The first incident involved our Clerk of Courts, Malcom Thompson; and the most recent, by our incumbent Commissioner Brandon Arrington at a public meeting at The Oaks subdivision, a meeting which I attended.  Both incidences occurred in public areas, resulting in at least one eyewitness each.  And the perpetrators in both incidences have so far denied the allegations.  Truly?

Is this really what constituents can now expect of our local politicians?

Just before I began my political campaign, I pledged to adhere to a set of principles, one of which requires me to write this letter.  It was a civility pledge. 

My civility pledge is this: To be civil in my public discourse and behavior; To be respectful of others whether or not I agree with them; and To stand against incivility when I see it. 

This letter is written to make a stand on incivility, because I believe I saw incivility that night at The Oaks.  What I saw? 

I saw hostility by our incumbent towards at least two in the audience, one of which happened to have been me, when I asked a few firm but respectful questions.  I saw a commotion in a group of people from which I saw our incumbent emerge, and I saw the alleged victim, Tony Ferentinos, coming to my side for advice. 

My stand on what I saw?  My stand is this: Public officials are role models for our children – to be sure – but each is also a tie, like a rope, that binds our communities together.  If our elected officials are being charged with shoving personnel and constituents, could one doubt that this might have a negative impact on civility within our county?

Just last year, county administrative offices setup a security system, which would prevent bad people from strolling into their camera-equipped chambers with handguns.  But before that security setup, there was no evidence of any bad people actually wanting to do something like that.  Now we see the irony of all that money spent on protection, as we, county residents, consider the price of pepper spray.

But seriously, being myself female, Hispanic and Polish — as well as being in the wrong place at the wrong time far too often — I have come one conclusion about this incivility that has infected our once peaceful county administrative offices.  Simply said, I call it bullying.

Child bullies do not always come from a “class,” a word heard during the Arrington incident.  They don’t always come from the poor or the uneducated.  They can come from anywhere and from almost anyone.  They can come from teachers in the classrooms to elected officials in public positions. 

What is considered bully behavior by children is certainly inappropriate behavior for every single adult in our great county of Osceola.  Regardless of his alleged behavior towards Mr. Ferentinos, Arrington’s behavior at The Oaks was inappropriate. 

Call it what you want: incivility or bullying, Arrington was wrong.  He was wrong for talking down to me during the meeting when he couldn’t answer my questions.  He was wrong for denying all of the charges when it was clear that some form of incivility occurred, and he was wrong to attempt to make the audience at The Oaks believe he had a plan for them when all he had was a piece of paper.  In the end, Arrington was not only wrong, he “royally wronged” the attendees at The Oaks that night. 

Notes

1. The letter above was sent to the Osceola News-Gazette but was not printed because of a "blackout" policy they have on "running" politicians during the six months prior to elections.
2. The orginal title of this letter was My View – Civility at Public Meetings.
3. Phrase “royally wronged” picked up from Osceola Commissioner John Quiñones in reference to Poinciana at a public meeting.
4. Orlando Sentinel covered a follow-up story on February 23, 2012.

Funding for this position would need to start with seed money from the county for about sixteen years.  The goal would be to have this division branch -- like the vultures currently in our county --  into multiple, private business ventures that would thrive on suing and winning cases against local vulture capitalists.  After the initial seed-money period, Osceola would reap its rewards by imposing a special fee for businesses of this caliber.  As well, Osceola could retain the rights to replicate its process in counties throughout Florida and the United States.

Got a better plan or another idea?  Please comment below.

I am unable to attend the Commissioners Meeting today but would like to let all of the Commissioners know that I strongly urge you to approve Poinciana Parkway. This alternate access in and out of Poinciana has been promised to residents for many, many years. I know it was "approved" even before I purchased my home here in 2002 and was a factor in me choosing to live in Poinciana. As I am sure you are all aware, there is essentially one access route to and from Poinciana that heads toward Orlando & Kissimmee. If the small bridge that runs over Reedy Creek is damaged in any way making it impassable, residents will be forced to drive many miles out of the way toward Haines City to get to Kissimmee or Orlando. I have seen bridges seriously damaged more than once before by a burning tractor trailer that melts metal infrastructure and heats concrete to the point of crumbling. In NJ, this caused I-80, a major thoroughfare from NYC to Pennsylvania to be closed for over a month. In that instance, there were local roads to use as alternates so traffic impact was not significant. In the case of Poinciana, if that one bridge is impassible, the impact will be significant!  

This long promised road will give residents another option to access to I-4 and I’m thrilled. While it will probably increase traffic on Marigold Road, which is only a few hundred feet from my home, I feel the option of having an alternate route to Orlando, Tampa and Disney will more than make up for the additional traffic in my area. Again, thank you Commissioners for making this happen. While I agree that it should have been built years ago on Avatar’s watch as originally promised, I commend our Commissioners for making it a reality.  I think the lesson to be learned here in Osceola County is that developers should be required to build access roads before or while they are in active selling and development mode as a condition for getting permits. Let’s not allow this to occur in the future. Keep the horse before the cart and make sure access roads are built before a new sub-division full of homes clog up existing roads worse than they are now! 

If you have any suggestion for articles you would like me to write about, feel free to email me at dt51@att.net with the subject on the email “Discussion Topic”.

I look forward to some good, healthy communications and debates!

Now it’s time for the boring legal stuff: All opinions expressed in this article are strictly my own and do not reflect the opinion of others. 

Debbie Conn

Note correction in green from my original note to the Commisioners (thanks Darhlene) - should be Reedy Creek not Boggy Creek!

As a civilized society, we cannot continue hiding and ignoring those in need, if for no other reason than it hurts tourism, which the incumbent apparently thinks is of more importance than helping his fellow Osceolans. Darhlene intends on changing this approach.

Darhlene will work with Cathy Jackson, Executive Director, Homeless Services Network, to eliminate homelessness. Darhlene will also work towards improving wages, worker safety, and affordable housing in safe areas of Osceola, not in our motels and slum rentals.

Of course, homelessness is not the only issue on which Darhlene's working. Register your email with our site, and we'll let you know when issues and Darhlene's positions are posted. If you have an issue that particularly burns you, let Darhlene know. She's the transparency candidate and will provide her position right here.

If you have any suggestion for articles you would like me to write about, feel free to email me at dt51@att.net with the subject on the email “Discussion Topic”.

I look forward to some good, healthy communications and debates!

Now it’s time for the boring legal stuff: All opinions expressed in this article are strictly my own and do not reflect the opinion of others. 

Debbie Conn

Did it really need to be that way?  Darhlene says, "No, it didn't."

What the people had to endure to obtain this hospital was something that should never have happened in a capitalist system and especially one based on freedom of speech.  That's why Darhlene works for Osceola and has been doing so for years.  In fact, Darhlene was one of the guiding forces that made District 3 a self-imposed Recovery Zone.   And, where was the incumbent when District 3 constituents suffered "agony" for a service that was truly a need? Who knows?

But he wasn't working for his constituents when he remained mainly absent during the period requiring the greatest amount of work from the community.  We also know that he was working on transportation issues, which included projects that would neither directly nor positively impact District 3.

The first time Darhlene Zeanwick met Fernando Valverde, he had asked why Darhlene she wasn't a part of the group of friends for the Poinciana hospital.  She explained that she tried.  In fact, Darhlene tried multiple times to join the group working for the establishment of District 3's hospital, but forces apparently working from within the Poinciana area prevented this from happening.  While Darhlene is still not sure whether it was incompetence, corporate control, lack of communication, overworked staff or volunteers, or a combination of any of these forces, it took years before her interest in volunteering for the hospital group made it to the hospital group.  By that time, Darhlene had joined other groups and, again, was a guiding force for District 3.  In the end, the people won their hospital and everyone's the better for it.

The people would also be the better for their future needs to elect Darhlene on November 6, sign a petition to help her qualify.  She is the cure for absent local representation and support and is a candidate who will help Osceola's commissioners work with the people of District 3 again.

Is she getting married? Does she not like her name? Did she make a mistake at the Supervisor of Elections office?

No, it's none of the above. Pronounced dar' leen zeen' wik, Darhlene Zeanwick is a multi-ethnic candidate. What this has to do with the name-change issue is that some in our community believe she should change her name to take on her mother's maternal/paternal last name as her own. Some are saying that people won't think Darhlene is Puerto Rican because her name doesn't look Puerto Rican. A couple of suggestions were:

• Darhlene "Rivera" Zeanwick
• Darhlene Zeanwick-Rivera

The second bullet is actually one of the customary naming structures for Puerto Rican children, and while Darhlene is Puerto Rican, this did not happen. Why?

Thankfully, it was too hard of a decision for her to make at birth, so her mother, Edith Rivera Zeanwick, chose the name Darhlene Esther Zeanwick.  Through this labor, so to say, Mother Zeanwick did not miss her need to connect her “first born” with her Hispanic background, and born was the silent letter "H" in her first name.

The H reflects the Hispanic pronunciation of the letter, and while Darhlene thinks of herself first and foremost as American, her multi-racial background has always been a player in her life. Through this life, she's developed a philosophy about names. It's Shakespearian. You may know it.

A rose by any other name ...

That's Darhlene's philosophy about names. Darhlene's cultural heritage includes not only Hispanic and Polish descents but Taino, Spanish, and other nationalities too. Above all, though, Darhlene wants to be known as the person who unites Osceola across our racial, national, and cultural identities and the one who makes Osceola whole again for each one of us and for all. 

BTW, the name I chose is Darhlene Zeanwick, because that's my birth name minus the "Esther," and that's the name most know me by.  I hope you will agree, it's a fine name.

I have served in a number of positions in a volunteer capacity at various times:

• North Jersey Legends Harley Owners Group, Inc. – a 501(3)(c) not for profit corporation as Director, Assistant Director, Treasurer
• Poinciana Homeowners Association as Treasurer
• The ConGaloosh Society, Inc. - a 501(3)(c) not for profit corporation as founding Board of Directors member, Treasurer and Secretary
• AARP as event volunteer
• American Diabetes Association as event volunteer

Several years ago I met the best guy in the world and we have been married since December 2007 so you may know me by my name before I got maried, Debbie Tomasino. While neither of us is perfect, we’re perfect for each other and it’s been a great trip! Claude is always very supportive of my “crusades”!  We also enjoy our pets and visiting Disney frequently. Oh yeah, and we both ride Harley-Davidson motorcycles and are building a 1955 Dodge 2 door wagon Hot Rod!  

I tend to play Devil’s Advocate. I enjoy a good debate. I also can usually understand why the other person has the opinion they have and can be swayed if given enough evidence and good reasons to change how I feel. I’m usually easy going but the worst thing you can do to me is deceive me or lie to me. I also don’t like to be ignored when trying to get information or resolution to an issue!!!  The more you ignore me, the more pesky I become.

I can guarantee you won’t agree with all of the comments I express in these columns but my goal is to get residents thinking, talking and taking action. If you don’t like (or do like) something being done on OUR community, speak up, attend meetings, contact our political representatives and definitely VOTE!!!!! Taking no action indicates you just don’t care. If you aren’t vocal and don’t VOTE then you have no right to complain about the direction our community and our country are headed.

As a note I want to mention that I just recently met Darhlene Zeanwick in person (we’ve been emailing & Facebooking for quite some time) and I feel she genuinely has the interest of District 3 in mind in her run for County Commissioner. Keep in mind that all comments in my articles are strictly my own and do not necessarily match how Darhlene feels about a topic so I welcome her comments as well as comments from everyone else. I’m pretty thick skinned so don’t be shy. I just ask that everyone is respectful of others opinions with no name calling or vulgar language.  

If you have any suggestion for articles you would like me to write about, feel free to email me at dt51@att.net with the subject on the email “Discussion Topic”.

I look forward to some good, healthy communications and debates!

Debbie Conn

Before coming to Florida, Darhlene had been a homeowner in Virginia for almost 20 years.   In Virginia, Darhlene's money could buy her another, better house, while that same money in Florida could buy little more than a fixer-upper in a state that claims to have among the lowest costs of living in the nation.  So, Darhlene pushed on, bought a house, and in two years, she turned that ugly little house to a view neighbors enjoyed.  In 2008, when she ended an abusive spousal relationship, she lost everything including her home, all without any hope of recovery.

As a community organizer, logging over 6,000 hours (three years, full time) in District 3 work, Darhlene’s seen this kind of devastation first-hand throughout Osceola County.  In fact, before the problems in Osceola made it to national news with the airing of CBS’ 60 Minutes special on central Florida’s homeless, Darhlene was already making others aware of the problem but to no avail.  Why? 

It is because your current Board of County Commmissioners (BOCC) thinks it is not the county's problem.  Darhlene says, "They are wrong."  It is the responsibility of local government to handle local problems.  Hard-working residents of Osceola have been neglected for decades by county officials, who have allowed thousands to bear the same fate as Darhlene.   It is this neglect that brought Darhlene to consider doing her part to move Osceola into a new direction (or, paradigm, if you will). 

Above all else, Darhlene vows to act responsively to county constituents, especially in District 3, Osceola's first majority-minority district. For these and many more reasons, Darhlene is running for commissioner of Osceola’s third district and asks for your vote on on November 6, 2012.

You do not need to register to comment,

so please comment below!