‘Blatant Collusion’ Question Frays City-Chamber Relationship
by Anne Mooney / February 12, 2021
The Commission met Feb. 11 to discuss the deteriorating relationship between the City of Winter Park and the Winter Park Chamber of Commerce. The special meeting was necessary because a public meeting is the only way Commissioners can speak with one another to air opinions and exchange views.
At issue was a question posed at the Chamber-sponsored Feb. 5 debate between mayoral candidates that accused Commissioners of “blatant collusion” on a vote on the Henderson Hotel project, a vote that never took place.
Loaded Question
The debate question in its entirety reads as follows.
“It was dismaying to see the members of the city commission blatantly colluding to spike the Henderson project, which was approved by P&Z [Planning & Zoning] and was supported by the residents of Winter Park three to one over those opposing the project. As mayor, how would you ensure the commission enacts the wishes of the majority of WP residents, not just the agenda of an entitled few?”
Anderson campaign & Chamber issue joint statement
After a tense exchange between Chamber President Betsy Gardner Eckbert and mayoral candidate former Commissioner Phil Anderson about the propriety of the question, the Anderson campaign and the Chamber issued a joint statement that the two parties had “come to terms with the matter and look forward to placing it behind us in an effort to bring our community together.”
While that might have taken care of the issue for the Chamber and the Anderson campaign, the question was still circulating digitally through the community and the integrity of the sitting Commissioners continued to be impugned.
Commissioners want an apology
Commissioners Todd Weaver, Marty Sullivan and Sheila DeCiccio met in person Thursday afternoon to discuss the matter. Commissioner Carolyn Cooper participated remotely by phone later in the meeting. Mayor Leary was absent.
Commissioners expressed their desire to mend the rift between the Chamber and the Commission and to find an easier, more productive way to work together, while acknowledging that the missions of the Commission and the Chamber differ in several important respects.
Commission & Chamber Board should meet – soon
Commissioners agreed that a meeting between the Commission and the Chamber Board of Directors to address the issue should be scheduled as soon as possible. Commissioners also made clear an apology for the “blatant collusion” question was in order and would go a long way to calm troubled waters.
Allegations of collusion are defamatory
“That question was reviewed and allowed by the Chamber,” said Commissioner Sheila DeCiccio. “Such spurious and toxic allegations are, at their worst, defamation per se; and at the least, they are highly unprofessional and inappropriate. They have no place in a political debate.”
“Therefore,” DeCiccio continued, “the Chamber is complicit in staging the question, and the Commissioners deserve an apology for the baseless, false implication of collusion. Indeed, the people of Winter Park deserve an apology for having their Commissioners impugned.”
What obligation did Chamber have to vet debate questions?
Representing the Chamber was attorney Derek Bruce, who stated that he had advised Ms. Gardner-Eckbert not to speak and that he would speak on behalf of the Chamber.
‘Secret’ or ‘Brazen’?
Derek Bruce kicked off his remarks by noting that collusion is defined as a ‘secret agreement for fraudulent or unlawful purposes,’ but that the word blatant refers to something that is ‘brazenly obvious.’ He continued round the barn to explain that if a thing is blatant [obvious], it can’t really be collusion [secret]. Mr. Bruce conceded that reasonable people could disagree whether that question was appropriate, but he went on to dismiss it as “just two words in a question,” and not worth all the time and resources being spent on it.
No apology from the Chamber
When DeCiccio’s asked, “Is it your position that the Chamber has no responsibility to offer the Commission an apology for the question?” Bruce stated he had “not been authorized to issue an apology at this time.” When DeCiccio followed up with, “Is it your position that the Chamber has no responsibility to vet the questions in the debate?” Bruce avoided answering the question.
‘Hot Mic’ Moment
At this point, Vice-mayor Carolyn Cooper joined the meeting remotely by phone to object to the way the meeting was going, to the amount of time that had been allotted to Mr. Bruce, and to Mr. Bruce’s refusal to acknowledge that there was anything wrong with the “blatant collusion” question. Cooper, who broke into the conversation with the word ‘stupid’ later clarified that her interjection was intentional.
“Of course there was a problem with it,” said Cooper. “The question as presented accused this Commission of an illegal act. . . . The League of Women Voters has been doing [debates] for years, and they are very diligent about making sure no inappropriate questions are asked. I believe the Chamber has the same responsibility.“
City Attorney supports defamation claim, confirms question is not ‘protected speech’
At Cooper’s request, City Attorney Kurt Ardeman stated that he felt Commissioner DeCiccio’s recitation of the law was correct. “The law is pretty clear,” said Ardeman, “that when a writer publishes a defamatory falsehood with the knowledge that it was false, or with reckless disregard as to whether it was true or false, it is a defamatory statement. Now, you each are elected officials, and the bar is high; however as individuals you are protected against defamatory speech.”
Ardeman advised Commissioners to pursue meeting with the Chamber Board of Directors to reach some resolution and, if possible, to avoid any more back-and-forth between lawyers.
Commissioner Weaver asked Mr. Bruce if the Chamber would take down the debate video that was, at that time, playing on a continuous loop at the Mayflower. Mr. Bruce explained the video had been uploaded to Facebook and he didn’t know if it could be edited or taken down.
As of this writing the debate video is featured prominently on the Chamber website with the disclaimer, “The moderated portion of this forum includes questions from the public, and the views expressed by the public do not reflect the views of the Chamber of Commerce.” The disclaimer makes no promise of impartiality nor does it include an apology.
“Just two words” Wait for it. “I’m sorry”
The debate was presented in a public forum. Any question read that came from the public is obviously a question of public concern. If the commissioners, PRIOR to hearing oral presentations from both sides of The Henderson Hotel project, did in fact come to a group decision on their vote, than that is, in some form, collusion. Like it or not , when two or more get together and decide on a decision, that’s a form of collusion. I’m not saying that the commissioners did this , but if they did, than it is what it is. The commissioners work for the Winter Park residents . They have their job because it is the residents who put them in their seat . If a resident thinks that there may have been collusion in any form , that resident has a right to ask the question in a public forum , not limited to and including, a mayoral debate . The mayors are also employed and elected by the residents , so they should be willing to answer all questions , even those that they deem uncomfortable and inappropriate . These are positions that hold the power to change the culture and flavor of Winter Park, not to mention the economic structure. They are important positions and voters should choose wisely and informatively , therefore no question should be discounted . Let’s put our big boy and girl pants on and stop pointing fingers and using threatening legal prose to try and intimidate our chamber . It’s obvious that the sole purpose of that is to turn the blame in the other direction. This is gas lighting by the commission , pure and simple . If a mayoral candidate becomes this frazzled over one question posed during a debate , and commissioners on the side of that candidate have to run to his aide and lick his wounds , than maybe the job of being mayor is too much for that candidate . Enough of this ridiculousness . Leave the chamber alone – they work tirelessly for this community and don’t deserve the smear that they’re getting. How about stopping this nonsense and move forward with the jobs that you were elected to do, which is serving the community of Winter Park? Seventeen shops and restaurants have gone out of business on our beloved Park Ave. We are beginning to have a serious homeless problem. Those are just a few items that should be keeping you busy . Do you really have time to be crying for an apology because your feelings were hurt ?
What happened? The Chamber once was a respected organization providing leadership and support to businesses, but they’ve evolved into a political lobbying arm for out-of-scale development. Everyone with a shovel and hardhat is clamoring to build in Winter Park and the Chamber’s taken on the role of strong man partnership.
They miscalculated marketing when their attempt to close down Park Avenue miserably failed. They have lost relevancy with the merchants.
I recall they raised money to purchase restaurant food for those in need, however, we never saw a single follow up photo or story about these endeavors. Where did the Thrive money go? What happened to the funds the city doled out for them?
Last week was not a respectable debate between two candidates with a seasoned moderator, but a farcical game show. They have reached a new low by casting accusations of unlawful behavior on a respected Commission they don’t control. They aren’t going to expose themselves to an apology.
They might ask themselves why they are now in this pickle, losing power over the Commission. The answer would be because they created controversy by shoving through initiatives that benefited nobody. They have lost the community’s trust.
If your playbook has only one model objective – to get a bobblehead nodder in office to continue exploiting Winter Park – then don’t be surprised when the community backlash is mighty and your candidates are rejected. Citizens have long memories. The community benefit of the Chamber has passed; that is pretty much what we learned last week.
Where’s the “cancel culture” when we need it? CANCEL the Chamber’s ridiculous one-dollar a year lease with the City for their building! They bear significant responsibility for the increased traffic and congestion and decreased quality of life our residents now live with. It’s incongruous that they get a free ride while simultaneously cheering on and championing the increased density that forever erodes our village character. Their history speaks for itself. From the Carlisle to the Henderson, they’re forever on the side of major development, to the detriment of those of us who call Winter Park home. A sweetheart deal needs to disappear when, clearly, the honeymoon is long over!
I second all of your opinions. The Chamber has become a lobbying group for development and now we learn they are sponsoring dirty politics.
They condemn residents who want responsible growth as the “no people” and independent Commissioners who aren’t on the Chamber’s short leash as law breakers. I find it ironic they are housed in the Welcome Center because they aren’t very welcoming to the citizens.
Surely we have enough dirty politics on the national scene, I agree with commissioner DeCiccio that toxic allegations have no place in a political debate.
The pre-paid 99 year Chamber lease represents an incredibly sweetheart deal for the Chamber. For all practical purposes it is unbreakable. The City could opt to sell the Welcome Center but the C of C gets first right of refusal.
In 2005 the Carlisle was becoming a reality and this lease agreement was an outcropping of the Carlisle project moving forward.
The marriage between the Chamber and the City soured long ago.
Consider this lease a very bad pre-nuptial agreement for the City. Kip Marchman was the mayor in 2005 when the lease came into being.
$900,000 prepaid rent for a 99 year lease. Thanks to the actions taken in 2005 the city is over a barrel. The city checked in but they can never leave unless they wish to gnaw their own arm off to escape the snare.
The two words, while contradictory (as unnecessarily man-splained by Mr. Bruce), were accusatory and defaming. Another observation of the “question/statement” put forward by the Chamber, that the Henderson project “was supported by the residents of Winter Park three to one over those opposing the project” does not reflect the reality I observed.
I appreciate the Commissioners really listening to the objections of residents and others about having a very active venture open in a residential neighborhood. I wouldn’t want a hotel in my backyard!
I believe the lack of a second to the motion in support of the Henderson Hotel project WAS reflective of their enacting “the wishes of the majority of WP residents, NOT just the agenda of an entitled few” (including those who would profit).
Thanks for listening WPC Commissioners!!
Yes! I wondered what we would see if a random sample of the city was surveyed regarding the project. One cannot determine support by numbers that show up to a
meeting or those making a statement to the Chamber. To be fair to the Chamber, I would like to see their methodology, sampling procedures, and data file.
“Sorry Seems to be the Hardest Word” Sir Elton
What do the following have in common?
Petulant toddlers
Schoolyard bullies
Narcissists
The Winter Park Chamber of Commerce
If you guessed, they can’t say SORRY…you are right!
What happened to the FB post about this? Not the kind of reception you needed? And to Mr Kiamoto, the Chamber prepaid 900K for the lease. Perhaps investigate what the No People are feeding you. Kreskin, I know who you are. Mark, why the anonymity here?
Ok, ok, you have identified me. I did not see that coming. But I still support my brief statement that an apology is appropriate and the path forward. Why would the Chamber want to alienate some of the community? That is what I don’t understand. They could have said, “We are sorry. Let’s work together. Lets get lunch.” That would have been it.
Anne,
When are you going to tell us if Phil and Jennifer have donated to WP Voice? Or Sarah? Has she donated? I’d like to know if it was an LLC, Foundation, Inc. for either candidate. Transparency is good, right?
The Chamber gave $900,000 in 2007 to occupy 5,000 sf of 2nd floor space at the Welcome Center. The Chamber pays utilities, janitorial, repairs. And the Chamber paid to furnish the 2nd floor. If at any time the Chamber bails, the city gets the benefit of the $ and the improvements. In return, The Chamber promotes WP as a wonderful place to live, do business or visit. They just don’t mention the negative ninny’s that inhabit every city in America. https://winterpark.org/
A “negative ninny” according to my dictionary of insults defines that term as “a very smart person” “the inverse of ninny” “an attempt at an insult that backfires”
Your continued rude commentary like “negative ninny’s” towards the citizens and almost daily harassment of the WPV editor and others proves you aren’t our friends. Neither is the Chamber for that matter after last week’s debate and subsequent actions.
The Chamber contributed toward the construction of the building, but the city paid for most of it. The city also owns the land.
Instead of harping over who funds a private news service, you can use your time more wisely by investigating who contributed to the PUBLIC library/convention center construction and get back to us with a list.
The Chamber President and the Executive Director were MIA at Thursday’s special city commission meeting. Why was that? They sent paid counsel in their place who, by the way, couldn’t even wrangle a place-holder for an apology. Is this the leadership which Leadership Winter Park, a Chamber product, espouses? It’s not leadership. At best, it’s a dodge. You would think, with the current Chamber President a member of the accounting firm MSL CPAS and Advisers, that the accountability would start with the home team. After all, our community is at its core forgiving and congenial. It’s the pushy missteps and worse-than-half-truths about development which keep us thinking while we wait thru 2-3-4 traffic light cycles on Fairbanks or 17-92.
A couple folks need to understand that donors to the Chamber may donate unlimited amounts of money to the Chamber and can do so anonymously. Looking forward to release of full list of Chamber donors ….with amounts because certain people on this thread will righteously insist on that level of transparency for such a important community organization. Right?
Why attack Ms. Mooney based upon purely politically motives and suppositions?
Guess when we will see the Chamber donor list? When pigs fly, that’s when.
I’d like to see a list of who provides money to the Warners.
Remembering Lurlene Fletcher
The late Lurlene Fletcher, a Winter Park civic leader, once asked, “How come anybody want to build anything it always has to be on the West Side?”
Residents found a piece of paper titled “Winter Park Voice Donor List 2021” discarded on the pavement outside the donut shop.
On it were typed these names:
John Doe
Abraham Lincoln
Elvis
Marilyn Monroe
John F. Kennedy
Amelia Earhart
E.T.
Huck Finn
Babe Ruth
Hamilton Holt
Lassie
Louis Pasteur
Billy Graham
Fred Flinstone
Sun Tzu
(some more names illegible due to coffee, chocolate, jelly stains)
The anonymous comments allowed by Anne Mooney continue to contribute to a poisonous political atmosphere in Winter Park. Anne also allows those posting on the WPV Facebook page to selectively block access to their posts, and as such, Anne is supporting censorship.
WPV continues to be a silo for haters. Very sad for our city.
This post is the epitome of the pot calling the kettle black. No one else has come close to his efforts to inflame and exacerbate the “poisonous political atmosphere in Winter Park.” His epic rants are legendary and infamous in our halls of political discourse.
Wow, Pete Weldon. Can you say hypocrisy or what?
PS: Learn FB rules and policies on blocking. Maybe Ms. Mooney is not the one blocking your posts??
Pete, why you know only LEGITIMATE news organizations allow anonymous comments. Your blog used to allow them. It doesn’t any more. Why? Is it because the anonymous comments were too close to the truth for your editorial policy? Or was it because you and your ilk can’t attempt to intimidate and silence people if you don’t know their names?
So what bothers you so much about anonymous comments? Is it because readers have to focus on the CONTENT of the anonymous comments and not the NAME associated with it? And when readers focus on the content only it can make the comments more PERSUASIVE? Hmmmmm?
Well, Pete?
Maybe you should try commenting anonymously more often, Pete. People might take your comments seriously for a change.
Now we’re getting somewhere aren’t we? Hit a nerve? Hmmmm? Sorry.
Peter, First, you don’t need to be anonymous to contribute to poisonous political atmosphere in Winter Park. Second, I see you and several others on the WPV Facebook page posting your views, opinions, criticisms, etc… I have not been aware of any censorship on the WPV. In fact you are here and there! Your buddies are here and there! Who is blocked? Maybe if one posted curse words or photos of them in their leopard print speedos they would get censored. But for policy views-never. I think Anne had done a remarkable job moderating some very heated discussion.
Pete, are you implying that Winter Park Chamber of Commerce is a “hate group?”
Well are you?
After all, Pete, it was the ANONYMOUS question THEY read at the debate that is the subject of all this controversy.
If Henderson had brought in Rollins College as a partner it would have passed the City Commission easily. They NEVER refuse a Rollins request. Just take a look at the parking garage monstrosity on Fairbanks. Or the big new hotel they call a “dormitory” on Lake Virginia that is near single family homes. Or the big high rise business school they are fixing to put up on Interlachen.
This isn’t a joke. Yet, it’s a funny thing that Anderson is perhaps actually more aligned in his aims for Winter Park with Weldon and Warner than is Sprinkel.
Sprinkel remember is an order taker. She doesn’t really have a mind of her own on much of anything. If those who support her want her to do something, she’s all for it. If not, she doesn’t really care about it.
And that’s why Weldon and Warner are supporting her and not Anderson. They’ve known Sprinkel for a decade. So they know when they call her she will pick up the phone and listen to them.
Anderson may be significantly more productive in developing Winter Park than Sprinkel could ever be. One, because he will have less friction with the other Commissioners in getting his proposals approved than Sprinkel would, all having supported him for election.
But it just shows you Weldon and Warner like the access. And they know if Anderson wins, no matter how much development he’s able to run through the City Commission, he’s not going to answer their calls, and he’s not going to be appointing them to any City Boards, or “Task Force.”
So, they’d rather have potentially LESS development with Sprinkel as mayor – just because she’s their “girl.” And they’ll still be “somebody” at City Hall if she’s mayor. But if Anderson is mayor, they’ll be treated no different than any other residents. As if they were never in City government at all.
And that’s why they are making so much noise on the Voice.
Extra Extra Read All About It.
By golly, Weldon actually said something intelligent for once.
His post on todays’s Voice Facebook:
“If you are offended by free speech, you should not seek public office.”
Pete: You need a job. Please, please run for U.S. Senate/Fla and take on Marco Rubio. I’m sure your circular logic and special human touch would cripple his chances while taking your unique POV on “all things Pete” to new branded heights. Parler is waiting. Don’t be shy. This could easily become our most notorious WP export, something our Chamber could add to their growing resume as international tourists flock to see “where it all began.”
Defamatory or libelous speech is not protected speech. The first amendment is not absolute.
The question was improper and it was defamatory.
You can call for the commissioners to have thicker skins, but you cannot rewrite the parameters of protected speech.
Dog, what part of “shall make no law abridging the freedom of speech” don’t you understand?
Amendment I
Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the government for a redress of grievances.
You need to learn about the First Amendment. You can do it! The first amendment protects most speech but not all speech. I don’t mean to sound condescending but you must know, for example, that you can’t yell FIRE in a crowded theater. Nor are libel and slander protected speech. Check that out. It is true.
A politician who advertises herself as a “uniter” and “listener” while employing two political operatives whose only objective is to harass and create division among voters relinquishes any credibility to her claims.
I can’t help but think of how hypocritical it is for her to campaign she wants to be the “first female mayor” while using the town bullies as her sidekicks. Three petitions during her 9 years confirm her refusal to “listen” to the voters.
“WPV continues to be a silo for haters” is a toxic attack and offers no interesting debate on the issues. Warner/Weldon is the best advertisement Anderson could have hoped for.
The next Winter Park business to close may well be the Winter Park Chamber of Commerce. But don’t bet on it.
“Crisis” is no exaggeration about the current state of the Chamber.
The ages old business group, once thought to be a pillar of the City, now finds itself in a veritable public relations free fall as a cacophony of voices question its recent debate behavior, its relationship with the City government, its effectiveness at keeping storefronts occupied, and even its relevance in the 21st century.
As the Chamber ship reels from side to side during this most tumultuous period of it’s history, all eyes focus on its CEO, who seems to be ignoring the ship’s broken rudder as it heads full speed directly towards an iceberg.
How this will all turn out, nobody knows. But, on the other hand, if the Chamber’s mayoral “collusion” debate question was specifically designed to distract public attention away from residents learning too many inconvenient details about the background, character, and aspirations of the man who will become Winter Park’s next mayor, the cagy Chamber CEO may find herself come next month in the enviable position of “king maker.” And if so, she and her Chamber may find themselves enjoying more power at City Hall than ever before.
Your last paragraph pretty much takes the cake, as far as conspiracy theories go.
Why not send the destructive force that is the Chamber packing?
The 99 year lease is drawn to unilaterally favor the C of C while providing no out for the City other than to sell the Welcome Center.
Why not sell now? It is a Seller’s market. Prices are off the chart. The City can pocket a ton of dough even after buying out the lease term. Rollins will jump at the chance to buy another building in the central business district. And the city loves to sell to Rollins. Community events can be held in the new library/event center. The only loser is the C of C.
E. Warner on her Voice post, said of former Senator Bill Nelson, “He’s a bit long in the tooth” in response to an article mentioning him as a possible head of NASA.
Sprinkel, whom E. Warner supports for Mayor of Winter Park, would be the same age Nelson is now, 79, if she remained Mayor through the statutory term limit.
Here is the link to the countdown clock for the Winter Park Mayor Election March 9th. The countdown clock will go all the way down to 0 minutes when the polls close at 7:00 pm.
https://www.timeanddate.com/countdown/vote?iso=20210309T19&p0=867&msg=Winter+Park+Mayor+Election+Countdown+Clock&font=serif
Go Vote!
The Voice expert analysts are now projecting that Austin’s Coffee will be the next mayor of Winter Park.
During a last minute turnabout in voter sentiment, residents are today, by the thousands, writing in on their ballots Austin’s Coffee for mayor.
Due to low voter turnout estimated, and Voice projections of number of likely voters until polls close tonight at 7, Austin’s Coffee now appears to have enough votes to become the next mayor of Winter Park.
Sprinkel has filed a discrimination complaint with Orange County Elections Office in anticipation of Austin’s Coffee’s victory. The complaint reads in part, “Austin’s Coffee is not a woman. A woman has never been mayor of Winter Park. Therefore Orange County must declare me, Sarah Sprinkel, mayor of Winter Park.”
Anderson was overheard saying that he supports in scale coffee cups and in scale coffee mugs, signaling a possible behind the scenes smoke filled room deal with the popular Winter Park coffee cave for all the coffee grounds in the City.
Keep your eye on WP Voice for updates on this and all the latest election news!