CPA: Walsh Ouster Recap

By now, I am sure followers have learned of the board-led ouster by the Canaveral Port Authority Commissioners of embattled CEO John Walsh. I am going to go into my thoughts about the ouster in a couple of days, but wanted to post a quick recap of coverage from the media. 

Florida Today's Dave Berman has been on top of the story from the beginning and has some great info. 

Paul Brinkman of The Orlando Sentinel gave his take. 

One of the most in-depth pieces on the subject (along with video) was posted by The Brevard Times In addition to outlining the major reasons commissioners called for Walsh's ouster, they included the video that shows Walsh displaying EXACTLY why they want him gone. I hesitate to say fire, as they didn't terminate him; they voted to accept his resignation effective in Jan. 2016. More on that later. 

Space Coast Daily also go in on the action as well:

More from me over the weekend, but hopefully folks in the five Port Districts will keep the pressure on to send Mr. Walsh packing with his bags brimming with cash — sooner rather than later.

Presentation for The League of Women Voters for the Space Coast

I had the opportunity to present opposing views to Port Canaveral's embattled plan to hew an 11-mile-long heavy cargo, diesel-powered railway through the northern Banana River and Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge on Saturday to the League of Women Voters Space Coast Chapter. 

Other speakers included Greg Wiener from Brevard County's Economic Development Council, Marcia Gaedcke with the Titusville Chamber of Commerce and Sue Ford, former Canaveral Port Commissioner. You can read Dave Berman's Florida Today article about the forum here, or watch the recorded version of my presentation below.

Questions Mount About Port CEO's Raise and Extension

“Walsh should spend more time working to improve and develop what we have, instead of constantly wanting to develop more. Bigger is not always better.”

— CPA Chairman Jerry Allender

“John is getting a reputation for telling people what they want to hear, but then doing the opposite. John needs to faithfully implement policies and decisions made by the commission, not try to undermine decisions he does not agree with.”

— CPA Commissioner Bruce Deardoff

“Walsh does not take criticism from staff or public... there is a lack of direction and oversight (among department heads and managers) when Walsh is away. Some managers are “afraid to make decisions” if Walsh is away.”

— CPA Chairman Jerry Allender

A fascinating story broke on Friday written by my colleague Dave Berman at Florida Today Newspaper. Berman took a look at Canaveral Port Authority's embattled CEO John Walsh and his performance reviews from 2014 and 2015 and what appears to be a growing rift between Walsh and at least three commissioners who hammered him on his 2015 evaluation. 

“John continues to do a good job,” but “is being very brusque with the public, which creates unnecessary bad feelings.”

— CPA Commissioner Hank Evans

Walsh's harshest critic was CPA Chairman Jerry Allender, which is surprising. Despite Allender, Com. Hank Evans and Com. Bruce Deardoff giving Walsh scathing reviews, Allender — at the very end of their Aug. 26 meeting and following public comment — brought forth a motion to raise Walsh's pay to $250,747 per year, a 5.4-percent raise. They also decided to extend Walsh's contract two years to 2018. Neither of the topics was on the agenda, and just prior to bringing up the subject Allender chastised Walsh and staff for not bringing agenda items to them in a timely manner.

The vote was not unanimous, however. Just before Allender started discussing the compensation issue, Evans stood up and left the chamber. Walsh's compensation and contract passed 4-0 with commissioners Allender, Deardoff, Justice and Weinberg voting in favor of it.

Walsh: Opponents Move "Untimely, Cowardly."

Seems like everybody is coming down on embattled Port Canaveral CEO John Walsh for remarks made during an Aug. 26 Canaveral Port Authority meeting where he referred to voters andtax-payers as "Luddites with websites," "radicals," "dogs," and "people whose own children can't make them happy."

But, hey. He apologized for those remarks. What's done is done. Story over, right?

Well, not so fast.

What Walsh neglected to include in his apology were denigrating statements aimed at County Commissioner Jim Barfield and other rail-route opponents in an email to Brevard County Commissioner Andy Anderson.

The email in question with subjectline Jim Barfield Resolution,  was obtained via public records requests by tedlund.com. Walsh sent the impassioned plea to Anderson on Aug. 31, just days after his "Luddite" comments at a public Port meeting.

In the email, he referred to opponents as "untimely cowards," and appealed to Anderson's Palm Bay roots by pointing out potential job growth for his district based on the Port's growth.

Just one problem.

Anderson's district is in the far southern reaches of the county and doesn't even have representation on the Canaveral Port Authority board.

Walsh went on to say "I am counting on you to do the right thing. You have always been a proven growth leader. " and "We need to see your leadership and commitment to a better Brevard County and a strong and diverse economy. Growth has always been your mantra and as an economic developer you know its value."

Walsh also referred to Brevard County as a "second-class county and community," and said that a vote in favor of Barfield's resolution opposing the Port's Merritt Island rail routes would assure that it would be, because his was a "backward viewpoint."

It's an interesting choice of words. Now, rather than just picking on his opponents, Walsh is slamming the entire 72-mile long county and all of its 560,000 residents.

His final line?

"Please vote 'NO' on the proposed resolution."

Walsh had better hope his public apology carried more weight than his email to Anderson. Barfield's resolution passed unanimously, amidst Anderson displaying his displeasure with Walsh and the rest of the CPA leadership in closing remarks just prior to voting.

58 Reasons John Walsh Should Be Fired?

Back in the spring, at an April 30th "informational meeting," Port Canaveral CEO John Walsh claimed that the US Air Force had given him a list of "58 Reasons that Port Canaveral rail couldn't go through the Cape Canaveral Air Force Station." 

Numerous times, Walsh had mentioned to this writer (when he was still talking to me) and others in the community — including former Port Commissioner Sue Ford and No Fill, No Kill organizer Capt. Alex Gorichky — that he would provide copies of the list.

But he never did.

Then other people started asking about.

And Walsh hemmed and hawed and failed to produce the document. Finally, after nearly a month of chasing it, we reached out to the 45th Space Wing and asked their public affairs chief about it. Here's what he had to say:

After receiving that response, my interest was piqued and I reached out again to Walsh, who denied my public records request on the grounds that the USAF had asked the port not to release any data they shared with them. 

At least that story was partially true.

Sensing something was up, I reached back out to the 45th Space Wing, which was able to clear up some of the confusion:

• Up to that point, the USAF and CCAFS have never been asked about Port Canaveral rail being routed through CCAFS.
• John Walsh appeared to be referencing a PowerPoint presentation that was created in 2012, long before Walsh was named CEO. (That presentation is in PDF form at the bottom of this post.)
• CCAFS officials were puzzled as to why the CPA was referencing outdated material.
• The PowerPoint presentation was actually developed in regards to possible rail needs for commercial space exploration by Space X and others.
• The USAF and CCAFS didn't have an opinion on Port Canaveral's rail because they had never been asked — and therefore couldn't offer any opinion. And even if they had, they would have to develop a whole new report since the info contained in the document referenced by Walsh was nearly 3 years old.
• And this was the most interesting part: Even if you added all of the slides and the bullet points containing concerns together, they wouldn't total 58.

But because it was "official use only," I still hadn't been able to obtain a copy of the presentation in question.

And low and behold, the day John Walsh apologized to the community for referring to opponents of his embattled cargo rail plan as "Luddites, dogs and radicals," whose "own children can't make them happy," what should appear in my inbox?

A copy of the USAF PowerPoint, marked as unclassified, but pre-decisional and for official use only sent to tedlund.com by a source close to the situation: 

When you delve into it, the document is 11 pages long, and only provides 20 specific concerns that the USAF had for its OWN PEOPLE — not for the CPA.

And, just lIke the 45th Space Wing said: "If you added up the slides and all of the concerns, they wouldn't even come close to 58."

It's 31 to be exact. What happened to the other 27?

Perhaps they haven't been declassified yet. Emails to Walsh as well as commissioners Allender, Weinberg, Evans, Deardoff and Justice on the subject were not returned as of late Thursday.

It's just another really good illustration of Walsh's "win at all costs" attitude to push this commercial rail project through despite public opposition. He's willing to stop at nothing — including concocting fictitious government documents — in order to get his way.

It's a pattern we've seen all too much of at Port Canaveral as of late and there seems to be a single common denominator here.

And unfortunately — for John Walsh at least — there seems to be only one inevitable solution to this troubling equation.

Port Canaveral CEO and Plan Under More Scrutiny

In the wake of denigrating comments directed at voters opposed to plans for a heavy cargo, diesel-powered rail extension — and unanomous opposition to the rail's planned routes from Brevard County Commissioners  — Port Canaveral CEO John Walsh is getting all kinds of press.

And it's not the kind you want when you are attempting to hew an 11-mile-long railway through a federally-managed manatee sanctuary and National Wildlife Refuge.

First, there was this above-the-fold feature by The Orlando Sentinel looking at possible environmental impacts as well as the gravity of Walsh's comments — which were backed up by a prepared PowerPoint including his disparaging comments on the screen:

Then, there was this Weekly Champ and Chump pick from The Orlando Sentinel:

Port CEO John Walsh is The Orlando Sentinel's Chump of the Week for attacking opponents to his agency's beleaguered rail plan that many see as a threat to the Banana and Indian River lagoons and Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge.

One question remains: How long will Mr. Walsh have a job? Can anybody think of another public employee who openly lambasted voters and taxpayers, calling them "Luddites" and "dogs"  — as captured on video — who still has their position?

John Walsh makes disparaging remarks aimed at voters and taxpayers opposed to the CPA's controversial plan for a heavy cargo rail line through the Banana River and Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge. 

A FEW QUESTIONS FOR JOHN WALSH

Port Canaveral Executive Director and CEO John Walsh seems to be generating more questions than he is answers following his disparaging statements about taxpaying voters in the five Port districts in an August 26 public meeting of the CPA. I took the chance to pose a couple of questions from the excerpts of his talk about Luddites and the irony that they (we) have a website. 

See for yourself:

Speaking Before the Brevard County Commission

I had the opportunity to speak during the public comment period at a zoning meeting before the Brevard County Commission the other night prior to their vote on supporting Jim Barfield's resolution opposing Port Canaveral's proposed rail extension through the Northern Banana River. The resolution passed unanimously, with all five commissioners voting in favor. Here's what I had to say prior to the vote:

CPA's John Walsh: Luddites Go Away!

With overseas cargo numbers softening and increased opposition from other Florida seaports, the Canaveral Port Authority is feeling the sting as opposition grows for its embattled plan for an 11-mile-long heavy cargo railway that would hew its way through a National Wildlife Refuge, federally managed manatee sanctuary and hundreds of miles of endangered wetlands.

But CPA executive director, John Walsh, has a message for taxpayers and voters opposed to his plan for environmental reasons: Luddites, Go Away!

Really, I just don't know what to say.

I am at a loss for words — and that is rare.

 So, I'll let John Walsh say it himself in his role as a public employee (executive director) of the Canaveral Port Authority at last week's board meeting. He was giving a presentation on the "feeling out in the community."

Apparently, you are either with him or against him. If you aren't familiar with the term 'Luddite,' you can check it out here. Please also note that he didn't just say it, but he also wrote and published it in a PowerPoint slide.

If, after the video, you have an opinion on the rail, either for or against, you'll find the email addresses for Mr. Walsh, the five port commissioners as well as all five Brevard County Commissioners, who will be considering a resolution Sept. 3 at 5 pm in Viera opposing a Merritt Island rail route. 

If you can figure out how to plug in the computer, drop them a line.

Brevard County Commission

Robin Fishier, District 1 and Chair
robin.fisher@brevardcounty.us

Jim Barfield, District 2 and Co-Chair
jim.barfield@brevardcounty.us

Trudie Infantini, District 3
trudie.infantini@brevardcounty.us

Curt Smith, District 4
curt.smith@brevardcounty.us

Andy Anderson, District 5
andy.anderson@brevardcounty.us

Canaveral Port Authority

John Walsh, Executive Director
jwalsh@portcanaveral.com

Jerry Allender, Chair
jallender@portcanaveral.com

John H. Evans
hevans@portcanaveral.com

Thomas W. Weinberg
tweinberg@portcanaveral.com

R. Bruce Deardoff
bdeardoff@portcanaveral.com

Wayne Justice
wjustice@portcanaveral.com

 

CPA's Allender: Some People Shouldn't Be as Interested As They Are

I have to say, the folks at the Canaveral Port Authority have a rather rich sense of humor and  peculiar knack for dealing with the voting and tax-paying public in a rather cheeky manner. Whether its one commissioner referring to folks that don't agree with them as "CAVE" people (Citizen's Against Virtually Everything), or hired help John Walsh attacking members of the mainstream and social media's journalistic credentials, they always seem to keep it light.

But through all the mirth, they seem to have lost touch with the image above. It illustrates perfectly where the CPA's power emanates from; it's the largest grey shaded cell at the very top of the image. The one that represents the registered voters in the five port districts. 

So, without further adieu, here's Jerry Allender and his laugh parade during the opening of August 26th's public meeting of the CPA. He's really appreciative of community involvement — as long as you agree with whatever they want.

After watching the video, make sure to let Comm. Allender know where you stand at jallender@portcanaveral.com. You can also let the other commissioners know as well: hevans@portcanaveral.com, tweinberg@portcanaveral.com, bdeardoff@portcanaveral.com, wjustice@portcanaveral.com. 

Canaveral Port Authority's Dubea Flexes Propeller Club's Muscle

CPA Deputy Director Jim Dubea

In the wake of revelations that the Canaveral Port Authority has hired an environmental hitman in the form of high-powered DC lawyer/lobbyist Kathryn Floyd in order to side-step government oversight and minimize citizen impact, the Canaveral Propeller Club is getting in the act, disparaging fellow Propeller Club member and District 2 County Commissioner Jim Barfield.

In the email above, sent to Propeller Club members Monday afternoon, and obtained by tedlund.com, Dubea urged members to contact County Commissioners in an attempt to discredit Barfield and derail his resolution, scheduled for consideration in the County Commission Chambers in Viera, Thursday starting at 5 p.m. 

The email came from Propeller Club president Jim Dubea, but contained several attachments under official CPA cover. It included links to last Wednesday's Port Canaveral Rail Presentation by Floyd, a copy of Barfield's resolution and a sample letter for interested parties to cut, paste and forward to Commissioners. It was a clear attempt by the Propeller Club (and the CPA) to reign in County Commission and prevent them from taking any action that doesn't agree lock-step with the Canaveral Port Authority agenda.

There's just one problem.

Jim Dubea, if you aren't aware, is the CPA's point person for its rail project as well as government relations. When not inciting Propeller Club members to turn on each other and disparage local elected officials, he's hard at work at his day job as Port Canaveral's deputy director for government and strategic partnerships.

That's right: The CPA deputy director for government and strategic partnerships is openly attacking a sitting, elected official whose district encompasses Port Canaveral.

Dubea was at executive director John Walsh's side at the drubbing he took during the port's ill-fated, April 30th public informational meeting. After 23-years in the United States Coast Guard, he had this to say about a potential terror attack on port facilities via cargo container:

Dubea was also at Kathryn Floyd's side during the CPA's Aug. 26th meeting after the professional environmental regulatory ninja conveniently showed up to give Port Commissioners a primer on the current status of the rail process so that the CPA could educate the County Commissioners.

I believe our County Commissioners are smarter than that.

Port Touts Rail Expert to County Commission, Forgets One Key Detail

Last week, Canaveral Port Authority Chair Jerry Allender came out swinging at Brevard County Commissioner Jim Barfield after news broke that the District 2 Commissioner was putting forth a resolution opposing any Canaveral Rail Extension that traversed the Indian and Banana River lagoons as well as Merritt Island.

Earlier this week, Allender penned the letter above to the County Commission, chiding them on the irresponsibility of acting on Barfield's resolution and even provided the commissioners with notes and a video link to a presentation from a "rail expert" who spoke at last week's CPA meeting. That was the very same meeting where Allender and other commissioners took a number of potshots at Barfield, Florida Today's Dave Berman and other members of the media and "people who really shouldn't be as interested in what the port is doing as they are."

But as has come to be a hallmark of CPA leadership over the past 30 years, they didn't particularly come clean with all the details on their "rail expert," Kathryn Floyd. She's not an engineer. She doesn't build railroads. 

No. Instead, Floyd is a high-powered Washington attorney/lobbyist with the gold-plate DC firm, Venable LLP. 

Despite the CPA leaving this fact out, you can't really blame them for hiring her. If you go to the firm's website, you can read her professional biography. She's very good at what she does:

In addition to having "extensive experience counseling companies regarding controversial hot-button projects that draw attention from regulatory agencies and outside groups threatening litigation or disruptions. Ms. Floyd consistently helps clients shape strategic responses and catalogue a documented record to minimize risk, advance approvals and, when necessary, beat back lawsuits. Many of these engagements arise when clients’ projects face opposition under environmental laws such as the National Environmental Policy Act, the Clean Water Act, the National Historic Preservation Act and the Endangered Species Act. 

In other words, Ms. Floyd is a hired gun who knows how to navigate the green tape, minimize public input in the process and get her clients the desired result — exclusive of environmental regulations or public wishes.

For the Canaveral Port Authority, it's a match made in heaven. And she doesn't just work with railroads. Ms. Floyd has a number of clients in the energy sector — mainly mining, drilling and fracking.

That's your public money at work right there — paying Kathryn Floyd to work against you and your environment.

Complete Canaveral Port Authority Meeting

For those that weren't able to attend, here's the complete Canaveral Port Authority Meeting. Pay special attention to all of the snide comments directed at the public, as well as Brevard County Commissioner Jim Barfield.

What I see on display here is what has disenfranchised so many people with the American political system today; the attitude that you're either with us or against us. No middle ground, no compromise. Based on the way that I've been dealt with via email by the Executive Director, John Walsh and watching these comments and chuckles from the elected commissioners, it is clear that the disdain for the voting, tax-paying public runs deep. 

If you skip to the end at the public comments, you'll be able to watch oceanographer Mitch Roffer's impassioned plea for some sort of support from the commission to keep our NOAA weather buoys on line. I'll be posting an index of interesting things to view. Enjoy the Canaveral Port Authority in their own words.

CPA's Exploration Tower posts $400k loss YTD

Yes, I know the photo on the opener of this post isn't Exploration Tower — it's ET's sister building, the Burj Khalifia in Dubai.

But as the Canaveral Port Authority tries to figure out exactly what its identity and business model are, it would appear that building and operating world class attractions for a captive audience of cruise ship passengers isn't a part of it. 

Exploration Tower, the Port's homage to Dubai's Burj Al Khalifa, has posted an approximate $400k loss YTD for the first 10 months of the fiscal year, according to the port's Executive Director, John Walsh in this video clip from the Aug. 26th CPA commission meeting. 

The news isn't any better on the cargo front; true to last year's results, cargo has failed to live up to their expectations and projections. Now they're moving on to developing hotels, restaurants and possibly an aquarium. 

Watch the report from the port in their own words and images here. You'll want to skip to 02:52 in the timecode but make sure to watch Comm. Jerry Allender's comments that appear to indicate how they feel about the public's engagement in their process:

Comments from Port Canaveral ED John Walsh and Finance Director Rodger Rees.

The Burj Al Khalifa, Dubai, UAE

Fight for Canaveral Buoys Continues

Buoy 410090 (the Canaveral 20-m buoy), one of two funded by NASA for the now defunct shuttle program, is scheduled to go offline next spring.

Here's a piece I just wrote about Mitch Roffer (Roff's Ocean Forecasting) efforts to keep two critical weather buoys in operation off the east coast of Central Florida for Florida Today. I have to commend Mitch for his efforts, the Canaveral Port Commission for going against that stated wishes of embattled executive director John Walsh and to District 2 County Commissioner Jim Barfield for also taking up the cause. 

Barfield and the Port have recently been at odds, as Barfield is introducing a resolution to the commission that opposes the Canaveral Commercial Rail Extension — a plan that would hew a 17-mile-long heavy cargo railroad over and through a federal manatee sanctuary, national wildlife refuge and critically endangered marginal wetlands habitat. 

Public comment will be heard and the resolution voted on Thursday, September 3, 2015, 5 PM Building C, first floor, in the Commission Chambers at 2725 Judge Fran Jamieson Way, Viera.

All interested parties (for or against) are encouraged to attend.

Resolution Opposing Port Rail from Brevard County Commissioner Barfield

As previously mentioned, Brevard County District 2 Commissioner Jim Barfield is presenting a resolution opposing the Canaveral Commercial Rail Extension at the commission's Sep. 3. meeting. We've obtained a copy of the resolution, which was written with the help of numerous stakeholders within Brevard County, including former Port Commissioner Sue Ford and NoFill NoKill founder, Alex Gorichky.

The meeting will be held in the County Commission Chambers, Building C, First Floor, Viera Government Center beginning at 5 p.m. on Sep. 3. Opponents and supporters of the rail project will be given 5 minutes each to speak on the topic. 

For more information, visit Ford's website and online petition or NoFill NoKill on Facebook. 

They Must Not Have Gotten The Memo...

Kirk Damon Osborne

In 1994, 72-percent of Florida's voters approved the constitutional amendment banning the use of entanglement (gill) nets in Florida waters. Apparently, these two hard-working 'Murican commercial fishermen didn't get the memo...

Todd Jay Brown

My colleague Jim Waymer at Florida Today brings us the tale of Todd Jay Brown, and Kirk Damen Osborne who were both arrested and face third-degree felony charges for allegedly possessing an illegal gill net or entangling net. Brown was also cited for allegedly possessing an oversized red drum and a tarpon without a tarpon tag, both second-degree misdemeanors. Read his story here.

1,399 Lionfish Killed in One Dive

This is just amazing. Alex "The Lionfish Killer" put this video together during the 2015 Jacksonville Lionfish Rodeo. In two dives his team killed 1,399 of the invasive species. That's a lot of good eats and a serious blow struck for the environment!

An Open Letter to the Brevard County Commission On the Upcoming Resolution

Dear Commissioner:

My name is Ted Lund. I am an internationally-published writer, photographer and editor specializing in recreational angling, marine conservation and environmental issues. I was born and raised in Cocoa Beach, reside in District 2 and my career path has been directly influenced by the natural resources found along the Space Coast.

I am writing on behalf of the Banana River Lagoon and North Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge (NMINWR) — which have no voice. 

I ask that you support Comm. Barfield’s resolution opposing the Canaveral Port Authority’s plans to erect a commercial cargo railway through Merritt Island.

The Banana River Lagoon — as part of the larger Indian River Lagoon complex — was designated an Estuary of National Significance under the National Estuary Program in 1987. A part of the NMINWR, this portion of the lagoon has been off-limits to mechanically-propelled vessels since 1991. This federally-managed refuge is home to the world’s largest concentration of endangered West Indian manatees as well as the largest breeding rookery of brown pelicans on the planet. In addition, it houses the last near-virgin stands of turtle and manatee grass left in the 156-mile-long IRL. More than 100,000 acres of seagrass have been lost lagoon-wide over the past decade; this area serves as a recharge zone for the rest of the lagoon thanks to conservation plans implemented in the 1950s with the arrival of NASA.

The lagoon and surrounding environmentally sensitive wetlands are home to dozens of vulnerable, threatened and endangered species including gopher tortoise, indigo snakes, four different species of sea turtles, Florida scrub jays, wood storks, snail kites and the iconic symbol of our great nation, the bald eagle.

In concert with the Indian River Lagoon, the Banana River Lagoon and NMINWR contribute nearly $750m in economic impact to our area via crucial jobs in the commercial and recreational fishing industries as well as through other tourism-related activities including paddleboarding, kayaking, windsurfing, birdwatching, ecotours and more. 

Your commission — in concert with regional, state and national lawmakers — is in the process of allocating nearly $10b to preserve and restore these fragile resources after more than a century of unbridled development and abuse.

All of these things either mean something or they don’t.

The Canaveral Port Authority’s plan to hew an 11-mile commercial cargo railway through the northern Banana River and environmentally sensitive wetlands on the margins of the Banana River Lagoon create a clear and present danger to a nationally-significant natural resource.

In closing, I ask that you err on the side of the resource and support Comm. Barfield’s resolution. Greed and myopic vision have brought us to this point; your long-term vision and concern for our community, its residents and resources can help us steer clear. 

No projected economic impact warrants the long-term, environmental, quality-of-life and socio-economic devastation that this project would inflict on Brevard County and its residents.

Sincerely,

Ted Lund

—

Ted Lund

Editor

tedlund.com

Twitter: @tedlundoutdoors