“IF  YOU WALK LIKE A DUCK, IF YOU WADDLE LIKE A DUCK, YOU GOTTA BE A DUCK” Vice Mayor Jerry McIntee 12/8/09 …

Dear Readers …at the December 8, 2009 Lauderdale-By-The-Sea Commission meeting Vice Mayor Jerry McIntee put an item on for new business… “16 c. Discussion and/or regarding the conflict of interest regarding Mayor Minnet voting on any development issues when in fact she is a full blown developer herself (Vice Mayor Mclntee)” ..It was what this writer held off to comment on this meeting… I spoke of what I previously posted on this site…that this was a letter sent to the Vice Mayor and that the Vice Mayor then gave it to the Town Manager and she distributed it to the commissioners and sent it on the the Town Attorney to look into… The letter in question was anonymous, we were told.. …which according to all past Town Hall rules was not to be accepted, much less distributed… But the Vice Mayor and the Town Manager decided that since it did not come directly to the Town Hall…going instead to McIntee’s house ( I have made a PRR for the envelope w/ return address…public record and stated received by McIntee)…it did not fall under that criteria..Hmmm….I spoke to the Vice Mayor, Commissioner Silverstone and Commissioner Clottey along with the Town Manager telling them they took a page out of their adversaries playbook from 4 years ago and stepped it up a notch…(The new Mc-Furth BTSTimes…is a case in point…The poor pseudo-Furth grandchild is put on the cover of what amounts to be a paper full of nothing but reacting to their rival’s paper and printing false accusations at 2 fine family men who have chosen to step up to the plate for a change to be made in the town they are raising their children in and run for Town Commission!) It was a new low…for LBTS commission meetings…many did not think that was even possible…Surprise!…

I walked away to take my seat and as I was about to sit down I heard the following  as the Vice Mayor began to speak…

VM- ” Ok, I got a letter from a woman and”

I could not help it, I said out loud “How do you know?”.. He said it was anonymous prior to this meeting..I was kicked out after a 2nd warning for that. I left and listened to the rest from the front door of the hall…

The Vice Mayor continued..” Ok, I received a, a letter in the mail from a woman and the woman called me after the letter and did not want to divulge who she was or her name because she was afraid of retaliation. Ah, the information she gave me was clearly Town business. When I received it in a written form in my hand and I was contacted by the individual to look into it, it suddenly became Town business. Once it becomes Town business I’m obligated to turn it over to the Town. I went to the Town Manager and she was not voluntarily putting this into out boxes. I requested she do that because it became a public record. And once that individual claims that the Mayor is a house flipper and ah, is nothing more than ah, well I can read it all.”

He proceeded to read the not so anonymous letter (the VM knows the accuser) casting aspersions to the Mayor…clearly, the Vice Mayor was relishing each nasty word ( was he smacking his lips?) as he said them…his pals Clottey and Silverstone were so zoned in it was like they were having a CIC- induced group hug!… He went on to read from the 2nd and 3rd articles of the Mayor’s incorporation papers droning on with the definitions found in any such documents…rudimentary in nature…but it was all the Vice Mayor needed to allow him to introduce the nasty letter and  create in Jarvis Hall what amounted to what an low-life attorney does deliberately in the courtroom causing the judge to instruct the jury to disregard what they have heard…which we all knows is a virtual impossibility… He went on…

VM- ” Clearly the corporation guidelines of a developer. I was always under the impression she sold lights folks! I’m being 100% positive and honest about that!  (That was the only thing he was 100% honest about!) I never knew she was a developer. When I found out she was, I wen to the Town Manager and asked her to distribute what I had because it became a Town record, asked her to send a letter  to the Town Attorney.  ”

BC- So if we are to believe the Vice Mayor thus far in his 2nd attempt to explain his despicable action, he proceeded because she might be a “developer” ….and that was enough to warrant paying taxpayer funds to have the Town Atty. look into the Mayor’s corporate papers!..WOW!…

VM- ” The Town Attorney sent me a letter back saying she’s [Mayor Minnet] IN NO VIOLATION OF THE LAW. SHE’S DONE NOTHING WRONG, SHE’S HAS THE RIGHT TO BE WHATEVER THE CORPORATION PAPER SAYS SHE IS.”

BC- But that was not good enough…the Vice Mayor always quick to sink lower than the rest of the scum-divers he swims with headed for the drain…Watch out for the back-splash!..

VM- ” So now when the woman calls me back to ask what I  did she’s probably watching this now on T.V. she’ll have the same answer I got. It’s legal what Mayor Minnet is doing . That there’s no big hidden game here. That’s it, so, so I yield. That’s it.”

BC- The jury will disregard the elephant in the room…yeah right!

The Mayor was prepared, but began by asking for a copy of a piece of paper the Vice Mayor falsely claimed was included in the paperwork from his “anonymous” woman-support ( the same woman who ended her letter stating she hoped it would “help the Vice Mayor) …The Vice Mayor had claimed the Mayor sold a house …in Fort Lauderdale for $340,000…This writer posted months ago that the Mayor sold a warehouse in Fort Lauderdale …it was in the Miami Herald Mon. Business section…and I commented at the time maybe she could give the Town some pointers on selling the never addressed Town warehouse still not sold…As of today the VM has not produced the “house sale” due to the fact he lied!… And no matter if it was a warehouse or as he claimed a house…he also stated it was in Fort Lauderdale…So when and if the Vice Mayor finally unloads his Buffalo home that has been on the market for over 2 years will he also be a “house flipper?”?…Perhaps the Town Atty. should look into that one…OOPS! That residence was already looked into last time around when he was running……
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“Lauderdale-by-the-Sea candidate fined for
claiming two homestead exemptions

A Lauderdale-by-the-Sea commission candidate has been slapped with a $6,919 fine for claiming two homestead exemptions, one local and the other in New York.

The Broward County Property Appraiser’s Office reports Jerome McIntee, a candidate in the March 14 election, has claimed the double tax break since 2002. That violates a Florida law that says a homeowner can claim only one primary residence for tax relief even if a second home is out of state.

The $6,919 fine reflects the Broward taxes owed, as well as government expenses.

McIntee, a retired police officer, has improperly received tax relief since 2002 on his 1,600-square-foot home in Lauderdale-by-the-Sea, a property assessed at $318,000. During that time he also received similar relief on a $170,000 home in East Aurora, N.Y., according to a Feb. 6 letter to the candidate from the Broward Property Appraiser’s Office.”

http://www.rusthompson.com/archive9.html

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Mayor Minnet-” Vice Mayor McIntee I have listened to some outrageous remarks, but this one is the worst. The bottom line is a person who was very, very mad made up lies and claimed lots of things and you took this anonymous letter, which should not have been accepted and made it public record without checking the facts. I too have received many anonymous phone calls and letters and these go right where they belong. Let me show you where they belong. (she held up the garbage can). Vice Mayor you stated verbatim if you have a situation where you get a nasty letter from a purveyor or a person trying to business with the Town, I would go right to the Town Manager and say Town Manager please investigate for me. Of course you’re going to say this was a concerned resident and not a purveyor. But I further ask did you try and even get another persons side of the story? Did you even question if this person was a resident of this town? But it’s obvious that you know this person because if you read this letter Vice Mayor it says I hope this letter helps you Commissioner McIntee. Almost sounds as if that’s a solicitation from someone.”

The Vice Mayor mumbled a response and the Mayor asked him to be respectful to her as she was listening to him…

Mayor-”  Vice Mayor I go on to say when you stated that the purveyors were similar to the resident, excuse me, this Lauderdale By The Sea resident did sign their name. As I stated how do you know that this was even a resident? Vice Mayor you interrogate people, you talk for other people when they are not present, represent yourself as speaking for all when in fact you are one vote, one voice, just as we all are on this dais.Vice Mayor you continuously say how much you are saving this town. Well I ask you, how much are you costing this town in time and outrageous requests for Town attorneys? And let me further state at the December 1st commission meeting, which a certain person was not in attendance, went extremely well. We had 3 ordinances to review for first reading. We had a full agenda. We all stated our stand , we made motions in the proper way, didn’t have a problem with them. Which I find interesting cause we do tonight. (Comm. Silverstone was needling the Mayor on her duties-per-Furth -plan ) What a concept! And how come tonight we can’t do that? Vice Mayor I want to say something you said at last night’s meeting if the complaint came to me I would have gone right to the horses mouth. Did you do this? Oh yes you talked to the Town Manager and when she said she wouldn’t put them in the boxes you went ahead and did it and then sent a request to the Town attorney and then continued to distribute them to all the commissioner. So you’re right you made this public record. Your blatant antagonism toward me on this dais is getting redundant and ridiculous. My business speaks for itself. I have been in lighting for over 30 years. My family started a lighting business. I was born and raised in this town and it really bothers me that you hit the integrity of who I am. Many people in town know me. They know my family, they know who I am. My occupational license states that I am a lighting designer. I don’t question anyone Else’s occupation up here on the dais. And if I had gotten an anonymous letter I would put where it belonged, where I showed you it belonged. Ten years ago I did pursue my own company and went on my own and became a lighting designer. You asked me about my articles of incorporation. Let me read the very first article that you neglected to read which states as typical on any standard form article one to do and transact any and all business as permitted under the laws of the State of Florida and the United States. Let me repeat that again Vice Mayor, any and all business. Sure I could have put down a thousand businesses if that’s what you wanted me to do, but no I don’t need to do that because everybody knows that I do lighting and lighting design. You know as far as a house flipper is concerned I have lived in my home for over 15 years. I have been involved in my family  businesses throughout this county. So if you’re questioning my family business, Vice Mayor then get the facts straight. And in the future come to me or come through the Town Manager and ask me the question. Not relying on an anonymous letter when you can’t even verify or let this dais know that she may or he may not even be a resident. Vice Mayor you continue to create your own set of rules and change them when you see fit. As you did last evening when it was brought up about the discussion for El Mar and it also being on the agenda. Are rules made to be broken? I have always asked everyone to please contact me. I’ve asked the residents to contact me. and  I would have assumed that this dais would have done the same thing and at least have the decency and integrity to treat each other respectfully. But after hearing some of the things that have been going on in this town this past week. The things that have been said about me. It’s rather unfortunate. It’s as bad as a school yard!  You may not always like the answers but you will get an answer and Vice Mayor I want an apology for your blatant attacks on my integrity. …

THE ROOM ERUPTED IN APPLAUSE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Commissioner Dodd spoke about the rules of anonymous letters and stated that if it had been him, the response from the Manager would not have been the same as for McIntee… He asked McIntee to answer why it was appropriate to break the rules…there was a silence…the mayor said the Vice mayor should answer and while he was at it he could make the apology she asked for…

The Vice Mayor made a snide remark about not pushing his button and saying the Mayor would “yell” at him for not pushing it…. He then went into version #3 to defend his despicable act of putting this on the agenda…

VM-” I’ll be glad to, here’s where two of you people up here must not have been listening. I had a phone call from the woman saying I sent you this. I don’t want to use my name because I’m afraid of retaliation. That’s the bottom line here.”

Comm. Dodd-” Then it goes in the bin.”

VM-” No, it’s not anonymous. I know where it came from.”

HERE IT IS FOLKS….ROCK BOTTOM OF THE CESSPOOL…HOLD YOUR NOSES!…Get the Purell!…

VM-” You don’t have to read it  is the bottom line. Let’s clarify something else. The Town Manager was directed by me to distribute it because I asked that, it was directed by me to distribute it because I asked that. It was decided that anything comes out has to go through the Town manager can’t be put in the box by yourself. (VM did that with the former Battalion Chief letter) She did nothing but take direction from a commissioner which any of, none of you had to read it! Throw it out the minute you saw what was inside. You throw it out! I had a phone call. She sent me a letter . She cooperated with a piece of property that was flipped in Fort Lauderdale and she cooperated with the absolute papers. (not true) Now clearly you know there’s not one red hair (herring?) about lighting contract. It’s all about development. Clearly she had a point and the point is clear if you walk like a duck, if you waddle like a duck, you gotta be a duck and that’s what #3 says clearly. I buy and sell property. Refurbish then that’s it and she showed me a document that showed she did property in I think it was 6 to 7 months ago in Fort Lauderdale for somewhere around 300, 340 thousand I think I may be off.”

BC- The Vice Mayor said SHE [anonymous writer] SHOWED ME A DOCUMENT… he met with the woman that said “I hope this helps you Commissioner McIntee”…OOPS!…

Mayor Minnet-” Excuse me Vice Mayor, that is a blatant lie!”

VM-” I said I’m not sure about…”

Mayor-” Even the thought of saying, Vice Mayor.”

VM-” I’ll get it for you.”

Mayor- ” Is cause for me to really question your…”

Commissioner Dodd asked the Vice Mayor again “Vice Mayor I’ll repeat my question because you haven’t answered it! You waffled off about the contents of the letter and i will ask you again Vice mayor what gives you the right to ignore our rules that we agreed in an attempt to discredit the Mayor by putting out an anonymous letter?”

The Vice Mayor…looking like a duck weighed down his own “muck”…lamely tried to compare his actions with Comm. Dodd sending an apology to a vendor who was informed of bad behavior from town staff (prev. post)…Comm. Dodd called him on it…and again Vice Mayor “Quack, Quack”…went back to excuse #3…

VM-” Nobody has to read it! It was your decision. You could throw it away. It’s public record. The minute I got it, brought it to the Town Manager, it became a public record that I felt was only fair. Everybody had a choice to , to read it and respond to it.”

Commissioner Dodd tried to make sense of what McIntee was trying to hang his hat on…and could not…(who could?)..The Vice mayor wanted Comm. Dodd to agree it was a public record…

Comm. Dodd- ” As far as I’m concerned I don’t want to waste my time. We wasted 30 minutes discussing an anonymous letter.”

VM-” Don’t read it!”

CD-” It’s not a question of don’t read it. It shouldn’t be in our mailboxes.”

The Mayor cut in and said “Bottom line, Vice Mayor  you shouldn’t have put it on the agenda, that’s the difference.”

Comm. Silverstone ever the befuddled “Not Nice” BFF…actually said the following…” Well, I just think, ah, ah we have an environment that has been created by allowing people to um, maybe they’re angry over the country as a whole because of economic situation and other reasons.”

The Mayor had to warn the audience who could not wrap their heads around Comm. Silverstone’s conclusion of what just occurred!..

CS-” And, ah, um, it just seems that this is continuing in one form or another. The mayor, I mean the Vice mayor had a right to do what he did and it was his decision and that’s it. We also have the right decision not to pay attention to it. Um.”

FORGET THE DUCKS…COMM. SILERSTONE IS A LEMMING!…AND HE IS NOT A NICE GUY…HE’S JUST MCINTEE LITE!…

Dear Readers…I too have an anonymous letter…It is a public record…and I will post it next?…Hmmm…..Just remember afterward….” Nobody has to read it! It was your decision. You could throw it away. It’s public record.”…”It became a public record that I felt was only fair.”…”IF  YOU WALK LIKE A DUCK, IF YOU WADDLE LIKE A DUCK, YOU GOTTA BE A DUCK” Vice Mayor Jerry McIntee 12/8/09 …

more to come….

Tags: Lauderdale By The Sea 12/8/09 Commission meeting, Lauderdale By The Sea anonymous letter, Lauderdale by the sea Commissioner Jim Silverstone, Lauderdale By The Sea Commissioner Stuart Dodd, Lauderdale By The Sea Mayor Roseann Minnet, Lauderdale By the Sea Vice Mayor Jerry McIntee, Scoops
Posted in LBTS Agendas/Meetings, Local Politics, Scoops, local government

NO 33′ REFERENDUM? … ….TRY FOR THE WHOLE ENCHILADA …

Dear Readers…The “Broom Boys” need something to run on…and with 33′ feet off the ballot(?)..the next best thing is the “beautification” of El Mar Drive…That $980,000 dollars is Furth strategy # 2… Vice Mayor and his Pal Jimmy- Boy Silverstone couldn’t come up with enough convoluted reasons sitting around the table tonight to justify taking that money and putting into the south end medians on El Mar fast enough..it’s a safety issue…No it’s a shade issue…No it’s an educating the walkers issue…No it’s something we owe to the kids who came up with the idea…No we owe it to the Master Plan Steering Committee…despite the fact that the committee was saying to put the breaks on it until after the March election!…

Ocampo seemed to be all on board in  pushing through this ridiculous idea that the walkway for Ell Mar Drive should be the medians from Palm to Pine!…As one resident said…”If sidewalks were supposed to be in the medians they would be called middlewalks!”…

This writer calls for timed cameras to watch the activity on El Mar In a day…In the morning you have the large contingency of walkers…runners…bikers and such…and throughout the day…there will be groups walking into and out of downtown….And all day long you have the dogs!… Big, little and every size in between…from this neighborhood and beyond…Dogs are prohibited from going …pun intended …in the Town parks… and so they use the medians…Count the dogs…from the surrounding buildings and those brought here for their daily walks!…. Take away the grassy medians …and where do the dogs do their business?… It’s definitely a fitting finale for the Million dollar payout for 5 extra feet in the set-back!…

Tonight’s meeting started off with the “Broom Boys” tripping all over themselves in trying to justify breaking the commission’s own rules of not discussing anything that appears on the next agenda…after Commissioner Dodd and the Mayor called them on their actions…So close are they now after 4 years on the dais…that, like some old married couple..they can finish each other sentences!… Now that’s getting in touch with their feminine side!…OUCH!…

The Mayor correctly said the minority (Dodd and herself) would not prevail…as McIntee told it like it was…no doubt unaware of his candor…He basically admitted they had to break the rules…because if they didn’t do it  now…the project can’t get going…Yeah, baby…Silverstone, so accommodating as  his sidekick said “technically” this was not a “new issue” so therefor it should get a pass… Commissioner Dodd again drove home the point they were indeed breaking their rules!…Commissioner Clottey asked to comment said she had no response…

They went on…

Siting at the table in front with the commissioners were the Master Plan Steering Committee members Chair Paul Novak, Vice Chair Sandra Booth, Bob Eckblad, Marilyn Carr and Maryann Wardlaw …conspicuously absent was Taco Bell East owner and operator -BTSTimes Publisher/Editor Marc Furth and a couple others… Ocampo architect Ernie Ojito and on the dais Raul Ocampo who began a powerpoint presentation…

On the “menu” tonight 4 choices…to choose from for the Oriana “Million”…or more…or less…

Item #1- was the previous single choice offered up to the commission when we were operating under the pre-”Mr Oliver”-Clottey fast friendship…that threw the Town Managers almost 2 year assertions under the bus…Thinking we only could use the funds south of Commercial…and after a rather embarrassing MPSC/ commission round table some months back…Ocampo was directed to work with the Art Institute student’s designs for the medians and come up with some renderings…and they did…It was pet walks, benches, exercise areas, water features…and shade..

Item #2 – Someone directed Ocampo (who?) to do the same medians as in item #1…but to add “stamped concrete in the 2 adjacent lanes on either side of the medians for walking…textured they could be used for pedestrians or special events…and cordoned off…(This writer immediately thought this was Comm. Silverstone and his “squiggly lines” for walkers not cars) …at a cost of $796 per linear foot or $796,000 per 100 linear feet…

Item #3- widening the sidewalks to 8 feet (they are now varied from 4, 5, and 8 ft. )…median landscape only…redoing drainage…the cost $1030.83 per linear foot…or $1.030  per 1000 linear feet…

Item #4- THE “FULL ENCHILADA!”… per Ocampo…do the medians (#1) …do the adjacent lanes (#2) …do the 8 foot sidewalks (#3)… do it all!…the cost for the belly buster…$1412 per linear foot or $1.412 million per linear 1000 feet…

The distance for Pine Ave in the north to Palm Ave. in the south….5000 feet … or $5 million!…The original (#1) was approx. a 1000 feet…or 20%… of the entire length of El Mar Drive…

Having quire a “Mac attack” (wrong fast food joint )…the Vice Mayor pulled another “Bogdanoff” moment (prev. post…”Punked”)…when he insisted over and over again that Pine ave (north end) to Oriana was a 1000 ft.!… Comm. Dodd tried hard to make him (McIntee) understand Oriana was south of Commercial…3/4 of the way…far beyond a 1000 ft….Explaining he meant Palm…(south of Oriana)…As insolent as as always.. the Vice Mayor insisted that was what he said (watch the tape…with the Truth Deflector, VM)…

Finally Chair Paul Novak jumped in to speak about the cost being somewhere in the neighborhood ….pun intended of 3500-4000 square feet excluding the Oriana and Minto medians ….

VM McIntee was none too pleased with the Chair…saying we needed to do it because of the kids…But Paul Novak didn’t back down (Thank you, Paul)… and said the money should now go to both ends…reiterating the faulty information the committee was working under…

VM McIntee said that would mean starting over…(Yeah!)…

Paul Novak addressed the 8 foot sidewalks….and Commissioner Dodd asked about the drainage costs…Ocampo said options 2 and 3 do not include any drainage…Ernie Ojito spoke about how to do the drainage …the breakdown and the options that could be “pick and choose” on option 1.. (Is that with or without the sauce?)… Chair Paul Novak said he was for the “whole enchilada …that it would cost less in the end than doing it piecemeal…

Ernie Ojito spoke of the existing always and the conflict with the back-out parking….The Mayor spoke about the changes for backout parking with new development…but Ojito countered that non-conforming can stick to theirs…

VM McIntee was not having any…he was a man on a “mission”…to spend the “Million”…before he was tossed off the dais in March…He again said the “bottom line” was there was a million…for a 1000 feet at the south end…no problem…”no turmoil”…

Ernie Ojito like what he was hearing from VM McIntee and again spoke of the students…and the “components” that could be added or deducted in the bid process…

VM McIntee his foot shaking …his jacked stuck up in his chair…leaned forward…”back-out not in the game”..and we take care of the drainage…Comm. Dodd again tried to straighten him out…VM McIntee was belligerent…”I’m asking him”(Ojito)……Ojito said  …$100 per linear foot plus demolition … and you cannot “piecemeal” drainage …cost $650,000- $750,000..

Commissioner Clottey misread her  menu and could not get the combo…she asked why when she added the total bill it was 2.9 million and she kept getting 4.9?… Ojito told her she was looking at the price without the medians of 2.9!…

Discussion moved onto power…and how to get it to the medians…that have none…Comm. Clottey again showing her ineptness ..(sort of like her previous statement of “lifting the rock”…when discussing the new Bel Air monument signs)…said maybe we could go solar for lights…Ocampo and Ojito explained the costs substantial upfront for solar…the “redundant system”…”not reliable”…and in need of regular power to supplement the storage battery system that deteriorates over approx. 2 years…

VM McIntee was ready to get moving…”service from the medians…outrageous…costs off the wall!”…

Commissioner Dodd questioned the need for transformers…and Ojito said for simplicity of the system…

Commissioner Silverstone chimed in that option one would have drainage and utilities far enough away not to interfere…in the future.. He followed that up with how long?…7 months to 1 year!…Due to problems with getting contractors …and permits…Comm. Silverstone was ready to go…saying this was the “best direction”…for the million…

Commissioner Clottey wanted to know about “disruption”…and Ocampo said of course there will be some…but it will be “scheduled”….(we heard that one before…with the pavilion and street closings…OUCH!)…She also asked about the permitting process…and the answer was 3 months…going down to 2 after more discussion about lack of permits in the building dept…

Commissioner Dodd wanted more information on the stamped areas (2 El Mar lanes…think Pompano Beach crosswalks on Federal Highway)…and the noise that was mentioned in the presentation…and if it’s conducive to walking…There will be noise from driving on it…

VM McIntee…said there wouldn’t be a shovel hitting the ground until June…that’s when Ocampo cut his months for permits down to 2…and VM McIntee said season would not be in jeopardy…

Paul Novak asked quickly about the next season…and Ocampo said they would be doing the “finishes” then…

The Mayor spoke of concerns for people crossing the street to get onto the medians…the medians are not contiguous …

Paul Novak said he would not widen the sidewalks 1 inch…people will still walk in the streets…even with the medians…The Mayor concurred the pedestrians won’t use it anyway…

The Vice Mayor was still on a tear…”It will look prettier!”…

Commissioner Dodd agreed with Paul and the Mayor…and said lowering the speed limit was a better way to keep the walkers safe…

Vice Mayor McIntee must have thought he could “will” this desperate election attempt to include these south end medians on his palm card election bullet points to pass out next in town month…”Worth a try”…he said (Worth a million dollar try?)…

Ocampo was pushing the medians…for shade…

VM McIntee was like a dog who was just thrown a bone…”Shade is the issue”…(Since when?)….

Ever befuddled…Comm. Silverstone wanted to know about his “original idea” of striping the lanes…asking “any possibility”…YIKES!….Ojito told him what everybody in the room already knew…”Option #2″…Ocampo said they could discuss making the roads less wide when they widened the sidewalks…(Hmmm. sounds like Seagrape Drive lane talk)…

Comm. Silverstone went on about “liability” of walking on the stamped concrete lanes…Hmmm…(but he just said he wanted a lane for walking)…Ojito spoke of the cost to cut to one lane…(HUH? …No Cristie Furth came a running upon hearing El Mar 1 lane?)…..

Jimmy Silverstone must have had good quick kick under the table from his pal on his left…..because suddenly he did a total switch…he is now for the medians in the south end..(a look at his past dais comments were against the medians) …”Broom Boys”…united in 2010!…

More discussion on the stamped concrete and its impact on ADA…and talk of losing the stamped surface with a “re-do”….

MPSC member Bob Eckblad spoke about the “goal” not being “to spend a million as fast as possible”…and spoke about going to the Town Manager to see how to include the project in budgets to come…

Commissioner Clottey brought up the dire future with the numbers she heard from the Broward County Property Appraiser Rep. at the POA (prev. post)… But Bob inquired about borrowing 4 million if need be…

VM McIntee wasn’t having any …clearly showing his disdain for Mr Eckblad…”That’s another topic!”.. Mr Eckblad tried to continue..and again was cut off by Comm. Silverstone…

Vice Chair Sandra Booth spoke and said she felt now the improvements should be done in phases…no longer behind the medians being put in now…

VM McIntee was not happy, with what he was hearing from the committee…and spoke of dire straits to come…No government money…”5 million like finding 50 million” taking Mr Eckblad again to task…He said we have no debt…and he wasn’t going there…

VM McIntee wants to “Showcase a little event”…(code-speak for election propaganda)…and then told Bob Eckblad they would both “be pushing up daisies” if they put this million dollar project off!…

The Mayor was quick…and put the Vice Mayor in his place…saying they were not putting off anything…that she was not “doing this for me, today” …but doing the right thing for after…

Ocampo said it was important to do all of El Mar…the entire stretch…and Commissioner Dodd said it should go back to the Master Plan Steering Committee…for conformity…one plan…”the million is not going away”…Comm. Dodd said to” spend a million in the south end is wrong”…they need “an overall concept, not piecemeal”…get “coordinate” and do it next year…”not rush ahead”…

Commissioner Clottey said option #1 is part of option #4…(How long are the VM’s legs anyhow?) …and Comm.Silverstone stepped in to again try help VM McIntee seal the south end median deal…going over the previously discussed “students”… VM McIntee swooped in …to add again drive home his point…the terrible shape the government is in…”We can regroup”…but they “have a plan everyone’s happy with (HUH? The MPSC…has said otherwise tonight!)…)…We blew it on Minto  (Furth-prickly bushes)…saying we need “shade”…”safety”… on El Mar Drive…

The Mayor was all for incorporating all the ideas…and still wanted to hold off for now…speaking of the fees and the costs…

Paul Novak again spoke for the majority of his committee…and those in the hall …Wait…..Give the MPSC 2-3 months and let them go over it all again…He agreed with Comm. Dodd…Ernie Ojito offered the committee technical assistance…and somehow the meeting went off into storm water fees in the plans… (with the present majority/TM in 2010)……The legalities and illegalities…… and the after some less than kind exchanges from McIntee to Eckblad (New sparring partners?)…Paul Novak again asked for time…

VM McIntee was asking for Paul to “bring in more kids” to do the rest of the medians…and Paul responded “we don’t need anymore”…just time…

After a little more than an hour…it was clear…to most…This one’s gong down…3-2… a done deal…

Mcintee…Silverstone and Clottey…will be voting to spend a million tonight…at the 12/8/09 Commission meeting…Cha Ching…Cha Ching…Cha Ching…

What’s a taxpayer to do?…

Vote them out in March…and let the next commission cancel the “gangs” “Fast” food order…..

Taco Bell Doggy Bags for all!….

more to come…

Tags: 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 El Mar Drive Beautification Project, Lauderdale By The Sea Mayor Roseann Minnet, Lauderdale By The Sea Oriana Million, Lauderdale By the Sea Vice Mayor Jerry McIntee, Ocampo and Associates, Scoops
Posted in Boards, LBTS Agendas/Meetings, Local Politics, Scoops, local government

THE SUN SETS …AT SEA AND AT HOME …RIP 33′ Ft. Heights…

Dear Readers … For the first time in a very long time Vice Mayor McIntee did something good for this town… He took an excused absence and cruised away from from the first readings of the March 9, 2010 Referendum ballot questions… and while he and the Mrs. were relaxing  on the deck  or pulling the lever on the slot machine…It was the voters and the residents of Lauderdale- By- The- Sea that won big!…

With his departure for destinations unknown…and Commissioner Clottey’s failed attempts to defer until he arrived back at port… It came down to zip on the ethics…zilch on both height “clarifications”…leaving this next election to be run head to head on the records of the “Broom Boys” if they still go for another 4 years!…

We heard the clickety clack of  BTSTimes Owner/Editor Cristie Furth…as she walked from her corner in the back of the room to go backwards in time yet again…to  reach with all her might and go after the “Ghosts” of the elections past … It was another feeble attempt to try and remind those that it was not so very long ago she and her co-horts were the ones hearing the applause and they were the ones leading the way in going up against bad acts on the dais…

Sadly for Ms. Furth and her ever disappearing CIC-crowd.. they cannot grasp that bad acts know no particular group.. Bad acts are bad no matter whom it is doing them!.. She and her “gang” blew their chance to show they were different from those they built their empire on to defeat….when they took over the commission!…

There were no “attacks” made from the podium, and numerous orchestrated attempts from Commissioners Silverstone and Clottey this evening to call any commentary from residents and constituents who chose to come to the hall and speak out on the unnecessary referendum items, or commissioner comments made by Comm. Silverstone  at the last meeting after he chose to call them “anti-American”  and “anti-Town”…again showed the desperation that hangs over the CIC – inner circle!…

When it came to the referendum items the ethics  went down first as expected…as previously posted the intention for ethics went from zero to sixty in complexity …and as stated by Candidate Scot Sasser it took a wrong turn from what Commissioner Dodd had asked for…which was a simple, common sense ordinance that was based on one’s character and sense of duty to the office…Commissioner Dodd said appearance of conflict did matter…despite the senseless protestations in response from “2-Hats” BFF Commissioner Silverstone that “appearances are subjective”…Hmmm….

Strangely it was Commissioner Clottey in the first of many “episodes” this evening that gave all pause once again about her mental state…She admonished her constituents for not going out and coming up with their own referendum on ethics…(Later, this writer informed the commissioner that if she would have followed her own advice on calling and not making assumptions and called or asked those she was slapping down, why they did not have a petition referendum, they would have told her they were informed it was too late in the game, thanks to the stalling done by none other than…her and her group!) .. After some short discussion on the dais…Ordinance 2009-32  failed 3-1 with only Clottey voting yes…( she originally is on record saying she would not vote for an ethics referendum, but she would sign a petition for one!)…OOPS!…

Then it was the “lowering: the height to 33 feet in south end of town… with  Commissioners Silverstone and Clottey down at their end of the dais contentious  and convoluted in their stance.. They heard the people in the hall who chose to speak on the subject and if they held true to their records on past public commentary and “the will of the people” they would have seen this was a no go…But they knew where their bread is buttered on the height issue and where they park their cars  daily……at Town Hall East… They also knew they better do whatever and say whatever they could, even if it flew in the face of public opinion and the facts…as not to deal with the wrath of Christie Furth the Town’s resident “33 Foot Crazed Woman” (prev. post)…sitting all alone in the corner in the back!.. They tried..they tried hard…doing further harm to their credibility in the process to please Ms. Furth..but it was not to be..

Comm. Clottey showed her fellow commissioners a map of zoned areas in town and tried to deceive without proper explanation the listening audience with talk of 150 foot buildings zoned in the south end of town…( which later were explained to be the existing Sea Ranch Club condos, and two south end condos along with the Surf and Yacht Club aka CIC meeting headquarters…no longer allowed to go that high per the current height restriction of 2006 )…and as she grasped at straws to save the 33′ ballot item. ..she further put her foot in her mouth by again repeating falsehoods from her seat on the dais insisting there was a need for this to be voted on because the voters in 2006 did not get in the Charter all of what they voted for in 2006…

Talk about “clarification”…the new Furth invented word used to ramrod this 33′ foot lowered height referendum into the 2010 race…There was clarification alright tonight …but it came from none other than Mayor Minnet, who found decorum  and control of the dais was easy in this McIntee free zone this night…and both had to really hurt the McIntee-Furth-Silverstone -Clottey contingency where they sit!… TOUCHE’………

Mayor Minnet popped their political bubble…with the help of not one but two Town Attorneys…and she was assisted in her “gotcha” by none other than a “clueless” Commissioner Clottey!..Mayor Minnet thanked Commissioner Clottey for the informative zone  map…and said the zoning districts looks pretty straight forward, it certainly made it clear to her what heights were in place throughout the town…She then went on to ask the Town Attorney if she [Atty. Trevarthen] had checked and compared the petition voted in 2006 height referendum to the Charter and if the words of the petition had “accurately been inserted into the Charter”…Ms. Trevarthern said “yes” and brought forward her colleague Atty. James White. He said “the 2006 Charter referendum was properly codified into the Charter”… Both attorneys concurred that everything with the small exception of a clause was definitely in there. The clause was put into section 5 when found some time ago in this process and Atty. Trevarthen further “clarified” that even without it being included prior to their rectifying it’s absence it had and does have legal standing..OUCH!…

Not done yet, this writer wondered which one of the Mc-Furth patsy’s at the left side of the dais would try to stall this all important CIC-”Broom Boys” platform issue for the return of the much needed 3rd vote of the cruising off into the sunset ( a self-fulfilling prophecy?)…Vice Mayor to keep Cristie Furth happy …It was Clottey!…Besotted, clueless Clottey…who was ignoring the “will of the people”…who paid no heed and showed no sense of embarrassment for her deceit in repeating false statements about the 2006 petition not being correctly inserted into the Town Charter…Somebody get the net…She was whacked!… She didn’t like it and wanted McIntee included on the 8th…a motion was made to “defer”…and it went down 2-2..Dood-n0/ Clottey-yes/ Silverstone yes/ Mayor-no….A vote was taken…THANK YOU HALLOWEEN COMMITTEE!… With the voting board still out of order from their event…it was again done by roll…and it also went down 2-2!… But Clueless and now in this writers opinion, corrupt Clottey tried to change her vote to accommodate her beloved Furths… Perhaps, already fearing the wrath of Ms. Furth…She was met with a very straight forward Comm. Dodd who said he would then change his vote!…and discussion ensued over changing votes…prevailing sides…advice from the Atty. and the Town Asst. Clerk…There was no prevailing side…and then it came like a wave throughout the hall….the  sudden realization that the 33′ foot woman was defeated!… Vice Mayor McIntee and wife may want to stay on board!…

Commissioner Dodd called a break…and the room erupted in glee …the “will of the people” prevailed… as it did when the battered and bruised majority did so long ago, when they were in the right!..

After a brief time out…there was still the second version of the heights referendum to address…..and a few public speakers to speak on what many thought was a mere formality to address and discount.. Former candidate Edmund Malkoon called Commissioner Clottey out on her actions. and her declarations made concerning the last 3 times the voters dealt with the 3 over 1 height issue.. ..He  implored a loose lipped Commissioner Silverstone from further putting the Town in jeopardy after he [Silverstone] spoke at length about the Bert J. Harris lawsuit during the previous ordinance on height as the court reporter for the plaintiffs busily typed away!… YIKES!.. He was followed by his mother who also spoke to Commissioner Clottey and told her not change her votes every 5 minutes…..and then last to speak, none other than the 33 foot Crazed Woman who returned to the hall to again clickety clack to the podium to address the Town Atty. about any allowed increase in height that could be done solely by the commission…One last grasp at her attempt to control the 2010 commission race (with her possible run in the south) … Incredibly, Ms. Furth said she could live with 44′ in the end!… (This writer has put in a public records request for the accounting for legal and ads for the referendum items… instigated by miss one height only, herself!) ….. Commissioner Silverstone did his sidekick duties and asked the Town Atty. to answer Ms. Furth…and the Town Atty. said they could not increase if residential, only if by the Charter…..Again, voters need to ask themselves, how many thousands of taxpayer dollars were spent for these unnecessary referendums?…Silverstone looked like he was looking for a life jacket!…(perhaps his BFF can give him one from the ship he is on)…Commissioner Dodd went over what his stance was and how he spent the last 2 years hitting a brick wall to deal with the aftermath of the Overlay District removals, in trying to make use of the Master Plan Steering Committee and the Planning and Zoning Board… He spoke of  the consequences as addressed at both height public comments allowed by Manager of the Windjammer Diane Boutin and the impact these changes (not “clarifications”) in lowering the heights would have on her and several other timeshares if enacted and said there was a need to expand on the non-conforming definitions in the future….. Commissioner Clottey played it safe and said she would remain quiet due to the litigation situation…and a vote was taken Dodd-no/ Silverstone -yes/ Clottey -no/ Mayor-no…3-1…

Ordinance 2009-34 was also defeated….no 2nd reading…no referendum!…

Referendums ….One- two- three …Ethics- 33′Height version #1- 33′ Height version #2 ….SUNK!…

Nothing like a cruise!

more to come….

Tags: By The Sea Times Editor/Owner Cristie Furth, Lauderdale By The Sea 12-1-2009 commission Meeting, Lauderdale By The Sea CIC, 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 Heights Referendum. Lauderdale By The Sea Ethics Referendum, Lauderdale By The Sea Mayor Roseann Minnet, Lauderdale By The Sea Ordinances for Referendum 2009-32/2009-33/2009-34, Scoops
Posted in LBTS Agendas/Meetings, Local Politics, Scoops, local government

“THIS IS NOT A JOKE, MAYOR ” …Comm. Birute Clottey 11/10/09

Dear Readers … Flashback time on the dais…circa 2006-07…. “Been there, done that” …The “writing’s on the web” for the current majority…4 months away from extinction..It is clear to those who participated in the previous campaigns emanating out of Town Hall East (aka Blue Seas Courtyard/Furth BTSTimes Hdqtrs) …..This time aiming for the Mayor , this writer …and anyone else in their sights…that will play a role in their demise… That “role” …getting out the vote to replace them!…

At the Nov. 10, 2009 meeting during the Vice Mayor’s long, long, long winded ( aren’t they all?)…Commissioner Comments…(time to run the dais clock for all in the hall and at home to see his long winded politicking minutes tick away)..McIntee had just begun on one of his well known “bluffs”…The one that involves total “recall” of buddy, buddy conversations to disparage someone while offering himself “cover”  because he always makes sure his fellow conversationalist is absent so as to not contradict the exchange or counter that it even took place at all!…

At this point in McIntee’s comments he was droning on about several exchanges ( 4 or 5) he claims to have had with the State Attorney, to state he informed the Atty. that  Mr Brandt had it in for him [VM] because Mr Brandt was terminated from the VFD …. ( a questionable termination, due to a loss of Mr Brandt’s father ) …The Mayor implored the Vice Mayor to stop his distasteful diatribe…and the Vice Mayor answered her back  “Is it any different than what they do to me?”….. (Flashback!) …Mr Brandt responded from the audience that he was not an elected official…The Vice Mayor responded to his constituent, Mr Brandt…”Oh, ok, but you can yell out. You can yell out!…(Flashback!)…Applause drowned out the Vice Mayor as he made this response…(Flashback!)…. and that’s when “Clueless” Clottey jumped in… The same Birute Clottey who has spent the past month going to the opponents of the Vice Mayor and his BFF Silverstone telling them to run …( she is being coached to do so from her pals at Town Hall East and/or she is hedging her position once she is in the minority after March 9th …) …Comm. Clottey ” Ah, excuse me Madam Mayor, you’re job is to control the meeting, . Please do so.”… There was one clap from the audience…from CIC Vice Chair Joe Couriel (the same Joe Couriel that said outside Jarvis Hall “McIntee is God!”) …(Flashback!)… The Mayor responded to Mr. Couriel’s clap with her own clap…and Comm Clottey was angry…” Madam Mayor, I’m asking for you to control the meeting and there are people that are speaking back and you are supposed to give them a warning!”……The Mayor responded “I give everyone in the audience including this commission a warning.”…..Clottey was furious “This is not a joke Mayor. This is not a joke!”… (Flashback!)…BFF Jim Silvestone (He is NOT a nice guy!) dove in “I make a motion to reprimand the Mayor!” … (Flashback!) …The audience booed and groaned…and then laughed at Silverstone and Clottey for the ridiculous orchestrated motion… (Flashback!) …The Mayor tried to calm the room by saying “Let’s all take a deep breath.”…But that was not part of the Mc-Furth plan…The Vice Mayor said “No, I second that!”… (Flashback!) …The Mayor knowing full well there was no way to stop this train-wreck said “Fine, let’s reprimand the Mayor. That’s fine, there’s a motion”… The roll was called (seems the voting board has been out of order since the Halloween event…Hmmm)… The vote was as expected 3-2 Silverstone, Clottey, McIntee vote yes to the reprimand …Mayor and Comm. Dodd vote no…(Flashback!) …The Mayor said “Ok, now that I’m reprimanded what would you like to do?”… The Vice Mayor jumped in to say “I think it’s certainly symbolic Mayor.But it’s my time to talk”… (Flashback!) …This was the only honest thing that came out of McIntee’s mouth during his comments!… He continued disparaging his constituent and eagerly embellished any”relationship” he has with the State Atty. ..(Can the State Atty. really be so cozy with a Vice Mayor  with McIntees’ probable cause track record?)…

Now ain’t funny that this new “Turkey” ( 1 week late) edition of the poorly distributed (lack of funds?) Mc-Furth paper has included from Clottey, a story about a 6th grade substitute teacher (Moe McIntee-light) .. and has Furth-er tried to pull the wool over the eyes of those with short memories…or new to the LBTS political arena in dishing out cries of lack of decorum on the dais and in the hall …(Flashback!) … Perhaps it’s time for the Professor to  pull out the 2006-2007 commission videos ( current CIC Pres/ BTST Editor Bob Roberts regularly distributed them)…take a seat, get a bucket of popcorn…and with her newly reconstituted “mentor”…purported “fast food eating buddy” and her announced nominee for the Hillsboro Inlet, “Mr Oliver Parker” (Former Mayor Parker…he of the failed CIC-led recall- [see below]…Flashback!)… watch as each video exposes the “decorum” from those seated on the CIC- side of Jarvis Hall…and the over-the-top heated exchanges on the dais between the BFF “Broom Boys” McIntee and Silverstone  vs. “Mr. Olivier” … (Flashback!)…

Comm. Clottey wrote ” In my opinion, rolling once eye’s, smirking, changing one’s voice to play supporting, and make fun of others is a rather strange route toward maintaining respect and fairness. Obviously others have different opinions.”… Did she run this one by “Mr. Oliver?”……. This from “nails on a chalkboard” Clottey, the “besotted” Town commissioner who has regularly embarrassed and offended so many of her constituents with her off the Marc (pun intended) behavior toward the BSO, businesses, attorneys and no surprise…especially to this writer  …. the Mayor…. the recipient of this oddly versed opinion piece!… She has had it in for the Mayor since running as a candidate …. (catfight!)……(Flashback!)…

The Mc-Furths… continued their politically motivated “reprimand” of the Mayor in their Moe McIntee (Truth Deflector/#1 suspect for the 11/11/09 anonymous letter writer? prev. post) “Town Tidbits”… (Flashback!)….. The same Moe McIntee who suddenly now has glowing words of appreciation for former foe-Mayor Oliver Parker…the new “Oracle” of the Mc-Furth-BTSTimes Gang!… Talk about “Old Guard”…Talk about “Cuckoo For Coconuts”….Talk about  a 2006 FLASHBACK!….When you finish the videos, Commissioner… you may want to proceed to Google….

…………………………………………………

(With Commentary )….full text link w/out below…

“Cuckoo for Coconuts
Lauderdale-by-the-Sea may lose its soul over a political firefight.

By Bob Norman
Published on December 21, 2006

“Mayor Oliver Parker knows he’s the most unpopular person in his own town.”

(VM McIntee  should know he’s the most unpopular person in his town.)

“A hundred-and-fifty years ago there probably would have been tar and feathers involved. Pitchforks and a greased rail would have likely also come into play.’

(Ditto -VM!)

“Looked at that way, Lauderdale-by-the-Sea Mayor Oliver Parker can be thankful. He’s only facing a recall petition, an endless stream of insults, and the undying ire of a large percentage of his constituency.”

(Ditto-VM!)

“Parker, who has been mayor of the town since 1998, may very well be the most reviled politician in Broward County right now, per capita. And if you listen to him, the conflict boils down to a couple of time-honored staples of subtropical life, coconuts and bared breasts.”

Those are the first things that the mayor brings up when asked about the issue that is ripping his quaint and unique beach burg apart: The hostile takeover of the town’s fire services by the Broward Sheriff’s Office.”

(STILL-Ditto!….The McIntee -Furth 2010 re-election playbook)

“The longstanding Volunteer Fire Department was ousted from the town after BSO terminated its contract in November. Parker made the motion and cast the deciding vote to kill the 60-member VFD. The sheriff’s office then locked the volunteers out of the town firehouse and commandeered their fire trucks and equipment.”

(Ah, “Mr Oliver”….Clottey’s nominee for the Hillsboro Inlet)….

“The town’s surrender to empire-building Sheriff Ken Jenne enraged many of Lauderdale-by-the-Sea’s most civic-minded residents. Think Wal-Mart swallowing Mayberry. Darth Vader trumping Luke Skywalker. To them, the move was nothing less than a Gestapo tactic and another sign of democracy’s demise in their hyphenated town of 7,000 people.”

(Playbook 2010…to keep in power)

“At last week’s city commission meeting, several citizens lined up to berate the mayor. It’s a regular occurrence these days. And a newly formed Recall Oliver Parker Committee has already procured more than 700 signatures, which, if their petition stands, is enough to force a recall vote on Parker next year.”

(Nah,according to the “revisionist” CIC history…the current podium participants are something new to Jarvis Hall!)

“These people are our family; they help get us through hurricanes,” five-year resident Lisa Maxwell told the mayor last week, outrage dripping from her voice. “Why did you turn away from your history?”

Calling Lisa Maxwell, will there be enough of you to believe it is 2006 again?…Hmmm… how about blacktopping your road?…Free Kool-aid at the door!)

“It’s a good question, one that I posed to Parker during a phone interview last week. That’s when he told me about breasts and coconuts.”

“First off, I’m a supporter of the Volunteer Fire Department, always have been and always will be,” said the 55-year-old Republican who missed being elected to the Florida Legislature in 2004 by a mere 12 votes. “But I believe the volunteer fire department has to be professionally trained. Back in January, the department elected a chief and deputy chief who had no business being chief and deputy chief. They had no qualifications whatsoever.”

(New VFD…leadership problem…FLASHBACK!)…

“I’ll give you an example. We had an incident last October where a firefighter was cooking hamburgers for rescue workers right after Hurricane Wilma. A young lady comes up to the firefighter who was doing the cooking and says, ‘May I have a hamburger?’ He tells her she has to take her shirt off and show everybody her boobs. And she does it.”

“The horror. The woman did, indeed, flash her assets to at least some of the hungry volunteers. But the firefighter/cook in question, none other than Deputy Fire Chief Jerry McIntee, who is also a city commissioner, says he didn’t ask the woman to do it.”

“You drive down the beach and women are flashing the fire truck — c’mon, it’s South Florida,” says the married McIntee, who retired to Florida after a career as a police officer and arson investigator in Buffalo. “I didn’t see any boobs. She had a halter top and a throw thing on and she took it off and I told her to put her clothes back on. Apparently, she’s about 35 years old and she’s an exhibitionist-type person.”

(Yep, he was still using the “career cop” crap)….

“The real bottom line is that this guy [Parker] has turned into an ogre. He has the town furious at him.”

(The real bottom line is that this guy [McIntee] has turned into a bully. He has the town furious at him)

“The mayor says he’s just protecting the town, even if it hates him for it. He points to the fact that the volunteers were taking coconuts — which could become dangerous in hurricanes — down from trees as part of a paid training exercise.”

(The Vice Mayor says “He’s” protecting the town….Hmmm… Flashback!)

“Parker is most angry that they were taking the coconuts from some of their own yards.”

“That’s misappropriation of funds, embezzlement, and theft,” Parker says. “They could have done it on town trees and there would be no problem, but instead they decided to provide a special benefit to private citizens.”

(No oversight…thanks to the Town Manager…so any continuation …”hands off”…until after March 2010)

“Again, McIntee scoffs.”

(Ditto!)

“We have taken coconuts out of all sorts of people’s trees,” he says. “If it happens to be a volunteer’s house, well that’s what we do. If an old lady asks us to take their coconuts down, we’ll be there. Before the hurricane, an old lady called and said she needed help with her shutters. We had 12 guys over there to board up her house. We did this 30 or 40 times.”

“In other words, it’s typical small town stuff, which is the way the overwhelming majority of the people seem to like it. The volunteers respond to a pet dog stuck in a canal. BSO doesn’t. The volunteers cook burgers for hurricane victims and help them with their shutters. BSO doesn’t.”

(Get ready…to take out VFD and put in LBTS Police Dept…if the current majority wins)

“And the VFD has been around for a half-century without many complaints. It wasn’t until 2000 that the trouble began.
That year, Lauderdale-by-the-Sea, which lies just north of Fort Lauderdale, annexed a piece of beach to its north, nearly doubling its population. “New Town,” as it’s commonly called, had none of the charm of traditional Lauderdale-by-the-Sea, which is now known as, you guessed it, “Old Town.”

(2010 Mc-Furth playbook -Flashback!)

“New Town has sterile and imposing condos lining the beach. Old Town has little old motels with names like “High Noon” and “Sea Spray” and “A Little Inn By The Sea.”

(2010 Mc-Furth playbook- Flashback!)

“New Town has a 15-story height limit, Old Town’s is a mere three. And New Town had massive contractor BSO as its fire service provider, while Old Town had just the little VFD.”

(2010 Mc-Furth playbook- Flashback!)

“The cost difference was jarring — at first, BSO was charging New Town residents five times what the VFD residents were paying for fire protection. And initially Parker vowed not to let BSO take over Old Town.”

(2010 Mc-Furth playbook- Flashback!)

“But Sheriff Ken Jenne has been a master at usurping the towns of Broward County. That’s a given — and Parker eventually gave in. In 2004, he helped the five-member commission pass a resolution to put BSO in command of the VFD. Of the $2 million contract for fire service paid to the sheriff’s office, it subcontracted the VFD for about $500,000.”

(2010 Mc-Furth playbook- Flashback!…except now the VFD costs close to a million…with a $2 million dollar crappy motel and a$3 million dollar “fire garage that sleeps firefighter”…if the majority stays)….

“By that time, the two agencies were already involved in a bitter turf war. And there was growing consternation about it in the town, which overwhelmingly supports the volunteers. Parker also was gaining political enmity for his growing commiseration with developers. The mayor isn’t shy about the fact that he wants to tear down the old motels and redevelop the town with condo and hotel projects.”

(2010 Mc-Furth playbook- Flashback!… But this is “Mr Oliver” the CIC- Mc-Furth “Oracle” of heights…Hmmmm…..)

“So the town, led by a small newspaper called By The Sea Times, turned on the mayor. In March, VFD leaders McIntee and James Silverstone ran for the commission against two incumbents who favored BSO, Ed Kennedy and David Wessels. The volunteers crushed the competition, gained two seats on the commission, and stunned Parker and the old guard.”

(2010 Mc-Furth playbook- Flashback!….But this is “Mr. Oliver the man quoted in the new Furth owned BTSTimes!…Hmmm…)

“In that same election, the town voted on a referendum to impose term limits. The measure, aimed squarely at putting Parker out of office, was passed by a resounding 74 percent of the vote.”

(2010 Mc-Furth playbook- Flashback!)

“The mayor responded by making Sheriff Jenne — who has been hobbled by scandal himself — the grand master of the town’s July 4 parade this year.”

( This year’s 2009 CIC Citizens of the Year…BTSTimes Publisher /Editor & owners Marc & Cristie Furth)….

“And he still controlled a three-vote bloc majority — with commissioners John Yanni (who happens to be employed by BSO) and Chuck Clark. It was that trio that ousted the VFD in November.”

(a three-vote bloc majority- with commissioners Silverstone (who happens to be a VFD member), McIntee (who happens to be a VFD member), and Birute Clottey. It is the trio that will oust the BSO Police if the two are re-elected in March)

“The vote came after BSO terminated its contract with the volunteers, saying they weren’t safe, and backing it up with a list of minor complaints.”

(2010 Mc-Furth playbook- Flashback!…. longtime VFD members who have left due to McIntee have repeated these complaints…due to substandard training and leadership)

“What BSO did was dump the volunteers and get a bonus of three quarters of a million dollars in equipment that was bought by Lauderdale-by-the-Sea,” McIntee says. “[The BSO fire department] has no home so they try to steal other people’s homes to exist. They will do anything they can to control what they can.”

(2010 Mc-Furth playbook- Flashback!…. McIntee got a 2 million dollar crappy motel…trucks…toys…He will do anything he can to control what he can.)

“Because VFD can serve the town for about half the cost of BSO, it’s commonly believed that Parker has struck up an unholy alliance with Jenne. “There is no reasonable justifiable reason to terminate the volunteers the way they did,” says Silverstone, the volunteer fire chief and new city commissioner. “Terminating the contract and kicking us out of our own station and taking our equipment, they didn’t need to do that. There must be some backroom politics going on here.”

(2010 Mc-Furth playbook- Flashback!…. Silverstone ….who spent 2 years insisting the Town Manager’s contract was the same as the former Town Manager….who voted against VFD by-laws for McIntee to be Dep. Chief…Who is NOT a nice guy!)

“Parker admits he’s become friends with Jenne, but says they aren’t close and he has cut no deal with the sheriff.”

(Parker admits he’s become friends with Clottey, McIntee, but say they aren’t close and he has cut no deal with the “gang”?)

“The sheriff can’t afford to pay me enough to make it worth my while,” says Parker, a multimillionaire who pumped about $350,000 of his own money into his losing 2004 state house race.”

(Hmmmm…..)

“He insists he’s just looking out for the town — even if it hates him for it.”

(2006-Parker/2009 McIntee)…

“We don’t need the fire version of the keystone cops,” he explains. “They’re incompetent, they’re dysfunctional, and, in my opinion, they are corrupt. And they refuse to discipline themselves. Put it in plain English, they refuse to accept civilian control.”

(2009….the VFD leadership “shoe” still fits)

“The volunteers are still functioning, if barely. They operate out of an office and have one fire truck left (which the department paid for rather than the city).”

(The volunteers have a 5 year contract with a 4% increase…5 firetrucks…..3 acquired in 2009 …1 paid for by city/ 2 VFD …the $150,000 non- RFP  purchased 1989  102′ ladder truck is sure to be paid for by the city if McIntee/Silverstone are re-elected in March….new command car…2 ATV’s…..Fire boat…Skidoo …$2 million dollar “Public Safety building”…$3 million dollar Fire Garage in their future…No oversight from town……all for approximately the same number of VFD members as when they were terminated!)….

“We’re doing community service, we’re going out with Santa Claus. We aren’t running away,” McIntee says. “Yesterday, an individual walked in and gave us a $50,000 check on the spot and said, ‘Now you have all the money you need to fight BSO.’ All of this money is going to be used to drive Ken Jenne and Oliver Parker out of this town. The mayor is part of the evil empire and it’s not going to stand.”

(Was that $50,000 ever checked out?…Booster Club Funds are not disclosed!)…

“Even if the recall fails, Parker’s term runs out in 2008. But the mayor says he’s going to run again despite the new term limits. He argues the new law is retroactive and the city attorney has agreed with him.”

(“Mr. Oliver” is is said wants payback for those that did not back him for his re-election…that would be the “Old Guard”)….

“The townspeople are livid about it, saying he’s a disgrace to democracy. Parker, who admits that his political career is probably doomed, says it’s just the opposite.”

“It’s real simple, if the voters want me out they’ll vote me out,” he says. “That’s what democracy is all about. I may not have any base of support for all I know. Maybe I won’t get any votes next time.”

(Flashback!)

http://www.browardpalmbeach.com/2006-12-21/news/cuckoo-for-coconuts/

Cuckoo comes a-calling  …in the 2010 CIC- McIntee- Silverstone-Furth Re-election Playbook…where it’s always 2006 and 2008…and 1973!….

I make a motion, as a LBTS registered voter to reprimand them all!…..Roll call please!…

more to come…

Tags: Lauderdale By The Sea By The Sea Times, Lauderdale By The Sea Commisioner Jim Silverstone, Lauderdale By The Sea Commissioner Birute Clottey, Lauderdale By The Sea Mayor Roseann Minnet, Lauderdale By The Sea reprimands the Mayor, Lauderdale By The Sea Vice Mayor McIntee, Scoops
Posted in Civic Organizations, Local News, Local Politics, Scoops, local government

“A CONCERNED CITIZEN”?……

Dear Readers… Looks like we now know for sure who is running the Town of Lauderdale-By-The-Sea …Vice Mayor McIntee!…  On November 18, 2009 the Town Manager distributed an anonymous letter to the commissioners … It was a vile letter full of accusations made against our Town Mayor. It was addressed to “Commissioner McIntee” on November 11, 2009… It began with words like “hate” and “lies” … venting character assassinations toward our Mayor on her dais behavior on Nov. 10, 2009… This anonymous sleuth apparently looked into the Mayor’s lighting business online and continued with the assault with terms like “appears to be a blatant lie”…making accusations into her business dealings around town…This “detective” included the Mayor’s incorporation documents from 2000….In each of the paragraphs filled with hatred for the Mayor was a succession of rants that grew intensely venomous in tone and  should  have raised the red flag for the safety of this  elected official….Scarier still was the ending of this “concerned LBTS resident’s” diatribe…It ended with the following ” I hope this helps you Commissioner McIntee. I will definitely be voting for you based on what you accomplished for us in LBTS.” Many thanks, A concerned LBTS resident”…

Well this “long time cop”…Vice Mayor McIntee … made a decision that shows why his time as a commissioner and VFD officer are required to end…ASAP!…

Vice Mayor McIntee did not take this anonymous letter immediately to the BSO….for them to protect the Mayor and make her aware of its existence… NOPE!…

Vice Mayor McIntee did not immediately inform the Mayor himself, of such a threatening letter he was now in receipt of….NOPE!…

Vice Mayor McIntee did not immediately go to the Town Manager for her to do either of the above actions …NOPE!…

Vice Mayor McIntee, we are informed took this anonymous, vile letter to the Town Manager and asked her to distribute it to the commissioners…and then asked her to pass it on along with the Mayor’s business incorporation documents to the Town Attorney…to see if the accusation made anonymously were true!… YEP!…That’s what the “old cop” did!… The guy who insists he would “protect” and “assist” “anyone”…24/7 in out town!…

Incredibly, the Town Manager complied with both!…. So much for black and white!…

Incredibly, the Town Manager we are informed …said if she did not distribute the anonymous letter and materials….the Vice Mayor would do it anyway!… WOW!…

The Town Manager who is on record along with the commission for not accepting anonymous letters went against her own rules!…AGAIN!……

The Vice Mayor we are told, was the previous perpetrator of the last such “anonymous” distribution.made to the commissioners…..It is said he and his wife “The Truth Deflector” distributed accusatory materials against former VFD Battalion Chief Patrick Pointu after the Pointu resignation letter came out in September 2008…in order to take the heat of McIntee’s succession of bad acts well documented in the signed letter from Pointu…(prev. posts)…

The Vice Mayor is also on record not long ago going after his present- day  dais nemesis Comm. Dodd about not giving credence to complaints made anonymously…OOPS!…

So here we are folks…..We the taxpayers are going to pay our Town Attorney to look into an anonymous letter and its contents because the Town Manager is being directed by the Vice Mayor!… $$$$$$…….

The Mayor’s incorporation papers appear to be in order… they conform with the incorporated documents found for many such businesses. It alleviates the requirement for multiple single documents … The Mayor is not precluded from doing business in the town…just as Comm. Silverstone is not as a “pension planner” working on Commercial Blvd. … The Mayor when asked by this writer  if she had any conflict of interest with any votes made in the prior 2 years answered “No.”  The Mayor did recuse herself in two such cases and is on the record doing so…with the garbage contract and the recent extension for a development… In fact the Mayor’s actions to recuse herself  on both go to prove how easy it is to do so and how simple the “ethics” ordinance that she and Comm. Dodd want to pass, really is!…

The Vice Mayor’s actions…as “old politician” rather than “old cop”….. shows the voters that this commissioner is an embarrassing one-term mistake! …

I can assure you,  more of the same will be coming our way over the next 4 months…from McIntee , Silverstone (He is NOT a nice guy!),Clottey  and Furth …..fearmongering full blast……Railing against the “boogyman”… the “developers”…”unions” (still so amusing when you have to know…theMcIntees are both on 3 full union pensions as longtime union members)…” business”… “Old Guard”… All the 2006/2008 “tried and true” election- time Furth-style mantras…at all costs… Because if they lose…they are sidelined…and left to lick their egotistical “we are irreplaceable”) wounds…and for the McIntees and the Furths…being inconsequential is their worst nightmare!…

This anonymous letter and the actions taken by the Town Manager have further cemented this writer’s opinion of how deceptive she is………So much for claims made during her pseudo manager review declarations of having independence and fairness for ALL commissioners on the dais!…

We the taxpayers will now be paying for yet another political witch hunt courtesy of both….

Just as the Vice Mayor’s countless past use of the Town law firm for his personal vendettas…this one will also go down the drain with taxpayer dollars…….

Wake up voters…get the word out…and make 2010 in LBTS a McIntee Free Zone!…

more to come…

Tags: Lauderdale By The Sea anonymous letter, Lauderdale By The Sea Mayor Roseann 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

A GRAND OPENING AT ARGENTI  JEWELERS …

Candidate for Commission Chris Vincent, wife Christine, daughter Paige

Mayor Roseann Minnet lends a hand to owner Mark Silver to pick a winner

Chamber of Commerce Board Candidate Yann Brandt and Commissioner Stuart Dodd

Argenti Owner Mark Silver, Chamber Board Member Malcolm McClintock, Edmund Malkoon, Commissioner Stuart Dodd and Penny Dodd

What a great turnout for a new business in town…Commissioners, candidates, local newspapers, Chamber members…fellow businesses and many, many residents and guests came to join in the celebration …. and quite a few walked away with something sparkling to remember the evening!.. http://www.argentidesignerjewelers.com/index.html

We hear BTSTimes Editor Cristie Furth was walking around with a pocket recorder…and “finagled” a pic with Candidate Chris Vincent… What a nice guy!… Looks like the Furths missed 2 “siestas” in a row…ZZzzzzzzz

McIntee then made a beeline towards a 30- something blonde on the corner …spending quite some time 20 minutes or so feeding her some lines….But what was really the kicker…we hear later on inside the store…the very same blonde was heard to say “If that guy thinks I would vote for him, he’s crazy!”… Ahhh…a very smart blonde indeed!…

Interesting ….a driver in Bel Air  made mention that McIntee has some black plastic over his windows at his house on S.E. 21st Ave….Hmmm… Is he protecting the interior from some future street flooding ….or doing some remodeling?… Anyone see a permit?…. Check with the town?….

We hear the CIC must have realized their drab (CIC -Pres. BTSTimes Editor Bob Roberts version?) last minute invite sent out last week was not going to do the job…and the “fundraiser” might not pan out either…(Can VFD members contribute to candidates, seeing they are paid by a town- contracted vendor?)…So yesterday the CIC sent a colorful (Furth ?) version of the an invitation for a dance…minus the “fundraiser”!..

Updated-We also heard a certain Commissioner’s Fiancee’ was making CIC calls for the now- CIC-non-fundraiser…She has made it known it was not her!…The person insisting so, must be mistaken unless there is another member with the same name. … More to come on this one…

We heard the the Vice Mayor is so desperate to win another 4 years on the dais that he is now going to pull another VFD “bait and switch”…He is going to forgo running for VFD Deputy Chief  or VFD Chief….He will say he is not going to run because of all the “attackers”…and the “haters”…to “protect” the VFD from those who “spit” on the department because of him!… Don’t be fooled..voters….We’ve gone down this path before…You will recall when McIntee and his BFF (Best Friends Forever) Silverstone sat on the podium at the end of their last stint as Deputy Chief and Chief and told all they would only be members if the VFD was reinstated…That was a ruse…and it will be again!… McIntee giving up his new souped up red command car…Yeah right!… McIntee not instructing “Little Chief” Perkins? …. Yeah right!…  VFD Chief, Perkins or whomever McIntee “installs” as Chief …will be “Towing” the McIntee line…and will continue that all too familiar “mantra”   “It’s the Chief’’s discretion”…..allowing “member” McIntee to break the VFD-SOPs… and enjoy the perks…such as the VFD-Training Officer 3 (McIntee) gets the command car!… The “puppeteer” will still be ….”Puppet Master” McIntee!…

Interior Digs Owners Ken and Wayne….with guest from Ohio at the store’s Holiday Gala (Nov.14,2009)

“Hi Barbara, I saw the post, thank you. I wish you could of made it…it was quite an interesting crowd bringing both old guard, new guard, whatever guard, north south middle high risers and one story residents all together and getting along.

Many great items were donated from merchandise, art, photography, all the food, bar and so forth was donated by Aruba’s, Village Grille, Athena’s, Fernando’s Italian Market, Lenore Ryan and the Cookie Shop also gave a great deal on a variety of wonderful holiday cookies.

We did raise a total of $2400 so for the charity JDCHF and we are continuing to collect for the charity until the December 25. (Our goal is $4000) So if there is anyone that would like to donate that did not get a chance please let them know to drop off a check made out to the Joe DiMaggio Children’s Hospital Foundation in any amount they wish. All and any amount I know would be appreciated as this is wonderful dedicated foundation doing many incredible things for the children of our future.”

Make sure to stop in…and help them achieve their goal!…Kudos to all that participated! ….

258 Commercial Boulevard
Lauderdale by the Sea, FL 33308
(954) 938-0101

http://www.interiordigs.com/

Got a picture/ tidbit…an event you want posted?…Let me know…barbarafcole@yahoo.com…

more to come…

Tags: Lauderdale By The Sea Argenti Jewelers, Lauderdale By The Sea Candidate Chris Vincent, Lauderdale by the sea Commissioner Jim Silverstone, Lauderdale By The Sea Commissioner Stuart Dodd, Lauderdale By The Sea Interior Digs, Lauderdale By The Sea Mayor Roseann Minnet, Lauderdale By the Sea Vice Mayor Jerry McIntee, Lauderdale By The Sea Yann Brandt, Scoops
Posted in Civic Organizations, Local Politics, Scoops, VFD

NOVEMBER 18, 2009 … THE BONNET HOUSE ..

LBTS Mayor Roseanne Minnet and Gladys Leeks

LBTS Mayor Roseann Minnet  Broward County Mayor Ken Keechl, State Representative Ellyn Bogdanoff

Dear Readers…One of our “Roving Reporters”…contributed these wonderful pictures of our Mayor who attended the ribbon cutting ceremony for the A1A Scenic Highway that will tour through our town in the future…The Mayor was involved in this from the beginning when the committee came to Jarvis Hall to enlist help and to introduce the project to residents and visitors from neighboring municipalities (prev. post)… Along with the Mayor at that point in time was Asst. Town Manager John Olinzock… At that Jarvis Hall  meeting, local Windjammer Manager Diane Boutin came on board…Both John and Diane were present this evening  and acknowledged for their participation … A few commissioners from our town were in attendance..They were among many dignitaries from throughout the county…  Candidate Chris Vincent also came to celebrate this important asset to our town………Chamber President Paul Novak was on hand with Chamber board member and By- The- Sea- Future Editor Cindy Geesey…as the LBTS Chamber was thanked for helping sponsor the ribbon cutting event at the Bonnet House.

Thanks, to all for the reports…and the pics….they are always welcomed and most appreciated…by this writer and the readers!…

more to come….

Tags: A1A Scenic Highway Ribbon Cutting Ceremony, Broward County Mayor Ken Keechl, Fl. State Rep. Ellyn Bogdanoff, Lauderdale By The Sea Candidate Chris Vincent, Lauderdale By The Sea Mayor Roseann Minnet, Scoops
Posted in Local Politics, Scoops

THE BROOM BOYS CANNOT CHANGE THOSE SPOTS….

Dear Readers…The September 22,2009 Agenda is out and it shows that the “Broom -Boys” pre-election strategy is out of sight…out of mind…For the 2nd time Vice Mayor McIntee has not put a single item on the agenda…This time his BFF (best friends forever) Commissioner Jimmy Silverstone has followed his lead (surprise, surprise)……Perhaps they really think if they keep themselves off the dais and out of the spotlight the voters will have short term memories when the March election rolls around…NO CHANCE!… Their records are long…their misdeeds are recorded …and their spots are too numerous to wash away…They face some very stiff competition from some newcomers….and a growing Unite Our Town organization along with 1 in-town local NEWSpaper, one neighboring local newspaper  and this site all armed with their collection of past articles and posts for reminding and informing the voters of the reality of what has transpired from the “Broom Boys”  4 year term!….

TOWN OF LAUDERDALE-BY-THE-SEA
TOWN COMMISSION
REGULAR MEETING
AGENDA
Jarvis Hall
4501 Ocean Drive
Wednesday, September 22, 2009
7:00 P.M.

1. CALL TO ORDER, MAYOR ROSEANN MINNET

2. PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE TO THE FLAG

3. INVOCATION – Reverend George Hunsaker

4. PRESENTATIONS

BC- last meeting we were overloaded with presentations…this time there are none…poor administrative planning…

5. PUBLIC COMMENTS

6. REPORTS

a. Development Services Monthly Report – August 2009 (Assistant Town Manager Olinzock)

BC- visitors 482/informational calls rec’d 490/ verbal warnings 29/notices of violation 60/citations issued 0/ Spec Master cases 19/complaints investigated 37/re-inspections 136/lien searches 15/zoning reviews 61/ final zoning inspections 26/ bus.tax licenses inspections 5/ PRR 0/ fire permit inspections 16/ fire permit apps & resubs 17/ special event app reviews 3/ new bus. research 0/ courtesy letters 0/ building permits issued 116/ Some descriptions-no single family rental violations/1 illegal sign/Town Atty req. for copies of codes and variance file/staff printed over 80 sea turtle disorientation report complaints/prepared a history report and pre-hearing inspection forms for Bel Air sewers for code hearing/drafted courtesy letter for the final orders regarding shed and setback/STAFF ASSISTED 6 businesses with licensing requirements for custom made apparel (see previous post..bus. given verbal warning & complied/ met with Finance dept. for Town addresses for State master list/staff drafted NEW Complaint Form and submitted for approval/performed a backup of the occupational license data and completed a system rebuild/researched cases and drafted memo on sea turtle lighting issue/staff sent notification to resident with illegal July 4th firewks display…

b. Municipal Services Monthly Report – August 2009 (Assistant Town Manager Olinzock)

BC- Some interesting hours…”Building Maint”- PUBLIC SAFETY COMPLEX- 8-11 9 hrs/8-12 3.5hrs/8-20 1,50 hrs/ 8-20 1.50 hrs/ 8/-26 8 hrs/8-26 12hrs…”Off SITE COMPLEX” 8-25 14hrs/8-27 11 hrs….”Wash and Clean service”…”off site complex” 8-5 3 hrs….”Ground Maint.” Chamber 8-3 6.5 hrs/ 8-12 4 hrs…”Off Site Complex” 8-13 6 hrs/ 8-14 6 hrs/ 8-21 15 hrs…”OFF SITE COMPLEX”…warehouse in the west or?…

c. BSO Police Monthly Report – August 2009 (Chief Llerena)

BC-Cases Reported  (2008-2009 )Auto theft … (12-8 )33.3%/ (2-7) burg. business 250.o%/(24-35)  burg. convey 45.8%/( 34-12)  burg res. -64.7%/ (6-1) burg struct. -83.3%/(1-0)  foreciable sex -100%/( 0-0)  homicide 0.0%/ ( 3-2) robbery -33.3%/ ( 26-19) theft-grand -26.9%/ ( 28-32) theft petit 14.3% /totals-14.7%

BC- NO  FINANCE /VFD/AMR  AUGUST MONTHLY REPORT…Hmmmm….

7. PUBLIC SAFETY DISCUSSION

BC- perhaps the “little Chief”  Perkins has come up with the “bargain” price the VFD wants to sell the 102′ ladder truck to the Town for?…

At the 9/9/09 Commission meeting Town Manger Colon told the Mayor that the Chief had the ladder truck on that agenda because the VFD wanted the Town to buy it from them at a reduced price! The VFD bought the 1989 truck for $150,000 on their own…and now they want to “sell it” to the Town for less?…I’d call that being “fiscally irresponsible”…

One story being told by the VFD for buying the truck was to use it in Pompano Beach…..for mutual aid…In the Sentinel this week the Pompano Beach Fire Chief said Pompano was going to purchase their own 100′ ladder truck..OOPS!…Add to that when Chief Perkins answered Comm. Dodd about the condos in the north and using the new truck… he admitted the truck would need to stay on A1A…because it was too big to go onto the condo’s property!…OUCH!…Perhaps, a reduced “fire” sale of the truck to the Town was really …buyers remorse?…

8. TOWN MANAGER REPORT

a. Staff discussion

BC- No backup but this writer wonders…if the Town Manager is going to talk of “morale” or make more false accusation of “instigating” going on when a certain “blogger” attends RFPs or make public records requests…PRRs are the only way to get answers from the Town, (even though the time of receipt is still not “reasonable” according to the Fl. statute)…if you aren’t in the Town Manager’s good graces…and positioned for “fast track” responses as recently seen with the Vice Mayor’s flood drainage problem, (the Aug. Devel.report shows a change for the complaint form is coming..Hmmm)…Comm. Clotteys’ concert series and Bel Air sign Resolution…and the Furth’s events…(see below)…Perhaps she is going to speak about the New Business item put on by Comm. Dodd for a part-time procurement position…either way..with no backup…she opens herself up to speculation..Hmmm….there will be a “staff discussion “…but not a  Town Manager discussion…(prev. post)…

9. APPROVAL OF MINUTES

BC- OOPS no minutes!..What happened to the 2nd half or July 28,2009?…MIA minutes…shades of the former Town Clerk?…The “2-Hats” were all over her…for being remiss in her duties…but the present Town Clerk… gets a pass…

10. ORDINANCES – PUBLIC COMMENTS

1. Ordinances 1st Reading

2. Ordinances 2nd Reading
11. COMMISSIONER COMMENTS

BC- will the “Broom-Boys” speak? Will it be a litany of the great things they have done for this town..VFD..VFD…VFD….and Jimmy’s “I made a promise to myself” and then going after the public comments made this meeting?… leaving Comm. Silverstone…”black and blue”…per his budget statement on 9/14/09!….

12. CONSENT AGENDA

a. Commission approval of Special Event Permit Application for Athena By The Sea and 101 Ocean “Music By The Sea” Event, every Saturday night, 4:00 PM till 11:00 PM, October 1, 2009 thru October 10, 2010 (Assistant Town Manager Olinzock)

BC- The “Gang of 3″ made it so the Athena needs to re-up their Saturday night permit every 3 month…which means they re-up and then they prepare to get the paperwork in to re-up again…a waste of staff time and the time of the Commission…it needs to be put back to 1 year!…

b. Commission approval of Special Event Permit Application for Jazz on the Square – Village Pump and Grille “Jazz on the Square” Event, every Friday night 4:30 PM till 11:30 PM, October 16, 2009 thru October 15, 2010 (Assistant Town Manager Olinzock)

BC- Ditto ….make it 1 year!…

c. Commission approval of Special Event Permit Application for “Christmas By-The-Sea 2009”, a Town sponsored event, Wednesday, December 9, 2009, 1:30 PM till 11:00 PM. Co-Applicants are LBTS Chamber of Commerce, Aruba Beach Café, Village Grille, 101 Ocean, Athena – $5,000 (Assistant Town Manager Olinzock)

BC- Looks like the Chamber gets a reprieve this year now that the “Broom Boys” realized they don’t want to continue to go after the Chamber if they want 4 more years…No Problem…..if they win, they can pick up where they left off!…The $5,000 from the Town is even included …imagine that…And maybe now the Asst. Town Manager will back off …after making them jump through countless…ridiculous hoops just because he could…Did Olinzock ever work for the DMV?…

d. Commission approval of Special Event Permit Application for “Halloween 2009”, a Town sponsored event, Saturday, October 31, 2009, Waiver of Code requirement of submission sixty (60) days before the special event – $4,000 (Assistant Town Manager Olinzock)

BC- This one is a classic “case in point” of the “Town Hall East” Coordinators and their 2009 reluctant Commission sponsor,Vice Mayor McIntee doing as they please compared to the 3 applicants above… It waives the 60 day requirement  for submission….and  a look at the application…  written by McIntee? (or employee)…Marc is written as “Mark” Furth …and no information is included..”TBA” (to be announced)…stated the same way as last year… and “TBD” (to be decided) is among the empty pages…a BSO empty page report that says “after Oct. 1st?” at the top……and there’s a copy of the 2008 application…Yes, it’s a “Town” event but the rules should still apply…and we hear the other 3 applicants were not allowed to use their prior applications ….allowing them to add only an updated addendum… What happened to “following the rules?”…….Look for Jarvis Hall to again be shut down for at least 2 weeks!…

e. Commission to approve waiving of right-of-way permit fees as noted in the attached letter from the City of Fort Lauderdale for replacement of water mains (Assistant Town Manger Olinzock)

BC- a $360,000 Fort Lauderdale project for the Galt and Imperial Lane…Fort Laud. funded…we just give them a pass on the fees…

f. Commission approval of Broward County Community Bus Service Interlocal Agreement FY09-FY10 (Clerk White)

BC- this is for the Pelican Hopper…This was never brought back to the Commission before the budget…The only time it was discussed at length …the Commission said if it was going to cost us money…forget about it…But the Town Manager had other ideas and it went forward…in the budget…with a County workshop…and here we are…It would still be cheaper for the taxpayers to send a car for whomever wanted to use bus in our town…Many say the VFD has plenty of vehicles, perhaps they could be our LBTS “Community ” transportation…

g. Commission approval of twenty-five (25) additional parking permits for use by the Woman’s Club of Lauderdale-By-The-Sea, valid Wednesday only from 9:00 AM to 4:00 PM and the third (3rd) Thursday of every month from 9:00 AM to 4:00 PM expiring September 30, 2010 (Clerk White)

BC- It’s that time of year a gain…asked and answered…should be no discussion…

13. RESOLUTION – “Public Comments”

14. QUASI JUDICIAL PUBLIC HEARINGS

15. OLD BUSINESS

a. Discussion and/or action regarding draft Resolution 2009-23 concerning street names in Bel Air (Commissioner Clottey) Deferred at the September 10, 2009 Commission meeting

BC- This one just might take a while…we hear the Town Manager is none too pleased with the board of Bel Air…and even though she [TM] “fast tracked” this project with a draft Resolution prepared by the Town Atty. before any discussion by the Commission…she [TM] was peeved (we hear) when she was called on her dais statements that she had not received the complete street name package and the signatures required…Bel Air board member Edmund Malkoon came to the podium to say he was told it was delivered on the day before..The Town Manager said it might have gone to her subordinates…an exchange took place (we hear) after the meeting and the VP of the board watched the Bel Air portion of the meeting online and disagreed with the Town Manger’s statement…He sent an e-mail on 9/12/09 to the Town Manager, Commissioners and the Bel Air board and said the following ” I would like to make clear the documentation that WAS hand delivered to Esther Colon on Tuesday afternoon in preparation for Wednesday evening’s commission meeting”…adding what the packet contained…all the required materials…he ended it with “Esther, feel free to contact me if you do not have the documents delivered personally to you on Tuesday. Next time I hand deliver documents I will insist on a signature accepting the forms.”…Well, them is fightin’ words…for this Town Manager who proceeded to send a memo to Commissioner Clottey on 9/14/09 with copies to the Commission,the  Bel Air board along with Town Clerk White, Asst. TM Olinzock and (pseudo) Development Director Bowman…”I am in receipt of another e-mail from Mr Saindon inferring information requested and/or received was not passed on to the Commission on a  timely basis”…She then stated memos for PRR on the zip codes and the Bel Air Street names…We hear that when the VP of the board handed over the packet at the front desk the Town Manager was standing there and took it!..OUCH!…Now the Town Manager after making her “fast track” Resolution decided to send a 1st class letter to all Bel Air residents about the signs and the boards decision …”giving notification”…it was sent with the draft resolution and a map…WOW!…This writer asked if the Town Manager did this for the Bel Air entryway signs…the answer was “NO!”…Hmmmm……..This one should be interesting…

16. NEW BUSINESS

a. Commission nomination of Florida Municipal Insurance Trust (FMIT) – Nomination must be accompanied by a resume or biographical sketch reflecting nominee’s background and qualifications to serve (Clerk White)

BC-added on the backup…”not mandatory” it’s an “oversee” board for the pooled self-insurance program for local gov. ins….Hmmm. maybe we had it wrong …not an oversight board…we want and oversee VFD board…any chance we’d get one with the change…NAH!….
b. Commission approval of amendment to Choice Environmental Services Agreement (Assistant Town Manager Olinzock)

BC- The amendment is only to address a 1 cubic dumpster …with a cost residential per month with 2 x wkly pickups $199.80/ Commercial  $220.17…It still offers no relief to those who have too many garbage cans…which the Town Manger and the Commission need to address… allowing for the owners to decide how many they really need…The Town makes no money off the cans…so why keep hurting the residents with the increase cost?…CHA-CHING just remember residents/ property owners in March…the touted lowered taxes…don’t mean nothing…when you look at the Town Manager free fall in new …heavy duty fees!…

c. Discussion and/or action by Town Commission to provide Resolution to approve encroachments existing on public property (Assistant Town Manager Olinzock)

1) 4404 Bougainvilla Drive
2) 263 Commercial Blvd

BC- Did the Vice Mayor do a late night “tour” as “Code Enforcer” and have the Town go after those “encroaching” on the public right-of- way?…Sure looks that way from the memo on Sept. 3rd in the backup…A resolution needs to be made to allow the status quo for a breezeway with a few tables on Commercial and a barrel with some flowers… WOW!…Cha-Ching…businesses,  you too are getting “black and blue”  with “black and white” Town Manager directed code enforcement and fees…fees…fees…

d. Discussion and/or action regarding supporting the Town Manager’s request for a (part time?) Procurement Officer needed to handle RFP’s in a professional manner (Commissioner Dodd)

BC- The Town Manager being characteristically snide after she stopped reading the RFPs and not in any hurry to return to the practice…No vote was taken to fix the purchasing manual threw out the “procurement ” card…(her scare tactic for personnel costs)… Comm. Dodd picked it up and decided it might be worth it…especially with the lack of judgment we have seen in the RFP/BID process done by Town staff…

The Town Manger directed her staff to do a comparison…in her usual procurement manner …apples to oranges…The backup shows procurement managers for Davie/Sunrise/BSO/ Coral Springs/ Davie/ Hollywood/ LauderLakes/ Lauderhill/ Oakland Park/ Plantation/ Pompano Beach/Tamarac…the cost for full time salaries…min. $35,000- max. $90,000 per yr/ A chart …”Are Bid/RFP amounts “read aloud”….RFP only Plantation/ Bids only Davie-Coral Springs-Hollywood-LauderLakes-Miramar/ Both read aloud Lauderhill-Oakland Park -Pompano Beach- Tamarac…It’s  definitely worth it to hire a competent procurement manager to deal with the RFP/Bids and for the Commission to now make a motion for the change in the purchasing manual and an ordinance….which many of these towns have as well!

e. Discussion and/or action to change the Commission’s organizational rules to allow the Mayor to make and second motion’s in her own right (Commissioner Dodd)

BC- A little CIC history….It was a dirty thing to do and I am sorry to say I was there …I knew they were going to do it and did not say a word, I was complicit …The Mc-Gang wanted to try and do anything possible to embarrass the new Mayor…They planned and enacted to stop her from making motions and to move the Town Atty. down the dais so the Mayor would not have any help!….Well the Mayor has done very well without the Town Atty. by her side and now the ability to make motions should be returned to her ….for 3 reasons…1- it should never have been done/ 2- it is the right thing to do to rectify a bad deed/ 3- to stop the Vice mayor from further embarrassing himself when she hands the gavel to him for the next 6 months!…My apologies Madam Mayor…

f. Discussion and/or action regarding communication from Hannelore Heiden (Mayor Minnet)

Bc- This woman is asking for some relief …she has been the recipient of a myriad of code violations over quite a long time…..and all of it has grown beyond her capability to comply…This one puts the Commission between a rock and a hard place…but…election time is coming…so?….

17. TOWN ATTORNEY REPORT

18. ADJOURNMENT

FINISH TIME …TAKING BETS?….

Tags: Lauderdale By The Sea 9/22/09 Regular Commission Meeting Agenda, Lauderdale By The Sea BSO, Lauderdale By The Sea Commissioner Birute Clottey, Lauderdale By The Sea Commissioner Jim Silversrtone, Lauderdale By The Sea Commissioner Stuart Dodd, Lauderdale By The Sea Mayor Roseann Minnet, Lauderdale By The Sea VFD, Lauderdale By the Sea Vice Mayor Jerry McIntee, Lauderdlae By The Sea Bel Air, Lauderdlae By The Sea Town Mnager Esther Colon, Scoops
Posted in LBTS Agendas/Meetings, Local Politics, Scoops, local government

LOTS OF HIGHS AND LOWS EXPECTED ….

9/9 /09 …. 7 PM LAUDERDALE -BY- THE- SEA COMMISSION MEETING … JARVIS HALL ….PUBLIC A MUST!

Comcast Ch. 78 (if it’s back on the air?) /http://lbts.granicus.com/ViewPublisher.php?view_id=2

Dear Readers…Please excuse the down time online yesterday……Time has been consumed in collecting diatribes and data for future featured posts recounting and reconciling the well documented records of those who will be looking to “sweep” aside the summation of their service in their first treacherous term serving our Town….

They officially sat on the dais in March 2006…..producing one overriding thunderous theme that should fill even the most ardent of backers, back in the day…with doubt, dismay and downright disdain for daring to believe in the “BROOM BOYS”…..

In the meantime … front and center tonight……we have…

Vice Mayor McIntee believing “Nobody remembers anything but the last 6 months of your term”…. With no items on the agenda,mums the word… perhaps he’s bringing a paperback and Prozac?… Hand that man the gavel!….. The “big fish” is a “Flounder!”

Commissioner Silverstone …can  he cheerlead his way out of explaining his role in the Town Manager’s lifetime contract that was indeed included in the May 2007 backup when he and his BFF McIntee voted for it….by putting on New Business 16 p. “Explanation of function of Town Government”?….Never able to stop himself from a free fall…. he’s followed it up with the ever popular items 16 g. “Discussion and/ or action for amendment to Ordinance 2009-19-Vacation Rentals”….(Town Hall East prevailed …no more 7 days?)….and  16 t. “Cost study for police services, $2,500″…. just add them to the list ……

Town Manager Esther Colon….The recipient of the biggest coup ever seen around these parts….Catch Colon’s Cheshire Cat -iness coming from that $250,000 cache configuring ways to search and destroy ….terminating the “At Will “employee of the month…the Town Fire Marshall  ….(this month’s BSO Chief Gooding) …Playing cat and mouse with the record number responses of RFPs….zooming in on a  “Gotcha”  and causing quite a ruckus just to return to her heavy-hand-picked “chosen”- few contractors coming to call….Orchestrating Ordinances first reading….Draft Resolutions….LETF “deference” letters…..Unilaterally sending out selective surveys skewing townwide height limits (“slinging” 33′ when it is 44′)….Posturing and postponing Public Records Requests….practically picking the pockets of those taxpayers participating in the practice of “guaranteed” open government for all….Contentiously, Colon’s chomping at the bit….to collect her contractual wad of cash….callously crippling this community until we all cry “uncle”!… Any bets….that there’s a “knock-out”round?….Hmmmm…..Demoting and demoralized?

Commissioner Stuart Dodd….can be counted on to be well prepared…ready to ask the tough questions we would all like the answers to ….Listen close…it will all be neatly wrapped in the King’s English “Stu-isms”…  those big and little “schemes”…The Town Manager’s payback for his insistence to better the bid process for the benefit of the Town…and now stepping up for the total disregard for valuing a constituent’s confidentiality in e-mailing their Commissioner of choice…after the Vice Mayor came a- “fishin” for retribution…Throwing out the “hook” despite the Vice Mayor’s “deleting” all of his own “bait”…. The “Bully” could be facing the “belly of the beast”…when this “whale of a tale”  lands on somebody’s Sun-shiny State desk!….Ahoy, Matey!….

Mayor Minnet….Didn’t just waltz into the center seat….No “minuet” no “rock and roll”… no shrinking violet is she!…. She earned the center spot, she earned the respect of those who had their doubts, by weathering the constant storms to her left and to her right …..If she wobbled, she steadied herself, she stood her ground, took her knocks graciously and learned from her mistakes. The center seat is hers again, if she so desires… and it offers her the chance participate with gavel in hand and Mayoral motions rightly returned  by those who will sit beside her….She’ll be wearing her “Captain’s wings” tonight….”stabilizing”  the cabin pressure …making sure all  systems are a go!…

Commissioner Clottey…considering you currently convene conspicuously counter to your campaign candor and you’re clueless to constituents ….Can you change?….The countdown is upon you, with contenders calling for Commissioners with character….Will you find some or be the only cartoon variety cast in the minority role come March?….Tonight the motions made….will make or break “the Commissioner” in the middle of her term…. This ain’t no midlife crisis!…

Fasten your seat belts…..

more to come…..

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