August 6, 2003

By Chuck Maxwell

Excerpted with permission from the Brevard Insider

Malabar, Florida

www.brevardwhistleblower.com

To submit a Letter to the Editor: ESCMC@aol.com

Never to be discouraged from helping cronies, County Manager Tom Jenkins has yet another multimillion dollar land deal cooking that he hopes taxpayers will pay a falsely inflated price for. A close friend of his has a substantial interest in the property.

Like the Sarno landfill deal, the appraiser's report has been manipulated by some of Jenkins' bureaucratic minions to give the property a highly inflated price.

Jenkins is trying to get the state to pay for it, but if that doesn't work, there is an item in his 1% sales tax hustle that is suspiciously close to the land's price.

"Jenks" likes to cover his options with your money.

You can read Part One of "The Anatomy of An Insider Land Deal" in this week's www.brevardwhistleblower.com.

And for those of you who may not yet have a computer, you can use one for free at the public library and receive assistance from the staff. (Isn't it time you joined the 21st Century?)

Also in this week's issue, we watch with growing fascination as our County Attorney "dangles in the wind" in our story "Knox Changes His Story ... Again."

Knox and his alleged bosses, the County Commission, are sounding increasingly confused over how he got his so-called "direction" (that he so loudly proclaimed he had) from the County Commission to NOT defend the County in the important law case, Burk vs Brevard County.

Commissioner Colon says there was an "executive session" that discussed the issue.

Knox first agreed with her, then changed his mind -- saying it wasn't an executive session but an e-mail he sent out -- and a few phone calls he made to commissioners, whose names he can't remember.

No commissioner is volunteering that he/she gave Knox "direction" over the phone.

That would be awfully illegal and unethical.

These things are supposed to be "in the sunshine" with a public vote.

You can read Knox's NEW explanation in this week's www.brevardwhistleblower.com.

Incidentally, as Knox keeps talking, he shows a shocking ignorance of state law.

His most recent letter to County Clerk Scott Ellis accuses Ellis of "acting as the agent for Mr. Maxwell" in obtaining documents from the County Attorney's office.

The facts are that I requested County Commission TRANSCRIPTS and related material from Mr. Ellis under Florida Statute 119 (the Public Information Act).

That act REQUIRES me to ask for records from those authorities charged with keeping the records sought.

The Clerk is the authority charged with making and keeping the County Commission's transcripts.

Brevard Insider is published 5 times a week except holidays at 1106 Ramblebrook St., Malabar, Fl. 32950. 321-956-0815. Fax: 321-956-8762. Email ESCMC@aol.com  Copyright 2003. Publisher Pond Press, Inc. Editor: Edward S. Clark. Assistant editor: Dan Warrensford. Contributing editors: Doug Doudney, J. D. Tucker, Michael Moehle, Bob Brewster, David Russell, Chuck Morley, Bill Love. Contrarian: Robert D. Clark. Researcher, Electronic distribution: Tim Wooley. Subscription price $6.50 per month.