of Life in Clay County. Once you get to the end of the survey (at least today when I took it) it brings you to the page where they're listing their contributors. Let me back up and say that the article clearly solicits for funds to "help defray the costs". I wish I'd copied and pasted it so I could watch how that lists grows and who is on it. Here is my cynical pondering, I wonder how the list of contributors will effect the end product. It doesn't tell you how much they contributed, just puts them in a ranking of what I guess would be the monetary level of contribution. Like Lamar in the article, I encourage everyone to go take the survey. Not that I really believe it will have any significant impact but it's a chance to tell them how you feel about the Quality of Life in Clay County. Submitted by read44 on Sun, 01/13/2008 - 2:37pm.
I took a look at the survey. I recognized one of the contributor names. Do you think they would be interested to hear that someone might think growth is poorly managed in Clay County? It would be nice. Submitted by Angela on Sun, 01/13/2008 - 6:00pm.
This survey must be a joke after a review of the people who are listed as the contributors. This looks like a list of corporate welfare recipients of our taxdollars. Those who have contributed to our decline in our quality of life. I am not a fan of welfare for either class. However, I could better tolerate giving it to the truly needy instead of those who are wealthy and make money off our taxdollars. Read 44 you are right on target.
Submitted by MeMaw on Sun, 01/13/2008 - 7:19pm.
I suppose my questions would be: Is this the first time a survey of this type has been taken? If so, was it advertised in order to get these sponsors? Or, possibly was it started by the chamber. I'm sure I missed something here. I took the survey, thought it wouldn't hurt, and bookmarked it so I can check back to see if they give further information later, down the road. MeMaw
Submitted by Marsha on Mon, 01/14/2008 - 8:18am.
For me personally the moment I read that they were asking for contributions to help defray costs the integrity of the results of that survey became questionable. We hear all the time about Politicians who are influenced by those who give them lots of money for their campaigns, or their favorite charities, or invest in a buddy, a famjily member far removed etc etc. This is no different. I have never understood how all this got started way back when anyway, it's like accepting designs from the Fox to build the chicken coup. Initially anyway I would have had more faith if this were something not contributed to by people who profit off growth. Quality of Life is such an ambiguous term anyway, it's a highly personal measuring stick that cannot be statistically accurate when the motivations of the person filling it out are unknown, creates room for too many variables. It's just a feel good PR thing to distract you from the reality of what is going on. It makes you almost believe your local goverment as a body cares about what you think. My eye is on the prize just like it is with Hometown Democracy. I don't like the fallout from the growth that is either not considered, or the procrastination in allowing something you know is going to cost big time down the road. Most all other Quality of Life issues regarding community stem from that. Submitted by Angela on Mon, 01/14/2008 - 2:11pm.
Survey results reveal residents' growing discontent with life in Florida http://www.sun-sentinel.com/orl-lidsurvey1408jan14,0,7688282.story?coll=sofla_tab01_layout Submitted by SoloVoce on Mon, 01/14/2008 - 2:39pm.
Anfela, Thanks for the link. I wonder if there were any other complaints. On taxes, coming here from the Chicago area in the early 80's, we've paid at least half of what we were paying up there. On the other hand, as the old saying goes, you get what you pay for. I'm a bit surprised nothing was said @ things like home insurance problems when talking @ hurricanes. I know the news has been a bit thin on this, but we have had a fairly easy season. I wish I could remember the story I read, it was from one of the papers in southern Fl., I think, that pretty much bad mouthed the quality of public education, at least on the grade school & high school level, not college. I remember agreeing. We don't have any kids, but just from reading & hearing what was being said @ the level of education at those two levels & comparing it to other places we have lived, I was wondering why the system in Fl. is so far behind the times. I know that I've downgraded my opinion of living in "paradise," considerably. I miss living in a city environment. Suburban living has lost its luster a long time ago. I miss the diversity, the culture & public transportation. (Not to mention the variety of ethnic food selections) I miss knowing my neighbors. It's just too darn hot during the summer for people to be out. When they get home, wham into the AC of the house & I can't really blame them, but I can't put all the blame on FL. I think that's a problem in most suburban locations plus the lifestyle of people, especially if they have children with various activities. But I doubt that any place is perfect. Maybe when I win the lottery. JATFUR. RichK
Submitted by Key2life on Mon, 01/14/2008 - 4:52pm.
Bloggers, I received an email with an update on HTD and it says: Hometown Democracy still needs 110,000 signatures With slightly more than two weeks before the final deadline, Florida Hometown Democracy needs 109,479 additional signatures to make the 2008 ballot, according to information posted on Monday by the Division of Elections. It takes more than 611,000 signatures for a citizen-initiative to make the ballot and Hometown Democracy has been the target of a revocation campaign where nearly 5,000 registered voters have changed their mind about letting the amendment on the ballot. Business groups such as the Florida Chamber of Commerce helped push through the law that authorized revocations in 2006. A glitch in the state's computer system prompted state officials last week to ask counties around the state to go back and recount petition signatures. The totals posted online Monday reflect activity as of Jan. 10. Karen Lake Submitted by Angela on Tue, 01/15/2008 - 4:59am.
RichK, I know you like to read and I think you will find the report on New Cornerstone Revisited Florida in Transition, Lays Out Strategic Plan for Future of interest. I think we are at a crossroads in the State and we need to demand our leaders do just that lead. Wouldn't that be a novel idea for a change. Change seems to be the buzz word this year. I hope they learn the meaning of it too. Submitted by read44 on Fri, 02/22/2008 - 9:12pm.
Submitted by read44 on Sat, 02/23/2008 - 1:38pm.
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Marsha,
I'm very encouraged by the Chamber's willingness to spearhead such an important survey for Clay County.
The results of the survey will give all of us [business interests, residents, government] information about the quality of life indicators that we say are important. It will also be able to identify areas of concern which can then be addressed in a managed way. For example, after the first QOL in Jacksonville in 1982, the results showed an unusually high occurence of teen pregnancies. Once the problem was quantified, the community and government were able to put together an action plan to address it.
I, too, encourage everyone to participate because your input will help all of us down the road.
Jacksonville Community Council, Inc. is a nationally recognized non-partisan civic organization who's only interest is to be a facilitator for open dialogue. Please visit their web site: www.jcci.org to review more of their work.
Karen Lake