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PG Gas Station, Seafront Saga Continues
posted (June 16, 2020)
Over the last few days, we've been telling you about contention in Punta Gorda town over a planned gas station currently under construction on prime seafront real estate.

It all came to a head last Friday when a group of stakeholders came together to voice their concerns. It was a meeting that the town's Mayor Ashton Mckenzie says he didn't authorize. He informed townspeople that he preferred to postpone that meeting until all relevant authorities could be included.

But concerned residents went ahead fearing that a meeting with one government department wouldn't come about until after the project was completed. And last night in an outspoken discussion about the issue the PG mayor called out two of his biggest opponents of the project, while insisting that when it comes to the land and the development in question. things are on the level. Cherisse Halsall has all sides of this story:

Construction continues on the gas station and so does the controversy. And while Mayor Ashton Mckenzie was a notable no show at last week's community meeting he voiced some opinions last night in an interview with Krem news.

Ashton Mckenzie, Mayor, Punta Gorda
"Punta Gorda is home to over 6000 inhabitants. You look at the meeting, how many people did you see at that meeting a little over 20. So how can it be that these persons are saying that they are representing the interests of the community and another thing, they have been very disrespectful in their approach because of their particular agenda. I, Ashton Mackenzie, I did not consent to any such meeting on the night and I indicated to Mr. King that yes a meeting is most suitable and most fitting given the circumstances however if we are to have a meeting then let us bring together all the authorities that have made decisions you've had the department of the environment, you had the fire department, you had the building unit, you had neighboring business residents and even the owner of the said property. I believe it's important for us to convene a meeting with all these persons so that all the necessary facts can be shared and so that people can be informed when it comes to this particular matter."

But while Mckenzie is not fighting the developers he is fighting the opponents of the development he says the most visible of these is the owner of the other seafront gas station, Alistair King.

Ashton Mckenzie, Mayor, Punta Gorda
"I operate in a manner that is transparent. I don't look to hide anything because these are not things that I can conceal you also have, a main member of this group is the owner of the existing gas station within Punta Gorda you will note that he was giving an address at the meeting, Mr. Alistair king."

Cherisse Halsall:
"In his comments last night the mayor referred to you specifically as sort of the rabble rouser how true would you say are the claims that you have a vested interest against a gas station going up because of, as you said, your gas station?"

Alister King, Punta Gorda Businessman
"First of all yes, nobody wants to see competition on their doorstep but remember I've had no competition there for over 20 years. I've been a very lucky person in that aspect so I recognize competition, competition is good, competition is healthy."

"When it comes to the mayor now the mayor, and I have no problem with the mayor, the mayor and I have been friends from he got in, from before he got in, but the reason I ask him for the meeting is because people know that I know the mayor and they said try to set up the meeting so that's what I did and I think the Mayor let himself down by not going to that meeting because all we wanted to do was ask him the questions we're not blaming the mayor for everything but he didn't let the people know. None of us knew what was going on at that location. When we asked people, the mayor and the townboard everybody said they didn't know, so I have to give the Mayor some credit in that I think he legitimately did try to put a stop to it but he was told from higher up not to do that, so I don't blame the mayor for anything other than he should have come to answer the questions."

Another critic Mckenzie is calling out is community activist is Will Maheia:

Ashton Mckenzie, Mayor, Punta Gorda
"We live in a day and age where persons we don't try to educate ourselves as well as we should with all due respect there has been misinformation by Mr. Will Maheia the one of TV PG there are a lot of facts that have not been shared surrounding this matter."

Will Maheia, Owner, PGTV
"As far as I'm concerned the facts are one a gas station is being built without the consent of the people living in or around the area. I just think that's total disrespect, for the mayor to allow a development in his town. It is his town. He's not like no ordinary citizen in this town. He is the one in charge of managing this town. He is who the people voted in so he has an obligation to the people in this town that the people know what's going on so for the department of the environment to allow a gas station you know a gas station sells gasoline, highly combustible without consulting the people, without having an environmental impact assessment, and without having an environmental clearance plan. All of a sudden these are not required for a gas station, come on, something is wrong somewhere. Not to mention that a church, a registered church, from the time I was a little boy the sea front inn has always hosted church services."

Alister King, Punta Gorda Businessman
"We need to do something about this project and the further the guy gets into building this project cause he's building it all up to curfew hours the harder it is to stop so the mayor should, I feel like the mayor should be working with us."

A disgruntled populace and a mayor who, despite protestations, has dug his heels in on a development that's going ahead.

As we've told you construction of the gas station continues, and whether or not the nearby church proves to be an issue the building authority and the DOE have signed off on building plans.

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