Panama City Beach- "I'd like to table that item, though," said Panama City Beach City Council Member Josie Strange.
And that's how a lengthy argument began between Panama City Beach City Council members Thursday over the proposed changes at Aaron Bessant Park.
Despite countless prior discussions and meetings the past year, Josie Strange said she still wasn't ready to make a move. She made a motion to table the item until next month's 6 p.m. meeting, triggering immediate backlash from fellow councilman Keith Curry.
"This has been delayed so long, we've delayed it another six months, I don't like that. I think we need to be very judicious and good legislators," said Curry.
Mayor Gayle Oberst agreed with Curry's claim that Strange wasn't making the motion in good faith.
"I personally think this table is being misused and it has been. If I'm not mistaken, this project's been tabled two or three times, so it is very political," said Oberst.
The discussion brought to light a city resolution allowing any one commissioner to table anything without a commission vote. The council immediately voted to repeal that resolution. They also overruled Strange's motion to table the discussion, the first time that's ever happened at a Panama City Beach City Council meeting.
"A minority, one member of us to just put stuff off and put stuff off, I mean that's not the way our government works," said Curry.
The council ultimately voted to move forward with the renovation plans. It now heads to the TDC then to the county before construction begins.