COMMENTARY
MILT THOMAS
One of my favorite cartoons shows two, old, emaciated men with long, scraggly beards and torn clothing chained to a stone wall with no ceiling and no floor, cobwebs hanging from their shackled arms. One says to the other, “Now here’s my plan….”
That brings us to one of the most controversial subjects these days, All Aboard Florida. It seems that just about everyone opposes their planned high speed passenger train scheduled to pass through Indian River County 32 times a day at speeds of 110 miles per hour without stopping anywhere between Orlando and West Palm Beach. Elected officials and citizens alike have protested this venture with unparalleled letters to the editor, letters to the state, federal government and AAF itself. We published a guest editorial by P. Michael Reininger, President and Chief Development Officer of All Aboard Florida, that received all negative comments from readers.
But here’s the thing – the major Florida markets want it, the governor, Florida Department of Transportation and even the federal government wants it. So, it’s going to happen. We know AAF’s plan, at least enough of it to know they are confident it will become reality, so what is our plan if that happens?
In other planning news, at last week’s County Commission meeting, the updated Gifford Neighborhood Plan was preliminarily approved by a 5-0 vote. The folks in Gifford are delighted, for the most part, that finally some longstanding problems will be dealt with. Isn’t it great when a plan comes together?
But what if you don’t have a plan? While we are all huffing and puffing about how we don’t want All Aboard Florida, it is going to happen with or without our approval. If it doesn’t, probably for some reason yet to be determined, I’ll be the first to admit I was wrong. But consider this: Why do we buy insurance even though we don’t plan to have an auto accident, or a house fire, or a hurricane? Because we need to be prepared if and when those things happen.
Why don’t we prepare for the high speed train coming our way in about two or three years? Don’t we want to push for safety upgrades and quiet zones? Or do we think AAF and the state will do the right thing and gift us with the best safety upgrades and quiet zones technology has to offer, especially after we have bashed their plan at every turn? I think not.
We’ve heard about the need for sealed corridors, but does the AAF plan include sealed corridors? (Does the state even have a high speed rail rules and regulations?) In recent years, most train crossing casualties on Florida’s east coast have involved pedestrians. With sealed corridors they can’t try to beat the train.
And without quiet zones, these high speed trains will blast horns that can be heard just about everywhere in the county, 32 times a day, or two per hour.
If we put as much energy into coming up with a plan, laying out our rights as a community as we do standing on soapboxes and waving our fists, we might be prepared when the inevitable happens. Or we can wait, like those two old men shackled to the wall, and come up with a plan after All Aboard Florida becomes a reality.
Indian River Guardian 
Unfortunately just the word “plan” sends politicans into a frenzy. They don’t want to do anything that has long term goals and objectives because doing so might jeopardize their chance for re-election. They don’t want to do anything in the near term because supporting a particular project may not be accepted by the local folks and the media.
In facing the situation about what to do, the old standby is to flip a coin. However, the option chosen for most politicians is to do nothing.
There is a reason that our current U. S. Congress has won the dubious distinction of being labeled a “Do Nothing Congress.” So our local elective officials look at the political environment at all levels and decide the best course of action is to do nothing.
Mr. Thomas – in reference to the Gifford Neighborhood Plan that the IRCBOC brought out and approved 5-0, I have heard that at this time there is no funding and the start date for making things better in Gifford is something like 2018-2024. This information was posted on FB by Althea McKenzie–candidate IRCC – Dist 2. I can’t verify this but IF it is true, it is a continuation of Procrastination Government…….As far as the train fiasco, it has money backing it. Would it help if the Treasure Coast and Brevard County seceded from the Union?
Sounds a lot like “leading from behind” to me, Milt. I prefer “it ain’t over ’til it’s over.” Half of the population of Indian River County is off fighting other battles in their summer communities. Hang in there dude, we will soon be saying “here comes the cavalry.” We have not yet begun to fight.