“THE BOTTOM LINE IS THAT THE BUDGET’S PRETTY MUCH RIGHT ON TARGET WHEN YOU LOOK AT IT HOLISTICALLY” ..TM Connie Hoffmann 4/27/11

‘The word “holistic” is identified as meaning looking at something as a whole, rather than in separate parts’

Dear Readers …the mid-year budget report was made with a power-point presentation by soon to be former Acting Finance Director Doug Haag …(more about this in the TM monthly report  in the next post )…  The Commissioners and the residents were not privy to the report prior to this presentation due to the report being finished the afternoon of this meeting according to TM Hoffmann…This writer was surprised VM Dodd did not take issue with that and cannot fathom why after being given a choice of the regular presentation Haag said would take 30 minutes to present chose the 10 minute abbreviated version only to approve it without having the time to look through it thoroughly… It should have been accepted and the approval should have been tabled until they had the time to see whether they approved it or not… The motion to approve was made by the VM and seconded by Comm.Clottey…It passed 5-0 … Mr Haag after reiterating what the Town Manager said about not finishing until that afternoon and offering up the choice of versions …was advised by the TM to do the condensed version and if anyone had any questions it would be expanded on..which occurred … Mr Haag started with the General Fund Summary and said everything seems to be on track …He spoke of the revenues for communications tax being $30,000 lower than it should be and it would be looked into…He stated revenues for building permits being $19,000 down as well while miscellaneous revenues are up $5,000 due to lien search fees and insurance refunds…The General Fund expenditures “should be $100,000 below budget barring anything unforeseen issues between now and Sept. 30th”..The Power-point stated “Which will more than offset the projected revenue shortfall … The Parking Transfer Fund is running pretty tight according to Haag and he said they would talk transfer from Parking Fund to the General Fund later or could stop and address it..The TM spoke about the ad valorem and the record number of appeals on properties …They just now received 2009 figures from the property appraiser which amounted to $84,000 deducted from our ad valorem taxes this year and late last year and they are now doing the 2010 appeals which will amount to more deductions to come for what we can collect…She went on  state the Town is allowed to only budget to 95% on potential revenues and that is what keeps us from experiencing a problem when those appeals are granted… Mr. Haag stated that General Fund revenues were just about the same this year as last at the mid-year point 73% this yr vs 75% last year… The total General Fund budget is about $10.1 million … He asked for any questions on the General Fund and received no response from the Commission…

The Police Forfeiture Fund had some good news in picking up an additional $9,600 and has a budgeted amount of $37,000 of which the Chief  will be requesting $28,900 per New Business agenda item 17a  for 2 security cameras and a traffic citation writing machine …He added in summary the LETF has a $200,000 balance right now…

The Sewer Fund Mr Haag stated “This gets a little bit more complicated. It’s been a big discussion for several months”…He went on to say “where we stand  at this point …at the mid point of the year is at the break even point”…He said it was due to the $81,400 credit issued from Pompano Beach to the Town for the SRClub mistakes (SRClub was charged from the time it was finished with construction as a commercial property rather than a residential one…statute of limitations only allowed the Town to recoup 4 yrs. or billing errors and the Comm. previously voted to retain that credit due to the Town paying over and beyond what the actual charges should have been to SRC for many years due to a behind the doors decision made by a select few that came to light with this new administration/commission..prev. posts)… He continued on to say from a revenue standpoint we are just now starting to see the impact of the rate increase passed and collections that began with the March 2011 billing..monitoring that increase will continue going forward…He also stated we no longer have revenues from SRC as part of the revenue stream ..(VM Dodd spoke about this later on…I believe Mr Haag’s point was that interest we may have received for however long the Town held onto the SRC monies after Fort Lauderdale dispersed them to the Town before the Town turned them plus whatever additional monies were added to pay the Pompano Beach bill)… He went on to say on the expenditure side that $81,400 credit was reflected as an expenditure because it was credited to our Master Sewer acct. with Pompano Beach….He added that the Commission made the decision that SRC would now be billed directly from Pompano Beach …(should have begun this month) …He said the increase in the Master Sewer rate came in as projected and added that the TM and Asst. TM were “pretty prophetic” in what they planned for 15% as the fixed charge came in at 13% /volume charge 14%… He said the “Good news” was “all things taken into consideration in terms of the eventual impact of rate increase revenues still should exceed budget”…He said that should meet the Commissioners goal to build or rebuild some of those reserves for future capital repairs and /or replacement…The Town Manager chimed in to say the reason the revenue will exceed budget is due to last summers decision to budget a small amount to come in from the rate increase as well as the Commissions decision to do the rate increase “in one fell swoop” …She said we will see more revenue and that will build up the reserve to do repairs and replacement ..No dollar amount was shown or asked about as well as no discussion on where we are as far as knowing the full extent of  what will be required and when .. (such as full replacement of sewers and/or relining existing sewers…something that this writer thinks was lost due to the Master Plan revision morphing into a full-out redevelopment of the Town…far more than preserving and enhancing) …

The Fire Fund Mr Haag said was also tracking close to what it had the previous year  with 86.2% this yr vs 87% last year in revenues… The expenditures are below budget because they have not made any transfers yet for vehicle /equipment reserve (power-point said they are budgeted at $47,000) but 50% of it will be done in April (this meeting was held on April 27th) with the remainder in late summer which is typical…At this point Haag stated they did not anticipate any problems …

The Parking Fund … Mr Haag said “Near and dear to all of us” ..(Hmmm… all of whom?) … He said there was “alot going on here”… This fund’s current year and last year were “very, very close”.. “The one glaring exception is on the parking fines due to a delay in the payment process” with the California vendor…He said they were trying to schedule a conference call with them to find out why there have been so many delays in getting the monies in… The TM quickly added that we know thew amount they owe us and we’ll be fine with that amount of revenue coming in… Haag concurred and went on to talk of the number of changes made including reprogramming the business district meters to be $1.25 and hr. from $1  which will generate $25,000 this year …He said we actually budgeted $67,000 and that will come from a combination of revenue streams …the business district meter rate increases…and tonight’s agenda item to increase other rates bringing in an additional $22,000 in revenues as well as the pay stations now being used which have brought other towns 20-30% revenue increases …We have conservatively estimated a 10% increase from them for the balance of the fiscal year to bring in $23,000 in revenues…He said expenditures would be a little bit under at this point but overall revenues should be very close or maybe a little bit over budget… maybe even $10,000 over … Next up was the Parking Fund Transfer portion of the equation not discussed during the General Fund Summary …On this point Mr. Haag said it was up to the Commission to decide whether to make the full transfer into the General Fund from the Parking Fund …Not doing so would build up the parking reserves and to some extent this would be an option barring any issues arising in the General Fund this summer that would necessitate that transfer going through as it has in the past… The TM said the full amount budgeted for the transfer was $200,000 and if they could keep expenses below what was budgeted in the General Fund that money could be used for improvements such as more pay stations and parking lot configurations that they think need to be done to make them more efficient…

The Mayor acknowledged Comm. Sasser who asked Mr. Haag to go back to bullet points concerning the reprogramming and the adopted increases on the agenda and confirm they were both for a combined revenue for this fiscal year..Haag confirmed they were  and the TM added they were as well explaining that some meters in town were never reprogrammed for the rate increase which were included in the bullets he was referring to… Comm. Sasser asked about a parking lot loan and if he was correct we had one and if it was shown and where it was in the expenditures of the Parking Fund …Haag said he was correct …we do have a parking lot loan and it is shown in expenditures…He stated we pay it quarterly and the last payment to SunTrust Bank was made March 30th 2011 for approx. $47,000 in principal and interest…Comm. Sasser wanted to know how much we own on the loan and the TM stated she had just looked into this due to it coming up before…She said not to hold her to it but it was approx. $1.4 million …Haag thought $1.5 million … The TM added it did have a pre-penalty attached (another Colon pre-penalty loan debacle) …of $102,000 adding that we would cover that with the interest savings over a 2 year period but she said “the issue of whether that’s a smart thing to do right now or not I think is a different discussion and we can have that tonight”… Comm. Sasser said he would like to have it… The Mayor tried to cut him off (seems to be a bad habit of hers these days)…Comm. Sasser said he would yield in a minute and asked what bank the loan was with the TM responded SunTrust…Hearing that Comm. Sasser asked if we had other accounts in SunTrust to which Mr. Haag responded we do…Comm.Sasser said we could then renegotiate or try to renegotiate with them (shades of the last Comm. and no negotiations made by the former TM with SunTrust on the last loan we repaid) … assuming direction to repay the loan is made … Comm. Sasser stated he would ask…The Town Manager said if that decision was made to pay off the loan they could certainly ask… Comm. Sasser said we have the money to pay it off so the discussion should take place … The TM asked if the discussion should be at the Roundtable or now and Comm. Sasser said either and it was up to the Mayor… The Mayor cut in without Comm. Sasser yielding and before the Vice Mayor who was next spoke …She asked as a point of information if this was a proprietary fund and if that was correct were the payments of this loan coming from the revenues in the parking fund …Before an answer was given the Mayor added they were not “anything from ad valorem taxes comes from or goes to. The parking fund subsidizes the paybacks of that loan is that correct Mr. Haag?’…Mr. Haag first responded correct but quickly added “it’s not a subsidy because it’s a valid parking fund expense so it’s paid from parking revenues.”… The Mayor said “It’s all the payments, the revenues from the parking fund go pay off the parking loan and the interest.”…Haag again said correct..Mayor Minnet said “There isn’t any other taxpayer”…Haag interjected “There is no taxpayer subsidy per say.”..Town Manager Hoffmann injected “It’s not taxpayer money, it’s parking revenue.”… The Mayor said “So if we decide to pay that off do we have the money within the parking fund to pay off that loan?”…The TM was emphatic in her reply “No!”… The Mayor reiterated “No, so where would we get the  money to pay off the loan. We do have it but how would we, would we have to borrow that? How would we do that?”… Mr. Haag said we could borrow it and said there were a couple of different options … he said “Obviously there’s funds available.”…He said the General Fund or possibly the Capital Fund…The TM said it would be “inappropriate fro m the Capital fund though”…The Mayor said “That’s my question. Can we borrow from that capital or General Fund to pay off a proprietary fund such as the parking fund?”..Mr Haag responded “If the Commission so desired it would be possible to borrow from the General Fund.”…The Mayor “But currently the parking fund is able to pay the interest and the money generated and show a positive cash flow, correct?”… Mr Haag again responded correct and added that up to this point the fund was able to transfer additional funds into the General Fund…The Mayor replied “Great! Ok.”… Comm. Sasser asked if he still had the floor… The Mayor did apologize thinking he had yielded…or so she said… Comm. Sasser stated while he understood we are paying for it out of the parking fund we are moving funds out of the parking fund into the General Fund for use in the General Fund…He asked for verification from Mr. Haag… and seeing he had it he continued on to state if we paid off the loan an no longer had that debt service in the parking fund then we would have more funds available to move to the General Fund if we wanted to …Mr. Haag agreed that was a fair assessment and said “In fact that money could then go to repay the loan, the payoff  amount that was subsidized through the General Fund.”… Comm. Sasser finished up by saying “So we would have more money in the General Fund if we wanted to have it.” and then he yielded … Mr Haag  did throw into the mix that in today’s market it is very, very, very difficult for municipalities to borrow money in any way, shape or form and it was something to be considered in terms of a business analysis and if somewhere down the line we wanted to borrow it could be problematic…(This writer would like some research done on municipalities with no debt and surplus cash reserves before taking this one to the bank and not paying off the last debt we have…pun intended) … Vice Mayor Dodd took his bite at the apple to discuss the LETF portion and inform all that according to state statutes 15% of the total LETF must be used in any given year and if we have $200,000 we are under the required use…He told the Chief of the BSO to add onto his request for the year… It was at this point he told Mr. Haag of the problem he had with the SRC analogy of being a revenue stream benefit to the Town due to more going out than coming in after all was said and done… Comm. Vincent tried to ask a question and was cut off by the Mayor for not pushing his button…It was Comm. Clottey’s turn and she asked Mr Haag how many years were left on the parking loan…He was not sure and apologized for not doing his homework on the loan issue…The TM said she thought it was 2020 and the paperwork was on her desk and could be brought in during the break …(it never came …or if it did it was not brought forth)… Comm. Clottey asked if the Town paid the full $200,000 would that trigger the pre-penalty…The TM interjected that what Comm. Clottey was asking about was an extra payment…Mr. Haag said it was standard language and would most likely still produce the penalty payment…The TM asked for them to look at it before giving an opinion…The Mayor chimed in to say it was time to back off and give the staff time to get the answers …Mr. Haag concurred …The Mayor went on to say staff was not sure of these questions..(it appeared to this writer they were sure of the Mayor’s but not Comm.s Sasser and Clottey)… Comm. Vincent said that “Comm. Clottey asked the question with the terms left on it. I’m assuming 8 years, that was a guess with 2020. Considering it’s self funding I’m all for continued pay down of this. Like you said earlier Doug (Haag) with the inability to borrow money these days , not that the town of Lauderdale by the Sea would have any issues. We’re  pretty strong. I think we could probably bargain a good deal but at this point again I think I would rather have cash in the bank. My opinion on that and let the fund let the revenues from the parking fund self fund this for the time being and with that I yield.”… The Mayor asked if there were any more questions for M.r Haag or could he proceed with the presentation?… The Town Manager said he was actually done… and then made the statement “The bottom line is that the budget’s pretty much right on target when you look at it holistically.”… Mr. Haag again stated the hard copy detailed report would be in the Commissioner’s in box the next day …The TM said the next time they would receive a report like this would be the first of July as they prepare for the new budget… The Mayor ended the Finance Report discussion by saying that due to the questions asked the parking fund loan should be on the next Roundtable per Comm. Sasser’s request…

BC- Before that meeting the Commission should ask for figures… What the cost is of the interest and what is the difference between it and the abysmal rate we are getting by putting that same $1.5 million into a couple of CDs as stated in the TM Report to be posted next…(An avid reader pointed this out to this writer)… Also of course is the questions Comm. Sasser so rightly and aptly put forth …

Also of note…If the Acting Finance Director is correct in his statement of no monies for municipalities anytime soon in any way shape or form …again I ask why have we gone so far off the reservation with the Master Plan Redevelopment of this Town?… These statements made further add fuel to the fire as far as I as a taxpayer am concerned that the referendum items for the redevelopment big ticket items must be on the March 2012 ballot for voters to decide on whether to have bonds which would definitely be required after we burn through the 8-9 million that seems destined to be spent sooner rather than later from the looks of it…

more to come…

Tags: Lauderdale -By-The-Sea Town Manager connie Hoffmann- Acting Finance Director Doug Haag, Lauderdale-By-The-Sea Mayor Roseann Minnet-Vice mayor Stuart Dodd-Commissioner Scot Sasser-Commissioner Birute Clottey-Commissioner Chris Vincent, The April 27 2011 Lauderdale-By-The-Sea Commission Meeting ... Looking At A Mid-Year Budget "Holistically" ... #2
Posted in LBTS Agendas/Meetings, Local Politics, Public Safety, Scoops, Sea Ranch Club, local government

SHORT END OF THE WISH? ….

Dear Readers … The BCbythesea daughter is again in Scotland doing research and Lilly is walking holding one of Nana’s fingers more as a security blanket than out of need …so needless to say time for watching the Commission meting last evening and posting the full detailed run-thru will happen over the next few days…

Not really sure the Town Chaplain should get so political in the invocation as it they seem to sound of late …but I do agree we should remember “why people vacation here ” and “call it home”…instead of multiple reasons we find wrong…

Public comments … The signage issue brought forth by Alley Oop …looks again like a snafu of aiding a new business…The signage has been discussed and discussed…the speaker has from what I have seen and read had easy access to the Town and has been touted by the Town …So to not know or find out what sign was allowed …Let’s see how this one ends up…. Guy Contrada from Aruba Beach Cafe told the rest of the story that had Comm. Vincent already to accommodate one manager of one hotel by tearing up a median at the roundtable meeting Mon. night (prev. post)… Mr Contrada explained he was under the impression he had straightened it out as he took action as soon as he was made aware of the situation…He said it was unusual and reiterated VM Dodd’s comments made to Comm. Vincent of deliveries being 3 days a week… Arthur Franczak suddenly appearing at each meeting to comment has led to many wondering if he will throw his hat in the ring for the next municipal election as a candidate from the north…He lives in Terra Mar… I recall Mr. Franczak from John Thompson and how much time and effort Mr. Franczak put into going over the Town CAFR looking for where our taxpayer monies were …So needless to say his stance and comments at the podium are not new to this writer….. A woman that lives in Terra Mar spoke ominously of neighbors using code for their own agenda…we have heard this before …seems it is old vs. new with who is in charge… Hopefully this newcomer to the podium will be contacted by development to explain much of what she was asking for is already in place…Edmund Malkoon spoke for the first time in a while …He talked about the long term part of the study…(no one does not want it done at this point, just don’t do it without the votes)… He added needing information on the life of the buildings we have (Town Hall) and the opportunity for selling the public safety building as we build a Town Hall Complex (this writer wrote before it was purchased we didn’t need it ) …He also concurred with this writer and many, many others to go back to 2 commission meetings… Marie Chiarello and her same comments which add up to no referendum …don’t let the people from the south stop the momentum is being seen as the UOT stance which is is loser if they pursue it full force …The voters from the south and Sea Ranch Club decide who wins and loses their seat…They always vote with their pocketbooks…If there are no referendum items for the Town Hall, undergrounding, parking garages on it…If those items are stalled or voted down to be on the ballot I guarantee you those same voters will still vote with their pocketbooks and vote those candidates out for those that will allow them a say or reverse the current Commission’s decision after the March election…No threat is needed just a look at what has happened before and the still shaky financial times the voters are living through… We are not alone… I saw this article on Monday as I sat in the dentist’s office…

‘The retail/hotel/apartment development Addison Park on Clark will transform the corner of Clark and Addison, if it ever gets built.

By Rod O’Connor

http://timeoutchicago.com/arts-culture/12398817/wrigleyville-development

The reports from the public safety providers were met with no questions and no commentary except some lighthearted banter about VFD Chief/Fire Marshal Steve Paine having a twin brother now also on the VFD…Comm. Vincent thanked him for the action taken in closing down the hotels recently (Little Inn Too has been shut down for much of the same violations found at the former Holiday Inn on Pine owned by the same person) ….I disagree with any kudos to the Fire Marshal due to it being his job over the previous year to see the problems far earlier and shut them down then… As far as the BSO report which also had no discussion….on the monthly report that is…earlier in the day the Sentinel online had this …
‘Crime rate down in Lauderdale-By-The-Sea

South Florida Sun-Sentinel

12:59 p.m. EDT, April 27, 2011
sfl-cmdb-lauderdale-by-the-sea-crime-stats
Serious crime in Lauderdale-By-The-Sea decreased over the last year, according to a report from the Florida Department of Law Enforcement.

In 2010, 193 serious crimes were reported in Lauderdale-By-The-Sea, down from 216 in 2009. The crime rate – or number of crimes reported per 100,000 residents – was 3276, down from 3649 in 2009.

FDLE reported the following crime figures for Lauderdale-By-The-Sea:

Video: Storms, tornadoes rip across the South, killing at least 185

- 0 murders in 2010, 0 in 2009;

- 1 rape, 1 in 2009;

- 6 robberies, 5 in 2009;

- 9 aggravated assaults, 16 in 2009;

- 48 burglaries, 30 in 2009;

- 120 larcenies, 157 in 2009;

- 9 motor vehicle thefts, 7 in 2009;

FDLE reported that 25 percent of the crimes were cleared in 2010.

To search more crime statistics in Broward and Palm Beach counties visit www.sun-sentinel.com/crimestats’

http://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/broward/lauderdale-by-the-sea/sfl-cmdb-lauderdale-by-the-sea-crime-stats,0,4111154.story

This is where I will stop for now due to time constraints… coming up…the mid-year budget report which was not online before the meeting or turned over to the Commission to prepare for …due it was stated it not being done until yesterday afternoon… The discussion of paying off the$ 1.4 million parking lot debt…The Mayor believes is not necessary … and this writer strongly disagrees ….The TM report which veered off course with the first item on the BSO negotiations .. Way off course ….in this writer’s opinion …but hopefully when addressed again at the May Rountable meeting will be reined in based on timing /recent past such forays into alternative public safety providers and the last municipal election where this very topic was an important component and BSO staying in place was discussed at every stop along the campaign trail … The rest of the TM report needs some air time which I will provide as it was not addressed on the podium ….We had a plethora of 1st /2nd Ordinances and Resolutions passed with little discussion and only one having a public comment made when it was opened up for input… I do hope the Commission read all that was provided and/or were assured by the TM and TAtty. that any addition/deletions were included in the final product …for we have seen in the past such acts as portions not being stricken or items being slipped in… and of course Comm. comments…and new business which was light…

more to come….

Tags: Lauderdale-By-The Sea Mayor Roseann Minnet/ Vice Mayor Stuart Dodd/Commissioner Scot Sasser/Commissioner Birute Clottey/Commissioner Chris Vincent, Lauderdale-By-The-Sea Town Manager Connie Hoffmann, The April 27 2011 Lauderdale-By-The-Sea Regular Commission Meeting
Posted in LBTS Agendas/Meetings, Local Politics, Public Safety, Scoops, local government

DEJA VU…

Dear Readers … this writer will need some time to really wrap my brain around what I witnessed tonight… up is down and down is up …and old ways of governing and administrating have come back into play…special meetings for contract extensions set down last minute before the Commission … Shades of business as usual done in the past.. Look, I Like this Town Manager and Asst. TM ….but as I have stated over and over again when Esther Colon was at the helm…I don’t care who the TM is …the rules and expectations are still the same…Imagine if they had done the special meeting items?…No question it would have been addressed….Comm. Sasser made it clear he did not like it…leaving VM Dodd to not have to make the statement he so often made to the former TM to the new one…. The Notice of Intent was a joke as Comm. Vincent more and more convinces me he is channeling his predecessor with his jibberish front and center …The Mayor had one toe in and one toe out on it… stating she was on “Humpty Dumpty Wall”…and Commissioner Clottey still likes to tell tall tales of the masses contacting her on their concerns…. when she cited a 3-4 month time frame to ease into a change such as this…She really went down the rabbit hole when she said special meetings like the one they had tonight would be available …Comm. Sasser called her on that one …citing less transparency… VM Dodd reiterated the “homegrown” requirement once again brought up by the TAtty. and stated a one month time frame between 1st & 2nd reading s as well as the internet backup info would give ample time and information to the public…He began this evening as he ended it …in the minority …(deja vu) …As previously posted the NOI is only required to be posted in Town Hall in a “conspicuous” place and in the development office..How about asking staff to produce how many times anybody from the public used the NOI public hearing to make a statement or comment in the past few years?… Unbelievable…Then came the “show of hands” the Vice Mayor wanted to go back to his original desire for a full elimination to the parking requirements for restaurant and restaurant-type businesses… It appeared the show of hands would have been 3-2 on Dec. 7th…But tonight Comm. Vincent provided the change in the majority when after extensive back and forth he joined the Mayor and Comm. Clottey in the suspension program… Clottey was her usual clueless self in wanting landlords to lower their rents…Does she really believe in these hard time landlords have not already done so?… Comm. Vincent was spouting bits and pieces he was told from various sides who had his ear or so it appeared…and getting them messed up in the process… He thought a 3 year suspension program would make it a “fire sale” for businesses to come to town verses an open ended time providing no hurry…He actually said If I’m not making any sense I’ll repeat it”..Channeling Silverstone perhaps…The Mayor asked the TAtty. to speak of West Palm after stating she asked Trevarthen about another community who has no parking restrictions…The TAtty. spoke of West palm..she did not say anything adverse…The Mayor interjected that she was told West Palm already  has a  plan and a parking garage in place…Comm. Vincent  obviously emboldened tonight spoke again about the application mechanism in place for a parking suspension program and the paperwork …He was way off base on the “deed or note” and what would be passed on to a new owner in 10-15 years …He actually made Comm. Sasser’s point of why it should not be a suspension program with all the forms..which Comm. Sasser stated..The TM spoke about the need under a full exemption for some sort of mechanism in place …some paperwork in place to put a limit on development …She also answered Comm. Sasser’s desire to not charge 101 Ocean going forth for its 10 parking spaces from the Town…stating that would be retroactive negating their parking requirements putting the parking responsibility on the Town alone… The TAtty. stated retroactive meant a pre-existing use …or never mind you don’t need to meet the requirement anymore … She said you want to state it clearly…regardless of how it is marketed…After that thee was more back and forth on the impact as they approach the end of the 3 years and development time…The TAtty. stated there was language at the end concerning that…and we “need bureaucracy to give business what they want.”…HUH?… “At the end of 3 years everyone’s up in arms”… this is the advantage of having it in place …She said at the Commission’s direction (Dec. 7th) notice will be given 6 months before the 3 years to extend it or not… Comm. Vincent said “what if we extend it for a few individuals”…citing they might say the building dept. was holding them up.. The TAtty. responded quickly to Vincent “I don’t recommend that.”…again saying there needed to be a “clear line.”… Asst. TM Bentley added that if a business submits before the end it will be processed according to existing requirements…and that the Town has no time frame for site plans at the present time.. The TM said it could last 5-6 years for some applicants… Comm. Sasser said he understood …He gets it…He said Comm. Vincent’s statements made his point of why an exemption was clearer and easier… Vincent obviously taken aback said no you have to have to do something …have a mechanism …Hmmm… Comm. Clottey was about to speak but the Vice Mayor asked hear from the Mayor …Mayor Minnet said she was “enjoying this”…and then went on to repeat what she had stated on the dais on Dec. 7th..She’s pro business but not convinced elimination will produce much..She asked who will pay for future parking spaces…She said it would be the taxpayers… She reiterated her “on the backs of future Commissions” stance and also about quick fixes vs years out… She used the NOI as a case in point…HUH?… Clottey asked the TAtty. about suspension vs. exemption ..The TAtty. said exemption is “attractive” as an atty. suspension program with scope clearly stated is defensible…Comm. Vincent said “I just speak and everything is so clear”..HUH?… Exemption gives a “false sense of value”…with suspension “value remains…exempt parking not disclosed …exempt is for life…there’s a time element…HUH?…The TAtty. again quickly responded to Vincent to state … as a person who responds she would never give credence to that..She was “hesitant to say these are valid”…and it “doesn’t have to be a valid claim”…There could still be a fight…Comm. Sasser said we could get sued either way..The Vice Mayor said before they put this to bed… to Comm. Clottey the Comm. has no influence over landlords … That a change would bring revenue for the Town…He spoke of the elimination remaining until such time we have a parking problem…which he hoped would come …It was semantics really and the only argument he was hearing tonight is the possibility of being sued…Comm. Vincent spoke of the pay stations and the need for a study of revenue coming from them…VM Dodd spoke of towns lagging 10 years behind and the need for bolder steps forward…He stated the charging for parking spaces for 101 Ocean while receiving revenue for those “mythical spaces” was like double dipping …again saying he had not heard “one concrete reason” for not eliminating the requirement…He said there would be no burden for Commissions going forward… He spoke of the forms etc…as a hindrance in the process… Comm. Vincent said “we can’t worry about 3 years from now”…HUH?… The VM countered about the grandfathering and Vincent snapped back “We fully understand Vice Mayor”… The TAtty. said they were not and they had to be a restaurant touching on the addition to that restaurant would be subject to to rules…The VM said it could be 12 months until the 1st restaurant starts up…Bud Bentley gave an example that day one someone could come and declare additional service space ..The VM asked how many months it took for a restaurant to open ..alluding to the Taco restaurant which we hear has been going through an extended 7month process….The TM said Bud was talking about a changed use scenario…The VM clearly miffed said that was not the question…The Mayor seeing where this was headed asked the VM if he wanted a “show of hands” still…The VM never one to back down said absolutely…In the end it was Comm. Sasser and Vice Mayor Dodd who raised their hands!…The Mayor said afterward to VM Doddd and Comm. Sasser “it doesn’t mean things can’t change”…Comm. Sasser lobbed back to her…” You don’t have to give us any solice!”…

BC- What a loss….for the marketing that could have happened…”Business loves bureaucracy”…said the TAtty… Seems Comm. Vincent does too!… How can those against this really believe that no savvy businessman or woman would see what was going to happen and not jump ahead …buy some property and be prepared to build a parking garage in anticipation of a boom that might result from the elimination?… Why would businesses not jump together to provide parking if it is advantageous to their continued success?… And finally…the status quo.for the downtown…..How’s that working so far…and ..Comm. Clottey…does that mean step 2…Hotel parking requirements are off the table as well?… Where was Paul Novak and the Chamber of Commerce?… This was Paul’s “baby” at the MPSC last year… And last but not least ….to Comm. Vincent ..How you gonna explain your actions tonight when you’re hobnobbing with your fellow Republicans…GULP!…

The Mayor was confused in thinking they did not need to make a ord. 1st reading after the lack of hands shown…Comm. Sasser responded “yes, we do.”…The TAtty. said the suspension program is on the P & Z agenda for tomorrow night …(prev. post)… The TM spoke about the previous discussion of a 1 month time frame between 1st/2nd readings… But… in the end it will be 1st reading in a special mtg before the Jan. 11th Roundtable with 2nd reading on Jan. 25th…. Next was the repeal of the 1994 resolution for the retired health insurance option…The TM said she needed the okay to repeal it …Comm. Sasser had a question of the TAtty. concerning the state statute and the after his question and the paying in required of 100% the TM said maybe they should rewrite it rather than repeal it…Comm. Vincent asked them “to educate me on this”..HUH?… The TM said we don’t define retiree and the state statute gives us the option to contribute or not…The TAtty said she and the TM “would out our heads together” and come back to the Comm… The NLC Drug Program was addressed next and the TM relayed what was in the backup of it being little involvement from the Town to be participate in it…Comm. Vincent once again showing he had not read his backup asked the cost to the Town ..The TM said no expense for Town except some staff time…The Mayor asked about the local media clause and how that affected our getting the word out …The TM said she look into it due to wanting to put it on the access channel and Town Topics…The VM asked about participants data being shared or sold…Vincent said that would be covered under Hipaa…HUH?…The VM quickly said the prescriptions are under Hipaa…that was not the data to which he was referring…Comm. Sasser concurred with the VM’s concerns …and asked about the contract agreements and any liability to the Town …He said it would be 20% savings beyond the insurance coverage…Comm. Clottey countered him to say it was only medication not covered by insurance and that she brought this to Esther when she was the representative for the Town at the league…The TM said she would bring this back to the next roundtable…Red Light camera was item f. and the TM said it had been discussed before so she would bring up consultant Kathy Margoles and Chief Llerena to answer questions…Chief Llerena began by stating the Sheriff’s office would not take a stance on this..He spoke of what was in the backup…that in 12 months there was not a single red light related accident …They did a covert operation to see the red light infractions …over 4 hours there were 40 from those who were going straight on Commercial..not right hand turns as have become a problem for towns …He said he thought the number met the threshold ..He also spoke of the dis-allowance for handwritten tickets if the red light camera program was enacted…as well as the cost associated with changing to compatible ticketing for BSO…The TM stated that and action on using non-sworn personnel for ticketing would call for a change to the BSO contract…Kathy Margoles picked up on that as well as the costs about $48,000 per camera per year and the recent cases that made it to the Clerk of the Courts just this week …37 cases… Comm. Clottey could not believe there had been no red light accidents and said this was to be implemented for safety reasons…The Mayor and Comm. Sasser chimed in it was for revenue… The VM took issue  with that citing safety elsewhere and asked about dummy signs instead…He asked the Chief’s choice in getting the cameras or not and the Chief said again the Sheriff’s office would offer no input…Comm. Vincent batting 1000 tonight (sarcasm invoked) said that intersection was slow moving traffic…HUH?..The VM said to Vincent he must have been there during the election to see the near misses …(Yep, standing next to VM Dodd & this writer…commenting on them!)…The Mayor spoke of being on the Broward task force and asking about the synchronized red lights…The technicians came and looked and said we meet the acceptable guidelines at the intersection… She will continue on with it though…Comm. Sasser spoke of reading today about Houston and it costing them millions… stating it’s more revenue than safety… put a deputy there it’s cheaper for safety… The Mayor happy as could be lobbed onto his comment she wanted that for the parking problem as stated last week… Comm. Clottey said she “sees the fear in people’s eyes to cross A1A”… Comm. Vincent gave a slap to the BSO and said he didn’t see it as safety …He wanted to know why BSO was using radar on the short strip of Comm. Blvd. going over the bridge for revenue generation rather than dealing with that intersection…WOW!…The VM said more red light cameras throughout Broward will result in less running of the lights due to uncertainty of who has them and who does not… and it would actually cost us…The Mayor concurred …Comm. Clottey wanted to know what most major accidents were from in town and asked the Chief to tell those at home…He said rear end ..low speed ..failure to yield… The Mayor asked the consultant how may before the magistrate were thrown out..The consultant reiterated it just started this week so there was no data… The TM said the sentiment was to not go forward…It seemed to be a 4-1 vote in the Mayor’s view with VM Dodd in favor..He stated he too was not for it at the cost it would be to the Town… It was not over yet Comm. Vincent had one more Silverstone type comment …when addressing the left turn problem on Comm. and A!A he said “most of these people crossing are licensed drivers”…YIKES!…

BC- Finally some good news for this writer who has been opposed from the get-go…The Sentinel online tonight posted a story that agreed with the costs…http://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/broward/fl-red-light-fights-20101210,0,3889729.story

Comm. Clottey added an item to the agenda to bring back the public bathrooms…She actually used residents and BTSFuture editor Mark Brown (who brought this up when it was on the table way back when)…as a reference for going out to rent modular bathrooms and putting them in the Town owned property by Oriana to see if they are successful… Comm. Vincent spoke spearheading the bathrooms and of the costs involved $150,000 and said they were sidelined due to keeping the millage down and the TM said the money was already in the CIP and it was sidelined due to wanting it in the master plan due to location…Clottey wanted this done ahead of the plan…as a “convenience”…VM Dodd said that was an interesting use of words for this topic ..and it was much like the failed doggy beach..NIMBY… (not in my back yard)… The Mayor asked about the water hook up and Clottey said there was water and the cost would be minimal…rented on a short term basis… Comm. Sasser said this was a major distraction and spoke of the time spent with staff to prioritize projects…The Mayor concurred and said they could not keep bringing things back up… Clottey said there were people that don’t want bathrooms and they should find out location and any problems before …She saw she had no agreement she said and dropped it… Her next added item was just as insipid …She felkt the need to talk about her visit to Pompano Beach and the cost associated with irrigation meters$25o1 and Pompano Beach’s non-recommendation for them…She spoke of what was published a month back of the cost not being recouped for a very long time…

BC- Comm. Clottey could go to Pompano Beach…and this could be added to the agenda …but not the SRCondos and the sewer situation… Jeez!…

The Vice Mayor added onto the agenda the Henley on the Thames visit he wanted participation in either in May or July and asked for input and interest in it…The Mayor questioned the Town’s participation in the Sister Cities program… The VM obviously taken aback let it go… BC- this was brought up at a prior meeting with the Mayor giving the VM her support..and it was Comm. Clottey who stated it was not a Town program…Hmmm……

The Mayor added on the Broward League of Cities leadership programs …I believe she brought this up at a previous meeting …She spoke of the “building blocks” …”building tools” meetings beginning Jan. 27th with excellent programs such as the one on that date about social media with Twitter and texting.. as well as he “social networking that follows it… Comm. Clottey questioned the cost to participate…The Mayor said it was $35…TAtty. Trevarthen said that was if you stayed for dinner… With that they adjourned…

BC-Time for certain Commissioners to revisit their campaign promises….as well as their reasons for choosing the new administration ….

This meeting will be archived on video  on the Town’s website… http://www.lauderdalebythesea-fl.gov/

Tomorrow night is P & Z where they will be addressing parking & signage … Dare I hope for a better outcome?….

more to come…

Tags: Scoops, The Lauderdale By The Sea December 14 2010 Commission Roundtable Parking Elimination Was Short On Hands
Posted in LBTS Agendas/Meetings, Local Politics, Public Safety, Scoops, local government

IT’S BEEN A FRUITFUL YEAR…IN LAUDERDALE-BY-THE-SEA….

Dear Readers …Day 2 of awaking to sunshine…temperatures that don’t require a coat and ocean breezes…I could get use to this ….again!… Nice also to awake to many messages of welcome back as well…NICE!…And the ability for the BCbythesea hubby to go for a long bike ride that’s something he is truly savoring and very thankful for!…

We have much to give thanks for this year in our town…starting with 65% of LBTS voters in March …who led the way for a new Commission…made up of a group that gets along…and who are respectful of each other having the best interest of the town squarely in first place … as it should be…but not so for far too long … We have a new Town Manager who thankfully was ready to go back into government at the opportune time for us…She has shown us all what we were missing in just a matter of months…Customer service came to the forefront inside and outside of Town Hall…by not only opening up the long shut doors…but taking away the glass barrier between staff and customers ie…residents…and visitors alike…Next step…to take down those same barriers for businesses who want to set up shop downtown…and then present and future hoteliers and specialty shops as well…TM Connie Hoffmann brought right on board with her another candidate for Interim TM….Assistant TM Bud Bentley who quickly made all those who dreaded dealing with his predecessor thankful for the big …big change they encountered from the get-go… Acting Finance Director Doug Haag  came to town much the same way…enlisted ASAP by Ms. Hoffmann to comply with the direction given by the new Commission to get to the bottom of the payout of the former Town Manager and what was going on behind those closed doors with the finances of the town… He too proved to be such an asset …pun intended …We were most fortunate once again  when he too was able to jump right in full- time and take over as Acting Finance Director providing a transparency of the accounts that showed us the pluses…lots of money in our coffers…and the minuses…of where and how our money was being kept and used/not used … Mr. Haag’s expertise will be an important component as we address the future vision of this town as well as the present aging infrastructure… We  are told the atmosphere inside the ranks those who worked under the previous two administrations have shown they too are thankful ….in the aftermath…Hmmmm… We have seen our underutilized longtime PIO Steve D’Oliveira finally recognized by this TM … At the Roundtable last Monday night not only did the Commission set its sights on jumpstarting the downtown with the exemption process for restaurants…they also agreed #21 of the the top priorities should jump to #1…Government efficiency…which means Ms. Hoffmann can continue with her smart choices of what she and we need to provide just that!… That is indeed something this writer is thankful for… Commission Ethics are in place as well as a personal code of conduct…signed in good faith by all 5 Commissioners …A new way of doing the Town’s business …one Commission meeting /one Roundtable meeting per month has been enacted and seems to be conducive to our town ….. Annual permits are back…to ensure those weekly events we all enjoy so much do not fall way to politics as usual…Public Comments at the monthly Commission meetings have dwindled down and those who step up come with something to add …rather than to something to detract…albeit one lonely soul who heads up a dried-up old PAC who despite a continued “call to arms”…found no takers to comply…That too is something to be thankful for!…A change in special events taking place after the March Election showed all those with any trepidation …no one is irreplaceable and change can and did prove to be a good thing!… Changes in Town Hall led to changes in other services to our town as well…A big shakeup in the VFD leadership…We are watching closely in the hopes that it will mirror in its success that of the Commission and Administration….The BSO has proven once again something special and unique to our town…As the new TM stated early on in her stint as Interim TM…The LBTS-BSO is more like a Town Police Department…Chief Llerena and Lt. Cedeno are hands on in our town…They are in every neighborhood and on the beach…They have been on top of a clean -up in this town that we all should count our blessings for …especially when you read what goes on on either side of us in our neighboring communities… AMR is also now well established as an integral part of our public service providers ….People who sat on the sidelines are slowly coming back as they are witnessing that with the change has come a need and a desire for their knowledge and their input …We have one local in-town newspaper ByTheSeaFuture that gets out the coverage of all the news and events monthly due to the dedication of the publishers and editors knowing its importance to continue on…The Chamber of Commerce is now a partner once more with the Town…and with perhaps new members to come on their board as well as three Chamber members put their hat into the ring….. ….New members joined a few making a return to the Town’s advisory committees and boards …and while this writer may disagree from time to time…what we all agree on is they too want what is best for the town …. The Senior Center is now the Community Center and thankfully Armilio Bien-Aime can look ahead at continuing on with what he started without looking over his shoulder and his ardent and loyal attendees and volunteer teachers can do the same…Those who were thrown under the bus when changes came for garbage service under the former administration…now will for the most part see some relief…… The Pier Alleyway should be open soon… Valet Parking was done as a trial…and will continue we are told…adding to the growing options offered to those who will be coming to town…The west warehouse long ignored by the past administration and not brought to the prior Commission for direction is to be partially leased out and used as an asset …Business uses have been expanded …and signs are going in to direct parkers to the Bougainvilla-A1A parking lot…after being told it could not be done…Drainage problems are now being addressed …after being budgeted and put in order of importance …Town Topics is being delivered at home and is on shiny paper with no political leanings as well as being more timely and informative…with great photos to boot!…We now contract out with our recreation instructors and offer those who reside here as well as visit here to participate …More extensive changes may come with the January workshop on beachfront usage for recreation as well as commercial use offering concessions at the beach …and condos/hotels/Kite- surfers will be given advance notice on that meeting as well as a promise for a decision to come this time around.from the present Comm…..The Comm. kept the millage rate the same without reducing any services to Town…The VFD agreed to forgo annual increase as well as negotiate a better contract with the Town…We reduced the TAtty. budget as well as having the firm reduce its scheduled hourly rate increases FY 2011/12…something most of us taxpayer as well as Comms. did not know was put into the contract by the former TM…The TM and TAtty. will also work to control the costs and agreed to alert this Comm. in the event we are accelerating our usage or nearing the budgeted amount…The firm has also done away with some other costs that were passed on as well…The issue of a retainer/RFP will come back before the next budget…We now enjoy an Audit firm at a huge decrease in the annual cost…thanks to an audit committee appointed by the Comm….A look into expenditures made without Comm. approval in the prior year as well as any red flags that came from going over the previous books are also being addressed concerning the previous longtime hand-picked firm pushed for and unilaterally re-hired by former TM Colon… Employee Insurance and other insurances have started to be addressed and streamlined both in coverage and provider…The public safety swimming pool long a joke in its perceived community pool designation will be filled in…The Coral Reef Project is still a work in progress contractually…but at least the contract is known and this Comm. /Admin. know who is actually behind the “pet” project… Signs are back as well with the carved LBTS logo at the Comm.Blvd. entry in the median and on Town Hall…Add to that the MIA fish bike rack relegated to the west warehouse…being spruced up and brought back to enjoy…LETF funds are back where they belong…not all…but a good portion after a faulty use of them…in this writer’s opinion…As stated above banking service will undergo more changes than just getting interest on multiple accounts as this administration go out for RFP and healthy competition to provide that service to our town…Recycling is being “accelerated”…and the refuse contract with the county we were told we had no choice but to participate in…is not so…and alternatives to produce the best deal for us in the long run are being investigated…The “ruse” of the sewer rates dealt with for years by a chosen few …is now being progressing to make it fair and equitable to all…and to ensure no such act will happen again to impact us in the manner this one will…in the pocketbook!….The Town Manager not only left the annual TM Performance Review in her very amicable and fair contract…but was proactive in providing the goals to assess her on at a special meeting and monthly Rtable this month…She has also moved forward personally to get the year overdue revisions of the Town’s Master Plan on a path to accomplish what is required including an upcoming “series” of speakers and community meetings open to all…The performing arts came back and the first play went off without a hitch…and enjoyed a positive response from all those who attended and made it happen…Parking issues were addressed and streamlined as well with combining residential/beach parking as well as changing special spaces that will benefit all instead of a few political cronies…The issue of parking is a work in progress and being addressed by the P &Z  Board/Commission and Administration….as well as the business community and Chamber of Commerce ….It too will be something to thanks for when we can enjoy the “fruits” of an expanding downtown hospitality district… sure to come with all the changes…

Yep…much has been accomplished over the last year……So there is much to be grateful for and give thanks for as a Town this Thanksgiving…and it’s a given in this writer’s opinion…with the “thinking outside the box” creativity that aided in the accomplishments thus far……. continuing on at a record pace ….as we face even larger tasks ……. that next year we will be able to give many thanks once more…

Happy Thanksgiving from this writer happily residing in Lauderdale-By-The-Sea…

more to come…

Tags: Day 2 Thanksgiving In Lauderdale By The Sea, Scoops
Posted in Boards, Civic Organizations, LBTS Agendas/Meetings, Local News, Local Politics, Public Safety, Scoops, Uncategorized, VFD, local government

more to come …

Tags: Holiday Alert From The BSO, Scoops
Posted in Public Safety, Scoops

AMENDING THE CANS ….

TOWN OF LAUDERDALE-BY-THE-SEA

TOWN COMMISSION

SPECIAL PUBLIC MEETING

MONDAY, NOV. 15, 2010

AT 7 PM IN JARVIS HALL

OOPS!…5PM!…

AGENDA BACKUP DOCUMENTS

1. CALL TO ORDER, MAYOR ROSEANN MINNET

2. PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE TO THE FLAG

3. ORDINANCES – PUBLIC COMMENTS

a. Ordinances 1st Reading

i. ORDINANCE 2010-19: AN ORDINANCE OF THE TOWN OF LAUDERDALE BY-THE-SEA, FLORIDA, ADOPTING THE SECOND AMENDMENT TO THE SOLID WASTE, BULK WASTE, AND RECYCLING COLLECTION SERVICES AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE TOWN AND CHOICE ENVIRONMENTAL SERVICES OF BROWARD, INC.; PROVIDING FOR FUTURE AMENDMENTS TO BE ADOPTED BY RESOLUTION; PROVIDING FOR SEVERABILITY, CONFLICTS AND AN EFFECTIVE DATE

BC- basically the Town has finally gotten some relief for the owners of multi-family properties thanks to the ongoing negotiations of Comm. Sasser acting as liaison and the Town Administration/TAtty. who worked with Choice to find some agreeable middle ground to rectify the Colon Admins. poorly produced garbage RFP/contract…This writer posted long ago …(prev. posts)…when I was the only one attending the garbage pre-bid meeting who was not Town staff or a vendor/vendor counsel to hear first hand the new per unit rate that would be imposed on the consumers in our town…I posted then right after the meeting that all hell would break loose …. I informed them of that  kind of fallout at that meeting as well as talking to former Asst. TM Olinzock immediately after the meeting outside the Jarvis Hall front doors….I warned him as well once more this would not get a pass …He was disdainful, rude and could care less what would result from this action… He only saw what his boss did…more fees and revenue to the Town…I pushed on about this at the podium during public comments and in posting each time throughout the process as well as afterward.. Behind the scenes and off the record I was told by Choice that a remedy would be forthcoming after the initial distribution of the containers …I was told they were stuck …. if they did not deliver all per unit containers upfront they would be in breach of the contract… A special addition was placed in the contract as well and that too was acknowledged and posted … What I was not told and never thought to ask was…despite the removal of the containers…the charge per unit would remain intact!… Now at least until the next RFP goes out for garbage services next year…(we had and retain only a 3 yr. contract with Choice ) … this amendment allows for 50% of the units per multi-building charges (see below explanation)  and will offer some relief to a good many who had the town stick it to em’!….

BC- the scan of the explanation of the amendment to the Ord….pgs. 1 & 2 ….full backup on Town website…link below….

…………………..

MAKING THE PLAN ……..

OOPS!….MAKE THAT NOVEMBER 15, 2010 …WORKSHOP MEETING …
TOWN OF LAUDERDALE-BY-THE-SEA

BC- This is the much wanted strategic planning meeting which will identify the most important items to address as well as who will be in charge of seeing them come to fruition …including a time frame for completion … The Town Manager has offered to aid in the process with a process she has used successfully as a consultant to see if there is consensus on the priorities from the Commissioners… It is called mulit0-voting …Ms. Hoffmann said she will explain the process further at the meeting and that she sent the Commissioners the priority lists below (scans) for them to be able to come to the meeting prepared with the top 45 items (out of the 90 listed which she acknowledged she did not believe it was possible to accomplish getting all 90 done by Oct. 2011) …That will facilitate in the first round of votes… She went on to add in her Nov. 12, 2010 mem0 contained in the backup on the Town’s website (see link below) … the lists will be collected after each round to aid the Town Clerk  because “it will be next to impossible for June to record so many individual votes.”…Ya think!…She will also check with the TAtty. for guidance on that before the meeting… Item B. on this workshop is the Town Manager’s suggestions FY 2010/2011 Performance Goals..which is to aid in the process of her performance review required to be done annually in her contract…Hmmm…this to is a far cry from what we endured in the past from former TM Colon and her posse who did everything possible to thwart the required review per her contract once this writer discovered it and brought it to the forefront in LBTS just as was happening in many of our neighboring municipalities …(prev. posts)… She has provided suggestions and given examples …(see scan below…also in backup on Town website…link below)… Readers should contact their Commissioners if they want to voice any suggestion and/or objections on either topic… I will add that while there is a long list much of what is listed is really components to items already listed…such as parking/ town website updates/ government efficiency ….This writer’s comments are included below each item and above the included scans of the backup provided by the Town…

TOWN COMMISSION

WORKSHOP MEETING

MONDAY, SEPT. 15, 2010

THE MEETING WILL START SHORLTY
AFTER THE 5 PM SPECIAL MEETING ENDS

AGENDA BACKUP DOCUMENTS

1. CALL TO ORDER, MAYOR ROSEANN MINNET

2. PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE TO THE FLAG

3. ITEMS OF DISCUSSION:

a. Strategic Priorities

BC- As I looked through the list it does not seem as overwhelming as it appears from the memo without looking through the charts… As stated above the TM included who would be responsible for the items and it appears that should not impede their ability to address the day-to-day operations …that is if the we have the right personnel employed…Readers already know this writer believes therein lies the problem…left over from the previous administration …That may be the hitch in the Town’s ability to move forward due to the required amount of time and input that will need to come from the Town Manager and Asst. Town Manager to cover those who are not fully qualified to accomplish these tasks on their own…

The #1 priority which has already begun to be addressed and implemented is item #36* Sewer Fund Issues ….(prev. posts)…the Comm. directed a one-shot increase thus far based on preliminary #s offered up in a report based on data used only for the purpose of offering up a possible 3- year implementation of increases to the consumer…as well as MIA info on how to include the four SRC/SRLN annexed in condos (1998) into a sewer agreement with either LBTS and/or Pompano Beach ….That is followed by item #45* Stormwater Projects….On page 11 is Strategic Planning/Master Plan & Priorities…(Some items are currently in process and will contain * to denote that)…beginning under this evening’s item is #80*… this will go hand-in-hand with item #49 the 5 Year CIP….#86* updating Master Plan which includes items #82 Preparation of Strategic Plan series of community meetings/#83 *Urban Planning Design …the speakers at those meetings already having one speaker “booked” in Jan…./#84 Economic Vitality …develop strategies to encourage & incentivize hotels & motels and commercial uses/ #85 Branding Plan the image we need to convey … using the Development Dept. & if Dir. Bowman is not replaced Asst. TM Bentley will surely be overseeing his work each step of the way/ TAtty./Town Planner and the boards/committees as well …items #1* Sign Code Revisions & #2* Parking Regulations to be addressed once again Wed. night, Nov. 17, 2010…item # 58 Code Enforcement Priorities seem to belong to the P & Z per the Comm. Direction …(prev. post)…as well to readdress…included with these  items will be the following at the upcoming meetings for both P & Z /MPSC and community meetings…items #50 Way Finding Signs /#93* Parking Operational Study/ #96* Parking Ordinance/#97 Parking-multi-space meters …#68 Benihana ROW Agreement …(as stated on chart …Asst. TM/TAtty needed for this item)……Also included to the above parking items should be these items…#89* Trial Valet Project …for updates and site remaining or being re-located…#90 Open Outlet to Alley from Pier Parking Lot*…which should be done already…no more discussion/action required …cannot be a 2-way use alleyway …#95* Wings Parking Lot…now in circuit court…requiring discussion on future plans as an entry to lot/parking garage…For the above meetings the next “tier” of listed items included on the list …and will  be addressed by the same staff/boards /community meetings..#41* A1A Landscape/Streetscape LAP Project Pine Island to Terra Mar… (OOPS!…scratch the “Island for Pine and add it to Terra Mar…It’s Pine Ave and Terra Mar Island!)…..The Scenic Hwy. Route designation should be an item that should be included in the signage discussion …pole/pylon signs ……and should include items #70 Town Bus Contract as well as item #94 Expanding Sun Trolley to LBTS …or alternatives ….Item #43* El Mar Streetscape Project…which needs to include item #8 Nuisance abatement Ordinance to aid the upkeep of the motels/hotels as well as the public safety element that the TM stated will be contained…Item #51 Neighborhood Improvement Policy/Program …which will include the following items #52* Terra Mar Entrance Project… #88* Imperial Lane Traffic Calming …#66 Regulation of Beach Recreational Uses ….Comm.will meet in Jan. before Reg. Comm. Mtg. to have workshop..then boards etc… get involved…this will include item #69 Expand Recreational & Cultural Programming…as well as #47 Public Bathroom Facilities Near Beach ….BC-PBs are not going away…

Another top priority item is listed as #9 Administrative Issues …The first collective items will be addressed by the TM/Asst. TM/ PIO D’Oliveira and consultants …those include the following…and I start with the most important component #21 Upgrade Staff Skills & Knowledge…It means clean house…then the other items will follow..#11 Personnel Policies…#20 Customer Service…#22 Revisions to Monthly Reports…#5 Annual Records Retention…#14 Master Contract List…. #12 Purchasing Policies… With Steve D’Oliveira and competent- non- technologically impaired personnel the next items can be accomplished in this fiscal year…#10* Outdated Technology…#13 Town Website Improvements …(The TM states the “brand needs to be incorporated…but that should not hold up alerts etc…)..also item # 65 Complaint or Inquiry System…#17 Granicus Renewal…and  #16 Ch. 78 Upgrades..BC-Please change the music …periodically!…

Acting Finance Director Doug Haag is currently and can continue to implement in FY2010/11 the following to ensure all the above items and more…item #29* Efficiency of Finance Operation …upgrade software & equipment/modernize practices etc…item #39 Improve Government Efficiency …maximize the utility of Town’s personnel resources & technology and blend them with outside contractors for improved efficiency and achievement of goals …..Included with this idea of outside use should be the following items …#54 Planning Contracts…Walter Keller/Keith & Schnars or ?….#55* Building Services …go outside of Broward County?…use our own/another Town /private company?…..RFP is being reviewed by TM… The next items are offshoots and we would assume they are included in being able to accomplish the day-to-day operations of the Town…#24 Current Year Budget vs. Actual Analysis..Budget Book…#28 Capital Assets Balances…#30 Investment of Cash…#31 Bid Banking Services* …#34 Employee Health-Related Ins.*…BC-BC- We now know the employees are well paid (prev. post)..and they should have to pay in to have health ins. just as the private sector does..#35 Other Insurance Costs*…#37 Annual Financial Audit & Preparation of Financial Report (CAFR)….#38 Preparation of the 2011/2012 Budget…

The Town Manager and the Commission will need to prepare along with the Finance Director the “hit” we will take and the negotiations with #74 BSO …..BC- we already know we will have an increase…and that communities who went through the expensive process to hire consultants and prepare to move away from BSO…in the end did not… We know that the biggest piece of the pie chart for our taxes is public safety and will remain so… We will be receiving the news of what the BSO wants as well as the County …and from what we can surmise at this point be prepared to do what we can to negotiate and carry on with BSO as out provider… #73* VFD will need to be watched by the TM as a non-voting member of the VFD…BC-Ms. Hoffmann/Comm. need to receive the year end Income/Expense Report for the VFD as well as each qtr. for this next fiscal year as this writer does…I will post about this in a future post…I believe we still pay too much for the VFD especially after looking at that year-end report…I also believe the VFD may be better off in the future as a Town Fire Dept. rather than a contracted vendor…depending on the performance this next year under new VFD Chief Paine…

Items that I categorize as “NO BIG DEAL” and can be done alongside the top priorities…some are already done and/ or in-process ….requiring normal operational time for the staff…. and as for the Commission with the right info & staff in place ….they should only need to read the comprehensive & reliable backup /have 1st & 2nd Reading /make a motion & 2nd & vote on the following items at their monthly Comm. Mtg. following discussion at their monthly RTable mtg. …..#6* Comp. Plan Updates: Greenhouse Gas & Schools /#7 Pain Clinic Ordinance/#18 Hurricane Contracts/#19* Street Sweeper Analysis …Contract or buy larger one…BC- didn’t we just purchase one not long ago?/#26* Chamber  of Commerce Agreement…BC- I still believe we need a Business Development Committee …Add to that item #63 Charter Review Board/#27* Fema Audit…reimbursement being done for past years/#32* Legal Cost …being monitored as requested by Comm/#33* Town Attorney Contract…revisit retainer..BC-RFP for new services…Note to TM/Comm. also this writer still does not like the Special Magistrate for LBTS being the TAtty. for Pompano Beach especially with the sewer situation we face!…/#46 Tennis Court Lights……retro fit for little $s or forget about it…/#48 Coral reef Project…seems to be back on track …and if it falls apart once more…You all know this writer’s stance…head north to Ft. Lauderdale and call it a day with this group../#56* Abandoned Property was implemented ..(prev. posts)/#57* Done as well- Town to take  over 2011 VFD fire inspection billing after “VFD has difficulty in following up on unpaid bills”..Hmmm… the annual VFD administrative salaries should have proved otherwise/#60* Done-Choice Environmental Negotiations…see above ordinance discussion/#61* Lease of Warehouse…RFP drafted and neighboring cities contacted for any interest in renting/#62 * Revisions to Special Events Policy drafting amendments for fees etc../#64* Investigation of Missing Halloween & Easter Items….BSO should report next meeting/#71* Accelerate Recycling…VM Dodd is liaison on this one…using consultant..Ms. Margolies?/#75 Public Emergency Notification System…/#76 * LETF Reimbursement … Done-voted down for the rest of the $ owed…in this writer’s and VM Dodd’s opinion as well as Mayor Minnet….(Prev. post)/#77 Identification of Public Safety…DONE!…Note to Admin. look at the survey that former TM Colon sent out ..(prev. post)…It was copied from Wilton Manors and contained this portion for VFD PR purposes/skewing the election purposes …DROP THE SURVEY!/#78 VFD Multi-Family Safety Drills & Fire Planning…Visits to condos..weren’t they all done in the first year according to then- Fire Inspector Paine and former Chief Perkins…acknowledged as so by the prev. 2-hats Comms?../#81 Town Manager performance* see below agenda item/ #91* Red Light Camera for Commercial …Report prepared..Readers know…this writer is opposed to the red light camera being implemented/#92 Bel Air Traffic Light Issue* Been there ..done that …County will not implement/#98 Paver Crosswalks on A1A and Commercial Blvd.* …resolve he maint. w/FDOT (who no longer allow pavers) or put in alternative (stamp concrete as will be used in new A1A Streetscape Project)….

Backup scan…pgs. 1-13…

b. Town Manager FY 2010/2011 Performance Goals

BC- Town Manager Hoffmann is self explanatory in what her goals and her review should encompass as well as putting forward the priorities asked for above in a well defined summary that numbers 31…This item really should precede the discussion above…in this writer’s opinion… and save a lot of time …and voting!…

Scans pg. 1-4…

The full backup …link.. http://www.lauderdalebythesea-fl.gov/

The meeting is open to the public … It will be up to the Commission at the start of the meetings if any public comment will be allowed from either the public directly or through staff available in the hall…

The meeting will be shown on Comcast Ch. 78/ streamed live on Town website …and archived afterward….. http://lbts.granicus.com/ViewPublisher.php?view_id=2

more to come….

Tags: Lauderdale By The Sea Nov. 15 2010 Special Meeting/Workshop Choice Environmental Amendment To Ordinance On Multi-Family Trash Containers/Strategic Priorites For Town In FY2011/ Town Manager Performanc, Scoops
Posted in Boards, LBTS Agendas/Meetings, Local Politics, Public Safety, Scoops, VFD, local government

THE  SECOND SINGLE MONTHLY COMMISSION MEETING … NICELY SLICED….

Dear Readers … The second single Commission meeting went off without a hitch as far as timing…While they started late due to a tardy Comm. Clottey …the agenda itself was tackled as it was intended to be…limited in those areas where there was clear direction and consensus found at the previous Roundtable with relevant and for the most part coherent commentary and questioning on those items that needed to be fleshed out due to reconsideration such as the 2nd reading on Ord. 2010-15 for allowable businesses in town as well as the 40 year building safety inspection report and of course the Town sewer rate report both items under new business… On the latter I do still have issues with the choice of the consultant being used…She is a terrible presenter …very hard to follow …It would have been preferable in this writer’s opinion for the Town Manager to give the presentation…Ms. Hoffmann has the ability to explain in a much more  concise manner leaving no need for further clarification as she herself needed to interject as Ms. Margolies proceeded…  More on that below…

The meeting began late as stated above and as I watched the computer cut in and out while the Commission awaited Comm. Clottey…some updates on the situation came as it was explained by the Mayor Comm. Clottey was called and was seen in the parking lot…We are told there were approximately 53 people in Jarvis Hall …a number that included staff and vendors there to give their monthly reports…

The pledge was said and Town Chaplain Rev. George Hunsaker was back in town and back at the podium to offer the invocation…He began by asking all to remember the Veterans this Veteran’s day (Thur. 11/11/10)…asking also for a moment of silence …He went on to thank all that govern paid or unpaid and asked for them to have wisdom and vision right now and as we plan for an appropriate time and in appropriate manner..neighbors and enemies to understand a bond of community …to work together to make our town a better place…

Two presentations were made…both were proclamations ..The Mayor stated before she began these were outstanding presentations… This writer agrees with the first proclamation being so…the 2nd …not so much… The first was done by BSO Chief Llerena and the Mayor…declaring Nov. 30, 2010 Sgt. Doug Brown Day for retiring LBTS-BSO Sgt. Doug Brown who is retiring after 17 years serving LBTS both as an LBTS police officer and a BSO officer .. ..Sgt. Brown also serves the C.O.P. program in town and that too was recognized …There will be a retirement party for him in town at the Village Grill and Pub on Friday Nov. 19th..all are invited (prev. post)…He began serving in 1975…coming to LBTS in 1993 according to the proclamation…He received a standing ovation from the audience in the hall and the whole Commission descended from the dais to present him with the proclamation, shake his hand and have a photo op…The second one was a little over the top …It was the result of a 16 year old who was informed there was a conflict for the use of Jarvis Hall on a date that was approved by the Comm. for her sweet 16…The family changed the date of the party moving it back one week…At the previous Roundtable the Comm. asked that something special be done to show appreciation for the family understanding the required change …While a proclamation was brought up..I did not think it was really going to take place…But it was …It was read by the Mayor who was visibly moved and choked up as she read it…While it was certainly sweet and obviously personal for the family… this writer’s daughters would have been running from the hall rather than walking up the aisle to graciously accept it if it had been presented to them at that age…

Public comments…They began with resident and director of Performing Arts Vincent Ragusa came to thank all stating he was grateful for the opening and the success upon its return to Jarvis Hall ..He thanked the Mayor, Comm. Town Clerk, Don Prince and the maintenance crew who went out of there way to make him comfortable and make this experience a pleasure…They had a large turnout of approximately 255 who attended the plays ..taking them out of the red and into the black…He thanked all those financial donors and especially thanked his wife…he ended thanking all for the opportunity to come back… As expected from the e-mail sent by CIC board member Bob Roberts…(prev. post)…CIC-Chair Liliana Pomareda came to speak about the residential parking permit increase…She was clearly unprepared as she tried to read portions of the letter the CIC board sent to the Town Manager and the Commission …(prev. post)..She was disjointed and stumbled over her comments…She ran over her time…received no supportive response from the audience and had no other members join her to comment …We are told she exited the hall shortly after…THUD!… Business owner Spiro Marchelos came to speak briefly about certain code inequities he believes his businesses are enduring from code enforcement and asking for some fair procedures and a way to resolve the problem… Peanuts Wick came as expected to tout the Marie White Santa By The Sea event on Dec. 11, 2010 from 12pm-3pm at the Commercial Beach pavilion…He spoke of Marie White and being joined in the venture by the VFD …There will be a photo op with Santa and refreshments… He also spoke of the boxes for unwrapped toys that will be around town as in prior years and asked for the Comm. to waive the $100 permit fee …Ron Piersante came to thank all the volunteers 40 people who helped with the Halloween event…He included the Town Manager and Asst. TM as well as Don Prince and his crew..He thanked Ken Brenner and Wayne Dillistin as well as Teresa Sasser…

The public safety monthly reports were next…Chief Llerena came to the podium to read the deputy of the month as was the practice in the past…He will carry it on going forth…(see the agenda for the full content)… The Mayor thanked the BSO for the ride along she took and encouraged other Comms. to do a ride as well….The report was passed 5-0… The VFD was represented by former Comm. Silverstone standing in for an absent Chief Paine…He is presently the Sec. Treasurer of the VFD… The Mayor stated she met with Chief Paine and was pleased the VFD had stepped up its training and had come to an agreement on the contract …Comm. Sasser extended congratulations to  the employee of the quarter (who was not there)… as well as thanking her for her Halloween participation…The Vice mayor asked about reductions in the medical calls and about officers meeting the 20% calls required… He asked about the year end time-frame to ensure the target was met and monitored…Silverstone stated monthly business meetings were used to go after each member …We hear that the 20% is part of the VFD’s By-laws even though they took it out of the contract…Any change to their By-laws must be turned over to the Town…(This writer is still awaiting any changes as well per a PRR some weeks back)…Comm. Clottey asked Silverstone to answer and explain a conversation she said she had with Chief Paine where she wanted it explained to the residents how the procedures were changed in fighting fires after 9/11 …Silverstone responded since she had the conversation with Chief Paine he should respond… The vote to accept the report passed 5-0… Silverstone then stated he had a letter to read from Chief Paine…It was an apology for his response to to a question asked of him at the last Comm. meeting…and to state he has an open door policy … AMR was next and Chief Liddle was not in attendance either…The AMR employee who stood in was also unable to respond to Comm. Sasser’s question on the three calls that were above the average…He stated he would ask Liddle and get a response…The same occurred for the Mayor’s follow-up question on the AMR driver going against traffic…The report was passed 5-0…

The minutes were passed with no discussion…5-0…

The consent agenda had items taken out by Comm. Sasser and VM Dodd…the rest ..items a.-martial arts renewal/c.-July 4/Easter Chairs/f.-4 hardship permits Santa Barbara Inn/g.-TAtty. Services/l.-year end budget amendments 2009-10 passed with no discussion (those items on backup/prev. agenda post)..9b.- Comm Sasser had a question about sidewalk repair…the cost Don prince informed him along with the TM was $360 per lineal ft…and the non-for-profit was called in for 10 sections at a time…There is a $40,000 budget and usually $ is left over …passed 5-0…9e.- Comm. Sasser asked about the Coastal Partnership Grant and if it was tied in to the coral reef project we are now re-negotiating…TM Hoffmann answered it is…as well as for signage and our coral reefs…She explained that after today’s discussions with the coral reef group she hoped to have a revised contract …and there was little risk…If there was any departure from the agreement we have time to withdraw from the grant…This was in response to Comm. Sasser’s question concerning the statements made concerning the A1A project and the negative fallout that would come from turning down a grant…Comm. Vincent asked about the 2 year state requirements and going beyond if it was ok…The TM said it was… The grant passed 5-0 (we were told at the Rtable it was a formality as it already went out)… 9h/i/j were taken out to discuss by VM Dodd to address recycling use at each event and it being included in the event forms…Asst. TM Bentley came to address that it was already in the forms and spoke of the difference in where recepticals were required for the Taste of the Beach event vs New Year’s  Eve street events..He stated they would be on site and in an extended area…An evaluation by staff will follow the event for any changes required…TM Hoffmann added she and Don Prince were looking into the Town helping out …testing new bins…The Mayor added she provided pics of how Oakland park does it to the TM… It passed 5-0… Comm. Clottey pulled 9k.- the Marie White event to make a motion to return the $100 fee to Peanuts Wick…VM Dodd 2nd it with appreciation as well to Wick/ VFD…passed 5-0…

The 2nd Reading Ordinances brought forth the first extended discussion to remedy the Roundtable discussion last month that took away certain businesses being allowed… The TAtty. read the ord…Public comment brought forth Louis Marchelos who stated these are hard times and restricting business was not appropriate…He spoke of the pitfalls of a six week wait to find a business was now prohibited… A gentleman who apparently wanted to rent a store came up to voice being in that position alluded to by Marchelos … Another owner of stores in town came to state hard times should not result in relaxed ordinances..wanting to keep the town businesses “upbeat” (huh?)… The VM added he felt at the risk of repeating himself (rdtable)…high end consignment shops …not thrift shops should be allowed as well as electrical retail…but not wholesale electrical…Comm. Vincent said respectfully with Mr. Ciani  they need not relax our ordinances but he wanted Jeff Bowman to explain what was allowed before the changes were made…for the public (huh?)…Dev. Dir. Bowman answered that the business the gentleman wanted was not permitted from the beginning and the town did not know what the business was until it was in writing…They tried to work with the gentleman…The TAtty. addressed the cigar-tobacco that was stricken due to the desire of the Comm. not wanting head-shops in town…A statute allows cigar-tobacco shops to sell bongs etc…and the only way to not allow that is to not allow tobacco-cigar shops despite the fact we already have one… Comm Vincent said he was confused …stating we have one…Bowman answered yes we do…But the TAtty. stated it is non-conforming and can continue to operate…Comm. Vincent asked if there had been any complaints..the answer was no…The Mayor stated after further review and driving around she wanted to include dive shops…dance studios …already in town..and call the flooring/wallpaper/paint/electrical supply/lighting …home furnishing as well as consignments no thrift to allow those stricken to be allowed on second reading… Comm. Clottey had her button pressed but passed…Comm. Sasser stated the whole idea was to expand what was allowed and not have to vote on it as a Comm. …The Mayor added the process was mote involved than that with the Notice /P & Z …Comm. Sasser said they did expand it…substantially…The TAtty. agreed and added they also have a similar uses clause with the staff deeming something fits that criteria…allowing the Comm. to review it… Comm. Sasser asked for more info on the cigar-tobacco stating that stemmed from him and the Comm. NOT wanting head shops in town… The TAtty. explained the statute and why it was necessary at this time to strike cigar-tobacco shops …but it could be revisited later on Comm. Vincent asked if the present cigar shop could sell the paraphernalia …. The TAtty. said the statute would allow it… if the shop met the criteria to do so…The TM read the list of what was back in and the TAtty. asked if it applied to both business districts…the consensus was yes…passed 5-0…

The next 2nd Reading Ord. was 2010-17 to offer a last chance for relief to those who feel they are wronged before litigation…After it was read by The TAtty. Diane Boutin came to speak and was misinformed thinking it was tied into the parking requirements…The Tatty. clarified the ord. and informed Ms. Boutin of the upcoming parking req. coming to the P & Z on the 17th… No discussion from the Comm. it passed 5-0…

Resolutions…2010-37 was to get the grant for the Senior Center from the county…The TAtty. read it…No public or Comm. comment/discussion passed 5-0…Reso 2010-38..the infamous “Let’s Move campaign” to support Michelle Obama’s healthy towns for kids…No public/Comm. comment/discussion passed 4-1…Comm. Sasser voted no…Yeah…Comm. Sasser!… Reso 2010-39 was to deal with the signs notice of intent due to it going back tot the P & Z next week…no discussion from public/Comm. passed 5-0…Reso 2010-40 was the waiver of permit fees for temporary signs for certain non-for-profits…no public/comm discussion passed 5-0…

Comm. Clottey asked for a break before Comm. Comments at 8:30pm…

Comm. Comments began with Comm. Vincent who began by talking about Halloween thanking Comm & Mrs Sasser and the volunteers…He spoke of the mid-term elections being over and the winners…congratulating them ..He gave a positive review for the Performing Arts production and said all should mark their calendars for the next one…

Vice Mayor Dodd spoke about Hillsboro Inlet…stating he had nothing to report…it was running smoothly…He too spoke about the success of Halloween well attended and thanked those who put it on…He spoke briefly on the coral reef negotiations stating he had just been informed they may have finally come to agreement after four rounds and he was sufficiently optimistic …He stated he got a boost out of the TM report and how it shows an accurate account of what they have done and where we stand …He encouraged all to read it…

Mayor Minnet spoke of the Broward League offering meetings to Comms. on ethics ..ideas…communication…asking her fellow dais members to attend… She said she would be attending a Mayor’s Roundtable with School Supt. Notter…on the 15th… She thanked the liaisons again or all they have done and spoke of Halloween..the election…the plays …thanking all and speaking of what took place in succession in Jarvis hall… She too spoke of the Veterans and wished all a Happy Thanksgiving…

Comm. Clottey thanked Comm & Mrs. Sassr stating she could not attend due to being out of town..She also thanked Vincent Ragusa for bringing back the performing arts to Jarvis Hall (Hmmm)… She thanked the Veterans and then encouraged all once again to go to the Marie White Santa event..and give toys for the children …She then waxed on about the Broward NPO and the 2035 plan for pedestrian friendly towns…She spoke of the millions the “Feds” had given and will give to fund this …She said it was a part of the grant program we applied for ..for El Mar… Light rail…millions for public transportation funding …Not for this taxpayer…in year 2011 or 2035!..

Comm. Sasser … “I would like to thank the Commission for entrusting me with the appointment of Chair for the Halloween Event this year. This was my first such appointment and I learned a great deal. The first thing I learned is to put together a great committee and I was lucky enough to have volunteers like Marie Chiarello, Ken Brenner and Wayne Dillistin in charge of the marvelous decorations. Sunny Eckhardt provided all the signage. Ron Persante oversaw the distribution and volunteers. Bonnie Clark handled the cookies and juice for the kids. Bill Vitollo was in charge of the outside set up and decorations with Diana Kugler heading up the games for the kids out on the lawn. Christine Vincent handled all the tables for us, which turned out to be quite a job with the huge crowds we had. For our photo op we had Vincent and Connie Ragusa dressed as the Tin Man and Scarecrow from the Wizard of Oz. I would be remiss if I didn’t mention the hard work from Town Staff as well. They helped with receiving donations, storing materials, accounting, letters to businesses, set-up, take-down and many other duties as assigned. We even had Bud and Connie working hard! Our businesses and town organizations stepped up to the plate with overwhelming support and donations providing the many tables for candy distribution. Though this list only scratches the surface of all the volunteers, the committee helped manage all the activities and they were the key to our success. The event was a resounding success and the children all enjoyed the games, candy and marvelous “Hollywood set” in Jarvis Hall. In addition, our boxes were overflowing with canned goods donated by participants to feed the hungry. I have a list of appreciation that was handed out that evening along with a letter of appreciation from Our Lady Queen of Heaven Roman Catholic Church, which distributed our canned goods to the Feeding South Florida Food Bank. I would like for these to be placed in the back-up and filed in the Halloween Event Folder for future reference.

As you all know by now this group started with nothing and worked night and day to produce an event like no one has ever seen. Once the news was out, we had donations pouring in. We had both residents and non-residents offering money, decorations and time to make sure this event was the very best it could be. Town residents, Bob Schuyler, personally made 6 coffins for the event and Martha Marchellos hand made and painted the beautiful backdrop for our “Go-Fish” game. All which were provided for the town’s use year after year. The outpouring was heartfelt and greatly appreciated. The generous donations that were given allowed us to stage this year’s event with a cost to the town of less than $1,600! This is a testament to our community’s ability to rally and unify for the benefit of our children.

For those of you who are wondering if I forgot…I did not…I could not have done any of this without the tireless dedication and help from my wonderful wife, Teresa. She spent countless hours helping in every capacity. We joked that our family felt abandoned in the weeks leading up to the event. My children are certainly glad the event is over and dad is not picking them up late or cooking. Teresa and the volunteers carefully inventoried all the decorations and non-perishables for this year’s event. They made sure to note what was borrowed, donated, made and retained by the town and where it is stored for future reference. Teresa, thank you from the bottom of my heart.

And with that I yield.”

Old Business consisted of one item…Choice Environmental and Comm. Sasser the liaison still updated all that he had learned so much in this process and stated on the 15th they would have a special meeting before their workshop at 5 pm to get the 1st reading of the ordinance going on the changes…It allows for multi-family to choose the number of carts …but cannot go below 50% of the units… there will be no charges for 2 time a year of cart changes…charge after that…one cart bulk per month..an increase in the renewal to 180 days…but no extension on the Choice 3 yr. contract… Comm. Clottey stated she was not sure this was the appropriate time but wanted yard waste to be picked up separately as discussed the last time this was addressed…Comm. Sasser stated Choice had been receptive in this process and staff should approach them…The Mayor reiterated it would be on the 15th The TM apologized that the backup for this item was MIA on the backup online and it was an oversight…It was put on today…

New business was to check calendars and set workshop on beach recreational/commercial usage..ie kite-surfing…skim-boarding lessons etc… The TM stated she set up the first visioning speaker for Jan 7th and 8th (Fri./Sat)…After some discussion it was agreed to have this meeting at 5 pm before the Comm. mtg…which will reverse in Jan…(Rdtable 2nd Tues/Comm. mtg. 4th Tues)… Residents..Condos need heads-up to attend…

Next up the 40 year building safety inspections…(full list on Town website/prev. agenda post)…Dev. Dir. Bowman acknowledged what was in the backup and stated a county building official was there to answer questions as well… The TM wanted to know if this could be done at the Town’s level after the Vice Mayor asked about the fines and control of them… Dir. Bowman and the building official stated that question was out for an answer but they believed the Town could take it over… The building official spoke of the 2 boards…the unsafe structures and code enforcement stating code had more “teeth” in getting compliance.. The VM asked about the motels in town being owned by one owner and in disrepair…and receiving complaints…The official stated they stated they would comply…Comm. Vincent was a little off in asking if the sq. footage was interior or included the overhang…the official stated it was occupied space…Comm. Vincent went on to ask about consumer protection and costs of the engineers required…The official stated there were none that was between the engineer and the building…He stated some engineers went overboard but they could do nothing about that … The Mayor stated she had spoken to the TM about having a nuisance & abatement ordinance…currently not on the books in town…Dir. Bowman concurred we do not have one and spoke of the unsafe structure board…and that he and the TM were looking at other municipalities…The TM said she had that on her list for Monday night’s meeting for the Town government to regulate persistent problems with properties/code/safety/public safety use etc…She also stated updates on this will come to the Comm. 2 times a year…

The Town Sewer Rates was the last item of new business…Unfortunately… as stated at the start of this post the Town Manager  chose to use consultant Kathy Margolies once again…(The specifics used for the power point are on the Town’s website …in the backup…the video of the meeting and on this site’s prev. agenda post)… The jest of the disjointed presentation was what we all knew…we are gonna have to pay significantly to catch up with the rate increases already passed on to the Town but not passed on to the consumers in the south end of town since 2008 as well as facing further expected increases set to come in Jan. and most likely with even more after that depending on what happens with Pompano Beach and the date to stop dumping in the ocean etc… After some clarifications from the TM …Comm. Clottey, Comm. Sasser, VM Dodd, the Mayor and to a certain extent Comm. Vincent made it clear there was consensus not to do a 2 or a 3 step increase to the consumers in the south (the north end pays Pompano directly and is excluded from this rate hike)…but to bite the bullet and deal with what was left in their lap by the prev. Administration and have consumers pay the increases as they come at the present and afterward… as stated in the Town’s yearly budget books through 2009/2010 is the Town’s practice for such increases received from Pompano Beach…

One hand giveth and one hand taketh away!… Right after Comm. Sasser stated they had some relief on per unit fees for garbage…those same multi-family will join the condos and pay per unit as the north does for their sewer under the new rates… All in the south will no longer get a 2000 gallon base pass …as is also the practice in place in the north…The large condos will get hit the hardest with the per unit and other charges not seen currently…

Here’s the big question still facing the Admin/Comm. concerning SRClub/SRLNorth buildings…Are they (we …this writer lives in SRC) living in “No Man’s Land” at the current time?… We found out this year that the Town never followed through with the directive given to have Pompano put us in the Town’s Master Sewer Agreement in 1998…Never went for a declaratory judgment to do so either … So basically we 4 buildings may not be under any agreement … The North has an agreement from the sewer agreement made for the septic being changed…The Town south of SRC/SRLNorth buildings have an amended agreement from 2008 updated… but still without these 1998 annexed in buildings… So where do we stand?…

The SRC/SRLNorth buildings asked at that time only to have the same rate as the Town they were annexing in to…That will now happen according to this meeting…but without being under the Master Sewer Agreement with Pompano…Will that fly?… Who owns the sewers outside of SRC/SRLNorth on A1A?…

Also, what’s the deal with Fort Lauderdale?…We were told we pay Ft. Lauderdale to do our billing because we were bad at it we were told…… Now according to the TM Ft. Lauderdale is refusing to include a notice of rate change in the bills as the TAtty. stated was a requirement?… How can they not?… Maybe Ft. Lauderdale realized on page 5 of the Sewer Agreement from Nov. 13, 2007 Pompano Beach stated they could take over  providing  the water for the south end of town …”13. The Town agrees that upon the expiration of its present Agreement with the City of Fort Lauderdale it will purchase water from the City of Pompano Beach if it determines such purchase will be economically advantageous to it and if it determines the quality of the water offered by the City is equal to or better than the water provided by the City of Fort Lauderdale.”… Is that even possible after we sold the water pipes to Fort Lauderdale the following year in 2008?… The same water that now includes a 25% surcharge from Ft. Lauderdale to pay for replacing the very pipes we sold them!… UGH!…

The Comm. will send the notices either in the sewer bill or by post card and set up public hearings in Dec. & Jan…to start the increases… The TM will send letters to the condos with the info and an offer to come ans speak to them as well…More numbers will be forthcoming as we move along…and get more real answers on what’s coming…

We will need to see the responses on all the above from the SRC/SRLNorth boards as well as the Town on if they intend to do what the prev. Admin. did not and get these buildings under the same sewer agreement with Pompano.. This writer also implores the TM to do the next presentations on this most important topic…and not use the same consultant…

The Town Manager stated due to time she would take questions on her report …Comm. Sasser thanked her for her updates and asked about the VFD not wanting to comply with the extra changes the Comm. asked for…oversight/20% response time/Fire Inspector chosen by Comm…The TM stated it was not so much a refusal as it was they were not overly receptive… She added on the fire inspector position Chief Paine is the only qualified member to do the job…He went on to inquire about the Fountainhead and the TM said there was talk with them about the keys ..the rest is in the backup…Imperial Lane was addressed after the county did not go for the changes wanted…The TM stated it would be addressed on the 15th…The TM stated she had not met with the Chamber due to time constraints and asked for the 1st qtr. payment authorization prior to that meeting …so as not to hold them up…The contract would be ironed out…It passed 5-0…

The TAtty. had two items…an update she said the Comm. received…(it was not in the backup online and should be)…on the County ethics and if they regulate the cities as well…It is their contention they do not as of yet…Also on the coral reef they are ironing out a few points and she should bring them something in Dec.

They adjourned at 9:56 pm…

They carved this second single monthly Comm.meeting out just fine!…Gobble…gobble…

Backup/ archived video on Town website… http://www.lauderdalebythesea-fl.gov/

more to come…

Tags: Lauderdale By The Sea Nov. 92010 Regular commisison Meeting, Scoops
Posted in LBTS Agendas/Meetings, Public Safety, Scoops, VFD, local government

THE MONTHLY TOWN COMMISSION MEETING …..

Dear Readers …as the Commission comes together this month for their second single Commission Meeting in this trial period to see if the Aventura model offered up by Weiss Serota works for LBTS…the agenda is somewhat daunting….. and we will need to see if the time required for most items can and will be  be used as it was intended …for most items in front of this Commission… The “GULP” is for the sewer rates and what we as residents will face over the next few years …It is a mess left over from the former Administration and Pompano Beach… More explanation will be under that agenda item NB 15c… A few other items will need some tinkering after the last Roundtable…such as the 2nd reading on businesses (prev. posts)…in this writer’s opinion… Some items have no backup attached such as the proclamations and OB item 14a. Choice Environmental Solid Waste Amendment (Commissioner Scot Sasser) …we hear that will be an update with further discussion taking place at the special meeting on Nov. 15th at 5 pm in Jarvis Hall..Following that meeting will be a strategic planning-priority-TM yearly performance review process meeting as was discussed at the last roundtable meeting…. As for the rest of the agenda …barring any in-depth inquiries concerning the monthly public safety reports ….public input and/or change of mind on an item…or additions made at the start of the meeting ..those should require little more than perhaps a summary of the Commissioners due diligence and decision to vote yea or nay or just a motion ..a 2nd and the vote… Tick…tick…tick…. Turkey timers are set and ready to go…

TOWN OF LAUDERDALE-BY-THE-SEA

TOWN COMMISSION MEETING

TUESDAY, NOV. 9, 2010 AT 7 PM

JARVIS HALL

AGENDA BACKUP DOCUMENTS

1. CALL TO ORDER, MAYOR ROSEANN MINNET

2. PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE TO THE FLAG

3. INVOCATION – Reverend George Hunsaker

4. ADDITIONS, DELETIONS, DEFERRALS OF AGENDA ITEMS

5. PRESENTATIONS

a. Presentation of Proclamation (Chief Oscar Llerena).

b. Presentation of Proclamation (Mayor Roseann Minnet).

6. PUBLIC COMMENTS

7. PUBLIC SAFETY DISCUSSION

BC- It is hoped that Chief Llerena & Lt. Cedeno will come to the podium to update the notable arrests (see below) as well as the employee of the month…

a. BSO Monthly Report – October 2010 (Chief Oscar Llerena).

Backup… (Could not paste…scanned in…).. Pgs. 2/3 & 8…. full report on Town website …link below

b. VFD Monthly Report – October 2010 (Chief Steve Paine).

BC- The VFD we hear is still having some turmoil from within the department as well as from outside…This writer has been put on hold for the last qtr./yr. end Income/expense reports long overdue for a PRR as well as no update forthcoming on any by-law /SPO changes made under this new administration… There are 3 Battalion Chiefs in the dept. of 60…which includes 37 “in-town” members and 23 “out-of-town” members.. We are told the dept. increased its “in-town” distance to 3 miles outside of town limits … Some stirring also has come from officers vs. embers and preferential treatment extending to bunker gear …While we know the Town’s hands are tied on actions coming from within such as these if they are indeed happening…it smacks of the status quo we all thought left the building with the change in Chiefs!… Then Employee of the 4th Qtr. is FFI Cheryl Johnson …Chief Paine included a recall notification in the report as well as the usual roster/training /calls … Speaking of call Medical Calls dropped big time…there were 68 911 call/VFD dispatched 46/VFD not dispatched 22/Canceled by Chief or M12 27/ VFD assisted call 19…The Town Manager and Chief Paine responded and met with the Fountainhead on their complaint (prev. post)…there is conflicting data the VFD has that puts Fountainhead’s claims made in a letter questionable …That is addressed in the TM report 16a….

Backup pgs.2/3/20…full report on Town website …link below….

c. AMR Monthly Report – October 2010 (Operations Manager Brooke Liddle).

BC- AMR avg. response time 0:03:45 under 6 minutes 96% of the time …Should be a motion/2nd and vote…

8. APPROVAL OF MINUTES

BC- both…Should be a motion/2nd and vote…

a. September 20, 2010 Roundtable Meeting Minutes

BC- best part…pg. 9 when CIC member Comm. Clottey is recorded for stating she “was surprised with how the cost of a parking permit was in comparison to other cities”…That was before she brought up the raise in permits the last time and those that raised their dissatisfaction… See prev. post on CIC  Board sending letter to TM and Comm. on the increase…

b. October 12, 2010 Regular Commission Meeting Minutes

BC- There were no CIC members/ residents who came at public comments to complain of the increase in permit rates…

9. CONSENT AGENDA

a. Martial Arts Contract Renewal (Town Manager Connie Hoffmann)

BC- the backup explanation from the TM again informs the Comm. of the change in doing business with recreational instructors that are vendors to the Town…rather than pay the instructor $12,000 as was done by the prev. Admin…it is now a shared revenue venture with the instructor receiving 80% of the  registration fees from group  lessons…The instructor also provide 4 free martial arts classes to the public and will receive $80 per from the Town… Should be a motion/2nd and vote…

b. Use of Jarvis Hall for Holiday Party – Sunday, December 12, 2010 6:30 p.m. to 12:00 midnight (Municipal Services Director Don Prince).

BC-backup explanation from Don Prince states Mr. Anibal Annartone a resident of LBTS wants to use the hall for a party…recommendation is to allow it… Should be a motion/2nd and vote…

c. Ratification of appointment of Chairperson for the 4th of July and Easter Events (Town Clerk June White) (Commission Consensus at the October 26, 2010 Roundtable).

* Vice Mayor Stuart Dodd for the 4th of July Event
* Mayor Roseann Minnet for the Easter Event

BC-Explanation states there was consensus at the prev. Roundtable (prev. post).. VM Dodd has already been contacted by businesses with offers to assist… We are hopeful that this year the event will be geared to the Downtown area after the parade and before the fireworks…Keep it simple… VFD in charge of the parade as is customary…and the Chamber/Businesses and resident volunteers go to the square for food and music til the sun goes down and the fireworks go off without a hitch?…

For those keeping track Mayor Minnet was the Chair of July 4th this year and said she would do Easter next year ……Comm. Vincent and wife chaired Easter this year /Comm. Sasser  and wife just chaired Halloween …VM Dodd and Comm. Clottey last chaired July 4th together in 2008 … Should be a motion/2nd and vote…

d. Award of annual sidewalk maintenance contract with Three H Learning d/b/a Florida Youth Conservation Corp (Municipal Services Director Don Prince).

BC- the backup explanation /recommendation from Don Prince is to continue with the Town’s practice since 2007 to use this non-for-profit vendor to repair sidewalks in town…purchase order for $40,000 … Need a sidewalk repaired?….Make a request for it… should be a motion/2nd and vote…

e. Coastal Partnership grant application (Town Manager Connie Hoffmann).

BC- backup explanation/recommendation from the TM is to approve this grant application for $16,750 from the state to assist with the Coral Reef Project…if and when that happens ..It will cover monitoring.. signage etc…It was the consensus of the Comm. at Roundatble to go ahead with it..this is a formality due to timing and when it needed to go out… update on Atty. contact in TM report below…

f. Commission approval of four (4) hardship parking permits for Santa Barbara Inn (Town Clerk June White).

BC- backup same as for all the other prev. applicants…should be a motion/2nd vote…

g. Engagement of Town Attorney’s Services (Town Manager Connie Hoffmann) (Commission Consensus at the October 26, 2010 Roundtable).

BC-backup explanation/recommendation is to accept the engagement of Weiss Serota for the fiscal year …It was discussed at the last Roundtable…certain concessions were made by the firm and the TM agreed with the Town Atty. this was not the time to go out to look elsewhere…The Comm. agreed and it will go to RFP before next fiscal year…should be motion/2nd and vote… There was a safeguard asked for by Comm. Sasser for any update if we approach the full amount budgeted or projection we will go over that amount…

h. Chamber of Commerce Special Event Application for the Taste of the Beach proposed on February 23, 2011 (Assistant Town Manager Bud Bentley).

BC- backup explanation/recommendation from Asst. TM Bentley is for the same use of the El Prado parking lot used in the past by the Chamber… and the requirements for permits..signage etc…are met…should be a motion/2nd and vote

i. Athena By-The-Sea Special Event Application for a proposed New Year’s Eve event (Assistant Town Manager Bud Bentley).

BC- backup explanation/recommendation from Asst. TM Bentley is to approve after informing the Comm. of the other applications to follow this one for the same night New Year’s Eve..Same requirements need to be adhered to as in prior years…Should be a motion/2nd and vote…

j. Jazz on the Square Special Event – Proposed change in the event hours on December 31, 2010 and amended site plan. (Assistant Town Manager Bud Bentley).

BC-backup explanation/recommendation from Asst. TM Bentley is approval with all requirements being met as was done in prior years…Should be a motion/2nd and vote… Let the ball drop on 2010…and Welcome in 2011!

k. Special Event Application for the Marie White’s Santa Is Coming To Town event proposed on December 11th – Sponsored by the Lauderdale By-The Sea Volunteer Fire Department (Assistant Town Manager Bud Bentley).

BC-  Event is actually co-sponsored by Peanuts Wick and the VFD according to the backup … which means Peanuts will make his way to the podium to talk it up and talk of boxes for xmas gifts donations as well …Who will do the photos this go round?…Backup/recommendation from Asst. TM Bentley … is a go unless there are any health/safety violations found…we doubt there will be any…Should be a motion/2nd and vote…

l. Year-end budget amendments for FY2009-2010 (Acting Finance Director Doug Haag).

BC- according to the Finance Dir…the Comm. was never brought a required transaction to appropriate funds in 2009…Why are we not surprised.. The Comm. might want to comment but…Should be a motion/2nd and vote…and take this type of purposeful(?) action done by the prev. Admin. while discussing 15a. the sewer rates…

Backup pg. 1…scanned..

10. ORDINANCES – PUBLIC COMMENTS

1. Ordinances 1st Reading

2. Ordinances 2nd Reading

a. Ordinance 2010-15: AN ORDINANCE OF THE TOWN OF LAUDERDALE-BY-THE-SEA, FLORIDA, AMENDING ARTICLE V “ZONING” OF CHAPTER 30 OF THE CODE OF ORDINANCES BY AMENDING SECTIONS 30-261, “B-1-A DISTRICT – BUSINESS” AND 30-271, “B-1 DISTRICT – BUSINESS” TO REVISE THE USES PERMITTED IN THESE ZONING DISTRICTS; PROVIDING FOR SEVERABILITY, CONFLICTS, CODIFICATION, AND AN EFFECTIVE DATE Approved on first reading at the October 12, 2010 Commission meeting – Revised at the October 26, 2010 Roundtable.

BC- the Ordinance needs revisiting in this writer’s opinion…The P & Z and this Comm. originally wanted to expand the uses and allow for no long-term wait for new business to get up and running while going through the required process if it is not an “allowable” business…Somehow the Comm. went off course at their last Roundtable and made certain businesses no longer allowable…such as paint/wallpaper/flooring /electric supply/cigar/consignment shops /funeral homes..WHY?… These should be allowed…just zone them for west of A1A …No lengthy discussion needed just a repair to what their original intentions were…

b. Ordinance 2010-17: AN ORDINANCE OF THE TOWN COMMISSION OF THE TOWN OF LAUDERDALE-BY-THE-SEA, FLORIDA, AMENDING THE CODE OF ORDINANCES BY AMENDING CHAPTER 30 “UNIFIED LAND DEVELOPMENT REGULATIONS” TO CREATE SECTION 30-22 “ZONING RELIEF PROCEDURES” TO ADDRESS POSSIBLE UNINTENDED VIOLATIONS OF FEDERAL AND STATE LAWS IN THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THIS CODE OR ITS RELATED RULES, POLICIES, AND PROCEDURES; PROVIDING FOR SEVERABILITY, CONFLICT, CODIFICATION, AND AN EFFECTIVE DATE Approved on first reading at the October 12, 2010 Commission meeting.

BC- This was previously discussed and approved at 1st Reading..to allow a form of relief “safety clause” to avoid any legal action as a last resort on any zoning dispute …Should be a motion/2nd and vote…

11. RESOLUTION – “Public Comments”

a. Resolution 2010-37: A RESOLUTION OF THE TOWN OF LAUDERDALE-BY-THE-SEA, FLORIDA, AUTHORIZING AND DIRECTING THE APPROPRIATE TOWN OFFICIALS TO EXECUTE A GRANT APPLICATION FOR FUNDS AVAILABLE THROUGH THE COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT BLOCK GRANTS PROGRAM THROUGH BROWARD COUNTY FOR THE FISCAL YEAR 2010/2011 PROVIDING FOR CONFLICT; PROVIDING FOR SEVERABILITY; AND PROVIDING FOR AN EFFECTIVE DATE.

BC- backup explanation/recommendation is reso for getting the grant from Broward County for the Senior (now named Community) Center $29,209 w/ the Town portion being $57,216 already budgeted by the Town …Should be a motion/2nd and vote…Hopefully Comm. Clottey won’t feel the need to be clueless once more on this topic!…

b. Resolution 2010-38: RESOLUTION OF THE TOWN OF LAUDERDALE-BY-THE-SEA, FLORIDA, IN SUPPORT OF THE FIRST LADY MICHELLE OBAMA’S “LET’S MOVE CITIES AND TOWNS CAMPAIGN” THAT FOCUSES ON HEALTH AND WELLNESS IN ALL COMMUNITIES; PROVIDING FOR CONFLICT; PROVIDING FOR SEVERABILITY; AND PROVIDING FOR AN EFFECTIVE DATE (Commission consensus at the October 26, 2010 Roundtable).

BC- Readers know from past posts..benign or not…vote it down…Should be a motion/2nd and vote. …

c. Resolution 2010-39: RESOLUTION OF THE TOWN OF LAUDERDALE-BY-THE-SEA, FLORIDA,PROVIDING FOR ISSUANCE OF A NOTICE OF INTENT CONCERNING PENDING LAND DEVELOPMENT REGULATIONS.

BC-backup/recommendation from Development Dir. Bowman addresses the recent recommendation from the Comm. to send the signage and parking requirements back to the P & Z to address the whole ordinance and not just what needed to be “cleaned up” …It is set for the P & Z to meet on this Wed. Nov. 17th at 6:30 pm in Jarvis Hall …The backup is online and will be posted with commentary on this site later in the week… Unfortunately once again the Dir. while providing the  TAtty’s view that this was to make it more legally defensible and P & Zs approval of the ordinance conveniently left off the the opposing vote by the Vice Chair of P & Z who was correct in his warning and analysis that more than “clean up” was done in the ordinance… which was spot on in this writer’s opinion…This reso should be approved… Should be a motion/2nd and vote… Hopefully businesses were given the heads up to attend the P & Z meeting to offer up public comment…

d. Resolution 2010-40: A RESOLUTION OF THE TOWN COMMISSION OF THE TOWN OF LAUDERDALE-BY-THE-SEA, FLORIDA, PROVIDING FOR WAIVER OF TEMPORARY SIGN PERMIT FEES UNDER CERTAIN CONDITIONS.

BC- backup reso is to stop the fees for temporary signs for charitable or non-for-profit agencies….Should be a motion/2nd and vote…

12. QUASI JUDICIAL PUBLIC HEARINGS

13. COMMISSIONER COMMENTS

14. OLD BUSINESS

a. Choice Environmental Solid Waste Amendment (Commissioner Scot Sasser)

BC- as posted above..no backup…but Comm. Sasser and or TAtty/TM/Asst. TM will update with more coming on Nov. 15th and 22nd…

15. NEW BUSINESS

a. Schedule Workshop for Permitted use of recreational activities on the beach (tentative January 2011) (Town Clerk June White).

BC- backup explanation from the Town Clerk White indicates a workshop was asked for on this topic …it includes kite-surfing and other activities both as commercial and recreational use..We are told skim-boarding lessons have been in play for the past few years in-town…Hmmm… Need to check that out…VM Dodd asked for the Condo Managers and Boards to be made aware so they could attend …Calendars out…Should be a motion/2nd and vote…

b. Report on 40 year building safety inspections (Development Services Director Jeff Bowman).

BC- the backup shows that the question has been raised by several Comms. about the 40 year building inspections in town..This has arisen due to complaints received about accommodations at certain establishments thus putting the Chamber in a quite a quandary due to these buildings being members of the Chamber and advertisers as well… The 40 year inspection requirement appears to be the only way to enforce some resolution at least to the buildings…service complaints are a whole different story… The backup gives a review of the history of the inspection as well as where the local buildings that fall under this required inspection fall…(pun intended)… Further updating should be provided at the podium …This ongoing problem deserves its own workshop as part of the visioning process ….

Backup pgs 5-11/15 …scanned… full report on Town website ..link below…

c. Town Sewer Rates (Town Manager Connie Hoffmann).

BC- THE BIG GULP!!!!!…. Just as we were kept in the dark from the prior two Administrations on the renewal of the Audit Company for 3 years at a cost of hundreds of thousands of dollars(Colon Admin.)…Kept out of the loop about major structural/design changes concerning the Commercial Blvd. Beach Pavilion…(Colon Admin.)and the Sea Ranch Club sewers rate charges (Baldwin/Colon Admin.)… We were kept in the dark along with the previous Comm. concerning the 2008 Master Sewer Agreement with Pompano Beach (Colon Admin.)… Now we are left with how to deal with the whole shebang …In a nutshell we are going to be hit hard …The South end of Town and Sea Ranch Club as well as Sea Ranch North with a huge rate increase that hits large condos the most… In that 2008 Master Sewer Agreement it was known there would be a big increase …by those who knew what was in the agreement …According to the backup TM Hoffmann states that is when the Town began drawing down  on the fund balance to cover those costs… To add insult to injury according to that same agreement (the one we found out a few months ago did not include the annexed in areas)… it had another substantial increase in the rates coming in Jan!….Without the sewer rate increase we will be operating under a $400,000 deficit…with it $800,000….The Town Manager has put out an RFP to deal with this issue (RFP # 10/09/10) … and offers up to the Comm. a possible scenario over a 3 year period that would offset the $400,000 she clarified would not take effect until FY 2012/2013…

This Town Manager and the Commission need to make clear to all the residents that they must now rectify the mess left for them and make it clear that none of them were ever made aware of it until the former TM and her co-horts left Town… This one will not be settled tonight …and will put the CIC political agenda of outrage over an increase for an annual residential parking permit for $20-$30 where in belongs…in the toilet!…

The full 7 page backup scanned ….also on the Town website…link below…

16. TOWN MANAGER REPORT

BC- The TM report dealt with updates on the VFD Board and what they would additionally agree/not agree to as a result of further changes asked for from the Comm. (prev. post)…The VFD still wants no part of an oversight committee unless the other 2 public safety vendors are included… They are rather disingenuous in stating 3 members of the board are LBTS residents..Their own By-laws allow for a resident of LBTS to sit in on the board just as the TM…but that member is not to be a VFD member as well… (prev. post)…They also shot down the calls for them to put back the 20% response to fire calls taken out…The loudest proponent of that was Comm. Clottey…On this one this writer agrees with their stance…and wonders why Clottey went down this road in the first place… One eye-opener for this writer was on the fire inspector and the possibility that Chief Paine’s duties as Chief might give way to an outside inspector needing to be hired as he is the only member qualified…I cannot see that happening as it is the most lucrative component to his salary…and an amendment for allowing the Comm. to approve that person might be met with more consternation than anticipated at this time… I still believe that the TM should sit in on the board meetings…The TM should be getting the quarterly income/expense reports and should be watching the department to make a report back to the Comm. next year on whether the Town would be better off making the VFD the Town’s fire department as they were in the past with the Town hiring the Chief and Deputy Chief as well as the Fire Inspector… The Fountainhead letter is addressed as well as the discrepancy between the letter and the VFD data provided… Protocol was also addressed going forward on how the keys for buildings are handled as well as fire drills… Imperial Lane traffic calming plans are not going to fly from the County…They will only go along with a traffic study on the light… No change for a planter or a different type of light ….It falls back to the neighborhood …speed bumps at the Town’s expense…entry arms … that will need to come forth with some criteria for funding … TM Hoffmann who attended her first Halloween event thanked Comm. Sasser and his wife Teresa who chaired the event…as well as their “hard working committee”..She said it was “well organized and impressive”…and added this…” To avoid the problems of the past, Mrs. Sasser made a detailed inventory of the items the Town had paid for, which was verified by Municipal Services Director Don Prince, and all non-consumable items stored in Town facilities”….(update on investigation below under progress report)… TM Hoffmann writes she and Development Dir. Jeff Bowman went to Delray to meet with their Downtown  Development Authority Executive Director Marjorie Ferrer …MPSC member Sandra Booth was thanked for putting the meeting together…Readers may remember that Mrs. Booth brought Ms. Ferrer and a few others to the MPSC when she was Chair…Unfortunately the reception from that committee was the same dismal experience that Prof. Plater -Zyberk encountered…On a personal note I am thrilled for a re-visit with Ms. Ferrer who impressed this writer immensely when she offered us any and all assistance as we moved forward including all the pitfalls they encountered to prevent us from going down that path!… Minto redevelopment was addressed as well on a revised site plan for their remaining properties…no specifics were offered up…

In her progress reports..Coral Reef Project… last update they contacted Cry of the Water on 4/11 for “assistance” in moving forward…..were told that Atty. for their side would contact Town on 11/5…No word on that happening…Time to go to John Birch in F. Lauderdale for a look-see…on their coral reef method… SunTrust accounts can be terminated with notice per TAtty. and RFP is being prepared by staff…RFP for renting out north half of the warehouse on Dixie Hwy. is being reviewed by TM…. Halloween investigation…list of “significant” value items was turned over to the BSO on 11/3…Priorities/TM performance plan will be discussed at Nov. 15th meeting at 5 pm…as well as Choice changes to contract…Wings parking lot ..TAtty. filed breech of contract in county circuit court on Nov. 1st…Wings has 20 days to respond… Full report/progress on Town website backup agenda..link below…

17. TOWN ATTORNEY REPORT

BC- no backup provided…

18. ADJOURNMENT

The meeting will be televised on Comcast Ch. 78/ live-streaming on Town website and then archived… http://lbts.granicus.com/ViewPublisher.php?view_id=2

Full backup for this agenda … http://www.lauderdalebythesea-fl.gov/

more to come…

Tags: Lauderdale By The Sea November 9 2010 Regular commission Meeting Agenda, Scoops
Posted in Boards, LBTS Agendas/Meetings, Local Politics, Public Safety, Scoops, VFD, local government

CLOCKS & SMOKE /CARBON MONOXIDE ALARMS ….

Dear Readers …tonight’s the night…set your clocks back one hour…. and change your smoke alarm batteries…

……………

WAS THIS THE FIRST ACTION FROM THE CIC PAC THIS FALL ? … IT’S DEJA VU ALL OVER AGAIN …

We just obtained a memo that went to the Commissioners on Oct. 29, 2010 from Town Manager Connie Hoffmann…It was certainly deja vu for this writer…(I will explain after the memo…below)…

“Subject: Town Topics

As we have moved to a new method of delivering Town Topics to our residents, we expect there will be some concerns voiced. One Commissioner reported receiving inquiries/complaionts that Town Topics was delivered with the ByTheSeaFutures, and that it was delivered in the rain, was wet, and that it was thrown on the street.

Should you receive such inquiries/complaints, we have been advised by the vendor that Town Topics was delivered on a different day than ByTheSeaFutures. With regard to them being wet, it was delivered on Saturday, October23rd, a date on which there was no rainfall recorded. If a resident did not pick up their ByTheSeaFutures on Friday, they may have mistakenly assumed that it was delivered with Town Topics on Saturday. Likewise, if a resident did not pick it up on Saturday, it may have gotten wet in the rain on Sunday, if the plastic bag wasn’t tied.

Please see the attached note from the delivery company that addresses the October delivery of Town Topics.

Steve D’Oliveira has placed a notice on the website asking people to call us if they did not receive a copy of it or if it was wt, so we can track the problems and resolve them.

I hope this information is helpful in responding to any questions or complaints you may receive. CH”

…………

The attached letter from the vendor…

“Oct. 26, 2010

Hi Steve:

All ByTheSeaFuture papers were delivered on Friday (Oct.22), and we didn’t finish until 7:30 that evening.

We spent many hours from 8:30AM Saturday (Oct.23) bagging Town Topics and didn’t deliver them til around 3 PM.

There was no rain to speak of and no wet papers; people looked at us as if to say, ‘Didn’t we see you just yesterday delivering papers?’ We even told some of them it was Town Topics and not to get confused because it was us again.

By the time we finished tossing Town Topics, it was almost dark, and we were both dragging our tails so we didn’t deliver the ones to the condos until Sunday afternoon after church.

Over all I though it went well. If you have any questions, call me

Ed Norris”

……………

WHY IT WAS DEJA VU….

I think I may have posted this in the past…but here goes… When this writer was friendly with Moe McIntee (wife of former Comm-VM/VFD Dep. Chief Jerry McIntee) one of the 1st incidents that caused me to see a big red flag was a phone call I received from her …She was stoked as she told me what she had done…She said she saw the same van delivering the ByTheSeaFuture that delivered the Pompano Pelican and she got in her car and followed them…That in itself was mind-boggling… but it got worse…She told me the driver of the van came up to her after realizing she was following him and asked if she wanted to take a picture…and she did!… I was shocked and asked her why she did this…She wanted to cause him trouble with his job with the Pelican…What a waste!…I knew the ByTheSeaTimes owned by the first owners, the MacMillans had many problems at that time with getting their paper delivered throughout town …and I wondered why they didn’t use the same delivery man …After all, rather than following someone trying to make a living delivering the local papers …why not see if he wanted to deliver all the papers?… That is why those complaining that the same delivery service being used now for the ByTheSeaFuture and Town Topics raises the same big red flag!… Pretty strange that those concerned with “these hard economic times” when it comes to a $20-$30 increase for a residential parking permit ..(prev. post)…are not in the least bit concerned with stopping someone from making a living by delivering more than one news source to the Town’s residents!… Town website link for Town Topics problems/complaints and TT itself … http://www.lauderdalebythesea-fl.gov/

………………

WAS IT LBTS ‘ TURN TO BE SCAMMED? …

This week on Thursday we are told BSO was called to the Blue Moon Fish Co. Restaurant …Apparently there was a patron who refused to pay his tab and tried to say a well known resident was picking up his tab…That was not so…The BSO arrived and the man in question provided them some false names …Finally it is said he told the officers they had no idea who he was and they needed to Google him…Turns out he is a major scam artist according to a Google…His name Clinton Tod Harwell …..Here’s 3 Googles on the guy…

………………

“Clinton Tod Harwell: Fake Oil Millionaire Convicted Of Felony Theft In California Court…
Clinton Tod Harwell might have run his last scam for a while. The long-time Houstonian — well-known as a defendant in the civil and criminal courthouses here — moved to California a while back, and that’s where he came to grief.

And a search through the records reveals that Harwell is not just a convicted thief — he is also a lying cad and according to records in he Harris County Civil Courthouse, an alleged woman-beater.

According to Ventura County assistant District Attorney Dominic Kardum, Harwell entered a guilty plea on April 23 to a charge of felony grand theft enhanced by a special allegation that he took more than $65,000. He remains in a California jail on $100,000 bond, awaiting what could be a four-year sentence.

Harwell had recently been officing in Westlake Village, near Malibu, and was doing business under the names Ranch Exploration Co. LLC and Lobo 2006 Resources LLC. Kardum recently told the Ventura County Star that Harwell tried to get people to invest in invalid oil and gas leases and said that there was one victim in Ventura County and another in Los Angeles County. Harwell is said to have met his victims through “personal introductions at social circles.”

That was also how a local woman, one who doesn’t want her name used, also met him about ten years ago. She says that a friend hooked the two of them up when the woman needed a ride from Denver to Aspen around Christmastime in 2000. The tipster was told that Harwell was going to be renting a Hummer at Denver Airport and riding out to Aspen with a few women he knew, and that she was welcome to join in.

The woman had just gotten a divorce and was going to Aspen to see her sister, and she was apprehensive about riding from Denver with Harwell, so she arranged to meet him here in town before the trip. It was at a Christmas Party at the company Harwell owned at the time: OPMI, which officially stood for Offshore Project Management, Inc, but that Harwell allegedly called Other People’s Money, Inc.

“He was just real flamboyant and goofy and I thought, well maybe this will be okay,” the woman remembers. “There will be other girls and all that.”

Turns out she was the only woman traveling with him. And then when they got to Denver, he claimed to have left his wallet on the plane.

“I said ‘You better go find it ’cause I’m not taking care of you. I’m not your girlfriend. You better go back on the plane and get it ’cause I don’t have enough money to take care of you. You’re on your own. This is just hitching a ride.’”

Harwell left and “found” his wallet. The woman says he next told them to split up — she could go get the bags while he went to get the Hummer. “So then he comes running back and says that they won’t take his debit card,” the woman recalls. “He says that I’m gonna have to put it on my credit card. I was like ‘I thought this was supposed to be your deal.’ And he’s like ‘I’ll pay you back, I swear,’ and I started to get this horrible feeling, but then I was thinking but maybe he really is a good guy. I don’t want to make him feel bad.”

So they go get the car, and its, like, a Hyundai or something. “So I say, ‘Tod, where’s the Hummer?’ not that I care, and he goes ‘Oh, we’ve gotta go by my buddy John Elway’s place. I knew John Elway had some car dealerships up there, so maybe that was true. And then we get outside of Denver and I ask about going to get the Hummer from John Elway, and he’s all ‘Oh, I couldn’t get ahold of him.’ You know, just bull.”
Things got weird in Aspen. The woman says there were reports of a stolen car and shenanigans with porn star Alisha Klass, a/k/a a specialist in anal sex scenes. The woman says that things between Harwell and Klass apparently ended on a very sour note, because Harwell desperately wanted to leave town ten hours earlier than they needed to, she said.

Some time later, the woman says she asked Harwell to return the money she fronted for the rental car. Harwell arranged to meet her at PF Chang’s, and the woman says she took her son, then about seven years old, with her. “I asked him where my money was and he started kicking me,” she says.

The woman says she returned to Aspen about a year later. On the way home, she got talking to a thirtysomething woman on the shuttle from Aspen to Denver. “She said she had to get out of Aspen. I asked her why, and she said ‘Oh my god, this guy I met on millionaire.com, he said he’d fly me out here to meet him, and he didn’t fly me out here, I paid my own way and he didn’t pay me back. So I go to the hotel and he told me he had all this money and he didn’t have any. He didn’t have his credit card and I had to put the hotel in my name. So now I’m sneaking out and I’m afraid he’s gonna beat me up.’”

“And I said, ‘Is this guy’s name Tod Harwell?’” And sure enough it was.

Harwell has the impressive honor of being entered on TheDirty.com not once but twice . (It’s funny he’s throwing up the Horns there; he claims on his LinkedIn page to have studied petroleum engineering at UT from 1978 to 1983, but UT’s official degree verifier has no record of him ever having set foot on the 40 Acres. (That thing is all-too-accurate; it still faithfully records our own academically abysmal year there 21 years ago.)

It won’t surprise many of you to learn that a guy who will lie about his degree and apparently his wealth — he is also said to frequent sugardaddies.com as well as the millionaires dating site — will fudge his age too. And here he is on Facebook, claiming to be 40 while looking 30.

The fact is, he doesn’t look 30 and is really 51 years old. Or at least that’s what his arrest reports say, and trust us, there are more.

There’s one more less-than-factual statement on Clinton Tod Harwell’s Facebook page, and that is his claim that he “just moved to Malibu and play[s] golf everyday.”

There is no golf course at the Ventura County jail.”

http://blogs.houstonpress.com/hairballs/2010/05/clinton_tod_harwell_fake_oil_m.php

………

“Release Date: May 24, 2010

Contact: Dominic Kardum, Deputy District Attorney

(805) 662-1739

District Attorney Gregory D. Totten announced today that Clinton Tod Harwell (DOB 10/1/58), of Westlake Village, was sentenced to serve 365 days in the Ventura County jail, placed on formal probation for 48 months, and ordered to pay $167,895 in restitution to the victim. Additionally, Harwell was ordered to stay away from the victim and the victim’s family.

On April 23, 2010, Harwell pleaded guilty to one count of felony grand theft and admitted a special allegation that he stole more than $65,000.

Harwell committed grand theft by falsely representing to the victim that he owned oil and gas leases in Texas . Harwell then “assigned” a lease to the victim for which the victim paid approximately $140,000. Harwell, however, never had a lease and never told the victim this fact.

The prosecution and conviction of Harwell is the result of the combined effort of the Ventura County District Attorney’s Office Real Estate Fraud Unit and Ventura County Sheriff’s Department, East County Investigation Unit.”

http://da.countyofventura.org/10-038.htm

…………..

FROM A BLOG… THE LBTS-BSO ARREST …..
“November 5, 2010 at 5:55 am
Anonymous says:

He was just arrested in Broward County Florida and is in jail awaiting extradition to california”

………….

A big thanks to the LBTS-BSO …who made the scam artist scram from Town limits!….

more to come…..

Tags: Lauderdale By The Sea BSO Busts Scam Artist At Local Restaurant, Lauderdale By The Sea CIC Complaining About Who Delivers The Town Newsletter?, Scoops, Turn Clocks Back
Posted in Civic Organizations, Local News, Local Politics, Public Safety, Scoops, local government

Want S’More Places To Go In November….

http://heresthescooponline.com/

more to come…..

Tags: Lauderdale By The Sea Segeant Doug Brown Retirement Party At VillagePump On November 19 2010, Scoops
Posted in Public Safety, Scoops