HERE’S THE SCOOP….WHEN IS A TOWN NO LONGER A TOWN?….. WHEN IT BECOMES A CITY!….
July 14, 2022 by Barbara
THERE IS A DIFFERENCE BETWEEN A TOWN AND A CITY…
Dear Readers….
Below is an email this writer sent to our commission after the 7/12/2022 commission meeting which continues to be problematic for those of us who know that unless and until there is a majority on the dais that leads rather than follows what staff puts in front of them we are heading towards the demise of LBTS being a TOWN! …..
We will become a CITY with unnecessary big ticket purchases of land for parking, large building, mega mansion overdevelopment, city complexes and re- designs that will make our unique beachside village indistinguishable from all the other staff, contracted design- CRA driven municipalities!……
The only way to stop it is for those who chose to live here because we are a Town and not a city to speak out and let your commissioners know you want them to protect and preserve what we covet!…..
Silence from our LBTS stakeholders will only emboldens this trajectory from a Town to a city and will certainly leave us all with only our memories of what we once had and cherished but did nothing to stop it from happening!….
Please step up and pay attention and get involved because the few who are doing so cannot save our Town without you!…..
More to come…..
Email to our LBTS Commission-
From: Barbara Cole
Date: July 13, 2022
To: LindaConnors <[email protected]>, Chris Vincent <ChrisVincent@lauderdalebythesea-fl.gov>, TheoPoulopoulos <[email protected]>, Randy Strauss <[email protected]>, Buz Oldaker <BuzOldaker@ lauderdalebythesea-fl.gov>, Edmund Malkoon <[email protected] fl.gov>, Barbara Cole <[email protected]>
Subject: 7/12/2022 Commission Meeting
Good Evening-7/12/2022
What a disappointing night for those you represent!You approved the purchase of an A1A parking lot with a lousy location, with terrible car access and a rather precarious dark sidewalk walk to our downtown to be bought for $5 million plus!I asked about the required appraisals and none of the dais members took either the time to get the three appraisal amounts that were not provided in the agenda backup verbally from the Town Manager or to lookup the 4/26/2022 agenda that contained that overview per the Town Manager in her rather lacking response!Here it is-‘1. Prior to initiating any negotiations for the acquisition of any real property with the property owner, the Town shall obtain two written appraisals performed by a state certified real estate appraiser with an MAI Designation if the appraisal exceeds two hundred fifty thousand dollars ($250,000). Appraisers selected to appraise real property pursuant to this Section shall submit an affidavit substantiating that the appraiser has no vested or fiduciary interest in the property that is the subject of the appraisal.2. Appraisal reports, offers and counteroffers are exempt from the provisions of Florida Statutes Section 119.07(1) (Public Records Law) for a period of time as provided in Florida Statutes Section 166.045, as amended from time to time.’Look-‘The assessed value of the Property well exceeds the $250,000 threshold, so Staff has ordered and received the required appraisals of the property which range between approximately 3-4 million as well as an appraisal provided by the property owner. Staff also seeks Commission direction as to whether the Commission wishes to have Staff begin to negotiate for the purchase of the Property. If a tentative agreement is reached, it will be scheduled for Commission consideration after the Town provides thirty (30) days’ notice to the public of the meeting.’3-4 million! So where is the justification to pay 1-2 million more?!I am against the 10 million dollar Public Safety Complex as stated previously due to the future of small municipalities such as ours being incorporated into the county as well as the limited size of our providers and the viable future of retaining a VFD.That being said, if it is the desire of the commission representing their constituents then forgo this 5 million dollar property and put it towards a complex that offers surface parking below the building.Downtown, you all think the way to proceed is to pay for construction drawings and bid and then pull what is not wanted?Why? Does it not seem fiscally responsible to do the reverse?Do the basic switch wanted by the restaurants and the residents then build on it if need be.It is akin to asking your builder to provide plans for a mega mansion only to end up with a tiny house! What a waste of time and money!Someone please stop this separation of our downtown Commercial Ave. businesses and those further east on the plaza!It is one downtown, already small with no need to further compartmentalize or diminish by purposefully dividing it for no reason!This staff led commission is showing why this style of government will continue to replace our small town in to a city indistinguishable from our neighbors to the north and south at a record pace!The commission should certainly take advantage of those interested and knowledgeable residents and businesses who offer up their vast expertise and knowledge because this was definitely an integral component to our biggest achievements and can continue to be if considered and accepted!Which dais member will be the first to decide to lead us back to the formula that provided us our most success from 2010- 2016?Will it be our current Mayor, our second term commissioner fresh off a campaign win he worked hard for, our newest commission member or those two commissioners in their final terms who are already vying for the center seat in 2024?The residents, businesses and your future voters are watching!Barbara Cole4/26/2022 Agenda Item-
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