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HERE’S THE SCOOP…..TOWN OF LBTS SHOPPING SPREE…..

November 7, 2022 by Barbara

TOWN OF LBTS SHOPPING SPREE!….

Dear Readers……
On Wednesday November 9, 2022 at the Town Commission Meeting in Jarvis Hall our Town Manager under New Business wants to receive authorization and approval from the Commission to negotiate a contract to purchase a 9- unit  multi-family property on Bougainvilla that the Town already received two appraisals for between $2.4 million and $3.75 million for future use to build a new multi- million dollar Public Safety Complex!……
We  heard from this same Town Manager, town staff and some Commissioners a few months ago that we needed to raise the millage for lack of funds!…..
As a result of those Commissioners who listened to those they represent and prevailed to not raise the millage we were told we needed to remove capital improvement projects due to this loss in revenue….
There was no discussion when these claims were made….as once again the Commission left it up to thIs Town Manager and staff to cut out items…..
What did they remove?…. Resurfacing our streets along with some erroneous and unneeded new town events….
This came after the opening blow at the first budget meeting last summer…. when the Town Manager and this Commission took away the $1.6 million dollars that was “ earmarked”  ( as stated when they put forth the 2022 town budget archived on video…)…for El Mar Drive to be refreshed in 2023!…..
El Mar Drive has now been relegated for yet a third round of costly design plans in 2025 with possibly being implemented in 2026  if this time it succeeds…..meaning El Mar Drive will sit dormant for 2-3 more years with a few handfuls of paltry “ fixes” such as the piecemeal sidewalk and swale patchwork witnessed since the demise of the 2nd costly and unwanted incarnation El Mar project! …..
Unfortunately this travesty was aided and abetted in large part by two stake-holding hoteliers who decided to put all their time and effort towards fear-monger in order to remove Aruba Beach Cafe’s outdoor dining in the Ocean Plaza, in my opinion…
This purchase of yet another town property after paying $5 million for the parking lot across from Walgreens shows we have money and that the money is being designated for more parking and possibly now for those who work in the town rather than for those who live here and pay the taxes!…..
This town has not grown…..It is no larger than it ever was… due to our town limits…north to south and east to west….
This  town has a volunteer fire department that is handsomely paid for what they are able to do here….. Just look at all the equipment that now is need of  a state- of- the- art complex to house it….
This town has a small BSO police presence and AMR ambulance service….. due to its size and population….
Why would we or should we purchase land and even contemplate building a Public Safety Complex based off of only one Public Safety study?….
We will still be the same size town and we will still require mutual aid….. that won’t change….
Also, on Wednesday night’s agenda is a 90 day extension for the VFD contract…..and once again this commission has chosen not to look at alternative fire department coverage from Pompano Beach and/or Fort Lauderdale or the BSO…
If the ultimate plan of this administration, and commission is to build a multi- million dollar Public Safety Complex then surely alternatives should be up for discussion and executing bids…….such as using other municipalities as Sea Ranch Lakes does and seeing what BSO would offer as a comparison …..
We will always have a finite number of taxpayers footing the bill……
As I have stated in the past, I believe in the future small municipalities such as ours will be to incorporate with the county for public safety services and to become satellite towns due to the lack of sustainable funding for these services….and the retirement funding for our increased town employees….
It is time to stop the purchasing of more and more land for parking lots and future mega structure builds… and step back to fulfill the fiscal responsibility owed to our residents and our small town….
It is long overdue for this Commission to finally step up and take back the control of the dais, the agendas and to represent their constituents by turning down this purchase and any monies planned for building an overblown Public Safety Complex and/ or Town Hall Complex…..that does not fit the town character, town size or town needs….
Are we at a crossroads in our town which will determine its future….. Will we retain our low- rise heights and charm? …..
For those who think of course we will…..maybe you need to think again….
To this resident….when you really take a hard look at these ongoing Town staff led acquisitions… I sure wouldn’t bet on it!….
More to come….
Link to Agenda item purchase..
https://d3n9y02raazwpg.cloudfront.net/lbts/184007b4-93d1-4455-a046-0ebfcb6f6f86-7696ef63-1e0d-4391-b610-4fac8121a64c-1667588328.pdf
https://legistarweb-production.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/attachment/pdf/1641344/11-9-22_AM_4512_Bougainvilla_Property_Purchase.pdf

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HERE’S THE SCOOP…. WHICH CAME FIRST…THE LANDMARK RESTAURANT OR THE PLAZA?…..

September 25, 2022 by Barbara

LANDMARK ARUBA CAFE WAS THE WHARF RESTAURANT BUILT BY LBTS FOUNDING DEMKO FAMILY !….

Dear Readers….As previously posted there is a small minority of misinformed LBTS residents and visitors who are being told that Aruba Beach Cafe is infringing on our public property and must be stopped…..

This is a campaign of lacking the facts and the history of our town….especially as we approach our 75th year and the upcoming celebrations….

The facts as you can see are quite the opposite….The Wharf Restaurant was built by the Demko family who like the Anglin family who built the Anglin Pier and the Friedt family who brought us Friedt Park…. are landmarks that were here long before the 2008 Pavilion and the 2013 Ocean Plaza….

The Wharf Restaurant now known as Aruba Beach Cafe should be rightly recognized along with the pier and the park and the Welcome Center that was the original Women’s Club in our 75th year and as such should be coveted and revered ….not denigrated and displaced as this group is looking to do….

Don’t buy into these scare tactics of “tunnels” to the beach and there being no more public space for children to play….It is a ruse of the worst kind to work people up under false fears for the future….

Instead…. join those who know that Aruba Beach Cafe is as it has always been….well placed both in its historic placement with the pier and within the Ocean Plaza as we proceed to improve upon what our founding families provided us with a town like no other….

 

Below is the email I sent to the commission last week….and the link to-

Lauderdale- By The – Sea A Living History found on our Town website….

It is a must read for all who live and love LBTS…..

 

‘Mayor, Commissioners-

I stood before you on 9/14/2022 and spoke about Aruba Beach Cafe being a landmark in our town.
Further investigation produced more credence to designate it as such along with our other landmarks such as Anglin Pier, Friedt Park, Women’s Club Building (The Welcome Center )etc…
Included in the book Lauderdale- By- The- Sea A Living History by Martha E Munzer Chapter 1. “The Beginning” on page 3  is the history of the Wharf Restaurant now known as Aruba Beach Cafe.
It was built and run by one of our Town’s founding families,The Demko family and it is described for its location as is the pier built by another founding family the Anglin family.
What this tells us all is that Aruba Beach Cafe ( The Wharf) and Anglin Pier were the coveted properties in place decades before the redevelopment of the pavilion ( from  metal shell covers) in 2008 and the Ocean Plaza ( from parking places) in 2013.
To denigrate Aruba Beach Cafe in the manner a small minority is doing with threats of a referendum ( not possible for the Nov.8,2022 election per required process) and threaten them with falsehoods in alerts disgraces the history and significance of Aruba Beach Cafe( The Wharf) and its Demko history as well as a look at the reverence long paid to it past and present.
Experienced planners look to join public- private ventures such as we have with Aruba Beach Cafe in the Ocean Plaza and as such it should be recognized for the landmark it rightly is and a shining example of urban planning at its best!
I again ask the Mayor as he finishes his term to spearhead designating Aruba Beach Cafe with a proclamation as a landmark alongside Anglin Pier, Friedt Park, The Women’s Club Building and others.
Respectfully,
Barbara Cole’
Link- Lauderdale- By The – Sea A Living History found on our Town website-
https://www.lauderdalebythesea-fl.gov/DocumentCenter/View/286/A-Living-History-PDF?bidId=

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HERE’S THE SCOOP….MAYOR, COMMISSIONERS….SHARPEN THOSE SHARPIES…

September 16, 2022 by Barbara

KEEPING THE MILLAGE AND BUDGET DOWN IN LBTS….

Mayor, Commissioners,…….Gentlemen …. Sharpen those sharpies….

First Round…..
At the 9/14/2022 1st Budget Meeting for 2023 …..Mayor Vincent, Vice Mayor Malkoon and Commissioner Strauss put their constituents first and kept the millage the same as in 2022……

These three dais members knew the shell game that is government budgeting at its finest and began the process of turning over this doozy predicated on “Building a Stronger Foundation” and “Staying the Course” with a snazzy bullet point presentation and Town Manager “invites” to push through her Hope Chest of the 2023 LBTS Budget…..

It is jam packed with goodies for our overblown number of town employees and the expansive contracted service providers that will definitely keep them busy with resume building projects culminating in the end of the budget year ( 3 months) that provides them the wish list items conveniently attainable due to the inflated budget approved and passed the past September…..It happens every year!….
When the millage PR campaign pushed by the Town Manager lost its first round the staff was asked to find ways to cut that $300,000 deficit….and on the fly….
What did the manager put forth?….. To not proceed with repaving of the streets! …..Which included the 3 rd vote to keep the millage down Vice Mayor’s BelAir streets….Pow!….
A look at the 2023 budget and accompanying justification sheets – found on Town Website- link to agenda /video below) has so much pork that can and should be removed that much, much more can be cut than the $300,000 without taking away from taxpayer infrastructure etc…
Why in the world did the commission end with agreeing staff would come back to recommend the items to be cut?….
The constituents expect the commissioners to come up with their cuts for keeping the constituents first and doing the job the commission was elected to do!…… No pencils please!……..Indelible markers are required!…..
Here’s some suggestions for Round 2 on September 28,2022 at 5:30pm Jarvis Hall…… Based on the agenda backup for the budget, the justification sheets and years of sitting at budget meetings and experiencing the same playbook….
Do not continue to curb and/ or negate code violation fines…..
Airbnb held to same tourist taxing for guests as hotels…… offering the same services….should require the same impacts of doing business in our town….
Do not re- design award winning Abatte portals- see historical documents on them…..replace the one that was torn down and repair the other Mimo structures….
Do itemize contractural contracts and cut “ studies” etc…….. Where else can an unitemized laundry list of expenditures be listed with a lump sum column and be accepted and approved?….
Do not hire more employees – pare down town employees. …..The Town has not grown but the number of employees in all departments has….with new titles and expanded assistance that defies the need with the outside experts we use as well….
Look at employee costs for conferences/ training and dues….. Are they all necessary and required each and every year?….
Look at actual breakdown of public works and contracted providers for the approximately $1.3 million along with salaries that puts this 2nd highest cost behind public safety….. The Mayor brought this forth and the response was non-responsive….but calls for itemization this year and going forward….Mayor, get the answers at the 9/28/2022 2nd Budget meeting…..
Do not allow ordinance changes at the increasing rate we have seen in the past few years ….This too has grown in numbers that beg for more scrutiny …….
Severely cut even more Town marketing – our hotels and restaurants do their own marketing….. Doubling up for what ?….
Archiving social media  which was approved on the 14th for $6000 this year…..is totally unnecessary when everything is attainable and on the cloud……
Do not continue to give free usage of parks etc.. to profiting businesses…..Charge a hefty rate or negate practice altogether….. And please do not let vendors compete with our downtown restaurants and stores for months at a time…..The vendors do not have to cover the same costs as our downtown businesses …..
Charge the vendors who use our beach for their chairs etc… if we do not do so presently….Something questioned and brought up to this writer often….
Do not add any more events in town….. We specifically cut events due to the negative impact to residents, costs and staff time……
Put marketing costs to event users to market beyond our normal web outreach……
Raise the parking rates….. Go as high as possible to coincide with the our prime location and usage….. Residents can get permits, businesses can get parking for their employees……
Stop buying more land…… Again, the town has not grown and start counting private parking lots……. when stating we need more….
Have a 2nd and even a 3rd opinion look at the fire safety report that is pushing for new Public Safety Facility for $10-$20 million….. It will not align with our small- town in looks or need!…..
Do not allow the Town Manager to remove the “ earmarked” $1.6 million for El Mar without a vote of the commission…..There was no vote to do so….The Mayor stated last year at the 2022 Town Budget meeting of it being for 2023 for El Mar Drive ….and suddenly after one comment over the summer from the Town Manager to move it to other Capital Improvement Projects…POOF!…. Those funds disappeared and El Mar was moved to “design in 2025 and redevelopment in 2026!….
Require itemized contractural list in Justification sheets instead of lump sums shown in current budget. It’s deceptive…… It bears repeating this ……
What actually needs to go to Flynn Engineering and Cap for review- same for our attorney, architectural review et al……
Require apples to apples comparisons in past budget numbers to new budget presentations in order to make cuts …. Not bullet-point presentations that skew the comparisons with the same lump sums as the justification sheets!….Comparing 2008 to 2022 is a ploy that fails on the details….As seen on 9/14….
Look at yearly charity $63,000 by town using taxpayer monies and have a cap if any. Why should towns give to charities when individuals, businesses should decide which if any privately……It’s an expected practice at the taxpayers expense….
Look at the real numbers for the Pelican Hopper $125,000 and the Visitors Center $85,000+ for this and future budget to retain or dismantle…… A discussion that comes and falls by the wayside…..
Remove proposed “Circuit” for $200,00 and its accompanying costs…..
Stop mailing out and distributing Town Topics approx. $45,000 use web only…..Most end up in the trash…. It’s an antiquated practice…..
Institute and insist on bids for services at annually and on a 2-5 year term for contracted companies -Town Engineers, Town Attorneys etc… No free passes ….Existing contracted servers can participate in the process…..
Do not allow for departments to get “ wish list” items using excess surplus from the budget….This  bears repeating as well…….Just watch any meetings from the past in the last months of the yearly budget under consent agenda!….
Readers…..
Let’s see if those we elected are ready to show their ability to be fiscally responsible and responsive to those they swore an oath to who are facing inflation and income uncertainty in 2023!…..
Round 2…..9/28/2022 ….The 2023 Budget Meeting in Jarvis Hall at 5:30 pm…..
Links….
https://granicus_production_attachments.s3.amazonaws.com/lbts/262dfa0089ddce8b4a576bbfae1dad960.pdf
https://lbts.granicus.com/MediaPlayer.php?view_id=4&clip_id=1416
More to come…
Sent from my iPhone

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HERE’S THE SCOOP…..ARUBA BEACH CAFE A LAUDERDALE-BY-THE-SEA LANDMARK….

September 11, 2022 by Barbara

HERE’S THE SCOOP….

Dear Readers…. Below is an email I sent to Town Mayor Chris Vincent, Vice Mayor Edmund Malkoon, Commissioner Buz Oldaker, Commissioner  Theo Poulopolous, Commissioner Randy Strauss as well as Town Manager Linda Conners, Deputy Town Manager Ken Rubach et al…. today…..

‘ARUBA AND OUR TOWN…..

Mayor, Commissioners-

It has come to my attention that once again there are a minority of people who are pushing their views of the plaza use to you in order to remove Aruba Beach Cafe from retaining their outdoor dining on a portion of the plaza.

I have no doubt that they would find out from their hotel patrons, neighbors and the majority of residents, neighboring residents and tourists both in our town and beyond that the pairing of our ocean front plaza and Aruba Beach Cafe are actually combining the two major landmarks we are known for along with the pier.

On the agenda for 9/14/2022 is to approve the archiving of our social media.

If you look at these archives you will see Aruba Beach Cafe in first or second place with the ocean plaza of photos taken by those using social media along with public relations photos and articles capturing our town.

Go to any specialty shop, photographer and art vendor or store and you will find Aruba Beach Cafe postcards, sketches, paintings and household items that change from place to place assuring its place as our town destination landmark.

Aruba Beach Cafe anchors our town and our downtown restaurants and has done so from our lean days to the present day that affords us all with much coveted parking revenue that you all marvel at year after year.

Add to that the income this town enjoys from the income we derive from Aruba Beach Cafe both from taxes and from their patrons who surely expand their patronage to other businesses in our town.

Aruba Beach Cafe under the management of Peggy Mohler has proven throughout their time in the plaza with their outdoor dining that they go over and beyond with the town in maintaining the plaza far beyond their designated area. 

They have happily and helpfully made sure to not impede or impact the town’s events in the plaza. In fact, they have supported and supplied assistance to elevate each event as you can all attest to.

It is time to laud Aruba Beach Cafe for being the first rate example of true public- private urban planning that urban planners on every level strive for.

I look forward to seeing all of you join the majority in making sure that Aruba Beach Cafe knows it is a LBTS treasure with a long overdue proclamation that solidifies it and the assurance of full support for retaining their plaza dining!

Barbara Cole ‘

It is time for this town commission, administration, staff and residents to proclaim Aruba Beach Cafe as the landmark we all know it is and to support it as such….

More to come……

 

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HERE’S THE SCOOP….WHEN IS A TOWN NO LONGER A TOWN?….. WHEN IT BECOMES A CITY!….

July 14, 2022 by Barbara

THERE IS A DIFFERENCE BETWEEN A TOWN AND A CITY…

Dear Readers….

Below is an email this writer sent to our commission after the 7/12/2022 commission meeting which continues to be problematic for those of us who know that unless and until there is a majority on the dais that leads rather than follows what staff puts in front of them we are heading towards the demise of LBTS being a TOWN! …..
We will become a CITY with unnecessary big ticket purchases of land for parking, large building, mega mansion  overdevelopment, city complexes and re- designs that will make our unique beachside village indistinguishable from all the other staff, contracted design- CRA driven municipalities!……
The only way to stop it is for those who chose to live here because we are a Town and not a city to speak out and let your commissioners know you want them to protect and preserve what we covet!…..
Silence from our LBTS stakeholders will only emboldens this trajectory from a Town to a city and will certainly leave us all with only our memories of what we once had and cherished but did nothing to stop it from happening!….
Please step up and pay attention and get involved because the few who are doing so cannot save our Town without you!…..
More to come…..
Email to our LBTS Commission-
From: Barbara Cole
Date: July 13, 2022
To: LindaConnors <[email protected]>, Chris Vincent <ChrisVincent@lauderdalebythesea-fl.gov>, TheoPoulopoulos <[email protected]>, Randy Strauss <[email protected]>, Buz Oldaker <BuzOldaker@lauderdalebythesea-fl.gov>, Edmund Malkoon <[email protected]fl.gov>, Barbara Cole <[email protected]>
Subject: 7/12/2022 Commission Meeting
Good Evening-

7/12/2022

What a disappointing night for those you represent!
You approved the purchase of an A1A parking lot with a lousy location, with terrible car access and a rather precarious dark sidewalk walk to our downtown to be bought for $5 million plus!
I asked about the required appraisals and none of the dais members took either the time to get the three appraisal amounts that were not provided in the agenda backup verbally from the Town Manager or to lookup the 4/26/2022 agenda that contained that overview per the Town Manager in her rather lacking response!
Here it is-
‘1. Prior to initiating any negotiations for the acquisition of any real property with the property owner, the Town shall obtain two written appraisals performed by a state certified real estate appraiser with an MAI Designation if the appraisal exceeds two hundred fifty thousand dollars ($250,000). Appraisers selected to appraise real property pursuant to this Section shall submit an affidavit substantiating that the appraiser has no vested or fiduciary interest in the property that is the subject of the appraisal.
2. Appraisal reports, offers and counteroffers are exempt from the provisions of Florida Statutes Section 119.07(1) (Public Records Law) for a period of time as provided in Florida Statutes Section 166.045, as amended from time to time.’
Look-
‘The assessed value of the Property well exceeds the $250,000 threshold, so Staff has ordered and received the required appraisals of the property which range between approximately 3-4 million as well as an appraisal provided by the property owner. Staff also seeks Commission direction as to whether the Commission wishes to have Staff begin to negotiate for the purchase of the Property. If a tentative agreement is reached, it will be scheduled for Commission consideration after the Town provides thirty (30) days’ notice to the public of the meeting.’
3-4 million! So where is the justification to pay 1-2 million more?!
I am against the 10 million dollar Public Safety Complex as stated previously due to the future of small municipalities such as ours being incorporated into the county as well as the limited size of our providers and the viable future of retaining a VFD.
That being said,  if it is the desire of the commission representing their constituents then forgo this 5 million dollar property and put it towards a complex that offers surface parking below the building.
Downtown, you all think the way to proceed is to pay for construction drawings and bid and then pull what is not wanted?
Why? Does it not seem fiscally responsible to do the reverse?
 Do the basic switch wanted by the restaurants and the residents then build on it  if need be.
It is akin to asking your builder to provide plans for a mega mansion only to end up with a tiny house! What a waste of time and money!
Someone please stop this separation of our downtown Commercial Ave. businesses and those further east on the plaza!
It is one downtown, already small with no need to further compartmentalize or diminish by purposefully dividing it for no reason!
This staff led commission is showing why this style of government will continue to replace our small town in to a city indistinguishable from our neighbors to the north and south at a record pace!
The commission should certainly take advantage of those interested and knowledgeable residents and businesses who offer up their vast expertise and knowledge because this was definitely an integral component to our biggest achievements and can continue to be if considered and accepted!
Which dais member will be the first to decide to lead us back to the formula that provided us our most success from 2010- 2016?
Will it be our current Mayor, our second term commissioner fresh off a campaign win he worked hard for, our newest commission member or those two commissioners in their final terms who are already vying for the center seat in 2024?
The residents, businesses and your future voters are watching!
Barbara Cole
4/26/2022 Agenda Item-

 

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