“WATCH OUT FOR FIREWORKS”……..

The Mc-Furth plan for the “Furth” of July Fireworks display surprisingly still seems to be on the beach…or is it?…

The Commission was in receipt of quite a few late correspondence from the Nat. Turtle Foundation/DEP/Fl. Fish and Wildlife Commission…who were not happy with the committee’s choice of using the beach… …preferring the pier…But it appears some were told some untruths about the pier…starting with the cost…$20,000…We hear the pier owners never gave any price and had only one conversation with Event Coordinator Marc Furth…and no followup or inquiry from the Commission Co-Chairs or the Town….Could that be due to the Town Manager putting out the memo not to speak to the owners?….

Pretty strange when you think of all the hand wringing going on over the El Mar Drive streetlights and the Beach Pavilion lights…that no attempt has been made to have the fireworks off the pier…(no matter the differences on the pier sign)….to benefit the residents and the turtles…

Previously posted was one letter from DEP/Lou Fisher….(scoops…LBTS agenda/meetings categories) below are the others that arrived…

Many think there will be no fireworks and an attempt will be made to put the loss on the pier owners and the critics of how this years event has been run so far…ala the lack of the $5000 from the VFD for the Chamber’s Christmas-By-The-Sea…a big political ploy…

We hear that may have just happened in Town Hall with an anonymous letter sent to McIntee…and distributed…ala the attack letter about Patrick Pointu it is said was put in the Commissioner’s boxes by McIntee …..absolutely breaking all the rules….from accepting unsigned letters ( not allowed under Town policy)…to unauthorized distribution ( not allowed without the Town Manager’s approval) and not being stamped ….

A look at last year’s calendar shows that on March 12th, 2008  Comm. Dodd had his first July 4th meeting with Cristie Furth at her home…….March 19th, 2008 Comm. Dodd met with Town Manager Colon….April 1st, 2008 Comm. Dodd , Jerry Sehl and this writer met in Town Hall for 4th of July…Comm. Clottey left upon arrival in the parking lot due to the meeting not being posted…April 10,2008 the first posted meeting in Jarvis Hall…and then the meetings were regularly posted almost weekly on the Jarvis Hall board until the event…Comm. Dodd did go away on a long known vacation…but Comm. Clottey also went away…and as far as who did what…Comm. Dodd was fully engaged and involved from the beginning until the end…and after the event in a post July4th meeting…up until he was “Tarred and Feathered”…by the CIC…(previous post…July 2008)…..

The e-mails…..all are public record….

From: Trindell, Robbin
Sent: Tuesday, April 28, 2009 4:17 PM
To: Fisher, Louis; John Olinzock
Cc: [email protected]; [email protected]; Cich, Wesley; Koperski, Meghan
Subject: RE: Item 16b on tonight’s agenda (042809)

To my knowledge, DEP permits for fireworks displays seaward of the CCCL line  do not allow the actual staging area to be on the sandy nesting beach.  Any structure for launching fireworks must either be landward of the nesting beach  – some places have used the lawn of a beachfront building – or on the pier as suggested by Broward County .

Robbin N. Trindell, Ph.D.

Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission

Imperiled Species Management

620 South Meridian Street, MS#6A

Tallahassee, FL 32399

Phone: (850) 922-4330

FAX: (850) 921-6988

[email protected]

From: Cich, Wesley
Sent: Wednesday, April 29, 2009 1:57 PM
To: Fisher, Louis
Cc: Jackson, Celora A.; Halbert, Robert; Martinello, James; [email protected]; Taynton, Mark
Subject: RE: Item 16b on tonight’s agenda (042809): 4th of July Fireworks, Lauderdale-by-the-Sea

Lou,

Yes, I read Robbin’s comment last night (and your initial e-mail).  While I do understand the desire to eliminate any potential impacts to marine-turtles, the comment that was made was not entirely accurate. Standard DEP/FFWCC conditions would apply. A stage would be allowed on the sandy, non-vegetated beach, but it would still have to be constructed in accordance with the attached DEP/FFWCC Special Events Permit Conditions  (guideline#2) and/or be removed immediately following the event. Only ATV’s or similar lightweight ATV-type vehicles would be allowed to transport equipment/materials onto the beach. FWC had provided me comments in the past pertaining to fireworks, indicating these types of activities should take place at the high tide line on the wet, sandy beach because the likelihood of turtle nests in this area would be minimized. It was also recommended that plywood, small elevated platform or similar structure should be used beneath the deployment zone to eliminate the potential for sub-surface heat transference, if any.

I understand that the Town no longer wants to erect a stage to launch from. They would like to utilize a plywood platform on grade to launch the fireworks. I understand that they will also need to erect temporary barricade fencing (approx. 280′ feet) to keep pedestrians a safe distance from the launch zone. All items/structures would be removed immediately following the event using manual labor/ATV’s.

I had suggested the use of the pier initially, but I have also been provided conflicting information… I was told that the Town would like to use the pier, but that the cost of $20,000, which it was reported the pier owners would charge, was too expensive. It just so happens that I had the chance to speak with one of the pier owners this morning, and he indicated that they would only charge $5,000 for use of the pier to launch fireworks.  If they were to launch from the pier, I would not require a DEP Field Permit because it would be atop an existing structure beyond mean high water line, which is outside of my jurisdiction.  However, it would still be expected/required that the fireworks display be terminated by 9pm in accordance with state law and local sea turtle lighting ordinance regulations.

I’ll keep you posted as I learn more about the exact plans for the proposed 4th of July fireworks display in Lauderdale-by-the-Sea….

Respectfully,

Wesley Cich

Environmental Specialist II

Department of Environmental Protection

Bureau of Beaches and Coastal Systems

(877) 314-1329

[email protected]

BC…again this should not have been decided on the night of the 28th…it should have been held over for the Commissioners to have full disclosure before voting…

Thanks to the Faithful Reader for the”Furth of July” headline suggestion!….

More to come…..

Tags: 4th of july, local government, Local Politics, Scoops
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We hear these will be on doors throughout the town…to make it known…they are a McIntee Free Zone….

Thanks …Faithful Reader….

Tags: Local Politics, Scoops, VFD
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THE DRUMBEAT IS GROWING LOUDER…

How ironic it is……..while the Mc-Gang is busy trying  to “decibel” meter our life by imposing unwanted new codes and ordinances to lower the noise level…the drumbeat to get throw them out is growing louder everyday!…

The “troops” are getting restless inside the VFD…They are talking…and they’re talking to those outside the VFD about McIntee…..now assured the department will be safe with a different majority in power…….

“Trusted” pals are making overtures about life after March 2010………

People who disagreed in the past are coming together with one common goal…a McIntee free town!……

Mobilization and strategy …Now that is music to this writer’s ears!…

Hear the drumbeat?…You will….you will……..

more to come…

Tags: Local Politics, Scoops
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MAY 15 & 16,2009….LBTS COMMISSION FIELD TRIP….

“DECIBEL METERS REQUIRED….

New Business item…

f.    Request for Workshop to discuss sound Ordinance before second reading of proposed new Ordinance (Commissioner Dodd)

With the knowledge that the businesses and residents do not want the proposed noise ordinance with the policing of decibel meter code enforcers to invade our town…Comm. Dodd tried once again to do the will of the people and stop this vendetta induced enforcement from moving forward as planned by the “Mc-Gang of 3″…He spoke of his findings and those found by others using decibel meters and said the only way to go was to have workshop with the businesses and residents included…Comm. Dodd also spoke of going to check out the noise levels as a Commission with a reliable meter…done with the appropriate Sunshine notice…The “Mc-Gang” sat on their hands…(getting to be an all too familiar response from them) leaving the Mayor to once again pass the gavel to the Vice Mayor so she could provide that second…We love it when she passes the gavel because it gives everybody a chance to see how inept the VM is in running the meeting …Comm. Clottey as so many have commented recently just keeps going further down a very deep hole… lacking any common sense whatsoever when she deals with her latest agenda items……She is either besotted  or truly out of her element when making assertions from the dais with no research done before she makes them…This writer has unfortunately watched along with many others who had such high hopes for her continued independence and her fiscal oversite role that promised to be the cornerstone of her term…Instead she seems a pawn spouting whatever is hand fed to her from the “Mc-Gang” with no apparent filter in place to disseminate any of it and left only to purge in full view of those that elected her and those that did not…Case in point was to carry her noise ordinance further by saying she had “quite a few people” (guess who?) say Broward County rules should take precedent over the Town…saying the Broward County decibel level was 60 and warning that “some of these people may go after us”…HUH?…The Mayor (thank goodness) asked the Town Attorney who did not hesitate to quash the Clottey statement…saying the Town has control…

Then it got really interesting ….Peggy Mohler of Aruba Beach Cafe’ came forward and was truly “Norma Rae”…not mincing any words as she challenged Comm. Clottey she said she “needed to know exactly who is  doing this after 10 o’clock”…making it clear that Aruba and other establishments close their doors and follow the rules…as they always have over the years…She went on to say there was a one- time …two- day event…that brought money to this town for everybody…and “all of us should not go down”…imploring the commission to stop going after fees and such..at the expense of the downtown ….The applause was thunderous in the hall…much to the chagrin of the temporary gavel holding VM……and BFF Comm. Silverstone …but not to clueless Comm. Clottey…

Although he seemed to know this visit to the podium was inevitable  ….Comm. Silverstone incredibly stuck by the side of the Comm. to his left… saying “like Commission Clottey, give me a number”…a method to enforce…Comm. Clottey tried to backtrack by saying it was not “aimed” at “you” Aruba’s….

Peggy was fired up, and thankfully was not going let it drop…And although the VM tried to stop her…she stood her ground… to her credit Comm. Clottey reluctantly let her stay at the podium…Peggy spoke of the experiment she did in her restaurant …stating the levels were much higher than proposed…with no music being played…..She said what has been said by all the proprietors from the moment Comm. Clottey started this mess…”Come to me” if there’s a problem……(way to simple a concept apparently)…Peggy again asked who these people are and not waiting for an answer…knowing none was coming… said she could guess …adding that the five people she could think of “do they ever spend a dime…(in town) absolutely not!”…Comm. Clottey asked for a number “you could live with”…”to try it” and then again oblivious of the “trust”being asked for from Ms. Mohler… (HMMM…the VM spoke of trust for “stipend” payments…but not for noise?) and then going further down that hole by making the ridiculous comment that to “go after one or two establishments, that’s discrimination”..saying Peggy should know that…… (That’s exactly what they should do…go after whomever is not complying…period…no roundup) …Peggy turned to walk away from the podium and said “e-mails are public record”…(A request to come, perhaps?)…The Vice Mayor said he was “gonna finish” …saying Comm. Dodd had a “legitimate” idea about the meters and the suggestion Comm. Dodd had to go around to the businesses ” to give a fair representation to all”…The VM wanted to include a reliable meter perhaps borrowed from Fort Lauderdale …The Mayor said the workshop should be the starting point …to “revisit a positive” way to deal with this issue…Comm. Clottey wanted our certified code enforcement person to join the group outing..The Town Attorney chimed in to remind the dais of the current new ordinance and the standards included …saying the equipment used may not meet those standards…After more discussion…on this and comparing their schedules…they planned this 2-day “Field Trip”…Friday May 15th & Saturday May 16th  with the Fort Lauderdale decibel meter ( if possible) and a certified code enforcement officer or BSO officer …Just when you thought Comm. Clottey was finished …she actually said the following…”Does it have to be on a weekend?” and concluding that “we better videotape it so we don’t argue”….The 2nd reading will be moved to June 9,2009…

Now on this Commission “Field Trip”…will the Town/BTSTimes- Photographer Furth be included…if so…BTSFutures better send their photog too….

BC- the excursion will take a slight detour…when they go off the “beaten path” to survey the lack of lights on El Mar Drive…

Make sure to wave to your elected officials….

more to come…

Tags: LBTS Agendas/Meetings, local government, Local Politics, Scoops
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Consent Agenda items …

e.    Commission approval of Special Event Permit application  for Village Grille’s “Jazz in the Square” event, every Friday evening, 4:30 PM till 11:30 PM, May 16, 2009 thru May 15, 2010 (Assistant Town Manager Olinzock)

Comm. Dodd pulled this one for discussion…and invited Dave Gadsby up to speak about the renewal for his permit for Jazz on the Square for another year…Dave said he could not begin to count the number of times he received thanks from everyone over the last five years for this venture of his…but if the town did not want to continue it…he would find something else to do with his Friday nights…Comm. Dodd asked him if he had any comment on the Vice Mayor’s comments made the previous evening when McIntee wanted to start charging “a stipend” for using the city streets and put money into a “lock box” to use for town events….Dave referred to the comment made by the Town Manager the previous evening when she compared the $1750 cost of Comm. Clotteys’ Lynn University concert next month to the past cost of $12,000 for “Stargazing” …saying that amount is equal to his expenditures every weekend…and that Jazz on the Square fills every parking spot in town……He also pays for eleven spots and the application fee of $100 dollars…Comm Clottey remarked that she knows his music stops at 10 pm and he cleans up afterward, wanting that to be made clear to those who contacted her out of concern that the agenda stated an 11:30 stop time…Comm. Silverstone has really gone around the bend…and really needs to rethink his role of late, as antagonizer of businesses …Mayor Minnet and  Comm. Dodd…apologizing to Dave for not addressing this item on Tues. night and trying to pin it on the Mayor (wrong, and she stated it!)…Then he waxed on with Silverstone -Clottey and McIntee “doctrines” of  charging the businesses “based on fairness” because Jazz night and the long time “goodwill” it’s produced is something “other people have latched on to”…(The Marchelos brothers)…and then tried to justify a charge for using the street  by comparing it to a “sidewalk cafe”…throwing out figures like $18 a square foot ….Dave Gatsby spoke of the costs of the event…months of making money and months of losing money…as the Manager “baited” by Silverstone (looking like a rehearsed baiting) said it would be roughly $200…Then the “gambler” to the stage…Vice Mayor Mcintee looking for a “cut to the chase”…”figuring” out $200 “and some” dollars…tossing out 7 hours…compared to longer hours…until Comm. Dodd had enough…and asked for a point of order…where was the VM getting these “figures” and why were they not provided to all?…

This produced the best quip of the night…as the Mayor said  “Sounds like nickels and dimes to me!”…the audience just roared with laughter!

The Vice Mayor went on with his juggling act…giving Dave kudos, while trying to appear he was not doing him any “real” financial harm…going so far as to tell Dave if the town asked Dave to donate the amount desired for that “lock box” Dave being the good guy that he is would donate it in a heartbeat…and then went even further in his quest for the upper hand …by telling Dave if he was making “a big chunk” …you give and the “Town picks up a little something” and if you’re losing money  … come tell him (Jerry) and he’ll take your word for it and the money won’t be expected…but with 4500 square feet…of  Town property it’s justified…”a win-win for both of us”…HMMM..Sure sounds like a “shake down ” to this writer!… Then just when you think the “Gang of 3” couldn’t descend any further into the “muck”…Comm. Clottey says…Dave put on  alot of events for this town …tally it up …and give the VM $100-150 …just take it off the past donations and he (Dave) won’t have to pay it for the next 20 years!…Comm. Silverstone concurred!…He said Dave paid his dues…Then airing his (Jimmy’s) personal life said “My life’s been a living hell the past two days”…which produced a quip from his better half in the audience…Comm. Dodd followed the Mayor’s lead about nickel and dimes and the $100 dollars along with making it clear he was adamantly against taking money from the businesses to pay for Town parties…he called for a motion on the consent item as stated…for 1 year…Comm. Silverstone apparently liking the “living hell” he is in..asked for a friendly amendment of 3 months to get the “figures” together …Comm. Dodd said it was wrong to do…and it seemed for just a moment…this shameful act was about to stop with Silverstone’s second to Dodd’s motion…But McIntee was ready to do a “sucker punch” by amending the motion…putting the 3 months back on…BFF (must trump fiance’) seconded it…and it passed Mc-Gang of 3- 2 (Mayor Minet and Clottey)…OUCH!…

f.    Commission approval of Special Event Permit application  for Athena by the Sea’s “Music by the Sea” event, every Saturday evening, 4:00 PM till 11:00 PM, May 28, 2009 thru May 27, 2010 (Assistant Town Manager Olinzock)

Round 2 came…Comm. Dodd called up Athena…Louis Marchelos put the Silverstone sidewalk cafe scenario into terms that showed it’s inequitable comparison…saying a sidewalk cafe was exclusive to the business of who could sit  there…while a street event was open to the public at large…Louis went on to speak of the comments made by the VM the evening before with the latest attempt to take aim at their livelihood with the number of people permitted to attend…200 vs a stated VM count of 500…but without benefit of the code officer paid overtime to check out the numbers…HMMM…who authorized the overtime?…Spiro Marchelos took a moment to talk of the combined efforts of Athena/Kilwins/Village Grille and 101 Ocean …to help the community…explaining that 30 weeks out of 52 was the reality …when you took into account canceled events due to weather and other circumstances…Comm. Clottey got her little jab in (as she promised from the dais at a previous meeting) to evaluate having an event at the same time as a Town event (4th of July…surprised she did not throw in the 2 day events she said she would no longer support)…The Mayor concurred that the Manager was taking care to stop back to back events…Comm. Silverstone imposed the same 3 month return date for “figures” forthcoming and no 4th of July …Comm Dodd wondered if this vote might cause a problem if there was a sudden change of plan and the pier was required for the fireworks…leaving  Silverstone to “pounce” with insinuations of Comm. Dodd not working as a “team” …”working against Marc Furth”…and accusing him of doing some underhanded acts behind the scenes…Comm. Dodd said he did no such thing and spoke of the letters that came late on the 28th and  29th  to follow up on the July 4th beach fire display…..questioning the pier vs the beach for fireworks from DEP / Fish and Wildlife Comm…..which they all received…Comm. Silverstone backed down…reluctantly…and this one passed 4-1 (Mayor Minnet dissenting)…

So these businesses will need to return in 3 months to be “strong armed ” once again…

Nickles and dimes…will cost all of us in the long run….with quiet Friday and Saturday nights…

more to come….

Tags: LBTS Agendas/Meetings, local government, Local Politics, Scoops
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6-10 pm….

BROADCASTING LIVE FROM LBTS….CLASSIC ROCK…

Tags: Places To Go
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New Business Item 16B…Commission approval of Vendor for July 4th Beach Blast Celebration 2009 Fireworks Display – $15,000.00 (Assistant Town Manager Olinzock)

Here we were again…. the “fix”was  in…The fireworks display was decided weeks ago in March or earlier by the Mc-Furth “Gang”…..A”Faux” RFP process was “put out” by the Town….. fully aligned with the “Faux” Fireworks Committee…all done out of the Sunshine!…

The Manager back from a week off setup the choice of the Event Coordinator Marc Furth….. Melrose South Pyrotechnics (previous post scoops category)…and asked for approval…

This writer held off  my public comment to speak on this item……knowing full well this was a “done deal”…..ready to be “cemented” this evening…”guaranteed” after Commissioner Comments when the Vice Mayor spoke of “We” met with the state etc…and “We” have big time sponsors…etc…all done with no posting of any meetings…How odd and disturbing that his Co-Chair of the event Comm. Silverstone did not look as if this was news to him…he appeared fully informed…The  Mayor read a letter from Town’s National Sea Turtle Foundation opposing the shooting off of fireworks on the beach…She went on to say that her concern prompted her to contact the Department of Environmental Protection and made some points of the response from them ( not turned over to the Comm. until right before the meeting)…Marc Furth said he had spoken to them that day as well…and that they and the state were behind the event from the beach…Marc spoke of the 9 pm cut off for fireworks applying to both the beach and the pier…The Mayor said there were other “issues”…but Marc “lobbed” onto the 9 pm point and the Mayor unfortunately did not bring out the rest of the letter (below) that states if the pier was used…..” This launching scenario would also create additional beach area for observation of the event by beachgoers.”….The big …important point…just where will beachgoers sit to watch the show?…Where will beachgoers enter and exit the beach?….Remember 280 feet in circumference with no winds… What Marc did reveal…if any turtle nests appear the site will need to be moved ….Marc and Comm. Clottey would not recommend Zambelli because of poor performance last year…but what about the comparison award required per the Town’s purchasing policy? ….That too was ignored….Comm. Clottey fully immersed now in all thing Colon-McIntee-Furth …is becoming very adept at throwing out the same “garbage comments” such as maybe not having the fireworks at all….Marc Furth said he made no promises to his choice of company when asked by Comm. Dodd if he had offered any assurances…..Marc said he would move the display if he received the funding to do so…Unfortunately no one on the dais jumped to speak of alternatives…or how much more funding would actually be required…Interesting when you consider $1750 was given following this item for a concert put on the agenda at last minute from Comm. Clottey… We hear there is approximately $24,000 that has gone unused for performing arts programming this budget year that could have been reallocated for the fireworks……Co-Chair Silverstone  spoke of not being “a team” with the questioning of Marc Furth…a perfect BFF  “handoff” to his BFF Co-Chair VM McIntee who absurdly charged the Mayor with “trying to sabotage this event” by “jumping over Marc” and going to these agencies!…The VM…. he of the  “investigations” such as going out to the Greenfest vendors at their homes and to the bank used for the event etc…WOW!…The Mayor could not contain her laughter at the ridiculous assertion being made…The Mayor did her due diligence…

It is most unfortunate that late at night……once again the Commission chose to vote on a matter where they were in receipt of late backup …not affording them time to digest the full scope of of what they were voting on….thus making the decision to ignore the recommendations of the National Turtle Foundation…and the insightful views of the DEP for a different venue  for the beachgoers who will be watching the display…..

It’s times like these where tabling the item is called for…

The letter not read last night….to Assistant Manager Olinzock and distributed to the Commission in their Town Hall mailboxes…

‘John,

Thank you for the copy of the RFP for the LBTS Fourth of July Beach Blast Fireworks Display.  Attachment 3 of the RFP is the FDEP – Beaches and Coastal Systems (BCS) Special Event Permit Conditions for events on or near the Beach during marine turtle nesting and hatching season.  It should be emphasized that condition #2 requires that all structures must be elevated a minimum of 3 feet above the beach.  This would include any platform that would be used as a deployment point to launch any sized fireworks mortar shell.  It is possible that this requirement would not be necessary if the fireworks display were launched from the end of the Pier at Commercial blvd (approx 250 meters east of the beach).  This launching scenario would also create additional beach area for observation of the event by beachgoers.  Special condition number 5 will require that lights associated with the event be extinguished by 9:00 pm during the marine turtle nesting season.  According to FDEP-BCS (Wesley Cich) this will include fireworks displays, meaning that the display will have to be deployed and finished by 9:00 pm, whether deployed from the beach or the pier.

Although without question among the most patriotic of events,  Fourth of July fireworks displays during nesting and hatching season on sea turtle nesting and hatching habitat could result in conditions that might be non-conservational.  In a coastal city that has and enforces a sea turtle lighting ordinance it seems the purpose of the ordinance  would be to ensure conditions allowing the greatest chance of survival of the protected species.  The Fourth of July is no less patriotic if celebrated at a non-beach location.

Thank you for the opportunity to comment on the agenda item and should you or the Mayor or any of the Town Commissioners have any questions or require any additional information please respond at your convenience.

Respectfully,

Lou Fisher

LOU FISHER

NATURAL RESOURCE SPECIALIST III

BROWARD COUNTY

ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION & GROWTH MANAGEMENT DEPARTMENT

NATURAL RESOURCES PLANNING & MANAGEMENT DIVISION

MARINE SECTION

1 NORTH UNIVERSITY DRIVE

SUITE 301

PLANTATION, FLORIDA 33324

954-519-1255

954-519-1412 fax

[email protected]’

more to come….

Tags: 4th of july, LBTS Agendas/Meetings, local government, Local Politics, Scoops
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IMPOSED…..CODES….ORDINANCES….PERMITS….FEES….

Dear Readers …the 1st night of the 4/28/09 Commission meeting ended late…with part 2 reconvening Wed 4/29/09 at 4:30 pm…starting with the Consent Agenda…

The particulars will be posted throughout the next 2 days…but the overriding “theme” seen…. This runaway train has definitely derailed and is way… way  off track ……headed for disaster!…

The Mc-Furth “Gang” and their CIC “concerned citizens”…(as the Vice Mayor referred to them …purposely leaving off the political action group title of “CIC” and inflating the number of actual members in attendance at the 4/27/09 meeting) ……have decided that the businesses in town should further be hindered in their ability to provide entertainment and continue to bring life into this seaside village!…

They actually think that it is justifiable to not only hit these establishments up with their insane “noise ordinance” that no one outside their shrinking membership wants… but they came up with a way to further impose monetary constraints on them (the restaurants) by wanting  “stipends” imposed for use of the public streets that would go to benefit town special events… to severely limit the number of patrons who could attend their business’  weekly Friday/Saturday night events…and wanting the businesses to return every 3 months for the permitting process instead of yearly…left to endure the inevitable 2 day continuation meetings to see if they will get a renewal…or get turned down……

Not through yet we hear the Town has paid overtime for Code Enforcement to come and count the number of people in the downtown area …in order to identify if they have exceeded their permitted “estimates”……

We hear that if they impose either one…you can all kiss goodbye to Friday and Saturday nights continuing on!…

How convenient this is in light of the words previously posted from the Coastal Construction worker who told this writer he was told by the Town there would be no more public street events!…

Why would  the Mc-Furth -CIC crowd want to suck the life out of this town?…

We suddenly have more and more codes…ordinances… permits…and fees at a record pace…for what reason?…

Who is driving this train?….

Can somebody please put the brakes on!….

Readers better pay attention…and make it known to your Commissioners ……that enough is enough…

If not the silence will be deafening!….

more to come….

Tags: LBTS Agendas/Meetings, local government, Local Politics, Scoops
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“IT’S MCINTEE.”…….

LBTS Residents and tourists are being warned …BETTER LOOK BOTH WAYS…and Listen for those sirens and lights from the McIntee VFD Command Vehicle!…

We hear last night he came “careening” down El Mar Drive from the CIC annual meeting at the Palm Ave. Surf and Yacht club …heading north ….leaving patrons at the local restaurants to watch in “horror”…Thankful that no one was crossing the road…. All knew it was “McIntee”…..Quite a “calling card”…for what many say is this accident waiting to happen!…

We hear that following his bad example…was his “stand-in” for the weekend…Capt. McGirr driving the Deputy Chief SUV on Sat. and nearly having an accident of his own en route to a call going north on A1A…again leaving many residents with “a lot of complaints!.”…..HMMM…A lot of complaints…How about another “ordinance” ?…

The new “game” in town is a sad one…Waiting for the inevitable to occur with the VFD racing for medical calls…throughout the town…(last night was a medical call…man down )……

BC- Why does McIntee do it?…Because he can!….Why would Vice Mayor/Deputy Chief  McIntee on the one hand repeatedly bring AMR to the podium …sing their well deserved praises for response times (98% of the time in March their time of arrival on scene was 3 minutes 9 seconds)…and then “pull the rug out from under them” in the eyes of the residents by constantly racing around town at high rates of speed with his lights and sirens blazing…just to “beat” them upon arrival to at he scene? Pure ego…Pure power…and because no one will stop him… The growing negative commentary coming from within the ranks …and other departments….as well as from the voters….say it will only stop one of two ways…. with a tragedy ……or a loss at the 2010 election booth!…

Be careful out there

more to come……

Tags: Local Politics, Public Safety, Scoops, VFD
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2ND REGULAR COMMISSION OF THE MONTH…

Yep…7 pm tonight online  http://www.lauderdalebythesea-fl.gov/and on Comcast Ch. 78…

Public welcome…Public comments welcomed…

Agenda online Town site/ and previously posted LBTS agenda/meetings category…with details & commentary…

more to come after the meeting (s)……

Tags: LBTS Agendas/Meetings, local government, local governmnet, Local Politics, Scoops
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