THERE’S NOTHING THAT CAN MAKE US SWALLOW IT….

Dear Readers … The Town Manager has a variety of tactics she uses when trying to cover her tracks…This writer has alerted you to them before and unfortunately must do so again…At the 11/10/09 meeting under Town Manager Report Town Manager Colon started out with one of her tried and true ones …”As you know”…When Ms. Colon starts out with that opening my ears perk up and I zone in on the untruthfulness to follow!… It’s a tactic that puts the recipient in the position of not wanting to appear stupid…akin to not remembering someone’s name, so they immediately nod as if they recall when in fact they do not, and the Manager knows they do not because it never happened!… When that happens she is even more in control, with no one to challenge her and gets emboldened to continue the farce…That’s what took place again with this report…

TM-” As you know the Town Commission has been speakin’ about doin’ some kind of survey for several months. ”

BC- The Town Commission spoke of doing a straw poll in the Town Topics from the dais and that was brought up in 2008 and periodically afterward in varying items…While they did it in the Topics for the doggy beach that was a 1 shot deal. If we are to believe this opening salvo from the manager then it would have been imperative for her to bring it to the commissioners for direction before sending the survey out, due to the request…neither ever took place!…

TM-” I took it upon myself to get the survey done in order to obtain information for the commission to have some guidelines of what residents are askin’ for or what kind of improvements they would like.”

BC- There is not a scintilla of truth in her statement… for as the manager knows there are other long term avenues to gather that information in already in place…the suggestion box in Town Hall and the Citizen Request form…to name two…neither have been used in by he Town Manager or staff to report “what residents are askin’ for”!…

TM- “I did speak with three of the commissioners. The Mayor reviewed some of the comments with me at yesterday’s meeting. Some of the comments were constructive, some of the comments have been resolved. As for the where we got our source of information, it’s common to municipalities, we all share information. Our Waste Management contract is currently being shared by another city.”

BC- The  survey information came as previously posted from Wilton Manors… through Asst. TM Olinzock who is a resident of Wilton Manors (more on him and his role below)… As far as sharing information with other municipalities…on that she is correct…This TM has done it with abandon throughout her short stint …and the results have been dismal…as previously posted… one size does not fit all….This writer found it most amusing she used the Waste Management contract as an example…having sat in the pre-meeting for the solid waste RFP…I posted on the lack of knowledge then- Asst.TO the TM Olinzock showed when sitting at the table going through the contract with Waste Management, Choice and others…Waste Management brought their Atty. who repeatedly informed Olinzock of outdated or non-applicable clauses in the contract…Olinzock much chagrined as well as inept came up with his own telling “cover lines”…of it being above his “pay grade” and “I’ll have to get back to you on that.”… So whatever municipality  is sharing our Waste Management contract…are hopefully “sharing” with other municipalities as well!…

TM- ” Um, is this a survey that was done to benefit me, I don’t see how? It basically spoke about the services of the Town. It spoke about what improvements the administration or the Town commission needs to address and yes it was a lengthy process , it’s done in house as time permitted and I believe that the results gave us a benchmark of what the residents want to see.”

BC- It was not lengthy according to the public requests information received …from the time Olinzock “lifted” it or “shared” it…to the Sept. townwide mailing…As far as benefiting the TM, it will most likely be skewed that way in the BTSTimes… as Mc-Furth factoids….and they’d get away with it…(they did in the past)….if the “gang” did not have a counter …(this site)…to any “cheerleading” claims armed with the real backup of e-mails and memos from my public records requests…. A far as a benchmark, come on…182 people out of 4802…(more on this below)….

TM- ” Whether it was a small response at least we did over 3% of the residents responding. I thank those that did response.As far as the comments most of those comments are policy decisions and I hope it’s a tool that the commission can use to move forward with our future capital improvement projects and our future code revisions or policy decisions that have to be made by the commission.”

BC- 3.79% is the real number…dismal at best…and again some of the comments were identical…and suspect…If she really believes in the comments than the manager must see the writing on the wall and her days are numbered as well as her co-horts…No mention of that…Hmmmmmm…

Commissioner Clottey spoke next and lived up to her “clueless” moniker…she spoke of not receiving her survey until 3 weeks after they were sent out…and blamed the post office…Clottey said therefor she did not mail hers in!…It really was a math challenged night for the 3 Mc-Furth commissioners…The survey went out at the beginning of Sept. and was not presented until the 10th of Nov….So Comm. Clottey had approximately 6 weeks to get it in…and we know that the commissioner is a regular visitor to Town Hall…she could have hand delivered the thing herself!… The Town Manage said as much and told al lit would be updated as more are received… I discourage any further surveys being sent in…they are faulty with the inclusion of the 33′ maximum height question…which is what this survey was all about!…The voters can offer a the commissioners and the administration a real “benchmark” with the ouster of McIntee, Silverstone and Clottey…in March…contained in the survey comments!…(prev. post)…

Comm. Silverstone was next up and he decided to present one of his famously foolish spreadsheets…as you read the following remember…he will be running for either commissioner or mayor…..

CS-” I work with numbers all day”…”Numbers, statistics” “Interesting to looking at the numbers”…

He went on to inquire from the TM about there being 4800 responses and how she arrived at that number …did it include residents and businesses…The TM even looked at him in disbelief!… She replied she got the recipients from the Broward County Property Appraiser list…unfortunately, like his BFF McIntee Jimmy-boy was oblivious to the reception he was getting…and proceeded on…he said there were 182 responses and that equaled 3.7901% as a return …

ALERT FOR THE WAY COMM.  SILVERSTONE TRIES TO FIX THE UNILATERAL COLON SENT SURVEY…

CS- ” The important thing is it wasn’t known you [TM] were going to do this, so therefore it was kind of a surprise for people! Now if we’d worked on one of this one of the bad things about doing that is then there could be some funny business going on to change these numbers around!”

BC- from the dais could be heard (the Mgr.?) “totally ridiculous!” …So if you use Jimmy-boys logic…. then Wilton Manors residents should not accept their town directed survey…and the Range Rider  who came for the Colon evaluation and said he would get direction for a survey was also setting up constituents for “funny business”…OUCH!…

CS- ” So I’m assuming that given a small percentage of the response. But still it’s going to be a varied response for the 182 who did respond. It gives a pretty a good overall view of the town.Both businesses and residential, condo owners and everything else we have in town.”

BC- HOW?….There was no breakdown of the responses offered in the backup!.. No percentage or numbers for businesses, residents, north side, south side, single family homes, duplex, condos…So what kind of a “statistician” can make such a statement?…. The non- CPA …kind!… It gets worse from here folks…

CS- ” Now what I did because we did it or the Town Manager did it  (Freudian slip?) in pretty much 4 groups of grades. one excellent, good, fair poor. I then sub-grouped it into excellent-good as one group, fair-poor in another group. And in looking at this there was one thing that shot up and I think it had something to do with why there is a division in this town. The number 1 question, question number 1 was a place to live. Do you like living here. The excellent and good totaled 82.53% and the fair and poor response totaled17.47%. But the poor response was the highest poor response of any of the questions that were asked at 14.46% . So somewhere along the line there’s a lot of people that loving in this town and think it’s a great thing and you people that don’t like living here for whatever reason that could be.”

BC- Looks like Jimmy was doing a Clottey when she described evaluating the TM…(lame for her..lame for him!)..The 1st question on the survey was …

1 How do you rate the Town of LBTS as a place to live?

Excellent 77/ Good 60/ Fair 5/ Poor 24

The question was to “rate” the town…not if you like living here!…As for the division…as your BFF McIntee is so fond of saying…”Look in the mirror”…

CS- ” But that was interesting staticallying (Jimmy-boy verbiage) these numbers cause the next lowest, the next highest poorest percentage was about half of that and that was the building department which I found really kind of strange. But if you look through this you’ll see that overall ah, I think people are very happy to um, overall the services and so forth. On a percentage basis the ah, on the excellent, the highest excellent rating was for the fire and EMS ah at 48.19%. But the total of good and and excellent totaled 77.71% the highest out of that was actually beach and park at 86.75%. The recreation, I think.”

BC- From the survey…What Jimmy-boy excludes…the satisfaction numbers..that put BSO Police above Fire-EMS…and the high number of “no contact” with the departments …Hmmm. no percentage on that…

2. How satisfied are you with the following Town services?

*Enforcement of Municipal codes & regulation

Very satisfied 37/ satisfied 80/ dissatisfied 21/ very dissatisfied 11/ no opinion 16

*Recreation or cultural programs

Very satisfied  34/ satisfied 71/ dissatisfied 22/ very dissatisfied 9/ no opinion 30

* Fire response/ services

Very satisfied 80/ satisfied  49/ dissatisfied 7/ very dissatisfied 8/ no opinion 22

* Fire rescue/(EMS) response/ services

Very satisfied 80/ satisfied 49/ dissatisfied 6/very dissatisfied 5/ no opinion 28

* Police response/ services

Very satisfied 73/ satisfied 63/ dissatisfied 5/ very dissatisfied 3/ no opinion 22

*Building dept. services

Very satisfied 26. satisfied 61/ dissatisfied 17/ very dissatisfied 13/ no opinion 40

* Beach and park maintenance

Very satisfied 57/ satisfied 87/ dissatisfied 16/ very dissatisfied 1/ no opinion 8

8. How do you rate the importance of providing the following services?

* Public safety

Very important 165/ somewhat important 10/ somewhat unimportant 1/ very unimportant 0/ no opinion 0

* Recreational and cultural

Very important 62/ somewhat important 74/ somewhat unimportant 26/ very unimportant 3/ no opinion 7

* Enforcement of municipal codes & regulations

Very important 113/ somewhat important 47/ somewhat unimportant 7/ very unimportant 1/ no opinion 5

* Preserving open space and waterways

Very important 137/ somewhat important 29/ somewhat unimportant 6/ very unimportant 0/ no opinion 0

* Land use, planning and zoning

Very important 143/ somewhat important 22/ somewhat unimportant 6/ very unimportant 0/ no opinion 4

10 Within the past year, if you made contact with the following Town departments, how satisfied were you with the service you received?

* Police

Very satisfied 54/ satisfied 30/ dissatisfied 8/ very dissatisfied 4/ no contact 51

* Fire

Very satisfied 38/ satisfied 15/ dissatisfied 4/ very dissatisfied 2/ no contact 75

*Fire Rescue

Very satisfied 43/ satisfied 11/ dissatisfied 3/ very dissatisfied 4/ no contact 73

ed 12/ no contact

* Building & Permitting

Very satisfied 18/ satisfied 21/ dissatisfied 10/ very dissatisfied 16/ no contact 71

*Administration

Very satisfied 33/ satisfied 30/ dissatisfied 12/ very dissatisfied 12/ no contact 52

* Town Hall

Very satisfied 38/ satisfied 39/ dissatisfied 11/ very dissatisfied 7/ no contact 46

CS-”Um, but if anyone else wants a copy of this contact me or the Town. But I think that’s another good way of looking at this to get an idea of those numbers and what they mean. But I like the idea of having a survey. I like the fact it wasn’t pre- planned. So it was kind of a spontaneous action with this and I thank the Town Manager fro doing it!”

BC-He actually said …” I like the fact it wasn’t pre- planned. So it was kind of a spontaneous action with this and I thank the Town Manager fro doing it!”…HUH?…Did he not hear the TM begin this “exercise” with the “as you know”…and the some months of the commissioners wanting a survey…and the “lengthy process”…and he says it was a “surprise” and “spontaneous”…4 more years …really?…4 more years of Silverstone statistics?… Save Silverstone from himself!…

Comm. Dodd questioned as to why the Town Manager would only speak to 3 of the 5 commissioners and she replied they came to her…Comm. Dodd again found no validity in the response… and the “division” that exists for those commissioners who do not do a “pop in” because they actually work…He went on to speak of his dissatisfaction with the response of 3.9%…lack of input from the commission prior to the finished product and inquired what the response was to Wilton Manore (the originator of this survey)…

With that Asst. TM Olinzock came to the podium and said Wilton Manors had not yet reported their results…A very interesting statement considering their went out before ours and the TM said ours was a “lengthy process.”…Comm. Dodd requested them when they were announced…

We witnessed the trickle down of Town un-truthfulness front and center with a big O.J. “If the glove fits” assist by none other than Vice Mayor McIntee going for a Town commission trifecta!…

VM- ” Ah, John this isn’t identical to Wilton Manors is it?”

JO- ” No, it’s not identical.”

BC- Looks like Olinzock has learned well how to deceive from his boss…”No, it’s not identical.”…because they changed city to Town and added a the bond/height issues…took away services we do not have…but the survey is the Wilton Manor survey! …(prev. post side by side comparison…scoops cat.)…

VM- ” So is it fair to say you took this from Wilton Manors?”

JO-” When Esther spoke to me about the, the desire to do a survey that it was evident this commission wanted to do something like that and I got that [Wilton Manor survey] in my mail, I came to her with a copy of it and said to her look at this, this might help save us a great deal of time compiling and putting a form together that can be used.”

VM- ” But did you use other sources also to do it?’

JO- visibly angry- ” No I didn’t feel I needed to! It covered everything that we’re doing . It’s a similar municipality. They’re 13,000, we’re 7,000 people. They provide very similar services.”

VM- ” So there was no ulterior motive? Just to save the Town money?”

JO -” I was trying to help Esther get something accomplished!”

BC- So what we have here…is a failure to communicate!… Asst. Olinzock thanks to the Vice Mayor’s ignorance was put on spot …Olinzock says “When Esther spoke to me about the, the desire to do a survey that it was evident this commission wanted to do something like that.”…he admits there was no commission direction for a “survey”… Olinzock also had to own up the the fact…he got the survey…they copied the survey…and he looked no further!…

One last thing…Wilton Manors as previously posted…also got a new 7 million dollar Town Hall…This writer sure wishes  Olinzock had come to Esther with that!…ARGHHHH….

Those familiar with McIntee trying to dig himself out of a hole…will notice …late to come to the realization that it was the Wilton Manor survey…he tried to “clean it up” with “there was no ulterior motive”…”Just trying to save the Town money”…It didn’t work…the glove was too small!…

This survey is not quite the total loss I first thought it was…Upon further reflection…Perhaps it sums up much, much more than the questions  contained within it……It  could actually serve the voters well in their decision for who to elect for commission next winter……It’s a look at how this Town operates……with the majority on the dais…This survey speaks volumes ……from the unilateral administrative decision to send it out… (perhaps with a few commissioners who frequent the Town Manager’s office may having had a heads- up) ….the “sharing” of the survey.. being “lifted” from Wilton Manors… the “piecemeal”…assembling of it by Town staff to send out…the poor response…the Town Manager relying on her tried and true pre-amble to rectify yet another ill-thought out action….and the neverending display of dais back-flips made by the Town Manager “protectors “…to save her “thin-skinned” hide!…

Does this survey  say 4 more years?……see the comments below… … EXCERPTS…(full comments prev. post scoops cat.)

#11. What do you see as the biggest challenges facing Town of LBTS in the next 5 years?

End the Political Bickering. Please develop A city plan that creates and aesthetic cohesion & financial responsibility/ /We need to vote out McIntee, Silverstone, Clottey and fire Colon! These people are inept, laughable at best./ A more cohesive council/ Unifying the 2 sides of Town, letting go of the past and once that is done, the rest will come/ In-fighting, the commissioners are all pathetic./ Keeping our height limits, our commissioners and our Town Manager are doing a great job/ Establishing the reality & perception of sanity in our politics. Extremes on both sides are damaging our reputation./ Electing people that are tolerant of other opinions/Esther Colon? No Comments/A Commission with a sense of harmony/ Keeping our height limits our commission and our manager are doing a great job / Restore civility by getting Rid of Colon, Silverstone, Clottey, Esther, McIntee/ Town Management issues/ Getting less vindictive commissioners in office and getting Ms. Colon out of there. Let’s get  LBTS back to a happy well-organized Town as it has been in the past./  In Fighting!/ Retaining 3 and eliminate Mayor and Dodes/  Leadership/ Responsible management and public relations which are currently embarrassing/ Getting rid of “Jerry McIntee” He’s an embarrassment to out Town/ More cooperation between North & South and not falsifying the Truth/ Move forward, get things accomplished/Keeping Esther C.John O. J. Silverstone & J. McIntee in office to keep everything running smoothly/  The conflict between the 2 factions of government. I have no idea who is right and who is wrong. One side is vicious with their comments. I never met any of these people/ stop the infighting/ 1. Harmony on the Commission. /stop the inner fighting of the Commission/ Stopping the political nastiness and becoming a cohesive community/  Uniting the Town. Get rid of MacEnty & Silverstone.- they have a conflict of interest being Commissioners./Clean house on your city Commission- New Leadership is badly needed/  Getting Commissioners to work well together for the Town and the people/  Stop arguments and so much animosity among City Departments/  cost of employee benefits, employee moral regardless of Commission demands/ Removing the Town Mgr. & hiring an independent Town Mgr. Ms Colon is OK as Accountant only. Presently has too much power/ Childish political warfare among Town officials/ Coming together as 1 Town/ Getting a Commission and Town Mgr. who is concerned with the welfare of the Town and not their own personal agendas. Every effort to untie the Town/  Civility on Commission / Bringing community together. Cease and desist polarization/ Get rid of McIntee, Silverstone. Colon, Clottey/  Township members working together

#15. What suggestions can you provide for improving the quality of life for its residents?

Less negativity and -or discourteous arguments during meetings. Better sharing of unbiased information/ If you want tourists spending money here Respect their needs. Stop catering to local favorites. Transparency Please!/We need to fire Colon;get rid of McIntee, Silverstone & Clottey/ Very satisfied with our Commission & Town Manager . Keeping our millage rate down/Reduce Commission Mtg. duration/ Redo contract for #11 Above/ 2 yr. Terms for all political officers with Term limits/ Very satisfied with our Commission & Town Mgr. Keeping our millage rate down/ Listen to us/Equal treatment & Enforcement/ Get rid of McIntee &Colon/  More transparency & accountability from Town Commissioners &Town Manager/ Get rid of the Town Manager. No one should have a lifetime contract that was written by themselves. Also get rid of Commissioners McIntee, Silverstone, Clottey, Dodd. Get rid of conflicts of interest going on in this Town. Why is Commissioner McIntee Vice Mayor plus a paid volunteer fireman? It’s absurd!/  Add -one-new commissioner and new mayor/ Be respectful to each other-offer AA & NA program 3-4 times a week / Stop the incessant political slandering of each other & think of helping the town improve! /Stop Bickering/  Clean up the Commission/”Listen” when a Resident offers suggestions/Encourage all the nasty self serving people to leave town. /More respect from the Commissioners and less self service to themselves!/ Get rid of government and start over. Some personalities are just unbelievable. I call one town paper the nice one and the other the ugly one/ Stop the fighting!/ Listen to the Residents. Citizens Forum?/  Stop the infighting on the Town Board and focus on the issues!/ Stop bickering at meetings/The Town is fragmented & the Commission members must be changed to neutral parties. Can’t wait to vote in new positive people working for the people of LBTS/ Stop the North-South arguments!/ Replace the Town Manger/The fighting has to stop-Those who argue all the time should have to come up with ways to correct those problems/People who criticize should suggest a solution for the problem/ Esther Colon is key to the future of this Town, the elected officials need to keep their attitudes in check/ Keep up the status quo/Get off everyone’s back when only 1 or 2 people complain so what is right for the majority. Listen to the people. Vote with the majority. Do not follow small organizations who yell louder/   Do not use it to erect monuments to egomaniac commissioners and overpaid Town Mgr. UNITE OUR TOWN!! /Less fights among all of the Commissioners & more peace/ Stop bickering and rudeness at meetings, put garbage back into taxes, embrace the VFD, support Commercial Blvd. merchants/  Next year support a new roster & new candidates for mayor & Commissioners. Let’s stop the infighting/change in Town Commissioners who only care about the volunteer fire department/ Get rid of McIntee, Silverstone, Clottey & Colon/ Improve courtesy at Town meetings. Keep original promises at annexations/The Town is doing Great.

Statistics anyone?….How about placing your bets?…

more to come….

Tags: Lauderdale By The Sea 11-10-09 Commission meeting, Lauderdale By The Sea 2009 Townwide Survey, Lauderdale By The Sea Asst. Town Manager John Olinzock, Lauderdale By The Sea Commissioner Birute Clottey, Lauderdale by the sea Commissioner Jim Silverstone, Lauderdale By The Sea Commissioner Stuart Dodd, Lauderdale By The Sea Mayor Minnet, Lauderdale By The Sea Town Manager Esther Colon, Lauderdale By the Sea Vice Mayor Jerry McIntee, Scoops, Wilton Manors 2009 Survey
Posted in LBTS Agendas/Meetings, Local Politics, Scoops, local government

OUT OF “MUGS?”…

Dear Readers … There was no time to recover from the  embarrassing  “How many millions in 2.5 billion”  exchange between Vice Mayor McIntee and Rep. Ellyn Bogdanoff during presentations (prev. post)…before McIntee was in full metal jacket mode once more… (Do those jackets come in couture?)….This time it was when local Restaurateur Louis Marchelos came to the podium for his allotted 3 minutes… Mr Marchelos spoke about a “kinder, gentler commissioner getting in touch with his feminine side”… The gloves came off…and we don’t mean the ones with the rabbit fur lining…Them was fightin’ words to the Vice Mayor…

VM- ” That’s insulting Mayor, I’ve gotta, that’s an absolutely insulting remark!”

Louis Marchelos-” I did not mention a name sir.”

VM- ” We all knew what you were saying. It’s insulting and it’s outrageous and I object to it!”

Comm Silverstone-” I make a motion that we remove this person.”

Mayor Minnet-”Gentlemen.”

VM- “There’s a motion on the floor. I second it!”

LM- ” Is this a point of suppression?”

Mayor-” Town Attorney, I will ask you for your opinion, please.”

Town Atty.- ” You have had a proper motion and a second and we should have a vote on it.”

Mayor “Ok”

Comm. Dodd- wanted he Town Atty. to answer whether this comment “a commissioner getting in touch with his feminine side” was a personal attack by Mr.Marchelos or “a willful interruption by the Vice Mayor when Mr. Marchelos was making his public comments… Loud applause were heard throughout the hall…

VM- “Wait a minute! Who’s running the meeting?”

Comm. Dodd answered the Mayor was, but he added that the people in the audience saw that his was really “a willful interruption” by Mcintee…and and asked to put it to the vote…

The Mayor thanked Comm. Dodd and said to call the roll…

VM- ” What’s the vote? To remove him [Marchelos] from the speaker?”

The Mayor said McIntee made the motion and Silverstone chimed in quite loud and proud-ly that it was he who made the motion to remove the speaker and the Mayor in turn said to the VM that it was he who made  the 2nd…implying the VM  should know what the vote was for! ….

The Vice Mayor jutted out that Adams apple in a quite a menacing and  jerky …(pun intended)  fashion…..”I second it, Mayor!”…The audience response can be heard quite loudly as they watched from their seats below…. asking each other when the “madness” (another pun) was going to end!…

LM- ” This is a point of suppression. I’m sorry, I did not mention a name.”

Comm. Silverstone- He’s out of order again, Mayor!”

Mayor- ” Mr. Marchelos there is a motion on the table to remove you from public speaking by Commissioner Silverstone and a second by Vice Mayor McIntee. Madam Clerk would you please call the roll.”

The vote failed.. 2-3 with Clottey, Dodd and Minnet voting no…Louis began again, after Comm. Clottey said ” Can I say something, I do ask that you be a little more respectful please.”…Now that’s the pot calling the kettle black…after Comm. Clottey’s last Comm. meeting and her agenda items for this one!…YIKES!…Mr Marchelos said yes..

Mr Marchelos then went on to finish…what he started…

Touchy, touchy this evening………and we don’t just mean those “Burly Broom Boys”……we mean the microphones left on……As we went to a break following the last public speaker …Comm. Clottey is seen and heard turning to Comm. Silverstone and apologizing to him for her vote to not remove Mr. Marchelos!… It’s a girl thing!…

Tea anyone?…The cups are in the kitchen…

more to come…

Tags: Lauderdale By The Sea Commission gets in touch with their feminine side, Lauderdale By The Sea Commission Meeting 11-10-2009, Lauderdale By The Sea Commissioner Birute Clottey, Lauderdale by the sea Commissioner Jim Silverstone, Lauderdale By The Sea Commissioner Stuart Dodd, Lauderdale By The Sea Mayor Minnet, Lauderdale By the Sea Vice Mayor Jerry McIntee, Scoops
Posted in LBTS Agendas/Meetings, Local Politics, Scoops, local government

IF YOU WATCHED IT YOU SAW THE “STRIKING” SIMILARITY …

Dear Readers … The first and last Commission meeting for the month of November was like witnessing a 98 car pileup….Eying the audience in Jarvis Hall was like watching those witnessing one accident after another with no ability to stop it!…

Town Chaplain George Hunsaker spoke of remembering those who served  and asked all to pause for a moment… He spoke of our Forefathers and Foremothers  and to appreciate all they accomplished…

We began with Representative Ellen Bogdanoff coming to speak on the state of our state…and after she spoke of the hurdles we will face with the budget after the stimulus with “bigger holes” needing to be plugged…the fragments we will be left with and “no silver bullet”…The new approach to once again deal with the vetoed condo laws…Commissioner Clottey bent her ear about the insurance “that’s killing a lot of people”… Rep. Bogdanoff answered back about Citizens being “socialized insurance” since we own it as taxpayers and delved into the departure of private insurance companies and the cost that will come if we get hit by a hurricane and Citizens needs to pay… The in his opening salvo of why he’s gotta go in 4 months…the Vice Mayor embarrassed himself, the dais and the town…in what will surely make its way to Tallahassee when he asked about the 250 million…and Rep. Bogdnaoff had to “clarify” it was 2.5 BILLION…The Vice Mayor was out to lunch in asking her “How many millions in a billion”… He wouldn’t let it go as the residents in the audience could barely contain themselves at his ignorance…But as we all know the Vice mayor is missing the embarrassment gene in his DNA and he wouldn’t let it go…going further into the point of no return!… We hear there were some “Twitters” after this one and not just in the room!…

We went into public comments and this writer presented Commissioner Clottey with the unconstitutionality of her item NB H. put on about me. I informed her of John Thompson and his story of the previous commission when they dealt with him…The fact that this fell under Article I Section 9, Paragraph 3 – Bill of Attainder: A legislative act that singles out an individual or group for punishment without trial and an Ex post facto law…when a law is passed after the occurrence of an event or action which retrospectively changes the legal consequences of the event or action…I added that my comments of “shame” and “despicable” for her actions toward Comm. Dodd with her item to “rotate” him off the Hillsboro Inlet were most appropriate … Later on the answer for her actions were even more incomprehensible…In her Commissioner comments…Clottey spoke of her new BFF Mr. Oliver Parker…telling her he wanted the Hillsboro Inlet position…The same Oliver Parker she helped to recall with Comm. Stuart Dodd when Dodd headed the CIC and it was his name on the action!… Clueless…Hmm.. What will Parker’s poker buddies think about this strange duo?… Comm. Clottey was off the wall when she went on to say he asked her and when it comes to a vote she will vote for him!…So what does the CIC- President Bob Roberts and especially the Wardlaws think about that one?… YIKES!… Can we recall Clottey?…

Cristie Furth did her clickety clack  walk to the podium to remind all that the Halloween event was once again THE EVENT in LBTS…and to thank the Vice Mayor for without him…there would have been none…She took swipes at the others (the Vice Mayor followed suit in his Comm. comments)…that others did not want to participate and there would be no joy in the “pumpkin patch” if not for the Mc-Furth-Gang…Hmmm. Perhaps Comm. Clottey didn’t have time to discuss past Halloween events with her new pal Ollie…too much time was spent on the Oriana million and the Hillboro Inlet…The cost according to Ms. Furth $1737.00…This writer has a public records request in f or the breakdown…and reimbursements…

Candidate John Oughten spoke of  234th birthday of the Marines…the ethics code and the money we lost when we paid back the 6.1 million in loans…Later in Comm. comments…Jimmy-”spreadsheet” tried his “glass half full” trick by saying we “saved” 600,000 by paying it off…no mention of the $300,000+ due to poor timing to pay it off by the Town Manager with her pre-penalty clause decision…

Mark Brown was terrific recalling then-Commissioner McIntee and the NBCA Survey sent out in 2006…He told all how irate McIntee was that a survey went out without commission approval!..He told us that McIntee had the nerve to tell Brown to demand the surveys be taken back!…McIntee said there was a question that was “factually incorrect” and Mr. Brown said it was indeed and it was not counted in the 11% return of the 100- sent out…Mr Brown wanted to know now what the Vice mayor was going to do about this 2009 survey that went out with no Commission approval…and a question (33′ townwide maximum height) that was “factually incorrect”…but counted by the Town in the Town’s 3% return?…He called on the Vice Mayor for the Town Manager to reimburse the town…but conceded in the end…that we would see once again the VM’s “double standard!

Candidate Scot Sasser spoke on Resolution 2009-27…..

“After reviewing the back-up documents regarding Resolution 2009-27 regarding the MOU for Solid Waste removal (Waste to Energy) I have a few questions and concerns that I would like to present to the Commission. Since these are detailed questions and may take further review I have hardcopies to give to you. Perhaps you have taken some of them into account already but I thought being thorough would be best.

1. 10 year extension is quite long.
2. If the flow control ordinances are changed LBTS will be responsible for maintaining a minimum based on historical deliveries. How will this be calculated? We have progressively gone down and are currently at 2004 levels.
3. Are the flow control Ordinances referenced include County Ordinances? If so, we may have little to say in regard to changes to the Ordinances. Worse yet, if a large participating community changes their Ordinances that materially effects the current flow are we, then, subject to minimums based on the new proposal?
4. Section 3 refers to utilization of “best efforts” to enforce the Ordinances described in Section 2. Along with the same questions that arise about other participating communities, the County or District adversely affecting our agreement I am concerned that the term “best efforts” may adversely over commit us. Perhaps we could change this to “reasonable best efforts”
5. There is a guarantee increase from 1% – 5% per year with our first increase actually being calculated over a 15 month timeframe not 12 months. (Oct. 2009 to Jan. 1, 2011
6. The service fee can also increase due to the following:
a. Non-Interest income that cannot be passed through to the district
b. Any new capital costs, increase operating and maintenance OR decreased revenues of Wheelabrator due to a change in law. This seems to put us at risk for significant increase in opposition to the limits imposed in Paragraph 6
c. Service fees can increase up to 40% due to a change in law (possibly without our input) without the right to terminate. This is substantially high without being able to terminate AND would indicate that increases in capital costs or operating and maintenance have no 40% “out” clause.
7. There appear to be no provisions that protect us should Wheelabrator become defunct or cannot perform under the obligations of this agreement.
8. What are our options to negotiate this contract or is this a take it or leave it scenario? If so, we should carefully look over the positives and negatives before making any decisions.”

Joan Schott spoke out about the previous commission vote to purchase holiday banners and said the money should go to the troops or the homeless…She spoke of lack of handicapped accessibility to get into Jarvis Hall under cover from the elements…and of bus stops still not covered…

Ken Johnson a VFD member came forward with what could be the new VFD slogan if you follow his theme “GET OFF YOUR REAR AND JOIN THE VFD!”…… He was angry at those who get negative about the VFD because of “Jerry and Jim”…He said the VFD is more than “Jerry and Jim”…and “I got off my butt” and joined the VFD…and people should stop “criticizing me.”… Can you imagine if BSO police officers came and spoke like this at the podium… Would their Dep Chief give them praise? No Way! (Dep .Chief /VM McIntee did!)…Look Mr. Johnson you said it yourself, you chose to volunteer…but your membership also chose to not honor its By-laws when you made Mcintee Dep. Chief!… Your members chose  to sit by as your fellow member threatened your Battalion Chief!… Your membership chose to look the other way when the Dep. Chief broke the rules for answering a suicide call and offered no aid as a first responder!… So while many say the problem is not the VFD…it’s the leadership…This writer says…not so fast…it is the volunteer members that decide that leadership…change that…follow your own rules….and the “chastising” should dissipate!…

Priscilla Rysavy came again to ask for some help and to not allow the 2 year extension for Garden and Shore Court…

George Crossman spoke of A1A and traveling in the dawn…concern about bicycles running “2 abreast” and the danger …wanting single file..Comm. Clottey held up the meeting to get the BSO Police Chief in to answer Mr. ” Grossman” (Comm. Clottey does have a problem with names…although she can’t touch the VM in that dept.) … ending with “there’s really nothing we can do”…Last meeting BSO was praised by the TM for how quickly they responded to the bike problem with the alert board placed on Commercial… Clottey vs BSO…nothing new!…

Eric Schott went over the Town manger’s evaluation…he added up the marks and called attention to her “deficiencies”…He hoped she would take it to heart and improve…

Candidate Edmund Malkoon called attention to the politics that marred the Halloween event…the banners and the bull horn… saying he would have had a “candidate” table as Comm. Silverstone did…but he followed the rules put forth by the offenders themselves…Mr Malkoon said it was this type of behavior that causes “polarization” in out town…and it was “deliberate…He added there was no “Welcome to Lauderdale- By- The- Sea ” sign in the mix!…

Spiro Marchelos spoke of the terrorist attack at Fort Hood and how we need to have protection in this town by professional people …He spoke of transparency and read the mission statement for the Town Manager…He spoke of the fraud and slander seen from the dais over the last year…

Bill Vitelli spoke of the Hillsbotro Inlet…how the commission “couldn’t wait to get it away from Parker” …Little did he know at this point in the meeting that Comm. Clottey had a plan to give it back to him!… Mr. Vitelli said now they were going after Dodd  and to give it to a resident would end up costing the taxpayers…wait until the election…He spoke of the commission ignoring Paul Novak and how the 33′ would effect the tourism in town..saying the commission gave Mr Novak no respect “you’re going to hurt the town.”

Pompano Resident Danny Halpert returned despite protestations of his presence at the podium at the prior meeting in Oct….He said we had problems in out town…no reserves…infrastructure  and without naming it Bert J. Harris …He touched on his return saying previously a comm. said LBTS is “praised” from all over Florida, and “you should be able to take a little criticism from your neighbor next door!…

Bob Fleishman came to try and set the record straight again about McIntee and Silverstone getting pensions for being VFD…a benefit… when they claim they have none…later on in Comm. comments Silverstone again tried to deflect that the “benefit” did not come from the town…Hmmm sort of like Dodd’ “benefit ” of medical insurance coming from Hillsboro Inlet?…How about McIntee’s “benefit” coming from having a commander car…and (we hear ) a VFD credit card?…

Renee’ O’Neal …who is Renee’ many asked…she is a Silver Shores longtime resident…on the CIC Board …who came and did quite a “Ode to Jerry and Jimmy” who if you are to believe her ….single-handedly saved this town… all on their lonesome…and oh, yeah…provided to her $20 annual beach parking!…

Louis Marchelos came right afterward…”I have to maintain my composure. I have a tear in my eye.”…(tongue in cheek!)… He went on … “At the last Commission meeting one of our commissioners took his and our time during Commissioners comments to criticize the comments of citizens who speak during public comments. He contrasted his behavior at meetings before his election in 2006 to that of those members of the public who speak now.

What we saw over the past few meetings was the kinder , gentler commissioner, the oh so wronged commissioner finally in touch with his feminine side. Instead of the ruthless political beast we have seen over the last years, we now have a victim.”

………………………………………

Commissioner McIntee ever the “metrosexual”…(NOT)!…Took the “feminine side” like he had just been “outed”…YIKES!… The meeting stopped when the Vice Mayor harped on the Mayor to do something…Jimmy -boy hopped aboard the McIntee manhood bus…and eventually there was a vote to remove Mr Marchelos from the podium…it failed 2-3 (Clottey voted no…and asked Lois to be more respectful!…HUH?)….

……………………………………………

“He said that he was always issue oriented but his adversaries were mean spirited and engaged in personal attacks.
Well, Mr. Commissioner, lets examine your behavior as a commissioner;

1) your discourtesy towards the Mayor constitutes disrespect and political harassment. This lack of decorum is contagious and has spread to the attendees. How can you expect people to remain quiet and respectful when your own outrageous and overbearing conduct towards the Mayor and others with whom you disagree gives the opposite example.

2. your vindictive acts towards those who fail to blindly support you have put the town at risk and once you are out of office and witness are no longer to intimidated to speak there will be a time of justice and recogning.

3. Your threat to sue those who speak in opposition to your undemocratic and secretative acts as a commissioner. Where are the E-Mails. Give up the hard drive. You have destroyed public records .

4) Yes , many of the comments seem directed at you in contrast to other commissioners with whom citizens disagree. There is a reason for this. The other commissioners don’t stifle dissent, they work with it. They don’t have personal hatreds or personal favoritism dictating their official acts and conduct.

Yes, there is an underlying issue in all the adverse comments you provoke. All these citizens are saying NO to your backroom politics and favoritism. They are affirming the openness and evenhandedness of the majority of the other commissioners.

They are saying, Have you no shame! Have you no soul! They are fighting for the soul of this Town!”

Rosa the Tomato Lady… was throwin’ out tomatoes this night boy..she turned toward the right side…and went after the “Mc-attackers”…chiding the candidates for reading from “a sheet” at the podium, saying why didn’t they come speak like her (Roseann…Rosannadanna)…She said she was tired of this…But not too tired to again ask for the decrease in her hardship parking permit fee…wink-wink!…

Bob Karley came to say as a VFD member…he was sorry the north was ever annexed in…they caused the police dept. demise and the VFd…the unions came because of them…they strongarmed…and divided our town…how about “saving our town”…”I got off my rear”…and he “is tired of having people spit in my face”…Anybody else concerned about the VFD membership PR?… OUCH!…

Yann Brandt spoke of being a resident in this town for a long time, the negativity that starts from these meetings…He spoke of Scott Gooding’s departure, the atmosphere that came out of the Town Manager’s actions…and his requests for e-mails from the Vice Mayor on Scott Gooding and having any prior knowledge…He said the Vice Mayor was untruthful…and continued to be so with other specific  e-mail requests along with the Town…He spoke of how he spent his morning,…giving sworn testimony to the Fl. State Atty…. He said the State Atty. spoke of VM McIntee coming in for his request from Comm. Dodd!… No one could believe it!… The Vice Mayor who deleted 3 1/2 years of e-mails had the audacity to go multiple times to the same State Atty. who we now know as fully aware of McIntee’s deletions!… Comm Dodd took it from there when he spoke at his comments…withdrawing his e-mails from McIntee , after hearing Mr. Brandt….(he was waiting for McIntee to pay the labor costs)… He said he would wait for the Stat Atty. to request them with a court order…Hmmm… McIntee’s should come first!… McIntee was full of vitriol in attacking Mr Brandt by making “claims” of conversations he had with the State Atty 4-5 times!… McIntee said he would return to the State Atty… This should be good!… Looks like McIntee is missing more than the embarrassment gene…he missing a few screws as well!… more on this to come…

Candidate Chris Vincent was the last speaker he addressed the MPSC meeting the prior night…

“Christopher Vincent – Corsiar Avenue – Lauderdale By The Sea

Good evening Commissioners, Madame Mayor.

I attended last nights Master Plan workshop. No decisions were made and for once that is good news. A date has been set for December 7th at 5:30 pm to have a roundtable discussion regarding the $980,000 budgeted for beautification of El Mar.

The Master planning committee has spent quite sometime along with the students from the Art Institute of Fort Lauderdale putting forth ideas and suggestions for the use of these funds.

Unfortunately they were not given the accurate information regarding the area the funds were to be spent. They were told the area to focus on was El Mar Drive from Commercial Blvd, south to Palm Avenue. However we learned last night from the Town Attorney that the funds were to be spent within the hospitality district which extends from Pine Avenue to Palm Avenue (not to include the circle downtown).

I ask why? Why did the Town Manager not know that prior to giving the Planning committee and the students direction? The town Attorney had no difficulty clairifying this, she was able to find all the accurate information within documents she requested from the Town Managers office. Again why?

I am glad there will be a roundtable to really figure out what is best for the future of this town.

I sensed pressure from certain commissioners last night to go ahead and spend the money without really looking at the issues we are facing in that area in the future.

I want to see that those funds are not spent for some half hearted effort of digging up medians and sidewalks to only have to re-do them again in a couple of years due to infrastructure changes.

I don’t think you spend a million dollars this instant on something that may not benefit the town in the long run. You owe the residents of this town more than that. You owe us the process. Part of that is knowing ALL the facts before spending the money. The money is not going anywhere. What is the rush all of a sudden.

All is not lost on the work the Master Plan committee or the students have done. There are great ideas and plenty of valuable research that will be helpful moving forward now that all the facts are out in the open.

It would be irresponsible of this commission to attempt to vote to spend those funds without going back to the drawing board and evaluating the area north of Commercial Blvd.

It is common sense to do that, it is accountability to the residents and it is the right thing to do.”

Public Comments over…we took a 10 minute break…

more to come…

Tags: Lauderdale By The Sea Public Comments, Lauderdale By The Sea Candidates Chris Vincent- Scott Sasser- John Oughten-Edmund Malkoon, Lauderdale By The Sea Commission Meeting Nov 10 2009, Lauderdale By The Sea Commissioner Birute Clottey, Lauderdale by the sea Commissioner Jim Silverstone, Lauderdale By The Sea Commissioner Stuart Dodd, Lauderdale By The Sea Vice Mayor McIntee, Scoops
Posted in Boards, Civic Organizations, LBTS Agendas/Meetings, Local Politics, Scoops, VFD, local government

THE PROBLEM WITH BEING A LAME DUCK….

Dear Readers … Tonight in the waning months of the first term of McIntee and Silverstone …it seems the Vice Mayor is sweating bullets over his likely demise…He put on quite a show of desperation…with his nauseating performance of bending over backward with his sudden show of revering MPSC Vice Chair Sandra Booth…The same Sandra Booth he publicly dressed down when she was nominated for a return to the committee in 2008!… He made the audience collectively snicker as he called her “Mrs. Booth” …McIntee  droned on with the countless hours put in by the MPSC and now anything less than giving them the 980 thousand will be a slap in the face!… WOW!… The same Vice Mayor who would give no direction no matter how many times Chair Paul Novak stood in front of him…but alas…maybe the Vice Mayor has spent some quality time with “Mr Oliver” and was told if he [McIntee] sucks up big time in the last few months…all will be forgotten or forgiven… Not this time…Vice Mayor…there’s way too much too remember and too many of us to remind those that don’t!

This meeting was set up to discuss the Master Plan for the next 5 years… that was switched in order with the beautification projects…at the end of the evening it was set aside until next month… The Mayor asked to do the switch to deal with the projects at hand …the A1A FDOT  and the El Mar Drive Oriana escrow million…

The discussion on the FDOT was just the beginning of yet another look at this dysfunctional dais…Commissioner Clottey had the “concern” that her “constituents” would not have a say in the A1A plan and they would be impacted by the FDOT decision… The Vice Mayor chimed in as well about the FDOT having to convince “this commissioner” on any improvements due to A1A already being over capacity in traffic …The Mayor tried to make both understand it was just a “conceptual agreement” and the Town Manager as well told them it was a $58,000 conceptual plan…with the FDOT coming to the dais in the future to speak to the Town, and they were already in agreement to allow input from the residents…But in the end it is a state road and it comes down to the residents really having no say…The Mayor and Comm. Dodd implored the commission to allow the process to move forward …after the Manager told them if they wanted to stop now…that the FDOT would go elsewhere with the project…Comm. Dodd said “Let’s not put up barricades before we see the plans. Let’s not kill it at stage one!”… Perhaps they can “linger” over the conceptual plans…if Comm. Clottey allows for it?…

So what’s up with “Mr. Oliver”…the former Mayor Parker?… Who’s he buddy, buddy with these days?… Comm. Clottey asked if the Town Atty. had spoken to “Mr Oliver Parker” to find out the details of the Oriana million dollar escrow money… The Town Atty. replied she did not have to after receiving the pertinent information from staff… The commission was provided prior to the meeting with a geographic map of the former overlay districts…It was announced that the money was allowed for beautification of the Hospitality Overlay District…which meant it was from Pine ave (north end of El Mar) to Palm Ave (south end of El Mar)…and the previous statements made by the Town Manager and the same staff  of it being Commercial Blvd. north only were bogus!… This Town Manager was quite adamant about the agreement all this time……just as she was about the agreement with Oriana for the defunct boardwalk area behind the development (maybe that needs another look-see as well)…No mention of this huge blunder and its origin….But plenty of misstatements about the MPSC median project concerning the committee, the students, the commission, the money…The breakdown of who on the dais was for what after learning this new information was really something to watch…Strange partnerships indeed!…We heard of “dilemmas” from Silverstone and Clottey…sidewalks vs. medians … The” biggest bang for the buck”…from the Vice Mayor, Paul Novak and Ocampo  architect Ernie Ojito … Vice Mayor McIntee went into a quizzing mode of Sandra Booth and Paul Novak saying he was “amazed” he thought it was “a done deal”…and the “Kids” …the “countless hours up there “…the “years” of work… He did hear from both the Chair and the Vice Chair that they did think it was a go…and the medians would be done…Mrs. Booth said the A.I. was not anxious to get involved in another project and the Vice Mayor just kept on pushing it “for the MPSC and the students”…Commissioner Dodd agreed with the Vice Mayor and said it was time to get something done…The Mayor was with Comm. Clottey on sidewalks and felt the students input was also a “conceptual plan” and she agreed as well with Marc Furth… The Town Manager said nothing was approved from the drawings based on the students projects and the Vice Mayor became indignant that it was decided to spend $980,000 and it was done in “good faith” …that to change course now was an “insult to the Master Plan Committee and the students” and the person he “feels the worst for was Mrs. Booth”…After the meeting an audience member said the disingenuous onslaught from Vice Mayor McIntee to Mrs Booth made them “want to vomit!”… Diane Boutin Manager of the Windjammer came up to speak and began by saying to “some degree she agreed with the Vice Mayor”…but then quickly changed course to agree with the Mayor about the conceptual projects and told the commission they “owed this town a process” with more brainstorming saying “infrastructure before the flowers”… MPSC member Mary Ann Wardlaw who usually shies away from comment chose to make a statement that she was “dismayed” with the new information of the million’s use for the whole of El Mar and saying the committee was “only as good as the information we get”…Comm. Silverstone in full “dilemma” mode said he agreed …”this commissioner is still not happy”…and “I think we can do better ” [the medians]…The Mayor read the 3 paragraphs from the 2005 Master Plan about El Mar Drive and said the “key words” were “pedestrian and walking “… The Vice Mayor responded that he heard the description of one lane and we have 2, that pedestrians walking in the middle [medians] would keep pedestrians safe from back-out parking the major threat to walking on El Mar…(HUH?)…Commissioner Silverstone made the same ridiculous recommendation he has in prior discussion of striping off one lane for walking and art work …Comm. Clottey did an about face to join the Vice Mayor and Comm. Dodd after asking Mr Ojito how long to do the medians (6-7 months was the reply, no answer after a followup asking if that included the permits!)…She also said it would be 2 years before Minnet does the sidewalks (wrong!)…she then said the committee and the students “worked hard ” and the would have “to bite the bullet”…

Then it was my turn…”I sat through all these meetings and I’m very surprised. First of all we were under the impression and we were told quite a few times that it was only supposed to be for in the south end. But secondly you all voted for lowering the bond for Minto which really pushed a good portion of those sidewalks that if you hadn’t lowered the bond and I think the manager tried to tell you the first time (1st comm. meeting Minto asked to lower the bond) if you hadn’t lowered their bond they would have gone ahead and done a good portion of the sidewalks. (Actually, it was the recommendation of the Manager & staff not to lower the bond) The gentleman who came up to speak for Minto actually said if you don’t lower it, they’ll probably go ahead and do it [sidewalks] because it would be cheaper in the long run. (prev. posts) You don’t know when they’re [Minto] going to come back and do those sidewalks. You have no idea how many years it’s really going to take with development and every developer that comes in has been told they have to do underground utilities and then they’re going to have to put in new sidewalks afterward.”

“So, I’m surprised about that.  I think there can be a combination of doing all this but frankly we’re 4 months away from an election. I think you should put this million dollars in the bank . You now have all this new information”

Vice Mayor McIntee-” That’s inappropriate! That’s political! And that’s solely political!”

The Mayor said “excuse me” a couple of times…

I said ” I have a right to my opinion, and my opinion is that.”

Mayor Minnet-” There is no need for that interruption Vice Mayor, continue Ms. Cole.”

Me- ” A little thin skinned?  My opinion is that since you have been thrown this curve and it has now changed what you said, that maybe you should consider not making a fast decision and seeing what you come back with, with this new information and you’re facing the holidays. You have just one meeting now. [Nov.] You face Christmas,and you’re facing the holidays and then you’re in the throes of , excuse me Vice Mayor, an election. So, my opinion is that maybe you want to hold off until you get some different people up there and you use your million dollars.”

Vice Mayor McIntee-” Point of order Mayor! That’s absolutely unacceptable! She’s talking about changing the dais! It’s, that’s not acceptable! You have to stop now! Because the Charter says there should be no political activities in Jarvis Hall!”

Mayor Minnet-” Vice Mayor, Vice Mayor, that’s not political. We have an election in March 2010.”

Me- ” I said maybe there might be some different people  up there. Boy it’s gonna be interesting!”

Mayor Minnet-” Thank you for letting us know when the election is!”…The audience laughed!

The Vice Mayor wanted to “move on the $980,000″… The Mayor said she would not and that she was not for making a “hasty decision”…The Vice Mayor told her it was not a “hasty decision” that she was unacceptable in her statement..and again spoke of the years we had this money …3 years (it was in escrow and could not be touched until this year)…Comm. Dodd said the dais was “deadlocked” and a Round Table was needed… to have some “interchange” …The Mayor said the Vice Mayor wanted to give direction to the Manager to put this on the agenda…It went on the agenda for the Dec. 8, 2009 commission meeting…and a Round Table was set for Dec. 7, 2009 at 5:30 pm… The Manager asked after saying “it’s not personal” (HUH?) if she could get together ahead of the Round Table with Ocampo and work with Ocampo on the project…unfortunately, this commission must have had a temporary brain freeze and said go ahead!… This is the same Manager that unilaterally changed the Beach Pavilion, made up the Cone of Silence, stopped reading RFPs aloud and missed the 10 day (by law) deadline for RFPs with the Police renovation …( and on and on and on from her unilateral lifetime contract)…The same Town Manager that told them the money was for the south end only!…YIKES!… Before they adjourned Mrs. Booth came to the podium to praise her committee, to remind the commission how quickly the A.I. students started and finished the project (96 days) and say they [MPSC] serve at the pleasure of the commission saying they “can do anything you give us, we can do!”…The MPSC will join the commission on Dec. 7th and the public is welcome as well…

After the meeting, we found in the hall Nance and David Nixon back in town for a while. They are longtime residents of El Mar Drive……….Nance Nixon informed this writer that when the CRA was in tact [David was in charge of the CRA] …it was made known that in the future the medians on El Mar would be where all the underground utilities would run…and to put money in them now would be a total waste!…ARGHHH…

In closing…after seeing the meeting above and learning the information afterward…the future of El Mar Drive really should be decided in 4 months with the change up on the dais!…

more to come….

Tags: Lauderdale By The Sea Commissioer Birute Clottey, Lauderdale by the sea Commissioner Jim Silverstone, Lauderdale By The Sea Commissioner Stuart Dodd, Lauderdale By The Sea El Mar Drive Project, Lauderdale By The Sea March 9 2010 Election, Lauderdale By The Sea Master Plan Steering Committee and Commission Workshop, Lauderdale By The Sea Mayor Minnet, Lauderdale By The Sea Oriana Million, Lauderdale By The Sea Town Manager Esther Colon, Lauderdale By the Sea Vice Mayor Jerry McIntee, Scoops
Posted in Boards, LBTS Agendas/Meetings, Local Politics, Scoops, local government

CHAMBER MEMBERS …CITIZENS  AND CANDIDATES  … AND ONE COMMISSIONER ……

Dear Readers…around 20+  volunteers gathered at the Beach Pavilion at 9 am today to join in the Chamber’s 1st Saturday of the month beach clean-up… Aruba Cafe’ again generously donated the muffins as well has lending a hand in the clean-up ….with Peggy Mohler, Guy Contrada and some of their staff…Chamber President Paul Novak came with the plastic bags and gloves….Commissioner Dodd returned for the 2nd month to lend a hand…Christine Vincent came to help while her husband, Candidate Chris Vincent was off doing father-daughter duty…Candidate for the Chamber Board, Yann Brandt also made a return for month 2….Candidate Edmund Malkoon and  Candidate Ben Freeny were returnees as well …It was a family affair for Candidate Scot Sasser, wife Teresa and son Jake… The two local papers came to cover it with Editor Mark Brown from the By The Sea Future ….the editors from the BTSTimes… Residents Karen Hunsaker and Steven Cole  …. as well as other volunteers who all bravely withstood the blowing winds and sand to make our beach a whole lot cleaner with their service to our town…Kudos to all!…

Chamber Board candidate Yann Brandt, Chamber President Paul Novak, Christine Vincent ( wife of candidate Chris Vincent), and a fellow volunteer

Candidate Scot Sasser with wife Teresa and son Jake

Candidate Scot Sasser and son Jake

Candidate Edmund Malkoon

Candidate Ben Freeny

Commissioner Stuart Dodd and Candidate Ben Freeny

More to come…..

Tags: Edmund Malkoon- Ben Freeny- Scot Sasser, Lauderdale By The Sea Candidates, Lauderdale By The Sea Chamber of Commerce Beach Clean-up, Lauderdale By The Sea Commissioner Stuart Dodd, Scoops
Posted in Local Politics, Scoops

THE SAD STATE OF AFFAIRS IN TOWN HALL….

Dear Readers … I made a trip into Town Hall today to take a look at the back-up materials for the November 10th Regular Commission meeting… I received an e-mail prior to my arrival from PIO D’Olivera that one of my public records requests was ready for pick-up…Upon arriving I asked for it, and found a few others were ready as well… One was the request shown below for the “Cone of Silence” (prev. post)… I made it after the Town Manager accused the commission of not following the “Cone of Silence” she said they were presented with in documents received in January… She was quite forceful in her admonishment toward them for their total disregard of following this rule…In fact Jimmy-boy Silverstone followed suit like a good puppy dog.. … I was told the next day that no “Cone of Silence” was included in this Parking Citation Processing RFP… and found it did not…I then went on to see it did not exist in the Town purchasing manual and we had no ordinance on the books as other municipalities did for enacting it into their bid process…Thus the e-mail below…

………………………………………

PRR
Thursday, October 29, 2009 2:11 PM
From:
“Barbara Cole”

To:
steved@lauderdalebythesea-fl.gov
Steve, I am making a public records request for the “cone of silence” the Town Manager spoke about at the 10/27/09 commission meeting.
She said it was given to the commission in documents on ethics in Jan. 2009.
I can find no such item in the minutes for either Jan. meeting.
I can find no Town Ordinance online at the Town website.
I can find no “cone of silence” provision in our RFP bid packages.
I can find no “cone of silence” in the Town Purchasing Manual definitions or RFP procedures.
Please acknowledge this request.
Please let me know if the cost will be more than $20.
Thank you, Barbara Cole

……………………………………..

Asst. Town Clerk Nikki Smith gave me the “Cone of Silence” request …and after I paid for it I looked at before going through the back-up notebook…Imagine my surprise when what I received was a Feb. 24, 2009 agenda item backup 16f. from Comm. Dodd “Discussion and /or action concerning the Miami-Dade code of ethics ordinance”… Well, it was the same ethics ordinance denounced by the “Gang”…and as it states in the minutes “There was no more discussion. No action was taken.”…In the Miami -Dade ethics ordinance is contained the “Cone of Silence”… (pgs 13-15) …BUT… we never adopted it, we never discussed the “Cone of Silence” and it had no bearing on the ethics item at hand!… What a joke!… The Town Manager chastised the commission on Oct. 27th for something buried within another town’s backup!… I asked Nikki Smith, employee of the town, why she would give me this?..She answered I wanted something on the “Cone of Silence” and that was all she had. I replied that I was looking for the Town’s “Cone of Silence” I said I know what the “Cone of Silence” is…. I said to Nikki Smith, Town employee, but we [town] have no such “Cone of Silence” in our purchasing manual. She said no. I said WOW!… I then said I guess I’ll just keep writing about this stuff….And Nikki Smith, Town employee said as she walked away “I guess you will, you’ve go nothing better to do.” I replied that her response was unacceptable. [for a town employee to a taxpaying resident]….I’ll just chalk it up to trickle down from the Manager!…

Will the Town Manager be called on yet another “dressing down” of the commission on the dais?…

Why does Jimmy-boy Silverstone follow her so blindly…and why does he say he does his homework when it’s so obvious he does not!…

Will Comm. Clottey still say she does her job very well despite all the “constrictions”?…

Still rating her a 5 Vice Mayor?….

Watching  the “Gang” justify this latest action of the Town Manager …. Outstanding!…

It’s clearly time to put a lid on it…

more to come

Tags: Lauderdale By The Sea Asst. Town Clerk Nikki Smith, Lauderdale by the sea Commissioner Jim Silverstone, Lauderdale By The Sea Commissioner Stuart Dodd, Lauderdale By The Sea MIA "Cone of Silence" for ITBs/ RFPs, Lauderdale By The Sea Town Manager Esther Colon, Scoops
Posted in Local Politics, RFP/BIDS, Scoops, local government

I’M RAISING IT….

Dear Readers….at the   9/22/09 Commission meeting … Comm. Dodd -”Motion to change the purchasing manual section 4 (a) to now read – All timely received bids shall be publicly opened, read aloud to include the name of the bidder, the town, the bid number. This came after yet more discussion concerning the Town Manager’s changing the way the town opened RFPs on July 29, 2009 …(prev. post)… This go round through the Town Clerk (obviously coached by the Manager) the change was admitted …Town Clerk White said ” The RFP for the trash was the first one we got that had several amounts on it which was very complicated and it was from then on that we decided that it would not be done like that anymore because it was too complicated and too time consuming and by law we don’t need to do that. It is exempt from public record for that particular reason. (The Town did not know this until well after the garbage RFP…not until the Town Atty. sent out the memo in response to the Town stoppage of reading RFP bids  aloud when opened as they continued to say they would do in their bids and ads)….Comm. Dodd rightly added that he sat in the garbage RFP (as did this writer)…it was not complicated and it went well as previously posted …so this was again another Colon debacle in not following what most municipalities do….. The Town Manager put forth more garbage to dig her heels in…”As I informed the commission who have asked my opinion (the Gang…hook, line & sinker) and the opinion of staff we will continue to read bids out loud and give the amount as we have done in the past. If you look on the survey most cities do not read the RFPs” (the survey actually showed otherwise) ….”We want to continue to do the process that use to be done and we have been successful. We have never had any issues until recently over this issue.” (Because they were all read aloud and when the vendors who are sending their Reps. find otherwise, there’’s an issue) ” The Town Clerk has been doing the job, the Finance Director, all staff members have been doing their job, but by law they don’t have to do it and we have agreed to continue to give the price for the bid but we would appreciate if we’re allowed to follow the process that’s in place that’s a process followed by many municipalities in this state and THE RECORD WILL BE AVAILABLE BY LAW I BELIEVE IN 8 to 10 DAYS” (June said 10 days…The problem with this latest  TM hogwash is again most municipalities do open RFPs and ITBs…and the opened BY LAW in 10 days was not done with the police renovation RFP approved  on Oct. 27th…the Town using Ocampo  missed the 10 day BY LAW requirement by 4 days and it was not out until almost close of business on a Friday!…This writer prev. posted of the bid bond required for the contractors within thew 10 days and the 6 of 9 companies that came to the opening saying the RFPs are opened in all the other towns they bid in!)

The ridiculous “out” then used by Comm. Clottey and the Manager…was we do not have a “procurement officer”…again…it was lame!…

Comm. Dodd’s motion was made again with the Mayor’s 2nd…it was passed 5-0

Before the change …

Page 19. 4a.-(1st paragraph last sentence) “All timely-received bids shall be publicly opened in the presence of witnesses at the place and time designated in the RFP.”

Comm. Dodd’s motion on the 9/22/09

Page 19 4 (a) to now read – “All timely received bids shall be publicly opened, read aloud to include the name of the bidder, the town, the bid number .”

What the Town Manager (with the Town Atty. ?) did …. She changed the whole paragraph…used different terminology and distinguished between ITBs and RFPs …She (and the Town Atty.?) also changed the 3rd paragraph …and in the lower corner the revised dates are altered..In the purchasing manual the revised date is 02/17/09 on the PRR page I received last week read “Revised 10/15/05 ” which was crossed out “Revised 10/12/09″ … NOT revised from 02/17/09 …Extensive changes were made although she was not directed to by the Commission to do so!…

BEFORE… in purchasing manual Revised 02/17/09 (Page 19)

4. Each RFP shall contain the following standard provisions:

4a. Paragraph 1.- “Bids must be received by the LBTS Purchasing  Administrator no later than the time and date identified in the RFP. Bids received after this time for any reason shall be returned unopened to the bidder. All timely- received bids shall be publicly opened in the presence of witnesses at the place and time designated in the RFP.

BC-Note- Readers might recall from prev. post the TM found that the purch. manual did not specify “read aloud” as the Town bid and Town ITBs/RFPs did…thus her decision to stop doing so in “payback to Comm. Dodd’s discovery on the preceding page (18)  when he caught her with the required on-line bids source..

AFTER …The new page 19 Revised on 10/12/09

4. Each RFP shall contain the following standard provisions:

4a.-Paragraph 1.- “ITBs or RFPs shall be received by the LBTS Purchasing Administrator no later than the time and date identified in the ITB or RFP. An ITB or RFP submittal received after the specified time for any reason shall be returned unopened to the bidder. All timely-received ITB submittals shall be publicly opened in the presence of witnesses and aloud to include the name of the bidder, their city and state, the ITB number and total price. All timely- received RFP submittals shall be publicly opened in the presence of witnesses and read aloud to include the name of the bidder, their city and state and the RFP number.”

BEFORE …purchasing manual revision 02/17/09 (page 19)(the reason it was revised from 10/15/05)

4a.-Paragraph 3 “Per Florida Statutes Section 119.07 (1)(m), sealed bids/proposals are exempt from public records until the earlier of 10 days following bid/ proposal opening or Town’s notice of intended decision. Per Florida Statutes Section 286.011,BID OPENINGS AND ANY RELATED BID/RFP EVALUATION/SELECTION COMMITTEE MEETINGS ARE OPEN TO THE PUBLIC AND REQUIRE ADVANCED NOTICE.”

AFTER…. new page 19 revised 10/12/09

4a-paragraph 3- Per Florida Statutes Section 119.071(1), sealed bids or proposals received by an agency pursuant to invitations to bid or request for proposals are exempt from s. 119.07(1) and s. 24(a), Art. I of the State Constitution until such time as the agency provides notice of decision or intended decision pursuant to s. 120.57(3)(a) or within 10 days after bid or proposal opening , whichever is earlier.

BC- Note- So the Town Manager (and Town Atty.?) took out…” Per Florida Statutes Section 286.011, BID OPENINGS AND ANY RELATED BID/RFP EVALUATION/SELECTION COMMITTEE MEETINGS ARE OPEN TO THE PUBLIC AND REQUIRE ADVANCED NOTICE.” …
I made a Public Records Req. to verify the removal and/or relocation of this clause… It’s absolutely incredible the extent this Town Manager will go to if indeed this clause  has not been relocated on another page in the RFP provisions!…
……………………………………………………

From:
“Barbara Cole”
PRR
Wednesday, November 4, 2009 9:42 PM

To:
steved@lauderdalebythesea-fl.gov
Steve , I recently received the revisions for the RFPs…included on page 19 was the following change to 4a.-paragraph 3

BEFORE …purchasing manual revision 02/17/09 (page 19)

4a.-Paragraph 3 “Per Florida Statutes Section 119.07 (1)(m), sealed bids/proposals are exempt from public records until the earlier of 10 days following bid/ proposal opening or Town’s notice of intended decision. Per Florida Statutes Section 286.011,BID OPENINGS AND ANY RELATED BID/RFP EVALUATION/SELECTION COMMITTEE MEETINGS ARE OPEN TO THE PUBLIC AND REQUIRE ADVANCED NOTICE.”

AFTER…. new page 19 revised 10/12/09

4a-paragraph 3- Per Florida Statutes Section 119.071(1), sealed bids or proposals received by an agency pursuant to invitations to bid or request for proposals are exempt from s. 119.07(1) and s. 24(a), Art. I of the State Constitution until such time as the agency provides notice of decision or intended decision pursuant to s. 120.57(3)(a) or within 10 days after bid or proposal opening , whichever is earlier.

I am making a public records request for the following:

I would like verification from the Town that this means RFPs/ ITBs are NO LONGER “open to public “as they were before this revision.
If they are, where is that now contained? Please provide the page with that revision.
Please acknowledge receipt of this request.
Please advise if the cost is over $20.
Thank you, Barbara Cole

………………………………………………

If it indeed turns out that not only were major changes and deletions made in the Town’s purchasing manual without the Commission’s direction or input…but that the Town Manager and the Town Atty. have gone ahead and removed the ability for the public to attend future bid meetings and openings …and removed advanced notice of the meetings and openings…thus, further taking away transparency in  LBTS Town government….

Is there really any possible chance that those 75 words on the ballot for the March 9, 2010 referendum on the heights and ethics will be on the up and up?…

Not after this!…

more to come….

Tags: Lauderdale By The Sea Commissioner Stuart Dodd, Lauderdale By The Sea RFPs.-ITBs, Lauderdale By The Sea Town Manager Esther Colon, Scoops
Posted in Local Politics, RFP/BIDS, Scoops, local government

FINAL APPROVAL ….

Dear Readers … On October 6, 2009 The Town received its “Permitted Project Final Inspection Report” from Broward County…..Quite a surprise how long it took …after the “Ribbon Cutting Ceremony” which took place on April 6, 2009… 6 months afterward…Hmmm…

This writer has written about this Town project for quite some time throughout the last year as we witnessed unilateral decisions being made in its appearance and use by the Town Manager…We saw so many unacceptable twists and turns…and not just with the aesthetics… We saw that a million dollar project end up costing approx. $300,000+….with a grant from Broward County that was extended multiple times…That grant money was received on Sept. 25, 2009  … (stating “We are pleased to enclose your first and final reimbursement check in the amount of $176,548.00″ ….although, if memory serves the grant money has been off the financial monthly  books for quite some time before the actual receipt of this check)….The permit application for this pavilion was made on 10/9/2008…and the project began prior to the county permits being received which brought forth some scuttlebutt when Broward County showed up and realized all was not in order…..Those permits were issued on 12/1/08… When looking into that after I received the tip…this writer found that the Town Manager and staff not only kept changes in the structure to themselves they also remained quiet on the length of the last extension received for the grant extended to Oct. 2009  allowing for the construction to take place after season, thereby alleviating the impact on business downtown,….In the aftermath with the many project pitfalls that arose…they too might have been taken care of from the outset….We could have actually seen the project well before the 2nd Colon approved rendition suddenly appeared on the job site …(it caused quite an uproar)…We could have had time to deal with the massive flooding problem from lack of proper drainage that the Town Manager we now know was informed of by the construction company early on…..We could have had a better plan in place for the turnabout and the grade of the road …..a problem also made known by none other than Marc Furth and Comm. Dodd as they spent time at that spot the summer of 2008 …We could have planned for the proper funds to be in place for lighting and better planing for the electrical…the showers and the myriad of setbacks that arose for one reason only…Town Manager Colon … The Mc-Furth “Gang” “protected” her from being held accountable for one debacle after another… In my opinion, they sat by and actively assisted her in the cover up of the plan changes in a way that they would never have allowed with the previous Town Manager……She wasted staff time and money to steer Comm. Dodd, this writer and others concerned away from what changes were readily available and suddenly brought forth after the Comm. Dodd “payback” runaround… Unfortunately for all of us, it was only the beginning of a disturbing pattern we have seen from this new government in our town with the new majority election win in 2008…… In this writer’s opinion, this pavilion project was the catalyst for there not being any real oversight from the Town Manager over anything McIntee-Silverstone-Clottey-Furth related…especially the McIntee- led VFD  …. despite Ms. Colon’s early 2008 statements that she alone would be in charge of the oversight for the VFD  and guaranteeing  the voters that she had complete access to the VFD….She later recanted with some lame attempts of where the computer was located and hiding behind the VFD being a contractual vendor…(those blurry lines that became blurrier with each passing month)….Since the pavilion, the Town Manager has followed suit into other areas of unilateral decision making ….She has done so with an accelerated pace… charging forward with absolutely no regard to the perception and a total lack of  concern for the consequences…to the Town or herself…How could she be so emboldened?… It’s all due to having in place her dais majority “protection” and of course her contract … which this writer uncovered as yet another unilateral decision made by the Town Manager that will come back to bite us all in the end…

So while we received the “Final Approval” for the Commercial Blvd. Beach Pavilion… it’s time to ask yourselves as voters…. what do you see with this project completion?…

What I see is the a frightening parallel ……between this pavilion and the present Town Manager-McIntee/Silverstone/Clottey majority on the dais… a shell of what could have been!…

In March 2010 do you want more of the same?

more to come….

Tags: Lauderdale By The Sea Beach Pavilion, Lauderdale By The Sea Commissioner Birute Clottey, Lauderdale by the sea Commissioner Jim Silverstone, Lauderdale By The Sea Commissioner Stuart Dodd, Lauderdale By The Sea Mayor Minnet, Lauderdale By The Sea Town Manager Esther Colon, Lauderdale By the Sea Vice Mayor Jerry McIntee, Scoops
Posted in Local Politics, Scoops, local government

EACH TAKING A TURN… (pun intended)…

Dear Readers… at the October 27th, 2009 Commission Meeting Clueless Clottey put on the agenda New Business item 16 d. “Discussion and/or action- Hillsboro Inlet (Commissioner Clottey)…She was following up on a previous commissioner comment made by Vice Mayor McIntee after Comm. Dodd offered up his ethics referendum ….In his remarks McIntee said Comm. Dodd received a “benefit” from his appointment on the Hillboro Inlet…and therefore he should not be allowed to vote on anything that has to do with it…( Dodd would recuse himself and said so) ….McIntee’s insinuation was Dodd was paid for his service…Quite a hoot coming from McIntee……and quite a “let’s screw Dodd” from both McIntee and Clottey….some 20 months after appointing newly elected Commissioner Dodd into that Hillsboro Inlet appointment…

On Feb 19, 2008 under New Business item 14b. McIntee made a motion to direct the Town Manager to send a letter removing former Mayor Oliver Parker from the Hillsboro Inlet board…He went on to say “I would also like that motion to read Mr. Stuart Dodd our new commissioner is appointed that commission, I think there is nobody more qualified than Mr. Dodd. He sailed around the world twice without an engine (applause in the hall) and he ah, knows the ah, all the ins and outs of sailing boats and I can prove this cause I’ve been on boats with him and he’s yelling yardam and forearm and I said what the heck are you talkin’ about! But he certainly would be a representative that ah, would do a great job for us. “…The Vice Mayor went on to chastise the former Mayor for never saying a word about the inlet in the time McIntee was up there as commissioner..He said he hoped Comm. Dodd would do so from time to time (Comm. Dodd has fulfilled that request) ..

McIntee said :”That’s my motion”…

Commissioner Clottey “I’ll second it.”…

The Mayor asked for a description of the position being made for the residents along with any benefits…

Vice Mayor McIntee-” For the record Mr. Mayor (OOPS!), ah, THERE IS ONE BENEFIT, MEDICAL INSURANCE. I have contacted the director of the Hillsboro OUTLET (OOPS!), the chairman. He said the only benefit they receive is medical insurance for each member. What it entails is making sure that the barges and I believe there are one or two of them are run properly. Sands removed properly and Hillsboro inlet never closes up the sand jams. But I don’t think anybody knows more about boats than Commissioner Dodd. So what he doesn’t know about the Hillsboro Inlet, they better be careful cause he’ll know it all in a month!” There was some input by Commissioner Silverstone who acknowledged a previous longtime (we hear 20 years) Hillsboro Inlet board member in the hall for the Mayor to ask questions of…The Mayor felt satisfied with the Vice Mayor’s answers (remember after all,  it was their 1st full meeting after taking office, thus she was satisfied, she has since learned not to be!)…and a vote was taken…

Commissioner Dodd asked if he should vote and was allowed to do so…5-0 Commissioner Dodd was appointed to the Hillsboro Inlet…

If Commissioner Dodd is replaced or as Comm. Clottey said disingenuously using the 2nd Furth Town Hall East “talking point” of the week “rotating” the position ..(# 1 was” clarifying” the 33′ height in a  referendum) …Commissioner Dodd will receive the same medical insurance benefits paid by the LBTS taxpayers as both Commissioner Clottey and Commissioner Silverstone!… Add to that the expense we incurred to have the Town Attorney check if a non- commission member can serve as the Hillsboro Inlet appointee, when a quick look at the same Feb.19, 2008 meeting they would have reheard Comm. Silverstone’s comments about the former town resident (and the CIC- Mc-Furth choice for new Hillsboro Inlet member?)…who was not a commissioner when he served!… If we go that route thanks to Clueless Clottey and the “Gang” the Hillsboro Inlet medical insurance benefit will go to a non-elected town official leaving the LBTS taxpayers paying for all 3 commissioners instead of 2!.. Thanks a lot!…$$$$$$$……

This move by Clottey, McIntee and Silverstone is nothing but payback toward Comm. Dodd .. Shame on her, shame on them!…

Just add it on to the long, long, long  list of reasons to replace the Mc-Furth majority on the dais!…

Below is the link to the 2/19/09 video item 14b. at 02:41:07…on the Town’s website…

http://lbts.granicus.com/MediaPlayer.php?view_id=2&clip_id=41

more to come….

Tags: Hillsboro Inlet, Lauderdale By The Sea Commissioner Birute Clottey, Lauderdale by the sea Commissioner Jim Silverstone, Lauderdale By The Sea Commissioner Stuart Dodd, Lauderdale By the Sea Vice Mayor Jerry McIntee, Scoops
Posted in LBTS Agendas/Meetings, Local Politics, Scoops, local government

RIP…

Dear Readers … unless they move it after this is is posted …out in front of this year’s 3 week , $4000 Halloween production at Jarvis Hall is a headstone that says “RIP Marc & Cristie”…. A few readers have made mention of it already wondering if it was a prank by the Mc-Furth opponents or if it means something else?… First of all it’s not new..it’s been on display in the back room among others with local names on them as well….found after going through the haunted hallway to where the coffin is… The placement this year, as of right now at least to this writer…may be another  “sign”…pun intended …. of the “Last Gasp” to retain the past they want at all costs….while knowing the tide is turning…

The Furths may be successful in their “Last Gasp” campaign which is how I will refer to the March 2010 election in LBTS…( the term is thanks to an observant pal, intuitive observation)…by getting the height referendum back on the ballot…That would be a shame…under the “guise” of “clarification” ..You heard that word come from the Furth commission “devotees” on the dais less than 24 hours after the Oct. 26th Referendum Workshop when it seemed the 3 (McIntee, Silverstone and Marc Furth besotted Clottey) were faltering from the 33 feet issue that THE FURTHS  NEED IN THIS ELECTION… If they can’t get it…they do not have an issue to run on, at least a tried and true  Furth issue….. So in what appears again to be totally a disregard of Sunshine  all 3 came to the dais on the 27th to say “clarify” the 33′ height limit in town…WOW!…

Ms. Furth spoke of  working with “co-sponsor” Oliver Parker…and all 3 commissioners were involved in the one or more past renditions of the same issue…and now they need it again?…Why?…..The Furth’s want it ..Cristie wants it…so is she wants it…Marc wants it and to keep Cristie happy…..Marc will besot Clottey and pal around with Jerry and Jimmy…same as in the past….that’s why!…

This writer, as readers know was a part of the last 2006 height campaign… and was caught up in delivering with fervor erroneous information “buried deep within” the backup of those 75 words on the ballot…We were told by certain  CIC tin charge to tell those in the south who really did not care about the north end’s  15 story height that if the south let it get passed then the commission would have a right with their majority  vote to raise the heights in our end of town..Eeeeks…. It was scary stuff….BUT…it was not true!… What will the CIC-Mc-Furths come up with this time?…And do they have anybody left to carry out erroneous information?….The numbers for their organization clearly show the CIC has indeed dwindled down to a membership of new members in January 2009 coming from a new members apartment building in the south and the VFD…along with a smattering of old timers …..very telling of the downfall from out in front watchdog group to cheerleading for Jerry’s tired tales …

There are some things that matter more than 33′ in this town…and that is the change in our demographics  and what Paul Novak President of the Chamber of Commerce, Chair of the Master Plan Steering Committee, and longtime hotelier in town brought out at the end of the Oct. 26th Referendum Workshop…with the 33′ feet we will have no more hotels…we will become a residential community …..

I moved to this town 10 years ago…We bought a 3 bedroom condo in Sea Ranch Club after living for 6 years in Pompano Beach on the Intercoastal …We had originally moved here from the North Shore of Chicago and missed terribly the ability to walk around …into town..to the store etc…to eat and to be entertained…something we could never do in Pompano… Lauderdale By The Sea in 1999 as a new resident was a wonder to behold ..It was vital…It was busy…It was beautiful…It was a sort of contagious bliss…and it came from the tourists who were here for however long days, weeks or months…… The hotels and motels were full…Mack Groves was bustling with longtime devotees as well as newcomers who sat lined up in chairs happily and contently observing the sunshine, feeling the ocean breezes and smugly acknowledging each other in this shared experience… It was really something…it was heaven…

Now we no longer have Mack Groves, no chairs…no congregating of tourists and locals alike in acknowledging anything close to what we had back then… It’s not because we have development of 3 taller buildings that have gone up on El Mar Drive… It’s a loss of vitality in the commercial areas that bring about the current dismay…and the ongoing construction that mucks up the marvelous vistas for those that chose this town for  their vacation destination…

I do disagree with my friend Commissioner Dodd  and others who believe 33′ or 44′  with no equipment or pools on the roofs…It’s too constricting and it can be done to keep it aesthetically pleasing……I disagree with getting rid of all of the “Overlay Districts” forever…and quickly realized as I have written before that the Mc-Furth CIC “sweep” of repealing them right after the CIC win on the dais in 2008 was not thought out well, ( former CIC board member John Thompson tried and was defeated in warning us of the fallout ) …but a “knee-jerk” reaction that was orchestrated by the Mc-Furths who had their own “agenda” to stack the town boards with CIC pals and thwart any and all attempts to fix the demolition of “overlays”  without realizing the consequences…

We need a “Hotel Hospitality District”…and we need business people like Mr. Novak to assure that tourism remains in our town…We need an “Entertainment Hospitality District” to ensure that business remains in this town…and that includes getting rid of the parking requirements as Mr Novak himself discussed at a MPSC meeting  months ago…(prev. post)…

It strikes me as really funny that the Mc-Furth- Silverstone -Clottey contingency of the dais with their pal Manager Colon want to have a “Recreation” program for “our kids”, our “families” …but will do nothing for the “entertainment” of the larger new group of residents in this town, the younger ( not seniors) home buyers without kids who are looking to dine in town…and spend money…

Without the parking requirements…Mr Novak has assured us the storefronts would be filled with coffee shops, cafes, galleries and more…and I  wholeheartedly believe him…

Last night we had dinner at the new Vietnamese restaurant in town, Basilic Vietnamese Grill on Commercial  Blvd.  (the old Tedesco location)…and by 7 pm it was full with patrons waiting outside..There would be no way they all parked by the restaurant…They came as we did, by foot…from home and from nearby parking lots…But it was not something they even mentioned…They came for the food…imagine that!.. That’s what I’m talking about…throughout the downtown…to the east and to the west of this new restaurant…We could be a destination for more scenes such as this…

We are headed into the most important juncture for this town 10 years since my arriving here…This 2010 election will lead to who decides who will sit on the Town boards and committees…and who will have the say of the 10 year Comprehensive Master Plan for what this town becomes…  Despite disingenuous accolades made a few meetings back by Vice Mayor McIntee to Sandra Booth…(The VM disparaged Mrs Booth’s reappointment to the MPSC in 2008, joined by Comm. Silverstone…despite the FACT that Mrs Booth as past  MPSC-Chair had brought so much to the town in that role… including the Art Institute students who provided the original Beach Pavilion ….Incredibly, Comm. Clottey and Town Manager Colon disparaged Mrs. Booth as well, when they prepared for the ribbon cutting of the Beach pavilion…both actions were “orchestrated” by the Furths)…If we maintain the “Broom Boys” majority  up on the dais…we will see 2 more years of the same…

The MPSC in the last 2 years have been a waste of time, 2 giant steps back in progress for this town….It was canceled for lack of participation in conflicts of scheduling whether it was the CIC-VFD 4th of July or a CIC monthly meeting…( most members on the board are old-time Mc-Furth CIC pals) and as for direction from the dais to get a move on a new Master Plan in 2008-2009 …to get the old plans down off the  “shelves” somewhere…forget about it.!..Despite Comm. Dodd’s many attempts to provide it,  by going to the meetings or directing staff from the dais….the Mc-Furths and the Town Manager ignored and criticized…even calling Dodd out of order for “going there” and “directing”on his own!……They got what they wanted in the end… the MPSC did nothing… The Planning and Zoning which could have met throughout the past 2 years…not just when an applicant required a ruling… …has met less than a half a dozen times…At this month’s meeting they approved the minutes from the last time they met …last April!….

Is that what the voters want?…Nahhhh…..

We, the voters  need to see that this really is the “Last Gasp” election for the small-minded selfish Mc-Furths…. It’s time now to get a healthy dose of new blood on the dais…who will provide from the new demographics in town new blood on the Town boards and committees as well …. It’s the only way to ensure that we find in 10 years time we again have a LBTS Tourist destination locale that makes us, the majority in town …. all realize the “Last Gasp” election in 2010….was just that …”The Last Gasp”…and we  the voters…banded together to stop the demise of what brought us here in the first place…

RIP Cristie & Marc…. RIP…..(politically that is)…

more to come….

Tags: Lauderdale By The Sea 2010 Election, Lauderdale By The Sea CIC, Lauderdale by the sea Commissioner Jim Silverstone, Lauderdale By The Sea Commissioner Stuart Dodd, Lauderdale By The Sea Height Limit Referendum, Lauderdale By The Sea Marc & Cristie Furth, Lauderdale By The Sea Master Plan Steering Commitee, Lauderdale By The Sea Paul Novak, Lauderdale By The Sea Sandra Booth, Lauderdale By The Sea Town Manager Esther Colon, Lauderdale By the Sea Vice Mayor Jerry McIntee, Lauderdale By Ther Sea Planning and Zoning, Lauderdaler By The Sea Commissioner Birute Clottey, Scoops
Posted in Boards, Civic Organizations, Local Politics, Scoops, local government