NO WRAP REQUIRED ….
Dear Readers… This year the Town of Lauderdale-By-The-Sea held its final adoption of the budget on Yom Kippur …Day of Atonement … (prev. post)…It was brought to the Town’s attention by this writer and resident Yann Brandt. ( He addressed the issue at the podium at a prior meeting and in an e-mail to the Comm. and the Town)… The Town said it was unable to comply. The meeting began at 5:03 before sundown which prevented those who might have attended from participating. Vice Mayor McIntee was obscene in his “use” of the hall being sparse in attendance as a result of this conflict …something this writer pointed out. I also made reference to the fact that this should not occur again. The Town Manager and the Town Clerk along with Commissioner Silverstone said the Jewish Federation had supplied the Town with a calendar …and ultimately embarrassed themselves in their attempts to make the situation justifiable. This writer contacted the Jewish Federation the next day on September 29, 2009 (prev. post) …The Community Relations Director responded and said she had not spoken to the Town in a few years and that calendars had not been distributed in years due to budget constraints. She said she was going to contact the Town and ask for the Town to clarify their statements about any Jewish Federation involvement at the next Town meeting.
I also made a Public Records Request for the information…
………………………………………………………
From:
“Barbara Cole”
To:
[email protected]
Steve, I am making a request for all information and exchanges made by Town Clerk White and the Jewish Federation of Broward County. I know they cannot have said she should have a meeting BEFORE sundown on Yom Kippur.I also request when that list was given to the Commission and the backup of when it was decided knowing it was Yom Kippur.
Please acknowledge receipt of this PRR.
Please let me know if the cost will be more than $20.
Barbara Cole
……………………………….
PRRs are ready
Tuesday, October 6, 2009 10:27 AM
From:
“Steve D’Olivera”
To:
[email protected]
Barbara:
The Town Clerk says the following PRR’s are ready for you to pick up:
1.
2.
3. Town Clerk Memo regarding the Jewish holiday.
4.
5. There is no correspondence between the Town and the Jewish Federation.
steve
BC- Remember #5….as you read the PRR below……..
………………………………………………………..
I went in and picked up the PRR….and this is what was received….WITH COMMENTARY…
“1. Memorandum
To: Esther Colon, Town Manager
From: June White , Town Clerk
Date: 10/5/09
Re:Commission meetings & Holidays”
“Please note that when I prepare the Agenda Item Request Form I check Commission meeting dates against all federal and religious holidays. If and when there is a conflict I bring it to the Commission to reschedule their Commission meeting.”
(BC- Town Clerk White did not do any of the above….obviously!…)
“In August of of 2007, Ms Pepi Dunay of the Jewish Federation of Broward County sent a letter requesting the Town take into consideration certain holidays when scheduling meetings. On another occasion Ms. Dunay advised the preferred or most important holidays for consideration were Rosh Hashanah, Yom Kippur, Sukkot, Passover and Shavuot. Ms Dunay included a 5 year calendar at that time. Since that time meetings have been scheduled around those holy days.”
(BC- The August 28,2007 letter was to TM Colon (see below)…it contained BOTH the holidays of importance AND the “preferred or most important”…NOT “on another occasion”…Town Clerk White again falsely states… “Since that time meetings have been scheduled around those holy days.”…as we witnessed on Sept. 28,2009!)
“At the April 28,2009 Commission meeting a 2009 Millage & Trim & Budget Timetable was presented to the Commission with Monday, September 28,2009 5:01 PM timetable for the adoption of the Final Millage and Budget. Attached to that item was the Broward County Property Appraiser’s timetable regarding submission deadlines. The advertisement for the Final Budget Hearing had to be placed in the newspaper no later than September 23, 2009 and had to be within 5 days of the final millage and budget Hearing. The last day to deliver the approved final millage and budget to the Property Appraisers office was September 30th or within 3 days of adoption.”
(BC- The Town Clerk has admitted that she DID NOT include the conflict as she states in paragraph 1….If she had the meetings would have taken place as other municipalities were on Sept. 23, 2009 )
” Yom Kippur began on September 27, 2009 at sundown and ended at nightfall on September 28,2009. It appears there was an oversight by both the Town and the public when discussion was made to set the date for the Final Public Hearing for September 28,2009. I had expressed this to Ms. Dunay when I spoke to her on September 29, 2009. She appeared to be ok with it as she stated that “everyone makes mistakes. Thank you.”
(BC-Yom Kippur is a different day each year …unlike Christmas…therefor only the most observant would know from the date alone. It was the Town Clerk’s responsibility to do what she said she does in paragraph 1 and not to pawn it off on the Commission or the public. I will send a copy of this post to Ms Dunay to see if she really said it was “ok”…with the added information that residents asked for a change.)…
LETTER TO TM COLON..
2. “August 28, 2007
Town of Lauderdale-By-The-Sea
Esther Colon, Town Manger
4501 Ocean Drive
Lauderdale-By-The-Sea, FL. 33308
Dear Ms. Colon,
It has come to our attention that your municipality has scheduled a hearing during the Jewish Holiday of Rosh Hashanah.
While we understand that residents can submit written statements regarding the issues under consideration, we are sure you would agree that enabling them to participate in person is always preferable.
To this end, we are enclosing a Five Year Jewish Holiday calendar so that you might be aware of possible conflicts and try to avoid them in the future.
If you have any questions, please feel fee to contact me at xxx-xxx-xxxx
Sincerely Pepi Dunay
Community Relations Director’
(BC- Hear the “nail in the coffin” for any other Town Clerk that is…The Jewish Federation of Broward County in 2007 tried to stop any further disregard for Jewish residents having a conflict with attending Town meetings in 2007!)….
3. “My JewishLearning.com -Holidays: Five Year Jewish Calendar …(scan below)…
(BC- it was underlined…..with stars…with squares around dates..including “Sep 28″…numbered with 1-5 the 5 imp. dates pointed out in the 2007 letter to the manager)
4. “16a
Town Of Lauderdale-By-The-Sea Agenda Item Request Form
Town Clerk/Department submitting Request……..June White/ Dept. Head’s Signature (BC-no signature – it is typed)
Commission Meeting Dates/ April 28,2009
Explanation: Discussion and/or action regarding the setting of Budget Workshops and Special Commission meetings and Public Hearings for Fire Assessment, Millage, Budget and TRIM’
Town Attorney review requires – marked X- yes
(BC- perhaps the former Town Atty. would have picked up on the conflict?)
5. Lauderdale-By-The-Sea/2009 Millage & Trim & Budget Timetable including
Monday, September 28 5:01 PM- Adopt Final Millage,Budget, TRIM
6. Broward County 2009 Certification and Budget Timetable
(BC- had the Town Manager followed what she stated she does in paragraph 1 on page 1…the Commission could have worked within the BC Timetable and avoided this most grievous conflict.)
There’s a date and time for this Town Clerk to go…. March 2010….. no conflict there…
THE 5 YEAR CALENDAR…..
more to come….
Tags: Jewish Federation Of Broward County, Lauderdale By The Sea Budget Meeting On Yom Kippur, Lauderdale By The Sea Town Clerk June White, Lauderdale By The Sea Town Manager Esther Colon, local government, Local Politics, Scoops
