“ROUNDUP” OF THE REST OF THE 4/28-29/09 COMMISSION MEETINGS….
The first half of the meeting started on time ..but unfortunately ended after 11:30 pm…and required yet again…day 2!
The pledge was said…the room was full…new faces in the crowd…to address the kitesurfing…and the noise issue …Resident Pauline McGinnis stepped forward to give the invocation in Town Chaplain Hunsaker’s absence…She spoke for all to take a deep breath…relax our minds and open our hearts…and implored all to increase their sincerity..
Burton and Associates came to give their presentation on the fire assessment…Readers may recall we were informed by the previous Town Atty. and the Town Manager a fire assessment was required…Kind of surprising to hear at that time…especially when in this evening’s presentation Mr. Burton said if we kept out current assessed figures as is $130 per …we would not need another fire assessment until 2012!….If we keep $130 we will have a small revenue of approx. $20,000+….This was scenario #2… and we would retain that amount until 2012..going up in year 3 to $134.25..2013 $138.28…2014 $142.66…If we followed scenario #1.. lowered to $126.38 for 2010…we would need to raise it back again in 2011 to $130.00…2012 $133.90…2013 $ 137.92…2014 $142.05…requiring using some of the revenue to make up the difference in 2010…We are allowed to adopt a 5 year plan…a precedent set by other municipalities…The Vice Mayor as expected tried to use the numbers to show what a great service the VFD was doing for the residents in lowering or maintaining the assessment…The Fire Dept. Budget $1,035,077.00 with a 4% increase each budget year…
BC- interesting to note…when the BSO Police contract is 5% per year increase and up in 2011…putting to rest any fearmongering of the imminent huge hit we will be getting …..from BSO that is making the rounds…
The Vice Mayor tried unsuccessfully to bait Mr. Burton by saying the citizens are getting is a very good “bang for the buck” to back up his VFD scenario..Not quite the answer he wanted though…Mr Burton replied he had “not done an analysis of level of service”…OOPS!…(Sort of the O.J. Simpson glove moment!)..Comm. Silverstone can always be counted on for being completely void in his memory by again asking about the infamous “sliding scale” alternative for assessing…no matter how you design it …under whatever “headline” it is a sliding scale based on sq.footage or cost of the property…If the Comm. wants to head that way again…I’m sure Sea Ranch Club residents will be signing more petitions!…Step 2 will be to proceed …with the $130 per assessed property…and return back…
We had a rather lengthy presentation on lighting alternatives for El Mr Drive…the parking lot at El Prado and the Pavilion…from Green Light Go…This went on way too long…and did not go unnoticed by the Mayor who said the presenters should be given a time limit going forth….The company though are on track to offer a viable alternative and are in process getting approval for their LED lights…They are also working with Pompano Beach…The process assertion was a surprise considering the FPL Rep. was asked point blank by Comm. Dodd of any lighting in review at the present time and she responded none!…The lights are expensive but would pay for themselves over time…with a very long lifetime of use …16 years…She said the shields were not a solution with other communities taking them down…This was one option recommended previously at a cost of $650 per…Another point of interest came with the option of paying for metered lighting of a pole rather than the current per pole price we pay now…..Commission members asked questions…and the next day when lighting was brought up in Comm. Dodd’s New Bus. item G. and Comm. Clottey’s item I. it was decided that the “Noise Decibel Meter Field Trip” will include checking out the lights..(previous post LBTS agenda/meetings cat. “Field Trip”)…
Public Comments…Joyce Murray from Royal Coast came to admonish the VM for callously speaking of a private matter concerning her condo in a political public forum for nefarious reasons, wanting an apology…none was forthcoming from VM McIntee…Bob Fleishman came forward to speak of the unfounded accusations made during Comm. comments again asserting an $8 million dollar debt does not mean the town is in the black …and spoke of the current appraisals required…He also spoke of the fire department …and the self serving agenda of some on the dais…A gentleman stepped forward to speak of the VFD and FPL comparing the fact they are both corporations that are privatized therefore should not be in a referendum that ties the hands of the Town or Commission from terminating service…saying “no such thing as volunteerism if paid”…Lary McGinnis …a Sea Ranch Club resident spoke about the kitesurfing saying most are visitors …it’s “tourist friendly…and “if it ain’t broke don’t fix it”… A resident from Bel Air spoke of the vacation rental ordinance…giving praise to the Mayor …whose idea this was…he wanted to ensure the rules were enforced …and wanted an update on the enforcement of the recently passed boating ordinance…( The Town Manager said letter had been sent and it was in process for the boats)…The new Vice Chair of the CIC Joe Couriel stepped to the mike to speak about the rental ordinance showing he had not read the ordinance prior…and to be side by side with CIC Comm. on the dais…for only 3 month permits for special events for businesses along with substantial fees…(CIC Talking Points?)…He also had a “message” from his neighbor…the woman who implored and received the blacktopping of Tradewinds..($27,000 for a job that was finished in 1 day 2 weeks ago)…and who asked for and received a change in public comments …moving it up on the agenda and going down the list of signers rather than a “hat draw”…alas she was a no-show…but she wants no plastic cups used at events in town…a 3-fer for this resident perhaps?…This gentleman also wanted “open container”laws enforced…(BSO already said they are lenient in this regard for the benefit of all…Yea BSO!)…also adding no to a workshop…on noise…(Any wonder why he became Vice Chair of the CIC…besides calling McIntee GOD? That- a -boy Joe Couriel)…A woman from Terra Mar also took the VM to task for his talk on the dais at the previous Comm. meeting concerning the Mayor and her recall from her condo…revealing the following facts…that 2 other boardmembers were recalled…that past and possible future CIC Mayoral candidate Peanuts Wick was involved in the recall along with another disgruntled boardmember that is a CIC member…(surprise)…The woman recounted the deterioration she observed at the condo in question …adding this was another attempt to discredit the Mayor…and that the Commission should refrain from non-town business on the dais…A gentleman came forward and said he had not been at the podium for quite some time…but felt commonsense was needed for the noise ordinance …explaining meters and wind effects on the outcome saying “How are we going to govern mother nature?”…stating they are “killing the town”…we can either have “a fun town or a dead town”…Yet another gentleman spoke about the decibel levels outside and in conversation between 2 people…asking the question all keep asking…where are the people who are complaining …they are not coming to these meetings….and addressing CIC Vice -Chair Joe Couriel in saying about fees imposed for events…are we going to “charge for air”…reiterating the call from most that these actions “will kill this town”….The “Tomato Lady” Rosa CIC member (much smarter than she lets on) spoke rather sternly to Comm. Dodd over his article in the BTSFuture…(It was about noise and wanting a workshop) asking all to get along…HMMM…( CIC Talking Points indeed)!…..Louis Marchelos spoke candidly about Joe Couriel about calling McIntee God …He spoke of past McIntee actions where the VM told Louis he had a 4-1 control and would make the Mayor’s life hell right after the Jan. 2008 election…He took to task Peanuts Wick and his pre-meeting slight regarding “Greeks” (previous scoops post)…He implored all to not be afraid to stand up to a bully (McIntee)…that we are “capable of achieving great goals for this town”..”Be economically viable, no conflict after meetings”…and then directed a question to the Town Manager about her “ban” on the Marchelos brothers…saying he would like it “to be dropped”…His brother Spiro spoke and again asked for some response to the McIntee slander accusing him of forgery…having received none thus far…He also spoke of Peanuts and his slur towards “Greeks”…and touched on the “discrimination…violations” and action that are “hostile to our interests”….A gentleman of a certain comedic persuasion spoke of rentals…monthly leases and fulfilled his 3 minutes…A new resident who bought in the Villas By The Sea…came to tell all the noise is welcome and wonderful…asking them to look at Las Olas and Fort Lauderdale that are dead…and asked about the turtle problem in wonderment that they would be a problem at this point in time…Ben Freeny a longtime resident who is a CPA (Comm. Silverstone a self proclaimed accountant is not) and took to task Comm Silverstone and the Town Manager on their “in the black” assertions and how they surmise that they can claim it…(later the Comm. asked the Manager again …if we could pay back the 8 million in debt…she said yes…Question is do we 8 million and if we did pay it where would we be left afterward?)…..A gentleman from Seagrape Drive came to speak positively on the new vacation rental ordinance describing problems he has had this last winter…(later Chief Gooding acknowledged the problems when discussing the new ordinance saying it was springbreakers …and this was a first for the BSO in having this situation)…The owner of Kilwins came forward to add to the “choir” of those businesses who are speaking up for the weekly events…”never any negative” comments ..that the residents and vacationers love it….Diane Boutin came to speak about the fire assessment …to look seriously at the commercial properties and what suits the budget …a realistic review is required…and asking the Commissioners to take an overall account of what is important to use the million for on the south side if El Mar Drive…She also spoke of franchise fees paid by businesses…again to reign in the fee idea for events etc…
Reports…No questions on Finance…Development Comm. Dodd asked Assist. TM Olinzock about the swale report stated in the backup…but no report was included to see…Olinzock would have to get it to him…Comm. Dodd asked for updates on the pavilion…drainage ..(is in progress)..final inspections took place that day…(no report on those)…and other Dodd inquires went out the Architect with Olinzock saying “Believe me I don’t want to hear about that again” (drainage inquiries…what a response to make.)….Comm. Clottey asked about a light at Bel air…(it’s installed, not yet activated …waiting on FPL)…BSO report…Comm. Dodd asked Chief Gooding about 2nd group of cameras…(in the works)…Mayor asked about noise complaints in last 6 months (in residential area…no mention of businesses…HMMMM)…..VFD …Comm Dodd to VFD Chief Perkins…spoke of the loss of funds he had offered the VFD at the last meeting …shot down by VM…(Perkins said it “Was a breath of fresh air” and thanked comm. Dodd..HMMM. Did the Chief and the Vollies want it…some say a big yes they did!…later the Chief reiterated the same comment to Dodd !)…Comm. Dodd broght up the lack of proper training for the Sea Doos (Chief said in-house …online..saying they are a month away from going in the water to train…We hear they are in the water …must be playing?)….Dodd informed him about the 5 day USLA certified program available also asked about a required sled…(Chief said no sled yet…they are “making one”)…Comm. Clottey wanted the lifeguard for Community swimming pool to be Red Cross certified…(Chief said the pool lifeguard through the town…”VFD NOT ALLOWED TO HAVE LIFEGUARDS…NOT INSURED FOR IT”…so on the beach…in the water on Sea Doos is ?)….Comm. Silverstone spoke of the VFD being “a corporation” with a “board of directors” and “corporate levels”…for checks and balances…(Corporate remember that at referendum time)…that they would have a “rescue service …no a lifeguard service”…(HMMM…the difference being what exactly in liability..anyone in town check it out with the VFD/Town insurers?)…The Vice mayor spoke of the free hours of the beach patrol for the town (Salt in the wound for the Vollies?)…also of the incentives $25 per call fire/$10 per medical calls…saying the VFD gave free time for Easter…and the swimming pool is not VFD (started out VFD until their insurance was found not to cover it)…BC- rather curious we hear the Chief sent out an e-mail to active members in Feb. lookong for those who want to lifeguard at the pool…pays $25!…HMMM…What’s up with that?…The Mayor asked where the VFD stayed overnight…(Chief said not in the Public Safety Complex…in firehouse…each required 1- 24 hr. period is required for each…each month…We were originally told the Complex would be for overnight VFD…we hear would not pass without major $$$ to comply)…The Mayor asked about the board…was it public info …(Chief said yes…website being updated as we speak)…She asked about drills …(Chief said just Fountainhead…trouble getting others on board)…Silverstone still in his false claims of “talk out there” asked about the $200 per week claims made…HMMM…Wake up Jimmy…it was out of the mouth of your BFF McIntee on the dais…check the tape!….AMR…Comm. Dodd asked about AMR pre-emptive strategy for Swine Flu …AMR Lt. Liddle said they have been in touch with CDC/Broward county with info sent to Town…Vice Mayor id his usual “song and dance” no mutual aid need ed…and touting AMR response times (So good the VM can now stay back and leave AMR to respond independently…right ….NAHHH)….
Town Manager report…the plaques…Comm. Dodd spoke of them last meeting…Town Manager wanted to see what to do..or scrap it…discussion on it with consensus to leave pavilion open …Comm Dodd reiterated his original point …which passed 4/2008 and Comm. Clottey said she regretted her vote…Silverstone and McIntee were now against it there (Because Dodd is for it?)…and VM suggested below the flag poles on the bases at the Commercial Blvd. entry…to that comm. Dodd said all the dogs could raise a leg up…bringing quite a laugh from the hall…they took a vote of looking into removing the plaques and deciding where to move them to…more investigating…passed 3-1 Comm. Clottey/Mayor dissenting…The Manager brought up the Lynn University concert on the 22nd..$1750…The Mayor asked for BSO-Public Safety Complex update…(TM said it was submitted to Broward county…and costs would need to be downsized then to come to commission)…Mayor asked for update on the warehouse (THANK YOU,MAYOR!)…(TM said it has had 6 inquires …3 said it was too large…and may lease part of it to potential buyers…adding “the market is the market”) BC- this is why you sell first then buy…rather than being stuck with 2 properties (we were promised a “wash” with a fast sale of the warehouse for the hotel…per the Manager)…
Ordinances. 1st reading….2009-19…Vacation rental ordinance..3 public comments including this writer…discussion by the Commissioners showing a glaring agenda of the CIC to vote against it…by the VM…who said he would vote against it…but he ended up voting for it (flip-flop)..and others showing they did not read it at all…after all was said and done..they accepted the P & Zs recommendations…(surprisingly the Town atty. said the P & Z recs were already included…how odd)…passed 5-0…2009-20…2nd part of the rental…This writer asked for Buzz Oldaker inclusion of certified mail..(should be required on all town business)…after Comm. Dodd asked for it a friendly amendment came from VM for both (?)…it passed 5-0…ordinance 2009-21…30 days for discontinuing trash service …passed 4-1 Mayor recused herself)…
Ordinances 2nd reading…2009-18…Beach Parking Permits…3 public comments…This writer…too low…special to CIC members…loss of revenue…unused most of the time…..CIC Vice Chair Joe Couriel said he pays taxes…should have perks…but not 2 different permits…Diane Boutin said all live within 3-4 blocks…walking distance…taking away from revenue…$20 “ludicrous”…passed 5-0
Commissioner comments…The Vice Mayor said “we talked to the people from the state” when addressing 4th of July…(no posting of meeting)…that they have sponsors…will only cost $45,000…praised Marc Furth and all his work with much more work to do…great program…town will be full and wants no other events in town that night (no posting of meetings)…(Screw the downtown!)…Was coy about stating 50 citizens met (CIC annual meeting-more like 30 in attendance)…and pushed forward more of his insane vendettas…with counting people attending outdoor events…and paying the town for the street use…and 3 month permits…then went into the usual Town Manager …Seagrape …everything is going in the right direction garbage….
The Mayor spoke of Earth Day…the tree the Garden Club planted…the Budget Workshops starting June 9,2009…vacation rentals…and input before 2nd reading…and government/residents and businesses as a “fine unit” until one breaks down…saying with businesses out of play the burden will fall on the residents…we are a small community…
Comm. Clottey…spoke of Broward County and the sun-pass only to the Keys…paved lanes and the metropolitan system…with money going locally for 5 years then to FDOT…a sign we don’t care about public transportation…that Dade County has done this with narrower lanes…calling Broward County Vice Mayor Keechl “Kind of our representative”…HUH?…She jumped in the “Gang of 3” mantra …of calling her critics “spinmeisters”…saying they “are at it”…”didn’t know what the problem was” …”music was not the issue”…that people “don’t want loud music late” or “12 to 14 hours a day”…and said the new ordinance would measure from 200 ft. not the 25 ft. in the present ordinance…asking the businesses to take part to get the appropriate noise level…and it could be done in such a way that it is agreeable to everyone…”out of the realm of subjectivity to scientifically”…She went “there” again…of why people don’t want to call the police…saying they tell her she was elected to do the “dirty work” YIKES!…and she admonished her constituents by saying “Before you get up here and speak please know what you’re talking about”…BC- Right back at ya Commissioner!…(We hear 1 term will do!)…
Comm Silverstone…He may not run again…HMMM..NAHHH…he will and so will his BFF…He too spoke the “Spin machine”…HMMM again…(these two and McIntee’s anonymous letter in the Comm.mailboxes …prev. post scoops…sounds like a “victim strategy”)…He did the debt replay with an assist by the Town Manager (Hmmm….CPA Freeny vs Pension planner Silverstone..who would you listen to?)……He spoke of balance residents and businesses …yadayadyada…
Comm. Dodd passed due to alot to say on agenda items to come….
Running late …after 10:30 pm…they brought forward the Kitesurfing…previous post…the July 4th Fireworks Display…previous post…and Lynn University previously posted….4/28/09 LBTS agenda/meetings categories…
4/29/08….Wed. 4:30pm resumed ….
12. Consent Agenda….Items b/c/d/h passed 5-0… no discussion…BC- Why no discussion on 3rd amendment on Pelican Hopper…no explanation in backup or on the dais….
Pulled to discuss…a- Comm Dodd wanted to know why Electrical Contractor did not put in RFP…(No reason given…no price for comparison given though Comm. Dodd asked for it…wanting to show he big savings…finally from an RFP rather than a re-contract as in the past)…Town Manager was again nasty when she did not understand Comm. Dodd’s last request for RFP calendar to know what RFPs are coming when…in order to save more money…VM tried to “protect” the TM…(sad display)…TM finally got what Dodd was asking for …maybe?…(we’ll see if it’s forthcoming)….passed 5-0…..e/f -previously posted (special permits)…g- Comm. Dodd asked about run-off from businesses..Town Atty. said nothing could be required from them until they redevelope…passed 5-0…i- Comm. Dodd did not back down on this despite the latest melt-down..by the Town Manager and her less than honest account that this was a proprietary acquisition due to the possibility of the handheld equipment being rendered unusable …leaving the town without the ability to write tickets and collect revenue…Quite a threat….BUT…why wait to get to this point?…The Comm. seeing the great savings we have recently had in RFPs being done as required in our purchasing policy…did not let her get away with such unprofessional actions this time out…RFPs will go out…This was not just a $2100 time…it was much more when the backup was examined…good call from Comm Dodd…for all taxpayers…passed 4-1 Silverstone dissented…
Resolution 2009-13…passed 5-0……
15 Old Business…a. Banners ..were tabled until 5/12/09 after it was shown the Manager accepted one late submission and there were 3 more not included also received after the deadline…BC- again why?…passed 5-0 to defer…b-previous post kitesufing……c- brought back parking at portals for turtle people…a no from the Commission …letter to be sent..passed 5-0…d- lack of lighting in pavilion…a directive to find alternative or gap-stop to the darkness…(just not red lights from B.J.’s as suggested by the Vice Mayor…leaving the Mayor to quip we did not want the pavilion to be lit up in red lights..becoming known as a “red light district”…quite a laugh from the hall again on this one)…passed 5-0
16 New Business….a. Budget Workshops …dates approved (see 4/28/09 agenda for dates or on town website)….b. fireworks previous post…c-Comm. Dodd asked to ban outside scavengers…direction given to Town Atty.to see the legality..Vice Mayor revealed and she confirmed it resident Hannah Hempstead “is a dumpster diver”…looked proud of it too….deferred to 5/26/09 meeting passed 5-0…d.Comm. Dodd asked for directive for fatality info to Commissioners…will come from BSO…and with the sad events of the hyperbaric chamber tragedy on Friday …the Comm.did get those updates from BSO…e- Comm Dodd wanted a day and time certain for continuation meetings…alas it was a no-go putting staff over residents and potential Commissioner candidates who cannot be so flexible with their daytime hours…this one should be revisited…f- noise ord. previous post…g/i- lighting previous post….h-Comm. Clottey asked to move the Anglin monument…it will be moved…sad to say…the reasoning was lame…and at times insensitive…especially when Comm. Silverstone said their was more than one monument to Anglin…at least it didn’t end up in front of the construction site or in the median…it will go in front of Town Hall…still sad that Comm. Clottey put this on….passed 5-0
No Town Attorney Report…
Adjourned …..
Tags: LBTS Agendas/Meetings, local government, Local Politics, Scoops
