Former Commissioner Birute Ann Clottey at the dedication of the Commercial Blvd. Pavilion with all those she fully supported before they were ousted from Town Hall and the employ of LBTS!…
Dear Readers- You may have fallen victim to campaign revisionist history on behalf of the motley crew of backers supporting Birute Ann Clottey to return to the dais for a second act!… (Some of these avid supporters vehemently opposed her and 99% of her decisions/votes in the first 2 years of her term!)…They are playing hard and fast with the truth in order to secure their final hurrah…their final foot in the door….their final chance to stop the peace and the progress made without their questionable actions over the past few years …They are so full of themselves…so locked in reviving their past power play years that resulted in the Town’s version of the Peter Principle on steroids! It came with the rise in ranks of incompetent Town commissioners such as Clottey and her pals….Jerry McIntee and Jim Silverstone! … All three were in cahoots with the El Mar headquarters of their puppeteers as well as their chosen Town Manager Esther Colon…Asst. Town Manager John Olinzock …and the heads of each of the Town’s department such as Finance and Human Resources that imploded upon the win of their opposition in 2010 and a long list of the mess they made and hid behind those Town Hall doors uncovered daily at every turn !…
What former Commissioner Clottey and her backers are doing now is hoping the voters have very short memories and that she can run claiming she was successful… well informed…well spoken…and independent…all of which is quite the opposite!… Birute Ann Clottey won her seat in 2008 by 113 votes against Incumbent Chuck Clark …and that was due to her riding in on the coattails of her CIC “slate” …As written about so long ago after her win this writer was a co-manager of that campaign (see How The Sausage Was Made in the sidebar)…. she was a reluctant candidate who presented us with huge mountains to climb in order to make her anywhere near viable!… Once in office this writer spoke to her before every meeting about the agendas just as this writer was front and center coaching her on every campaign event and debate in order to make her presentable and informed on the issues which she was not…. For former Commissioner Clottey to claim she was responsible for the return of the VFD is akin to Al Gore saying he invented the internet!… She was not involved in the issue until former Comm. Jerry McIntee persuaded her to run from the north end of town when he could find no one else!… She knew nothing of the VFD and what had transpired…. Did she vote them in along with other votes from the dais that brought AMR to town…yes… as she was told to do!… Has she ever voted independently as this writer was informed she has claimed 90% of the time in her term?…. If you believe that then as they say I have some swamp land you can build on….if you want to put her in for another term!… Former Comm. Clottey voted as she was told by her “partners” in “crime (s)” …(metaphor or reality…you decide!)…. whether it was the “broom boys” and/or the Furths!… She voted most often with the 2010 majority until her term ended due to a lack of wanting to stir anything up as well as a major defeat that put the brakes on her co-horts especially after the fallout of what real mess was left in the wake of ousting Clottey’s Town Hall staff pals…which she alone was on record for trying to keep in place as long as she could!….
Here are some excerpts of former Commissioner Clottey’s as the Town fired Esther Colon in the Sentinel …( link is below) ….
Lauderdale-by-the-Sea fires town manager
Esther Colon worked for the town for a decade
April 21, 2010|By Linda Trischitta, Sun Sentinel
LAUDERDALE-BY-THE-SEA — Town Manager Esther Colon was fired late Tuesday night with a 4-1 vote.
“I think that this was a foolish time to fire her,” Commissioner Birute Clottey said Wednesday. She cast the lone vote in support of Colon.
Commissioners gave no explanation Tuesday night for the dismissal.
But on Wednesday, Mayor Roseann Minnet said, “We fired her because the town is going in a new direction, and she wasn’t a part of that direction. We have a new commission and she served at the pleasure of the dais. We’re seeking unity, bringing the town together, working cohesively and respecting each other.”
“We needed her until August, and now it will be tough,” Clottey said. “She was a tough negotiator … and knew the system and how to get things done for us. We are now at a distinct disadvantage. I think this will result in higher taxes for our taxpayers.”
Colon’s departure was immediate. When the meeting ended, she turned in her cell phone and the keys to town hall and her municipal car, Town Spokesman Steve d’Oliveira said.
She worked for a decade for the town. Before she left, Colon thanked the residents who supported her.
When she became town manager in 2007, Colon’s contract listed a $146,743 annual salary. Despite a public records request, the town did not make available her current salary or severance amount.
Colon angered residents when she fired popular Broward Sheriff’s Chief Scott Gooding in July 2009.
Clottey said Colon was “a good public servant. What she lacked was a little bit of finesse in dealing with people. She treated everybody equally, and some people didn’t like that.”
http://articles.sun-sentinel.com/2010-04-21/news/fl-lauderdale-by-the-sea-town-manager-fir20100421_1_town-manager-esther-colon-town-spokesman-steve-d-oliveira-chief-scott-gooding
Former Commissioner Clottey was once again on the wrong side as she was when she stood alongside her co-horts when they backed the removal of former BSO Chief Scott Gooding which caused a huge uproar by the masses and required a meeting in Jarvis Hall to deal with the outcry !…. No taxes went up as former Commissioner Clottey predicted would occur from Colon being fired…quite the opposite!… The Interim Town Manager Connie Hoffman walked in to a 3- ring circus right after former Asst. Town Manager John Olinzock gave a big fat check to his former boss without being authorized to do so !… Readers can simply scroll to those times on this site or Google to see what transpired and to see that former Commissioner Clottey was drastically more often than she claims in her present day election talking points on the wrong side with whom she aligned herself with and chose to support as the giant scab came off and the mess left in the wake of those her allies fought to keep in place were escorted out of the building many with BSO officers by their side!….
Former Interim Town Manager John Olinzock and supporter Christie Furth..as he was ousted from his duties…
Interim Town Manager Connie Hoffman walked into such a tangled web of boxes upon boxes, important paperwork missing, bills unpaid and no organizational rhyme or reason that she and those she brought in to aid her worked non- stop to in order to afford LBTS the working government we deserved and did not have in place unbeknownst to most of us!…. The budget that year could not even be finalized and adjustments were ongoing as accounts and accountability were installed and updated to offer real transparency instead of bogus awards that were long touted as financial achievements but upon some research by this writer and some on the commission turned out to be nothing more than an everyone gets one award to all that apply!…
As the race in 2012 began former Commissioner Clottey decided not to run…It is this writer’s opinion she chose not to run because she knew she had no chance to win against Mark Brown an opponent who would and could nail her on her deplorable dais record especially since there was no way to revise it as she is trying so hard to do in this race due to fresh memories being front and center …..She who had so often been an embarrassment as this writer blogged about whether dealing with vendors… residents…businesses (an ongoing opponent of downtown music/special events as advised by her co-horts)…..and her misguided and incomprehensible grasp on those areas of finance she now claims is her expertise!….. Here are a few excerpts from the Sentinel about that 2012 race with the link to the full story below…as Clottey took a pass….
“January 8, 2012|By Larry Barszewski, Sun Sentinel
The election: On Jan. 31, town voters will choose a new Seat 3 commissioner. Commissioner Birute Ann Clottey is not seeking re-election.
The candidates: Mark Brown and Edmund Malkoon
The background: Warring factions were prevalent in town elections as recently as two years ago, but the feud has essentially disappeared in this year’s Lauderdale-by-the-Sea elections. Vice Mayor Stuart Dodd has been re-elected without opposition and the two candidates for Clottey’s seat share views similar to those of the commission majority.
Town affairs have quieted down considerably since a new commission majority took over in 2010. The commission quickly disposed of former Town Manager Esther Colon and brought in former Fort Lauderdale City Manager Connie Hoffman to take the reins of the town’s administration. Commission meetings have gone from combative to congenial.”
http://articles.sun-sentinel.com/2012-01-08/news/fl-elect-lbts-brown-malkoon-20120108_1_town-elections-vice-mayor-stuart-dodd-town-manager-esther-colon
Concerning our current Town Manager Connie Hoffman…. It has come to this writer’s attention that the Clottey -CIC crew has decided to use some of the 2010 playbook of blame the Town Manager for being in control …If true it’s beyond crazy when you consider that there is absolutely no meat on the bone to do so…..Clottey herself gave TM Hoffman high marks when evaluating her in 2011 as excerpts show from the Pelican…(link to full article below)…..
“Commissioner Birute Ann Clottey said Hoffmann “jumped in and took off running and is to be commended for this. She is an analytical and strategic thinker with excellent people skills. LBTS has benefited from her outstanding leadership.” But Clottey said she is concerned about a rush to outsource some departmental functions and wants to see the long-term benefit to residents and businesses before these types of decisions are made.”
How they rated her
Mayor Minnet .. . .4.0
Vice Mayor Dodd . . . 4.3
Commissioner Clottey. . . . .4.2
Commissioner Sasser . . . . . 4.0
Commissioner Vincent . . . . 4.7
http://ufdc.ufl.edu/UF00090900/00268
It was revealed to this writer that the Clottey- CIC crew are trying real hard to throw all the old Furth-CIC election playbook garbage out and see what sticks with the voters when it comes to declarations we are told were made concerning this commission’s agendas and the lack of commissioner backed items as compared to their time at the helm… Come on!…The agendas back in the CIC led majority days were tit- for tat commissioner items of war against opposing commissioners, constituents and businesses…They were used for fear and retribution as well as doing bad deeds and occasionally sometimes good ones for supporters and neighbors due to the utter lack of any staff assistance unless it was on the agenda and in the record for agenda minutes …all courtesy of the Colon administration!…It resulted in overly long contentious meetings that sometimes went on for days …unnecessarily ….and ineffectively ….which by a way definitely helped in overturning that majority as most in town had simply had enough!… Town Manager Connie Hoffman quite literally took down the wall that prevented off the dais action by first removing the plate glass window in the reception area of Town Hall and making all departments and staff available and accountable as well as working with the commission to offer new web alternatives that cut out the need for the old norms… Town Manager Hoffman and her staff have worked hard to keep the present commission fully informed of what is happening in real time throughout the weeks along with the successful liaison program introduced in 2010 so that agendas are much more streamlined and manageable in content and time on the dais… and for those attending the meetings… This too was a big want of those who answered a 2009 survey hastily put out without a vote by the former administration pre- election!…On that point…this writer has repeatedly heard the old CIC line…”The people want…”… Please tell me who are “the people?”… For they have not and are not at the podium..armed with demands Clottey and her co-horts are using to make their minority views seem viable …Any excuses of fear to do so is a load of crap…as those who remember their past is a non-starter at best… They had no backing when they came to the Charter Review Board meeting despite claims being made in this campaign… A simple look on the town website at the videos of those meetings will prove the small number of Furth followers who answered the call to arms…Na da!….
There have been outrageous claims this writer has been told of made by Clottey and her supporters of 15-17 million dollars in reserves being used for the downtown project!… What?… Look at the numbers on the town website…look at our annual budget…This woman and her crowd have always been way off when it comes to budgets !… The accurate amount we are told is $4.475 million …Now compare that to what has been done in neighboring towns for the quality downtown project we received in an unheard amount of time for construction of 6 months!… It’s overwhelmingly bizarre that the CIC and the Furths would go negative to any extent concerning the undeniably great results thus far when their organizations facebook page contains photos with nothing but positive captions of that very project!… The Furths did much the same in a mailer a few months back to advertise their motel!… Ha!…. Speaking of what we will get if former Commissioner Clottey is elected it has been called to this writer’s attention that even her campaign thus far has not met the requirements of the process itself in the candidate handbook!… She has had illegal signs that stated re-elect when she is not an incumbent…and did not provide the required information/disclosure and that it took quite a while to get straightened out…As if that was not enough from her first two financial reports she appears to be walking down the same path as former commissioners McIntee and Silverstone did which landed them in Tallahassee due to inaccurate or false claims and monies used in ways that do not followed the required protocol such as who is paying what bills and with what check/credit card and who may or may not be neglecting the $300 limit allowed to give a candidate which was the amount Clottey’s crew fought to introduce after lowering some years ago from $500!… If she cannot run her campaign and her campaign finances how can she possibly state she has the acumen to run ours?… From what this writer hears her campaign finances will not be overlooked and her accounting for them (pun intended) will continue most likely well after March11th!…
Former Commissioner Clottey has padded her accomplishments in her mailers …in my opinion …She places a spotlight on herself for what was basically going along with those she served with from 2010-2012… Her claims of getting grants were not done unilaterally by her and her statement of being “instrumental” in securing funds for improvements on El Mar Drive and A1A are greatly overinflated and delusional…again in my opinion… The MPO and Broward League of Cities appointments were and are routinely divvied up among those sitting on the dais…and she had her turn as did and do others …who don’t try to use it to flesh out a meager resume in order to get another term!…
It is so important that we don’t go backwards in this town…So important that we quash those who long for the days of being relevant and desiring of warring factions …calling the shots …on their whim and lack of knowledge…just because they can!… We as a town have another real opportunity on March 11th to continue the successes we have built on since the 2010 and 2012 elections….
That happens only …in this writer’s opinion ….with the election of candidate Elliot Sokolow who actually possesses the steller resume and acumen former Commissioner Clottey covets! …… Candidate Eric Yankwitt may be that “good guy” (haven’t we been down that road before!)…as some have stated …but to me he is too much of an “I” man and was not in any way outstanding on the P & Z Board as far as this writer is concerned…and may be right where he belongs in our community serving up activities that impact us off the dais not on…
The voters have the opportunity over this last leg of the campaign to get the facts and check out those who are running and what they are espousing in their campaign literature and their responses at the upcoming debates… Don’t cast a vote on what you are hearing without checking who is behind the candidate as well as their claims!…. Who offers sincere and knowledgable unfettered by the past?… Elliot Sokolow does… Who offers accountability with a proven track record of long term service with long term support from those who served alongside him as well as from those he represented? …Only one candidate in this 2014 race for seat 1…Elliot Sokolow!….
Don’t let former Commissioner Clottey back on the dais …. because every seat up there is crucial to all of us and this town we love so much!….
VOTE 2 ELECT ELLIOT SOKOLOW …. he is # 2 on the ballot but # 1 in what he offers LBTS !…
more to come….
Tags: Birute Ann Clottey, cic, Civic Organizations, Elliot Sokolow, Eric Yankwitt, Lauderdale By The Sea Municipal Election Seat 1 2014, Lauderdale By The Sea Town Manager Connie Hoffman, LBTS Agendas/Meetings, local government, Local Politics, Opinions, Scoops, Updates, Web News
