Here’s The Scoop ….. “HOT” HISTORY …. 2007 … “HOT” UNDER THE COLLAR …2009 ….
August 8, 2009 by Barbara
“2 HATS” UNDER PRESSURE….
Dear Readers….If there is any doubt as to why this writer will keep up the pressure to rectify the situation we find ourselves in with the current majority on the Commission and the current Administration…a look at the minutes from Jan. 9, 2007 is just one of many glaring reasons why the hypocritical “2 Hats” must be swept out in March 2010…In this post first the past minutes then the last Commission meeting…
THAT WAS THEN…..JANUARY 9, 2007…
page 23…New Bus. item 14 C. Discussion and/or action pertaining to procedures for public comments and Commissioner comments (Mayor Pro Tem Clark)…
Here’s the highlights…….. Comm. Clark brought this up because he felt the Town’s ability to do business “has been severely impaired by the way public and the commissioner comments are applied at Town meetings”…He wanted to cut down the time from 1 -1 1/2hrs. to 30 min. ….Mayor Parker had to stop Comm. Clark because the audience (CIC -2-Hat supporters/ full disclosure including this writer …still under the Kool-aid at the time) were “chuckling…breaking “decorum” …Comm. McIntee stated Mayor Parker was running a “Kangaroo Court”…Mayor Parker said Comm. McIntee needed to learn decorum…Comm. Clark said his plan “would prevent any group from stacking the deck”…He also wanted only residents/taxpayers to be allowed to speak..3 mins/no personal attacks from the dais or the podium…the leftover speakers would be able to speak at the end of the meeting…Comm. Clark wanted Comm. comments moved to the end as well with a 5 minute time limit…Comm. Clark made that motion..Mayor Parker 2nd it…THEN…
“COMMISSIONER SILVERSTONE REMARKED THAT HE FELT LIKE HE WAS HAVING A BAD DREAM AND THAT THE PROPOSED PROCEDURAL CHANGE WOULD NOT BE A PROBLEM IF THERE WAS NOT SO MUCH MISTRUST AND MISCOMMUNICATION, THUS THE TOWN’S PROBLEMS WEREN’T GOING TO GO AWAY BY MAKING THIS ACTION “…He did not think the meeting would be less in time…”COMMISSIONER SILVERSTONE SAID THE MOTION WAS A SLAP IN HIS FACE AS AN AMERICAN.”
“COMMISSIONER MCINTEE DECLARED THIS MOTION A DISGRACE AND A REFLECTION OF THE FACT THAT MAYOR PARKER, VICE MAYOR YANNI AND MAYOR PRO TEM CLARK COULD NOT STAND THE HEAT. ‘
” COMMISSIONER MCINTEE ARGUED THE TOWN’S PEOPLE HAD EVERY RIGHT TO COME UP TO THE PODIUM AND CALL THE COMMISSION ANYTHING THEY WANT.”
“HE WENT ON TO SAY THAT THIS MOTION VIOLATED THESE PEOPLE’S RIGHT.”
“COMMISSIONER MCINTEE CONCLUDED BY SAYING THAT MAYOR PARKER WAS AN EVIL PERSON AND THAT HIS MOTION WAS WRONG, WRONG, WRONG.”
Mayor Parker reprimanded McIntee and reminded him “there were no personal attacks allowed”
“COMMISSIONER MCINTEE CONTINUED BY SAYING THAT IT IS A CONSTITUTIONAL RIGHT TO SPEAK OUT AND BE HEARD.”…”He admonished the members of the Comm. that were retired army majors and lawyers by saying “SHAME.”
Comm. Silverstone said he hoped he wasn’t wasting his time by trying to talk to the other Comms….that “he might change his mind by something that was said”..and hoped the other Comm. would do the same.
“COMMISSIONER MCINTEE APOLOGIZED TO MEMBERS OF THE AUDIENCE FOR THE DAIS AND THE WAY MEMBERS OF THE COMMISSION WERE USING THEIR AUTHORITY TO ABUSE THE TOWNSPEOPLE’S CONSTITUTIONAL RIGHTS AND STATED THINGS LIKE THIS ONLY HAPPENED IN TOTALITARIAN REGIMES.”
“HE LAMENTED THAT THE SUPPORTERS OF THIS MOTION WERE NOT EVEN GOING TO HAVE THE COMMON COURTESY TO LET THOSE WHO CAME TO SPEAK HAVE THEIR LAST HURRAH.”
Comm. Clark said Comm. McIntee was the one that was “evil”, Mayor Parker said both Comms. were out of line…no personal attacks.
“COMMISSIONER MCINTEE EMPHASIZED HE THOUGHT MAYOR PARKER WAS TAKING CARE OF EVERYONE BUT THE TOWNSPEOPLE. …He went on to say that’s why there was a recall and made accusations against the majority on the dais meeting at Aruba’s to decide their roles on the dais and “work it out to screw the two new guys.”…Parker, Clark and Yanni said that was a lie…It then veered off into ethics / conflict of interest and the following statements by Vice Mayor Yanni…
“Vice Mayor Yanni remarked that ever since they’ve [McIntee/Silverstone] the Town’s done nothing but argue and fight, but that it was time to put that aside and pursue the business of the Town. HE POINTED OUT THAT THE CIC WAS NOT THE ENTIRE TOWN AND HE HEARD CRISTIE FURTH SAY “OH WE GOT THE TOWN WHERE WE WANT THEM RIGHT NOW.” He encouraged the people in favor of moving on to speak up and express their feelings about the Town and the commissioners who are doing this recalling and backstabbing and lying with the paper.”
Mayor Parker admonished the Editor of the By The Sea Times and a vote was called for …it was 4-1 McIntee dissenting…Silverstone voted yes to be able to bring it up for reconsideration…
full text….http://www.lauderdalebythesea-fl.gov/town/arc-meetings.htm
THIS IS NOW….July 28, 2009….
Previous post “Prop again DUH!” 8/3/09 scoops cat…. has the exchange from New Bus. item 16 D. where the VM goes after freedom of speech…below are some more statements made by the same “2-Hat” that spoke on Jan 9, 2009….
Comm. Silverstone ” I have a problem with the, the people abusing the right to speak up here. I think we should give 3 minutes period. However they want to use that 3 minutes is up to them because we’re, we’re as a comment was made earlier [by his Fiancee’ prev. post] the Town’s not getting anything done here and it’s getting out of hand and it’s just being used for political agendas and um, it’s affecting the way we’re operating here. It’s getting really embarrassing and out of control and I yield.”
Vice Mayor McIntee ” Um, it’s being abused ah, by one woman in this room presently [this writer] ah, last meeting she was up 5 times and took 18 minutes. I timed it.”
BC- I timed it..I was up for 2nd reading 3 min/ VM Drainage 2 min./ RFP 2 min./ Banners 1 min./ Monument less than 1 min. total 8+ mins….the VM in his Comm. Comments 13 mins./ this writer thought the Comm. allowed all to speak only once on 1 item. no limit on topics. from an earlier round table decision etc…
VM- ” That’s just an abuse if, if it’s election time coming up anybody runs for election can come up on every item it’s off the wall, it’s lost control, the, the Mayor has lost control of the meeting by allowing this to happen.” He went on to say he recalled only one item if not public comments and only 3 minutes…Comm. Dodd agreed with his recollection…
VM- ” I agree with that and it’s been abused completely and the Mayor let it happen time and time again and it’s wrong and it’s one of the reasons meetings have been 6 and 7 hours.”
BC- Willing to bet that a check of the past meetings will show the largest user of time …is the Vice Mayor!….
VM- ” Another problem we have are people coming after the signature sign in sheets are done. They’re taken up by Nikki, she placed them and people are handing her names. That’s wrong.”
The Mayor asked for a point of information to see if that has happened…Nikki said it had…The Town Manger inaudibly spoke about it and the Mayor said she needed to check saying “I wanted to make sure that the truth , that the Vice Mayor is saying something that is factual.”
VM- ” You, you calling me a liar Mayor?”
Mayor- “You tend to bend the truth at times.”
VM- ‘ You tend to go in directions that aren’t always in the right like running these meetings and getting out of control.”
The Manager said it occurred…Nikki affirmed it and said it need not go any further…
BC- at public comments Cristie Furth brought up the previous decision made in 2007…saying this commission had made a concerted effort to make it better…She said “the pendulum has swung”…BUT…should that matter?….
June 9, 2009…public comments Cristie Furth ” felt the audience was controlling the meetings and should be controlled by the Mayor as presiding officer….
The Vice Mayor then went on to his “Gestapo and Nazi members and Storm troopers” diatribe…adding “that’s over the line, that’s decorum. As as a sitting Mayor you have an obligation to control the decorum that’s, that’s not freedom of speech that’s losing the decorum of a meeting and to say somebody up here is a Storm trooper and a Nazi…”…
The Mayor said the Town Atty. wanted to speak…but the Vice Mayor was not done…He went on to speak of a business owner speaking against a “resident” (prev. scoops post Achilles Heel”…going on about all the 2009 imposed rules…no names no personal attacks…
The Town Attorney addressed the freedom of speech issue…with pubic comments…allowing for public to speak at public hearings ..(1st/2nd readings/ Quasi Judicial)…The Vice Mayor was not backing down…
VM- ” And when the Mayor sits there and let that happen and said nothing I was upset. But she let it go on and on and on and that was a step that lost it and complete decorum and any respect I had for the Mayor right there.
The Mayor said the Vice Mayor was “the last person I want to have respect from.”
The Vice Mayor said “well that’s fine Mayor but this is business to run”
The Mayor wanted to move on…but the Vice mayor still wanted a vote and to address whether those who spoke would need to state their addresses…
The Mayor said she could not make that motion…”I don’t make motions Vice Mayor, you do.”
BC- The Mayor could not make a motion…Why? Because the 2- Hat Commissioners and the candidates decided “we’ll work it out and screw the new Mayor by not allowing her to make motions and not allowing the Town Attorney to sit next to her”…
The Vice Mayor made the motion and Comm. Silverstone 2nd it…it passed “Gang of 3″ -2…
In 2009…Vice Mayor McIntee, Commissioner Silverstone and Commissioner Clottey …”.COULD NOT STAND THE HEAT”. ….It’s time for them to go…
more to come….
