CLEO -- An organization to keep a watchful eye over.

[The Backlash Cometh]

First, let me congratulate the Alabama CLEO organization for at least being honest enough to post on the web so that you know it exists.

Now, here's why you might want to keep an eye on them anyways:

In the early 80s, a pro-property rights organization was started in Central Florida. It was called, Community Leaders Elected Officials. (CLEO). The paper only ran a few articles about the newly formed organization, then it just dropped out of sight from public view. Its purpose is to get movers and shakers of the community together. People know about it through word of mouth. You have to know about it, and know where to inquire to get information.

Years ago, my chamber of commerce friend told me that business organizations knew about it, and the local cities knew about the meeting dates, but a new person who wanted to go to the meetings, had to sign in and get approval before being allowed into the casual barbecue get togethers.

Those few articles written in the 80s, revealed some information on the original organizers. They were land owners and developers. It also included at least one judge who had a family with large landholdings. If you followed the articles, the judge did preside over a case that benefitted one of the members in the newly formed club. And of course, the judge benefited from some of the decisions he made regarding impact fees when he later retired. I believe he had a stake in the family land holdings, possibly through an inheritance.

CLEO stands for "Community Leaders Elected Officials." If you understand how the public records laws work, then you know that an organization like this is just kindling for abuse, because no one can keep an eye on anyone 24/7. The only way to truly make sure that there is no favoritism being given, is to have a vigilant newspaper with a list of the members, and if there are judges among them, watch carefully to see if they recuse themselves for cases where there might be a conflict of interest.

This group, is going to be very pro-property rights oriented. That means, we need organizations equal to their size that will protect the public interest.

CLEO is growing. Or, at least, mirror Cleo's are growing. This is what I found on the net:

In 1999, in Alabama:

In the summer of 1999, a group of economic development professionals representing Alabama's "rural" counties met with a group of fellow developers from "statewide" or "regional" economic development organizations to address special concerns related to the attraction of new industry and the expansion of existing industry in "rural" Alabama. Many ideas were discussed and the meeting proved to be a very important step as Alabama's business and government leaders joined with economic developers to take steps that will lead to solutions.

http://www.edaa.org/page.aspx?id=928

Make a screen saver of that page. If you are in favor of growth management, comprehensive plans that can't be shaken by good ole boy maneuvering, or if you are an environmentalist, this organization deserves some special attention.