I missed last night's Commission meetings (two). I just forgot. But I heard about them today. Most of what I heard came from Dan Schneiger. The rest came from Chuck Ross. I'm going to have to listen to the recording.
The first meeting was to set the TRIM (ad valorem millage) and to deal with a proposal for a planner. The second meeting was to consider what ambitions the Commission has. "Better [over a year and a half] late than never?" Not really.
Dan Schneiger summarized the meetings as follows: "You missed an unbelievably pathetic special commission meeting last night. The only people in attendance were Bob and Janey, Barbara and Gary, Linda Dillon, Chuck Ross, David Raymond, and myself. Every person [who] got up to speak (Bob, Janey, Barbara and myself) told the commission they were on the wrong path. Bob wanted to know why the commission was incapable of properly noticing meetings. Barbara told them they were all derelict in their duties with regard to code enforcement. Both Barbara and I asked what happened to the campaign promises regarding communication between the commission and residents....I asked why we now have two full time code officers and yet the Village still looks like shit and commissioners and the manager don't respond to emails from residents. It was ugly and, as usual, Tracy droned on and on, got angry and defensive, and looked ridiculous...Harvey announced last night that he and Krishan have met with FDOT and have gotten sidewalks approved for 6th Avenue. They have yet to contact any residents on 6th Avenue and get their input, but Harvey confirmed that the project is 'approved,' much to the chagrin of the other commissioners. I'm guessing he is mistaken, as usual, but that's the story he stuck to last night... I left the meeting out of disgust after the first hour [it lasted three hours] so I’m not sure I’d be able to give a very good summary of what happened at the meeting other than Harvey telling everyone we’re getting sidewalks (and possibly crosswalks) on 6th Avenue, and Rox asking when all of this was discussed and approved. Tracy seemed unfazed by Harvey’s announcement and just wanted to know if we are 'getting any roundabouts?' Apparently Tracy really likes her roundabouts, not that we have any sort of plan or reason to have one, but she sure was excited to find out if Harvey got us one! Seriously, Fred, wtf is going on with these people? I honestly can’t determine if they are devious or just really stupid. How can a commissioner and the manager do this without getting approval (or even informing the other commissioners) from the full commission and looping in residents? It seems like Harvey, Tracy and Krishan have their own agenda and to hell with how things the supposed to be done."
Chuck confirmed everything Dan said, except he said Dan clarified in his comment that one Commissioner did respond to e-mails. That Commissioner, of course, was Roxy Ross. As for Dan's question and dilemma, are we allowed to choose both? You know, "devious" and "really stupid?"
The TRIM was set at our old and demented friend 9.7. This number has no meaning. It happens to be the same number as last year and several of the years before last. But it is not the same amount of tax dollars from property-owners, it is not the same revenue for the Village, and it continues to fail to meet the Village's needs. This was the standard mindless and meaningless exercise it always is.
No, the Commission cannot informally and without seeking and evaluating applications simply tack on a planning function for someone already providing service for the Village. Yes, that insight, too, came from Roxy Ross. What was the word Dan used? "Pathetic?"
The Commission did manage to avoid the real visioning exercise. Instead, I'm told, they (mostly Tracy) plunged into micromanaging details.
So now, I have to go back and listen to the recording, so I can find out what else went on at this meeting. I'll let you know. In fact, WTF is wrong with these people?
Tuesday, July 31, 2018
Friday, July 20, 2018
More Than Your Money's Worth
GableStage never fails to put on an excellent production. The acting, directing, and set are top notch. By that, I mean in part that a play done at GableStage and on Broadway is done better at GableStage. I have seen this.
The play for the coming month is "White Guy on the Bus." One description is "A fearless new play that unravels a complex web of intrigue, moral ambiguity, racial bias, and revenge." Reviews include "Critics' Pick! Thought-provoking, riveting theater!" (NYT), "Drama at its finest! A must see!" (Broadway World), and "Satisfying! A story of power and revenge, shrouded in intrigue!" (Theatermania).
The showing on Friday night, August 10, at 7:00, is special. The normal run for this play is August 11 to September 9, so this performance is a special dedication. Proceeds that night will go entirely to OrchestraMiami, which is a wonderful organization. And that night, the price is discounted to $40 per seat, and "drinks" and "light bites" are included.
So, for a low price, you get great theater, "drinks" and "light bites," whatever that turns out to mean, and what you pay for your ticket will support a great local classical music organization.
Give it careful consideration. If you're interested, the GableStage box office phone number is 305-445-1119.
As an aside, the only actor in this play whose name I know is Tom Wahl. He was terrific in two GableStage plays last year ("An Act of God" was off the charts spectacular), and I went to Lake Worth just to see him in something else.
I forgot to mention that GableStage is at the Biltmore Hotel.
Thursday, July 19, 2018
What Did I Say?
Toward the end of 2016, there was what seemed to present itself as a triumvirate, or a slate, of Commission candidates. They were Tracy Truppman, Jenny Johnson-Sardella, and Will Tudor. Tracy had some inconsistent and remote experience on minor Boards, Jenny was on the important Code Compliance Board, and Will had no identifiable presence at all in the Village, except that he happened to live here.
In most settings, these three offered no meaningful agenda. There was the de rigueur pablum about "listening to residents," but no real attention to important Village issues. Whenever an issue came up, as they did in places like Nextdoor, these three were conspicuously absent, and not because no one asked them to chime in.
I said in this blog, on Nextdoor, and verbally that I was very concerned about this slate getting elected. (I had not planned to run again myself, and I only ran anyway to offer myself as protection from this slate.) They would represent an instant majority-- there was every appearance that they were in lock step-- and they had no identifiable agenda. It seemed to me, as I said repeatedly and publicly, that a majority like this, of people most of whom had no relevant experience with Village government, and who had no agenda (didn't want anything, and expressed no vision for the neighborhood), would function in what I considered a predictable way.
I said they would do nothing, because they had nothing in mind to do, and their only available posture would be to criticize and blame other people. I specified that they would blame the prior Commission and the Manager. And that would be their agenda: doing nothing, and blaming other people. I committed myself openly and repeatedly to this suspicion as to what would happen if Truppman, Johnson-Sardella, and Tudor got elected.
Was I close?
In most settings, these three offered no meaningful agenda. There was the de rigueur pablum about "listening to residents," but no real attention to important Village issues. Whenever an issue came up, as they did in places like Nextdoor, these three were conspicuously absent, and not because no one asked them to chime in.
I said in this blog, on Nextdoor, and verbally that I was very concerned about this slate getting elected. (I had not planned to run again myself, and I only ran anyway to offer myself as protection from this slate.) They would represent an instant majority-- there was every appearance that they were in lock step-- and they had no identifiable agenda. It seemed to me, as I said repeatedly and publicly, that a majority like this, of people most of whom had no relevant experience with Village government, and who had no agenda (didn't want anything, and expressed no vision for the neighborhood), would function in what I considered a predictable way.
I said they would do nothing, because they had nothing in mind to do, and their only available posture would be to criticize and blame other people. I specified that they would blame the prior Commission and the Manager. And that would be their agenda: doing nothing, and blaming other people. I committed myself openly and repeatedly to this suspicion as to what would happen if Truppman, Johnson-Sardella, and Tudor got elected.
Was I close?
Tuesday, July 17, 2018
Personal Insult Added to General Injury
This morning at 8:10, I again encountered the guy with the two Siberian huskies. You remember them. They're the dogs bred for ultra cold weather, and he keeps them in a very hot climate. About 50 minutes before I saw him, I encountered another casual walker, who commented to me that today was a "steambath." I guess it was more so 50 minutes later.
Anyway, the guy recognized me, smiled in a friendly way, and told me he hoped he would make it to my age. I asked him how old he thought I was. He said he himself is 40. (This sounds like a non sequitur, and I would hold it against his intellect, but I already wasn't very impressed, from my last encounter with him.) I asked him again how old he thought I was, and he guessed 60. Sixty-eight, I told him. And he repeated his hope that he himself would make it to my age.
I imagine he thought he was complimenting me, like he thought he was taking good care of two Siberian huskies-- you know, the dogs bred for extreme cold, but he keeps them in a very hot climate.
Anyway, the guy recognized me, smiled in a friendly way, and told me he hoped he would make it to my age. I asked him how old he thought I was. He said he himself is 40. (This sounds like a non sequitur, and I would hold it against his intellect, but I already wasn't very impressed, from my last encounter with him.) I asked him again how old he thought I was, and he guessed 60. Sixty-eight, I told him. And he repeated his hope that he himself would make it to my age.
I imagine he thought he was complimenting me, like he thought he was taking good care of two Siberian huskies-- you know, the dogs bred for extreme cold, but he keeps them in a very hot climate.
Wednesday, July 11, 2018
We Compromised
Tonight's special Commission meeting was for the purpose of choosing a new Village attorney. There were three finalists. There was a solo private practice lawyer, who is really an employee of Broward County, but who can do private work. There was an attorney with a firm, but he himself doesn't have any personal municipal clients right now. And there was a large firm specializing in representing municipalities. Each finalist had good credentials and more than adequate experience. And there was a range of fee schedules, ranging from about what we pay now per hour ($165) to considerably more than that ($250). The large firm that charges $250 per hour said they could negotiate the fee.
Each firm or attorney made a presentation, and each answered questions from Commissioners. Then, the Commissioners voted. There was some discussion before votes were taken.
Roxy Ross liked the idea of a firm with depth and with local contacts. The other Commissioners were more preoccupied with cost. And the other Commissioners also all noted another factor: they liked the idea of a more personal touch. They liked the idea that the Village is that special place, that should have special and individualized treatment. They seemed to like the idea that we would somehow have what we could pretend was someone's undivided, or not too divided, attention.
Interestingly, one of the attorney finalists mentioned the idea of municipalities that like to have voting on their own special day, when they are the only thing on the ballot. But that attorney reminded us that that kind of specialness comes at a fiscal cost. We've been there ourselves, and we came to realize that what it cost us to be that special was a lot of money, and the participation of many of our citizens. So we voted to move our election to the general election. It may seem somehow relatively impersonal, but it's a lot cheaper, and we get a lot more votes.
So that was the choice among the three finalists. Tracy Truppman chose the private practice guy. The other four chose the guy who presented to us by himself, and we'd be "[his] Village:" his only client. No one wanted the firm that sent three attorneys to present, and had 300 more in the firm, with "economy of scale" (that was the term they used) to attend efficiently to our needs.
No, the feeling was that we had to try to preserve that feeling of specialness. The one we surrendered to save money and get more turnout on voting day. The one we surrendered when we outsourced sanitation, and saved ourselves a good deal of money, and a lot of efficiency in the Public Works Department.
I myself didn't initially want the large group. Not that it matters what I thought, but I just thought they seemed too slick, and all business. But after they presented, I decided I was wrong. We're not looking for friends. We're looking for expert and efficient legal advice. Slick and all business is exactly what we want.
It costs us to pretend to be some little and charming waifs. We wind up with ineptitude, inefficiency, poorly kept streets, and miserable-looking medians. What we need is what we managed to avoid tonight. But we got second best. Roxy knows him, has worked directly with him, and likes his work. And she voted for him. That was good enough.
Each firm or attorney made a presentation, and each answered questions from Commissioners. Then, the Commissioners voted. There was some discussion before votes were taken.
Roxy Ross liked the idea of a firm with depth and with local contacts. The other Commissioners were more preoccupied with cost. And the other Commissioners also all noted another factor: they liked the idea of a more personal touch. They liked the idea that the Village is that special place, that should have special and individualized treatment. They seemed to like the idea that we would somehow have what we could pretend was someone's undivided, or not too divided, attention.
Interestingly, one of the attorney finalists mentioned the idea of municipalities that like to have voting on their own special day, when they are the only thing on the ballot. But that attorney reminded us that that kind of specialness comes at a fiscal cost. We've been there ourselves, and we came to realize that what it cost us to be that special was a lot of money, and the participation of many of our citizens. So we voted to move our election to the general election. It may seem somehow relatively impersonal, but it's a lot cheaper, and we get a lot more votes.
So that was the choice among the three finalists. Tracy Truppman chose the private practice guy. The other four chose the guy who presented to us by himself, and we'd be "[his] Village:" his only client. No one wanted the firm that sent three attorneys to present, and had 300 more in the firm, with "economy of scale" (that was the term they used) to attend efficiently to our needs.
No, the feeling was that we had to try to preserve that feeling of specialness. The one we surrendered to save money and get more turnout on voting day. The one we surrendered when we outsourced sanitation, and saved ourselves a good deal of money, and a lot of efficiency in the Public Works Department.
I myself didn't initially want the large group. Not that it matters what I thought, but I just thought they seemed too slick, and all business. But after they presented, I decided I was wrong. We're not looking for friends. We're looking for expert and efficient legal advice. Slick and all business is exactly what we want.
It costs us to pretend to be some little and charming waifs. We wind up with ineptitude, inefficiency, poorly kept streets, and miserable-looking medians. What we need is what we managed to avoid tonight. But we got second best. Roxy knows him, has worked directly with him, and likes his work. And she voted for him. That was good enough.
Tuesday, July 10, 2018
"Unbelievable."
It was just before 9:00, and one of our neighbors was leaving the Commission meeting in a combination of boredom and disgust, when he uttered this word. The meeting had become unbearably bogged down, over nothing, and our neighbor couldn't stand it any more. Coincidentally, not five minutes before he left, I said almost the same thing. Except I inserted something between the un- and the -believable.
This meeting had no reason to slog as it did. It had no right. Everything-- well, almost everything-- was going great until Ordinance #1. The only snag that occurred before that was when Roxy Ross wanted to pull something from the Consent Agenda, because she wanted to draw attention to it. It was the minutes of the meeting of the Public Safety Advisory Board, and Roxy wanted to point out that two Commissioners had been in attendance, and that this created what could be a Sunshine meeting within the Board meeting, and it should have been announced that way. The problem was that Roxy was one of the Commissioners who was there, and Tracy Truppman was the other. And of course, Tracy took instant offense, decided she had to defend herself, and did it the way she always does it: she tried to dismiss or demean Roxy's having brought it up. So that wasted a few annoying minutes, but we were otherwise onto the Ordinances.
Ordinance #1 was a loser from the start. Everyone who commented on it in Public Comment panned it, and three of the Commissioners didn't like it, either. The problem was that it was Harvey Bilt's scheme, and this created a problem for his little team. The big team wasn't present, because Jenny Johnson-Sardella was somewhere or other, but not at the meeting. So Harvey's posse were supposed to be Tracy and Will Tudor. Will didn't like the Ordinance, either, and neither did Roxy. Tracy didn't like it-- there was nothing to recommend this Ordinance, which made no sense and accomplished nothing-- but she was stuck. She was at great pains to go against her boy, Harvey, but she couldn't bring herself to join him. So what should have been a very quick vote in opposition to this Ordinance dragged on for way too long, with Will rambling, Harvey defending and redefending, Roxy talking too much about it, and Tracy speaking against the Ordinance while simultaneously repeatedly apologizing to Harvey. Way...too...long. Not for Andrew Dunkeil, our attorney, though. He's on the clock. Keep on yammering, y'all.
Next, it was slightly less moronic, but also more nonsensical Ordinance #2. Hoo-boy. Should we refinance? Well, no. Clearly not. Roxy Ross made that crystal clear. Painfully crystal clear. It made no sense. The reason to refinance wasn't actually there, and it would have cost more than it would have saved. Just listen, kids. Rox is explaining it to you, making it as clear as it could possibly be, and she even got the Finance Director to see her point, and convinced him. Just realize it was a non-starter, and vote it down, so we can move on. Nope. On...and on...and on. And on. Over nothing, except perhaps Tracy's realization that she is out of her depth, does not know and understand the issues, and that Roxy is really the heart and sole of this Commission. Which is why it's so pervasively necessary to try to obliterate her. It was near the end of this soul-crushing discussion that our neighbor had more than enough and left. Although there was actually not too much left of the meeting.
But there was one moment of comic relief. Roxy had put on the Agenda a Resolution to name this year's BP delegate to the Florida League of Cities' annual conference in Hollywood. Well, you know Princess Tracy just had to be the delegate. She thought it was sort of like which pupil gets to bring the teacher an apple. Roxy offered to go, as she has always gone, but Tracy repeated-- three times, as the person sitting next to me counted-- that the Mayor (Princess Tracy, herself) should be the one to go and wear the prettiest dress, and have the nicest pigtails. In fact, Tracy thought the Resolution should be generalized, so that it's always the Mayor who gets to be the voting delegate. Well, Roxy had had enough. As she pointed out, she only has a few short months left on the Commission, and she let the Princess have her way. And Roxy mentioned, just in passing, that there was a stipend available for the delegate, so that half the expenses would be reimbursed. Tracy did this math in a hurry. She instantly realized that Roxy was saying the delegate has to pay something to be a delegate. She handed the honor immediately back to Roxy. What a devoted representative our Mayor is.
And what a gross waste of time this meeting was.
This meeting had no reason to slog as it did. It had no right. Everything-- well, almost everything-- was going great until Ordinance #1. The only snag that occurred before that was when Roxy Ross wanted to pull something from the Consent Agenda, because she wanted to draw attention to it. It was the minutes of the meeting of the Public Safety Advisory Board, and Roxy wanted to point out that two Commissioners had been in attendance, and that this created what could be a Sunshine meeting within the Board meeting, and it should have been announced that way. The problem was that Roxy was one of the Commissioners who was there, and Tracy Truppman was the other. And of course, Tracy took instant offense, decided she had to defend herself, and did it the way she always does it: she tried to dismiss or demean Roxy's having brought it up. So that wasted a few annoying minutes, but we were otherwise onto the Ordinances.
Ordinance #1 was a loser from the start. Everyone who commented on it in Public Comment panned it, and three of the Commissioners didn't like it, either. The problem was that it was Harvey Bilt's scheme, and this created a problem for his little team. The big team wasn't present, because Jenny Johnson-Sardella was somewhere or other, but not at the meeting. So Harvey's posse were supposed to be Tracy and Will Tudor. Will didn't like the Ordinance, either, and neither did Roxy. Tracy didn't like it-- there was nothing to recommend this Ordinance, which made no sense and accomplished nothing-- but she was stuck. She was at great pains to go against her boy, Harvey, but she couldn't bring herself to join him. So what should have been a very quick vote in opposition to this Ordinance dragged on for way too long, with Will rambling, Harvey defending and redefending, Roxy talking too much about it, and Tracy speaking against the Ordinance while simultaneously repeatedly apologizing to Harvey. Way...too...long. Not for Andrew Dunkeil, our attorney, though. He's on the clock. Keep on yammering, y'all.
Next, it was slightly less moronic, but also more nonsensical Ordinance #2. Hoo-boy. Should we refinance? Well, no. Clearly not. Roxy Ross made that crystal clear. Painfully crystal clear. It made no sense. The reason to refinance wasn't actually there, and it would have cost more than it would have saved. Just listen, kids. Rox is explaining it to you, making it as clear as it could possibly be, and she even got the Finance Director to see her point, and convinced him. Just realize it was a non-starter, and vote it down, so we can move on. Nope. On...and on...and on. And on. Over nothing, except perhaps Tracy's realization that she is out of her depth, does not know and understand the issues, and that Roxy is really the heart and sole of this Commission. Which is why it's so pervasively necessary to try to obliterate her. It was near the end of this soul-crushing discussion that our neighbor had more than enough and left. Although there was actually not too much left of the meeting.
But there was one moment of comic relief. Roxy had put on the Agenda a Resolution to name this year's BP delegate to the Florida League of Cities' annual conference in Hollywood. Well, you know Princess Tracy just had to be the delegate. She thought it was sort of like which pupil gets to bring the teacher an apple. Roxy offered to go, as she has always gone, but Tracy repeated-- three times, as the person sitting next to me counted-- that the Mayor (Princess Tracy, herself) should be the one to go and wear the prettiest dress, and have the nicest pigtails. In fact, Tracy thought the Resolution should be generalized, so that it's always the Mayor who gets to be the voting delegate. Well, Roxy had had enough. As she pointed out, she only has a few short months left on the Commission, and she let the Princess have her way. And Roxy mentioned, just in passing, that there was a stipend available for the delegate, so that half the expenses would be reimbursed. Tracy did this math in a hurry. She instantly realized that Roxy was saying the delegate has to pay something to be a delegate. She handed the honor immediately back to Roxy. What a devoted representative our Mayor is.
And what a gross waste of time this meeting was.
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