THE COMMISSION WAS NOT ALLOWED TO “PLAY”….
Dear Readers.. Early this month this writer wrote about the LBTS Town Survey sent to all residents in town…It was sent without coming in front of the Commission and it contained the misleading Mc-Furth question #12 “Do you support the current maximum height limit 33’0″ in Town?” (The Town’s maximum height is 44′)… along with questions about the Town and Town services…I went to Town Hall and asked about the survey knowing it had never come before the commission…Asst. Town Clerk Nikki Smith said staff put the survey together. …I asked for a Public Records Request form (9/4/09) …When she asked why, I said it was because I wanted to know how it came about…My request asked for the following… “Town sent out survey, all e-mails/memos/ letters to put it together, cost of survey including mailing/ who participated in questions , decisions”….Ms Smith asked why it should have gone in front of the commission and I said because it should, she disagreed…. Maybe after reading this post she will change her mind?….
Today, I picked up my PRR at Town Hall…included were e-mails from Asst. Town Manger John Olinzock to Dawn Walker …Wed. 10-jun-09 6:48 PM…”Dear Dawn , As a resident of Wilton Manors, I recently filled out the Residential Survey that was included in the utility billing and returned it to City offices. I considered it a very well planned out survey. The Town wishes to do something similar to (TO?) its residents. Might I be able to receive a copy of the survey in electronic format? Thank you in advance, John E. Olinzock Assistant Town Manager Town of Lauderdale By-The- Sea 4501 Ocean Drive Lauderdale By-The-Sea ,Fl. 33308-3610 954-776-0576″…Also included were a copy to Marta Isla the Town Manger’s assistant along with the phone number John provided to her with the City Manager’s number (Wilton Manors)…and an e-mail to Marta from LBTS Office Specialist Karen Gates forwarding the Wilton Manors Resident Satisfaction Survey and an e-mail from the Assistant to the City Manager (Wilton Manors) Leigh Ann Henderson ….
This writer immediately contacted Ms Henderson upon arriving home with the my paperwork…..I told her I was a resident of LBTS and that our town had recently sent out a survey based on the survey Wilton Manors provided to us. I said I had one question for her. I asked the Assistant to the City Manager “Did you ask for your Commission’s approval before you sent your survey out?”…Ms. Henderson replied “of course”…She then explained it was the Mayor’s idea, the Commission discussed it and requested it…the staff put it together and then presented it to the Commission for their approval!…Hmmmm…….
Well, my question to Assistant Town Manager Olinzock is simply this…Why was your hometown Commission allowed to have input and final approval and my hometown Commission was not?… The Town Manager and the Asst. Town Manager skipped some very big steps in their process of doing “something similar “TO” LBTS residents …Perhaps when Mr Olinzock wrote “TO” …he meant “TO ” instead of “FOR” …especially with the inclusion of question #12 and purposely deciding to leave the Commission in the dark!… The Commission should give these two “poor sports” a “time out” for their actions…
The Wilton Manors Survey and the LBTS survey was based on…(both use ratings)
1. was the same question …rate the City /Town as place to live
2. was the same question …satisfied with City/Town services
Wilton Manors -library services/ garbage collection & recycling/ enforcement of municipal codes and regulations/ water service/ parks amenities/recreation programs or classes/ police services/ clean and well maintained streets/ emergency preparedness/ communications of information/ drainage. land use, planning and zoning/ fire/ems response….very satisfied-no opinion
LBTS- enforcement of municipal codes and regulations/recreation or culture events/ fire response-services/fire rescue (EMS)response-services/ police response-services/ building dept. services/ municipal service (public works)/ street & right of way maintenance/overall Town appearance/ communication of information ….very satisfied- no opinion
3.Wilton Manors -Overall how do you rate the job the City is doing in providing services? excellent- no opinion
3. LBTS-Which method do you use when contacting the Town for information or services? circle one- mail/telephone /in person/ email
4. Wilton Manors – City taxes account for approximately 25% of your annual property taxes. How would you evaluate the value of the services Wilton Manors provides for your tax dollars? very good- no opinion
4. LBTS- How many times in the past year have you visited or contacted a Town office? never- more than ten times
5. Wilton Manors- How do you rate the importance of providing the following services?…public safety/ parks amenities/ recreation programs and classes/ cultural programs enforcement of municipal codes and regulations / library services/ garbage collection/ preserving open space and waterways/ land use, planning and zoning …very satisfied to no opinion
5. LBTS- How many times do you visit the Town’s website?never- more than ten times
6. Wilton Manors- Which method do you use when contacting the City for information or services? circle one- mail/email/telephone/in person/city website
6. LBTS- How often do you dine or shop in Town? weekly- never
7. Wilton Manors- How many times times in the past year have you visited or contacted a city office? never-more than ten times
7. LBTS- How would you rate your shopping or dining experience in Town? excellent-fair
8. Wilton Manors- How many times in a month do you visit the City’s website? never- more than ten times
8. LBTS- How do you rate the importance of providing the following services? – public safety/ special events/ recreational and cultural/ enforcement of municipal codes and regulations/solid waste collection/preserving open space and waterways/ land use, planning and zoning …very important- no opinion
9. Wilton Manors- How would you rate the following in your most recent contact with City Personnel? a.- courteousness/b. knowledge/c. timely response….excellent-no opinion
9. LBTS- Same as Wilton Manors #9…
10. Wilton Manors- In the past year, if you made contact with the following City Departments, how satisfied were you with the service received? -police department/ utilities department/code enforcement/building and permitting/leisure services/City Manger’s office/ City Clerk’s office/ public works….very satisfied-no opinion
10. LBTS- Within the past year, if you made contact with the following Town Departments, how satisfied were you with the service you received?- police/ fire/ fire rescue/code enforcement/building & permitting/ municipal works( public works)/ administration/ Town Hall…very satisfied- no opinion
11. Wilton Manors- How often do you shop or dine in the Wilton Manor District? ….weekly-never
11. LBTS- What do you see as the biggest challenges facing Town of Lauderdale By-The-Sea in the next five years? …written explanation required
12. Wilton Manors- How would you rate your shopping or dining experience in the Wilton Drive Arts and Entertainment District?….excellent – don’t know
12. LBTS DO YOU SUPPORT THE CURRENT MAXIMUM HEIGHT LIMIT OF 33’0″ IN TOWN?…yes-no
13. Wilton Manors- What do you see as the biggest challenges facing Wilton Manors in the next five years? …written explanation required
13. LBTS- OOPS!….no #13!
14. Wilton Manors- What suggestions can youy provide to the City for improving the quality of life for its residents? written explanation required
14.LBTS- Do you support a bond issue or pay as you go method for future capital improvement projects?…bond issue- pay as you go
15. LBTS- What suggestions can you provide to the Town for improving the quality of life for its residents? …written explanation required
BC- This writer prefers the “original” Wilton Manor’s survey because it was properly prepared with the Wilton Manor Commission and sent out only after they approved it……I find the actions of our current LBTS Town Administration incomprehensible!….I also find that once again this Colon- led Administration has politically aligned itself to the Mc-Furth Gang with the inclusion of question #12 misinforming the voters about the Town’s current maximum height limit and possibly “fixing” the March height referendum by doing so…
The cost to prepare and send the survey townwide…..according to my PRR…supplies $231.22/ postage $1,639.78….The real cost though to us all?…We shall see ….
more to come….
Tags: Lauderdale By The Sea Asst. Town Manager John Olinzock, Lauderdale By The Sea Height limit, Lauderdale By The Sea Town Manager Esther Colo, Lauderdale By The Sea Town Survey, local government, Local Politics, Scoops, Wilton Manors City Survey
