Doug Shirley

Member since July 1, 2020

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Doug Shirley1 year ago Shortly after Government/the people of Bermuda aquired Southlands the Government put out an online survey looking for suggestions on what to do with it.Where are the results of that survey? I don't recall a zipline as being a suggestion though someone did have ideas of some sort of six flags. How about NOOOO!Fifteen years later we are looking at much the same opinions of what to do with it, which are essentially very little. Yes, the builings need to be restored and a productive use found for them. Yes, the invasive plants need to be removed. Yes, the hiking trails need to be enhanced and maintained. Years later and the Government has not done a thing.The best thing that could happen to the property is for it to be gifted to the National Trust. In the hands of the Trust we can be assured that there will never ever see Southlands at risk of being destroyed again.What to do with Southlands?Treat it as a typical US State Park having a day use and camping facilities. Bermudians love to camp and no such dedicated camping area exists with even the most basic of facilities. No need to get complicated. A dozen or so designated campsites having a level tent pad. A robust picnic table not easily destroyed. A fire ring consisting of an old container trailer wheel (works very well). 20 amp power, enough for basic needs, no generators, no air conditioning tents. Water available in the camping loop. Porta potties, regularly serviced, will do. Vehicles are restricted to one, maybe two, depending on space.Camping rules as typically found in US state parks. 8 persons max per site. Quiet hours, typically 10P-8A, No music blasting away. Campgrounds also usually have an onsite camp host to enforce the rules, the main one being noise. Two noise warnings and you are evicted on the spot, no matter the time.A use for one of the existing buildings comes in here as an icecream/cafe and source for odds and ends for the campers and day use people.Day use areas typically have an open pole barn style pavillion on a concrete pad. You rent them for the day or birthday parties or any other occasion.

Doug Shirley10 months ago I have been a landlord since 1983. I am fed up with the Landlord Tenant Act, The Rent Control Act, The Rent Control office, undesirable tenants and inconsistent judges.Between a tenant not getting out, after being notified 6 months in advance that his agreement would not be renewed. No effort made to find new accomodation, 6 months rent arrears, legal costs, $20,000 plus of damages inside and out, months of lost rent while repairs were made. no satisfaction at all from the court, the whole thing costing almost $50,000, only $10,000 recovered from tenant and that was not recieved in full until a year after apt was vacated, I have pulled not one but two, two bedroom apts in the central parishes from the domestic rental market.Two more two 2BR apts are under consideration for being removed from the market.The blame for the reasons lie squarely in the laps of Rent Control and the courts not enforcing in good time even the laws as they stand.This tenant squatted for a full 6 months after his agreement had expired.He is not the first. Another still owes $10,000 from about 2010, through a court order that has not been enforced.No more relying on Government to enforce it's own laws.Requirements for future tenantsReferences: No more judging character solely of meeting during apt look. I want to talk to former landlords, not their current landlord who will say anything to get rid of a bad tenant.Deposit: A half month deposit is nowhere near enough. A full month deposit sould be therequirement.Last month's rent: Payment of last months rent required at time of start of tenancy. Too many tenants skip out without paying the last months rent.Yes, this means paying three months worth of rent before getting the key. A big payout for the first rental but no big burden once past that first rental and the place is left in good condition upon vacating.Damage deposit to cover yard damage as well as inside. Took me more than a year and $10.000 of work to restore property after tenant vacated.Get rid of Rent Control: There is no control over the costs of repairs or routine maintenance and Rent Control has no consideration of these costs. Without Rent Control the market will find its level through supply and demand. There is no incentive for landlords to provide lower cost housing with Rent Control dictating what they can do.Make rental contracts legally binding. Hold tenants to the terms of the terms of the rental agreements that they sign off on.The attitude of the courts that rental property is somehow public property has to STOP. The landllord pays all of the overheads for a property, not the courts.

Doug Shirley1 year ago As a longtime boater and owner of one of the larger boats that have been moved back and forth by commercial trailer operators a properly functioning boat ramp is important.Properly functioning means that first of all the commercial trailer people need to be consulted to see what is needed, not just some non boat owning engineer.The ramp needs to go far enough into the water to handle the deepest draft vessels that the commercial trailer people handle at low tide, without wheels going off of the end. The surface will need to have a corrugated finish, preferably in a "V" for drainage and traction. There is also the angle into the water. There is a fine line between too steep and too shallow an angle. The commercial people know what is best, not some guy with a jetski.As already pointed out the commercial people don't need parking, they are in and gone, but they do need room to operate above the ramp therefore parking for individuals with jetskis and any other small vessels needs to be provided away from the ramp area east of the ramp.As an RVer for the past 18 years I have been in many state and county parks across the US and have observed the layouts of many boatramps. A good one is not hard to design. There is plenty space at Stonecrusher to do so.The biggest challenge will be abuse of the ramp, specifically the day use parking. Bermudians think that they can park wherever they please and have no idea of boat ramp ettiquete. Proper signage, and ENFORCEMENT, will need to happen to stop the entitled abusers.A typical boatramp used by dayboaters will have a pre launch area where you load all of your stuff into the boat and give it a quick start, should do that at home, Proceed to launch ramp when ready to launch, not before. Launch and move vessel away from ramp to a boarding float while trailer is parked. Y'all have thought about that boarding float havn't you. Where are all of those left over AC35 floats? That float is only be used for active loading or unloading. No vessels without an operator at anytime.Then there are the fees for use. I hope the public does not think that the use of this ramp is free. I have not seen a free ramp, other than a kayak launch, anywhere. State park boat ramp fees are not hard to find online. Rule of thumb for Bermuda is double up. I can hear the whining now but no cash, no splash. No permit displayed on tow vehicle in parking area, big fine.

Doug Shirley

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