THEN YOU’RE VICE MAYOR MCINTEE’S KIND OF MARCH 2010 VOTER… NO “HATS” REQUIRED!….

Dear Readers…Vice Mayor McIntee and the Town Administration are just like the energizer bunny…they keep going and going and going…First they make resident Yann Brandt wait well beyond the state statute regarding “a reasonable amount of time” for producing requested materials from June to September for his Public Records Request (PRR) for the Vice Mayor’s e-mails…Then the Vice Mayor makes a PRR as Vice Mayor via the Town Manager via the Town Clerk  for 3 months of emails from his “opposing” Commissioners (Mayor Minnet/Comm Dodd) for their personal computer “town business related e-mails” to retaliate and be vindictive all the while knowing that he deleted his own “Town business related” e-mails from his own personal computer …all 3 1/2 years worth!……And then in his Commissioner Comments he does his “my AOL ate my e-mail” tale showing absolutely no remorse for his actions…NAH, not him!…He’s chomping at the bit and rubbing his hands together in anticipation for HIS coveted PRR e-mails……Arrogantly  contacting the Florida State’s Atty. to ensure he gets what he, himself did not turn over!….And when you think there is nothing more he can do…..he does!..Vice Mayor McIntee and this Colon- led Town administration are indeed continuing to act badly……Last week, the Town Clerk advised Mr Brandt that she, the Town Clerk will no longer take his PRR for e-mails from the Vice Mayor, informing him the requests are to go to the Vice Mayor directly, contrary to the Florida state public records laws…And now they have changed the Town website contact category…….stating  “Vice Mayor Jerry McIntee  No e-mail is available”!!!!…(personal or Town!)….The ONLY Town official or employee to not have an e-mail address!!!!!…. WOW!…….

We hear the deletions of his e-mails constitute a “WILLFUL FAILURE”…. punishable with up to 1 year in jail and up to $1000 per the LBTS Town Attorneys. The State Attorney and other top officials are now in receipt of the PRRs from Yann Brandt…including the Vice Mayor’s admission that he deleted 3 1/2 years of “Town business related” e-mails….

For the overwhelming voters in town who have their heads in the upright position….we will be watching and waiting to see if the State of Florida will follow through on the Vice Mayor’s bad deeds or once again choose to slap him on the hand as we witnessed with the Florida Elections Commission and Florida Ethics Commission over the past 3 1/2 years when they found a number of “probable cause” charges…and gave him and his BFF Commissioner Silverstone a pass…This time there simply can be no 3rd “slap of the wrist” and  no 3rd “go forth and don’t do it again! …This time elected LBTS official Jerry McIntee must be held accountable for “willful failure” in HIS mass deletion of HIS  public records!….

FROM THE TOWN WEBSITE…………

“TOWN E-MAIL CONTACTS FOR
ELECTED OFFICIALS & TOWN STAFF

E-MAILS ARE PUBLIC RECORDS

Under Florida law, e-mail addresses and e-mail correspondence sent to Town officials or Town staff are considered public records and will be released in response to a public records request. Under Florida law, e-mail addresses are public records. If you do not want your
e-mail address and correspondence released in response to a public records request, do not send electronic mail to the Town. Thank you.

Mayor Roseann Minnet
Tel: 954-326-0594
roseannminnet@lauderdalebythesea-fl.gov

ALERT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Vice Mayor Jerry McIntee
Tel: 954-943-8539
No e-mail is available.

“UPRIGHT” RESIDENTS…..MAKE THIS GUY GO AWAY IN MARCH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Commissioner Birute Ann Clottey
Tel: 954-895-6595
biruteannclottey@lauderdalebythesea-fl.gov

Commissioner Stuard Dodd
Tel: 954-772-4121
stuartdodd@lauderdalebythesea-fl.gov

Commissioner Jim Silvertone
Tel: 954-771-0355
jimsilverstone@lauderdalebythesea-fl.gov

TOWN HALL

ADMINISTRATION
954-776-0576
martai@lauderdalebythesea-fl.gov

FRONT DESK
954-776-0576

kareng@lauderdalebythesea-fl.gov

FINANCE
954-776-0576
kaolak@lauderdalebythesea-fl.gov

HUMAN RESOURCES
954-776-0576
kathyo@lauderdalebythesea-fl.gov

PARKING ENFORCEMENT
954-553-2764
JoanG@lauderdalebythesea-fl.gov

PUBLIC INFORMATION OFFICE
954-776-3611
steved@lauderdalebythesea-fl.gov

TOWN CLERK / PUBLIC RECORDS
954-776-0576
nekishas@lauderdalebythesea-fl.gov

DEVELOPMENT SERVICES

BUILDING PERMITS
954-492-1830
mjocosing@broward.org
sdonovan@broward.org

OCCUPATIONAL LICENSES
954-776-3611
colleent@lauderdalebythesea-fl.gov

CODE COMPLIANCE
954-776-3611
kamp@lauderdalebythesea-fl.gov

ZONING
954-776-3611
jeffb@lauderdalebythesea-fl.gov

MUNICIPAL SERVICES

PUBLIC WORKS
954-776-5119
kellyd@lauderdalebythesea-fl.gov

COMMUNITY STANDARDS
954-776-5119
mikew@lauderdalebythesea-fl.gov

RECREATION & BEACH
954-776-5119
kellyd@lauderdalebythesea-fl.gov

SEWER / STORMWATER
954-776-5119
DonP@lauderdalebythesea-fl.gov

PUBLIC SAFETY

POLICE
954-491-3920 / NON-EMERGENCY
Oscar_LLerena@sheriff.org

FIRE
954-772-8978 / NON-EMERGENCY
contact@lbtsfire.com

EMS
954-776-3300 / NON-EMERGENCY
brooke.liddle@amr.net

FIRE INSPECTOR
954-732-9846 / NON-EMERGENCY
steve.paine@lbtsfire.com”

http://www.lauderdalebythesea-fl.gov/contactus.html

more to come……….

Tags: Lauderdale By The Sea Commissioner Stuart Dodd, Lauderdale By The Sea deleted e-mails, Lauderdale By The Sea Mayor Minnet, Lauderdale By The Sea Town Clerk June White, Lauderdale By The Sea Town Law Firm Weiss, Lauderdale By The Sea Town Manager Esther Colon, Lauderdale By the Sea Vice Mayor Jerry McIntee, Lauderdale By The Sea willful failure, Lauderdale By The Sea Yann Brandt, Scoops, Serota
Posted in Local Politics, Scoops, State Politics, local government

SHOVELS ON THE BEACH….

BC- Looks like that “Golden Shovel” from the Stimulus…will be beach- bound…..but please don’t take too much…LBTS has the widest, healthiest beach around…

‘Facing similar concerns, Broward County Click here for restaurant inspection reports — with help from state and local communities — spent roughly $45 million to restore a 6.8-mile stretch from John Lloyd State Park south to the county line in 2006. The county is still collecting the federal share, about $25 million. It has received about $6 million of reimbursement and seeks another $6 million in the fiscal year beginning Oct. 1.
Excerpts…
Broward is preparing for the next phase of work on about 4.5 miles of beaches in northern Fort Lauderdale ,Lauderdale-By-The-Sea and Pompano Beach. That too will lead to a request for federal funds.

The costs are justified, local officials say, because beaches draw tourists and local residents who shop and dine and generate tax revenue. The American Shore & Beach Preservation Association, an advocacy group based in Fort Myers, says every federal dollar spent on beach “nourishment” brings back $320 in tax revenue.

“These days, with the economy in the tank, going to the beach is becoming more popular because it’s cheap,” said Steve Higgins, Broward’s beach erosion administrator.’

Full text below….

http://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/local/southflorida/sfl-beach-pork-a042509sbapr25,0,6382401.story

UPSIDE DOWN PROPERTIES….

BC- “Persuading the lenders”….to pay the maintenance on neglected properties….Nice going!…

Excerpt…

‘Across the state, local governments are grappling with a flood of such distressed properties. While many in Broward County Click here for restaurant inspection reports bill banks for tidying neglected properties, a few cities such as Coconut Creek and Lighthouse Point absorb some costs. Lauderdale-by-the-Sea has persuaded lenders to maintain about a dozen homes.’

BC-This writer sent an inquiry along with congrats to Director of Development Bowman…for more specifics on how we managed to do what other towns have not ….any response will be posted in an update…

full text link below….

http://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/local/broward/sfl-abandoned-home-b042709sbapr27,0,3157416.story

more to come…

Tags: local government, News, Scoops, state government
Posted in News, Scoops, State Politics, local government

GET YOUR COMPUTERS READY….WHILE WATCHING  YOUR PAPER GET THINNER…

S2292    GENERAL BILL by Storms
Advertisements & Notices by Governmental Entities; Provides
circumstances under which a governmental entity may use its website for  legally required advertisements and public notices. Requires that   legally required advertisements and notices be conspicuously placed on  publicly accessible websites. Provides requirements for publication in newspapers and on the Internet for certain required notices and advertisements by governmental entities, etc.

EFFECTIVE DATE: Upon
becoming law.
02/26/09 SENATE Filed

HB 1477 – Legally Required Advertisements and Public Notices by Governmental Entities

GENERAL BILL   by Zapata
Legally Required Advertisements and Public Notices by Governmental Entities: Authorizes various governmental entities to publish or advertise legally required public notices & advertisements on publicly accessible website; defines “publicly accessible website”; provides conditions for utilization of publicly accessible website for such purposes; provides for optional receipt of legally required public notices & advertisements via first class mail; provides requirements for legally required advertisements & public notices published on publicly accessible website; provides that specified notice, advertisement, or publication on publicly accessible website constitutes legal notice; provides that advertisements directed by law or order or decree of court to be made in county in which no newspaper is published may be made by publication on publicly accessible website; provides clarifying & conforming language; reenacts various provisions of law to incorporate amendments to various statutes in act in references thereto.
Effective Date: Not Specified

Last Event: Filed on Tuesday, March 03, 2009 7:55 AM

Buddy Nevin’s Blog gives the grim new for the Sentinel…and non- computer users who like to read the Government Public Notices each …..that the Legislature will go for free announcements on annexation,  budget meetings, ordinances and such…only online…

http://www.browardbeat.com/another-bummer-for-newspapers-from-the-state-senate/#more-462

Faithful readers will continue to see them here….

more to come…….

Tags: local goverment, News, scoop, state government
Posted in News, Scoops, State Politics, local government

THE YEAR OF THE FEES…

‘Prez-Elect Makes New Pitch, Promises on Job Creation — Including 600,000 New Government Employees’

‘No. 1 goal of my plan … is to create three million new jobs, more than 80 percent of them in the private sector.”

If you do the math: 20 percent of three million means 600,000 new government employees.’

http://blogs.abcnews.com/politicalpunch/2009/01/prez-elect-make.html

Jake Tapper shows the math…the “political” math…this is the math  that throws out the top number…the soundbite…80% in the private sector …hoping no one …in the math-deprived audience…thinks about the 20%…and usually this works…for we are a country made up of “soundbites”…without background…or question…throw in math…percentages….and the odds of someone carrying that pail of water……is like winning the new Florida Powerball lottery…

It’s like partaking in vast “sales and bargains”… the adding the 99 cents at the end of the price tag…or the no interest until spring 2010….it just messes with the heads of  the math-deprived among us….and the “inventors” of these schemes know it!…

Expected this week… more mind numbing numbers …..to be coming out of the “Superbowl Shuffle”  at the special sessions to deal with the budget for our state…Wait til you see how they float around millions as if they were tossing pennies into the  sock drawer… It will be a shell game that compares to being stuck in the dreaded car dealers cubicle…( when you could qualify…that is)…just about the time when they open the side desk drawer and proceed to put out their numbers…quickly crossing them out….while the buyer….unable to read upside down…( a fact they count on….pun intended)… goes out of their way….not wanting to appear one of “those”…math- deprived customers…….. and starts dutifully nodding in agreement…painful as that is…that the numbers make sense…the deal is good…. despite not getting it at all…Ahhh…the pit-falls for the sake of appearances….

http://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/local/legislature/sfl-flfspecial0105sbjan05,0,7591016.story

So how are we going to deal with these “looming” directives…..coming our way in this new year?….

We’re going to pay…we have to pay…for the “growing of government”…and the “perks” the government will require as it expands… those coveted “golden packages” …their promised retirement and pension plans …( you know the ones…that let a worker retire…go back to work to get  a second…”bite of the golden apple”….and then re-up as a judge…or do “volunteer” work in some small seaside village)….)….with fees…increasing fees…additional fees…sweeping fees…at all levels….They  will hit us with added “user fees”….. seen monthly in additional fees that impact our bills…those fees at the end …..that are already the gift that keeps on giving for government … adding up to big bucks on the bill….This “cash-cow” will really be mooing….for years to come…

Here in LBTS …we will be short-lived in our smugness…left over from last September’s budget…the “pats on the back” of no cut-backs…no raised taxes…no increase in fire fees…and such…For we are headed into massive fees…courtesy of the new administration…with a “town-wide sweep”…with “sections of code”…inspections…and citations baring the “fruits” of added fees…big revenue for the town….We were warned…after all…from our Manager…repeatedly from the dais…”This won’t be the beginning”….”The codes are the law”…and she is still when all is said and done…a “numbers” person…a finance person…a longtime government employee…and she is….anything but…math-deprived…

January 13,2008…Code Workshop…should not be missed….for the outcome…will impact us all….

more to come

Tags: fees, local-state government, Scoops
Posted in Local Politics, News, Scoops, State Politics

‘Atwater now Florida’s 83rd Senate president’

‘Sen. Jeff Atwater, who represents most of coastal Broward and Palm Beach counties, today became Florida’s 83rd Senate president, a role that for the next two years makes him one of the three most influential figures at the capitol.’

http://weblogs.sun-sentinel.com/news/politic

s/broward/blog/2008/11/atwater_becomes_floridas_83rd.html

Psst…Senator Atwater…your “BFF” Vice Mayor McIntee is using you and the Republican party as “collateral” damage in his attack on LBTS Mayor Minnet….

HMMM…let’s see…The new 83rd President of the Florida Senate…who graciously came for McIntee driven-BTSTimes P.R. and the 4th of July CIC- led Town event…is now being “scorched”along with the Republicans for being part of a non- McIntee- CIC Town Greenfest event…in what is really an attempt to derail the ongoing inquiries into the VFD……..

BCbythesea….This writer was in receipt of a copy of an e-mail sent by a faithful reader to BTSTimes…after the reader forwarded a copy to me as well…advising the Editor at the time MacMillan …(pre-Furth takeover)…that Sen Atwater was having a “walking event” for his campaign at Coral Ridge mall….deciding I better see if this was a go…and on the up and up…I called Sen. Atwater’s office…and the Aid whose name appeared on the e-mail. The Aid commented that they had decided to add a quick stop by the Greenfest before their own event…a last minute addition.

When another Commissioner called to comment on the “robo” call received with the Mayor speaking of Greenfest event and Republicans …saying a few citizens had called to complain…that the Greenfest event was now a Republican event….I related my above conversation…

Surprise…surprise when weeks after the fact…angered about his take of a “personal attack” …(most agreed it was no personal attack on the Vice Mayor) from a resident…McIntee took aim at the Mayor for what he decided was lack of her brandishing the “perpetrator” for the alleged personal attack…with the Greenfest “spitball”…calling her on her costs…well aware of the “robo” calls…and preparing to do battle…Republican BFFs…be damned!…

As previously posted….for McIntee the heavens opened.up…big time……after the first volley at that commission meeting……and after he already placed the item on the agenda….when the Town Manager’s Nov. 7th e-mail was put in his Town Hall box……(if he was not already informed personally by Madam Manager…in their daily meetings)…and he zoned in on the name of names included at the top……Terry Arthur…the Mayor’s former campaign manager… being front and center in the Greenfest mix…

HOLY INVESTIGATIONS…CALL THE FEDS….TEFLON MAN HIT PAYDIRT…ON THE MAYOR…THE MAYOR’S FORMER CAMPAIGN MANAGER….AND COLLATERALLY….THE 83rd PRESIDENT OF THE FLORIDA SENATE…

LBTS residents…should take note…so far it all adds up to “ZILCH!”…except…for the “black eye” LBTS might have when we need to call upon the 83rd President of the Florida Senate…the next time….YIKES!

more to come…

Tags: greenfest, local poliics, sen. atwater, State Politics
Posted in Local Politics, News, Scoops, State Politics

Issue 35: November 1, 2008 – Election Preview and Predictions’ Putting on our swami hats – here are our predictions of the winners and losers on Tuesday. Topic 1: Presidential Race A Mason-Dixon poll released Saturday shows Obama up by 2 points in Florida, a Reuters/C-SPAN/Zogby Poll shows McCain up by 1. McCain is in Tampa today. Palin stopped in New Port Richey, Lakeland and Ocala on Saturday. Biden campaigned in Daytona and Tallahassee yesterday, and Obama is scheduled to appear in Jacksonville today. Early voting suggests that Obama will take a lead into Election Day here in Florida, so McCain will have to win the Election Day vote. Prediction: Winner Obama. McCain should carry Florida in a nail bitter, but Obama will carry the nation winning: Colorado, Iowa, Pennsylvania, Michigan, Minnesota, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Mexico, and Wisconsin. Missouri, Virginia , and Ohio are too close to call. Even if McCain wins all three, he will fall short. Bonus Prediction: Electoral Vote Count: Obama 322; McCain 216.’ http://www.thelemieuxreport.com/

Tags: lemieux report
Posted in State Politics, Web News

GET OUT THE BOUNTY?….

It’s been a while since this writer posted Lemieux…due to several factors…time…and topics…that were already covered…and hoping that most faithful readers have subscribed to his weekly e-mails news…worth it…and it’s free…

Today…his first topic…Pensions and who took the hit with their state funds being in Lehman Bros. and AIG…etc….leaving an inevitable “boomerang” to come back and hit all taxpayers…who will be expected to cough up the funds to continue to give all these government employees all they are expecting when they walk out the door…and it’s a lot….

According to Lemeiux….. Florida…has enough money after this hit to cover the full retirement of every state employee…WOW!…

Three ways to look at this one…

The glass is half empty…for other states…

The glass is half full….for our state…

THE GLASS WAS OVERFLOWING …for our state to begin with?….

Especially after the 2007…”Pool”…see below…

http://www.thelemieuxreport.com/

full text online…

“The trouble Wall Street has seen in recent weeks has found its way to Florida not only in its general effect on the overall economy, but in particular with regard to the Florida Treasury.”…….” Similarly, the Florida Pension System, with investments in AIG, Lehman, Washington Mutual, and Wachovia Corp, lost nearly $350 million last month. With an asset value of $115 billion, the Florida Pension Fund is only marginally down. The Florida Treasury Investment Pool has lost $71 million in five months, over $25 million in September alone, but still totals $24 billion.

Bottom Line: Florida is one of the only states in the country with a fully funded pension system. If every state worker retired today, the pension fund could fully fund each worker’s retirement. These decreases in pension value are substantial, but it is important to keep in mind that for the time being, most of the losses have not been realized and are only on paper.”

http://www.sbafla.com/

REMEMBER 2007?……….

http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601087&sid=aEWz6lIRbqE4&refer=home

Final Note:…LBTS still was never told by the Town Manager when she pulled our money….from that “POOL” if we paid a fee for that removal and what the actual amount was…HMMMM……

more to come…

Tags: florida pension funds
Posted in Scoops, State Politics

THANKS…TO BENDER…THANKS TO THE SENTRY….

http://flsentry.com/

Feeling overwhelmed…or concerned about facing this election…and the many amendments it contains?…

J. P. Bender and the Sentry have made it easy…whether you agree with their decisions or not…they take the time to break down the mumbo jumbo with plain English presenting the content of each one…….WHEW!…

If you recall a few amendments were pulled for having misleading language on the ballot aimed at voters…and the response from the legislators that wanted it on the ballot….they weren’t required to give all the info in the limited space provided…HUH!…

I know many will be voting early…hopefully not often…as in other states we are hearing about….and a “cloak” of secrecy is all around…on who voters will really be voting for… whether it is in- line with the polls…the media pundits….or a Kerry- like wipe-out…where the pollsters discover…voters lie to them and Republicans do not answer polls… at least you can be comfortable going in …knowing what the 6 State Constitutional Amendments….and the 8 County Charter Amendments are all about….

Now just be patient with the lines….and the new voting system….

more to come….

Tags: amendments, Local News, voting
Posted in Local News, Politics, State Politics

THE ICING ON THE CAKE….

http://jaablog.jaablaw.com/2008/10/03/investment-opportunity.aspx

Tags: florida judges
Posted in State Politics, Web News

VOTING…. BY GENDER AND NAME…

In a previous post…this writer wrote of meeting a gentleman at dinner one night after going to vote at Jarvis Hall in the recent election….he  and his girlfriend sat at the  Benihana table with the BCbythesea hubby and myself….

He spoke of starting the Jaablog…and I admit as I did in that post….. I was skeptical…being an avid …longtime reader of the blog….but after a Google…which he suggested I do…. upon my arrival home……I found out it was true….who would have thunk it?….

He asked me how I voted for the judges that day…and I had to admit…by gender …women…and name…Jewish…(BCbythesea is Jewish)….because I was not up on all the candidates for judges…sorry to say…

He then went on to tell us of a woman judge who changed her name to make it sound more Jewish than the Jewish last name she used up to this point in time to practice law………especially for this ballot…especially in this race…especially for this reason….

I told him I think I voted for her….especially ….because of her gender and her name….we laughed…

Low and behold…some days later….it came to be the woman in question…was questioned on doing just that…using a different name than her Law license showed…. a series of Jaablog posts followed ….as the case moved forward from the initial challenge by one of her opponents…..

Resulting in the decision handed down today….she is off the ballot…no matter what name she used …..her opponent is on….a man….

SMALL WORLD!….

http://jaablog.jaablaw.com/

Tags: florida judges, gender, name
Posted in Scoops, State Politics