Here’s The Scoop …… Lauderdale- By- The- Sea’s “BANANA Republic” Is Rotten …
August 29, 2009 by Barbara
SOMETHING’S REALLY ROTTEN …. IN THIS “BANANA REPUBLIC”… ….
Dear Readers … Previous posts have show the wily ways of a Town Manager backed by her current dais majority “Gang of 3” and her no-term /$250,000 severance payout contract (prev. post) when it comes to UNILATERALLY making major changes in this Town WITHOUT the Commission that makes it appear that LBTS is “ROTTEN”!…That there are things going on behind the scenes that call to question the transparency of government as we are entitled to have….the transparency the Town Manager and her “gang of 3” promised in January 2008!…
In the last post on the RFPs that covered the 4 RFPs ( 7-29-09/8-11-09/8-27-09) NOT “publicly opened and read aloud” though published and included in all 4 bid packages would take place. At the 4th RFP last Thursday, the Town Clerk told Commissioner Dodd and this writer she was only to “acknowledge receipt of them”…HUH?…That was NOT what the RFP said …This writer read and showed to her the RFP , nevertheless….she took no impetus to perform the “obligation”of the Town….to carry it out….
After the 4th such act of not reading the RFP aloud….I knew something was coming…something underhanded…something “rotten”….and it did ….TODAY!….
In today’s Sentinel …Legal Notices …page 41E-F ….. ADVERTISEMENT for BIDS…
REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL
RFP-09-08-01
THE TOWN OF LAUDERDALE-BY-THE-SEA IS SEEKING SEALED PROPOSALS FOR “PUBLIC SAFETY COMPLEX-POLICE OFFICE IMPROVEMENTS”..
It goes on to describe the plans and specifications can be obtained at Ocampo and Assoc. with a $100 fee per set of plans… A mandatory pre-bid conference at 2 pm at the Public Safety Complex on Sept. 9, 2009 …All questions must be submitted to Ocampo by Sept. 16,2009 and then this…
“SEALED PROPOSALS WILL BE RECEIVED BY THE UNDERSIGNED AT THE OFFICE OF THE TOWN CLERK, TOWN HALL,4501 OCEAN DRIVE, LAUDERDALE- BY- THE- SEA, FLORIDA 33308 UNTIL 2:00PM ON WEDNESDAY SEPTEMBER 30,2009″….
ALERT….ALERT ….HERE IT IS…..
“AT WHICH TIME THEY WILL PUBLICLY OPENED AND RECEIPT ACKNOWLEDGED.”….
BC- there you have it the Town Manager UNILATERALLY changed the way we the Town of LBTS accept RFP bids…thus casting a further shadow over the Town to those who would bid and those who decide to do business in our Town!!!!!…
You cannot have it both ways…with this change published in the Sentinel, it clearly shows that the Town was definitely in the wrong of not following the “obligation” of the previous 4 RFPs being “publicly opened and read aloud” (per publications) and we the town ….are tarnished in the eyes of those companies that bid!..
At the August 11, 2009 Commercial Blvd. drainage bid opening (prev. post) a vendor spoke of backdoor deals ….as a result of the non- read aloud bid openings in LBTS …the Manager outside standing next to the vendor had the “IMPERIAL” audacity to actually say “aloud” …that the man must be used to this happening in “other towns”…not ours!……YIKES!….
With this action taken by our administration……LBTS is not doing what our neighboring towns all do…(prev. post) and what is the norm in the handling of such RFP bids throughout the state and the nation…We are going down a path….the wrong path…and in a direction that is anything but the right direction….We are at the mercy of a Town Manager that is inflicting immeasurable harm upon our town!…It’s got to stop!…
It needs to happen BEFORE March 2010!…
At the September 9, 2009 Commission meeting this issue will be on the agenda…(Comm. Dodd put it on)…and we will see what the “Gang of 3” will do…Motions MUST be made!…Will the “Gang” back the Town Manager and thwart government transparency? Will the “Gang” assist in the shut down of competition from RFP bidders who will deliberately take a pass on LBTS due to the Manager’s new policy on opened bids no longer being read aloud?…The appearance of dirty dealing going on behind closed doors in Town Hall is front and center with each and every UNILATERAL move we have witnessed from this administration since January 2008……with no end in sight…
If the “Gang” does not do an about face, and abandon ship to do what is best for their constituents …and if August is any indication of more to come……we will be facing much more damage before we can give the Town Manager and her “Gang” the ouster next March!…
It’s time for residents and taxpayers to show up and be vocal to stop this downward, dirty dealing spiral we now find ourselves in!…
THE SCANNED PORTION …. RFP 09-08-01 Sentinel 8/29/09 pg 41F
more to come….
