Friday, August 30, 2019
If You Can't Stand the Heat...
I wasn't sure what to call this post. I was thinking about "Tracy to Village: 'Go F**k Yourself,'" but Tracy recoiled at Mac Kennedy's reference to getting a "kick in the ass," so I figured that F**k would not be acceptable, and I searched for a different title. I was thinking about Tracy's sudden interruption of the meeting with a 10-minute recess, because one of her neighbors asked her a question she wasn't prepared to answer, and I decided "If You Can't Stand the Heat..." was a good enough alternative. Tracy immediately exited the room, and attached her ear to her mobile phone, so it was clear that the recess must be pretty serious, and the title about the hot kitchen was likely a propos.
The purpose of today's special Commission meeting was actually very straightforward. We had to agree to a contract for hurricane clean-up services, and since the RFP didn't go out until this past April, and there was only one company that offered to fulfill it, then there was really no decision to make. We had no choice, and we had to agree to the one applicant. The questions from several Village residents, as to why it took two years to put out the RFP, went unanswered. The Village manager made a couple of snide and obnoxious cracks at two Commissioners who tried to inquire further about this, but the fact was that there was really nothing to discuss, this being a Friday afternoon after business hours, and a hurricane is expected by Monday. In fact, no questions got serious and respectful answers. This was a patent scam, and we were at every kind of disadvantage.
No one was happy about this meeting. Even Tracy Truppman, who scurried out during the recess, seemed very stressed. Krishan Manners and Rebecca Rodriguez did whatever cleaning up they could find to do, but the mess remained there. It was just further evidence of the pervasive mismanagement this Village has suffered for the past 2 1/2 years.
I left when Tracy left. It was clear there was nothing else to discuss. Chuck Ross still wanted to talk about the failed project known as communication between the administration and Village residents, but that never got addressed, either.
I'm trying to remember who said they might be considering running for Commission next year. Oh, yeah, H Weitz. Good. He's a good guy, and if he runs, he's got my vote.
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The commission showed its true colors once again, and I think everyone can agree it was a shit show. We all need to give a Krishan break because he's only had 2 years to get prepared to lead the city through a hurricane event! What a load of crap. Commissioner Tudor sits up there and gets spoon fed bullshit excuses by Krishan while he requests a pay raise, and of course Will just sits there with a blank stare on his face. Fred, you forgot to mention Betsy could not find the time to show up for another meeting. Why doesn't she just resign and do us all a favor, I am sick of hearing about her stupid water park, being insulted by residents, and how she can't make a meeting due to having children. She's a fucking nut job and residents don't care about her family schedule. Krishan sat up there and scowled at everyone like a snotty little school girl, while being called out for not doing his job. If I am not mistaken, hurricane season start on June 1st. I'm vaguely impressed Jenny actually pressed Krishan on why he waited a couple of months before hurricane season to actually put out the RFP for cleanup, and it was only posted for 1 month and closed after the first and only contractor placed a bid. Krishan is really working to save the city money...not. After the meeting, I did get a chance to directly ask the lawyer if some of her tasks could have been done by the city manager to save us the money, and she got flustered and said "I don't think the village was overcharged for my services", hhmmm that was not the question I asked her. So we have a village manager who knows he's Tracy's favorite pet (sorry Michael Redmond) and he is going to milk this job for all its worth, and he should since this is about as high up on the ladder he will get. Meanwhile we have a potential hurricane coming and the city again is not prepared. I do hope that family on 114th with all the emotional support chickens has a plan to evacuate them into their home or take them down the road while evacuating the city. We don't need chickens running through our streets and looking more like Little Haiti than we already do.
ReplyDeleteAh, Brad. Before I respond to you, let me correct a mischaracterization I made. I said Tracy recessed the meeting, because she wasn't "prepared" to answer a certain question. She wasn't unprepared, as if she could do something to prepare herself. She didn't want to answer the question. She got mad at the person who asked it, tried to talk over him, and when that didn't work, she gavelled the meeting into a recess. And she stormed out of the room.
DeleteBack to your extensive comment, Brad. You raise many issues. I don't want to rehash all of this, but Krishan's fault is not that he doesn't do his job. He may or may not be capable of doing the job as it is set out by the Village Charter, but the fact is Tracy won't let him do that job. He does what she allows him to do. I have two complaints about Krishan. One is that he's willing to be the manager (although if it wasn't he, it could only be someone else Tracy would dominate and emasculate), and the other is that he has become willing to be nasty and attacking.
Will, yeah.
This is Betsy's second in a row missed meeting. And not her only two missed meetings since she got elected less than a year ago. As you say about Betsy...
Yes, Jenny is making gestures that could be interpreted to mean she's beginning to awaken. But Jenny's problem is the same as Will's and the same as Betsy's: it is their job (and it's no one else in the world's job) to challenge Tracy for the endless Charter violations, and none of them is doing it. So ultimately, Jenny is as worthless and destructive as the rest, except Dan.
Yes, hurricane season starts on June 1. Every year. We knew that in April, and March, and January, and all of last year, and 2 1/2 years ago. By the time we (Tracy) put out an RFP, everyone was set for this year. All the municipalities were, and all the contractors were. We weren't going to get much of a response, and we didn't. No one is eager to get that huge Biscayne Park contract.
Rebecca Rodriguez? Please. We need big turnover next year. Tracy, Jenny, Will, Krishan, and Rebecca all have to go. And we have to try to get ourselves back on a constructive and functional track.
By the way, Dorian is not a "potential" hurricane. It's a hurricane. And it's not potentially coming. It's coming. The question is how close.
Fred, true enough on all of the above and yes as of now it still is a hurricane with the potential of reaching a Cat 5. Betsy has had only two full absences, however she tends to skip out early with one excuse or another. Bad leadership seems to be the Never Ending Story of Biscayne Park.
ReplyDeleteBrad,
DeleteBad leadership is not a never-ending story here. In the past several years, we've had some excellent Commissions that accomplished a lot. And we've had two very good managers. (I'm sure Sharon would have made it three.) Ana Garcia was excellent, as much as the then dysfunctional Commission would allow her to be. Heidi Siegel had some wonderful qualities, and she did a lot of good for us. And we combined the best of Heidi with a Commission that was forward-thinking and wanted the best for the Village, and we did some unprecedented and powerful things. Then, at the end of 2016, we got what you correctly refer to as bad leadership, which, as part of its badness, corrupted the position of manager, and now, as you say, the whole leadership is bad. But it doesn't have to be, and we can return to good leadership at the end of next year. We can only hope that not much further damage will be done between now and then.
Also, before Ana Garcia, we had a good Commission, and a weak and unenthusiastic manager, but the Commission was able to keep the Village moving in a good direction.
DeleteWith another good Commission, and another good manager, we can accomplish more for the Village.
I just posted this on ND and emailed to the powers that be:
ReplyDeleteWHERE'S BETSY?
Last night, Mayor "Day Late, Dollar Short" Tracy Truppman called an emergency commission meeting to approve a hurricane debris removal monitoring contract just 48 hours before the first storm of the season. Of course, BP has had two YEARS to get this done since Irma, but Tracy & Co. waited until a storm is blowing up our skirt. They'be been reminded, asked, poked and prodded on the topic for months and months, but they finally acted just last night. Crisis averted, at least for now, but at the expense of another meeting (they ain't free, folks, particularly because our attorney charges by the hour).
They also discussed the non-existent emergency communications plan, which includes emails that can't seem to send to every resident. And, they told us about a texting program that hasn't even been tested. Dysfunctional Manager Krishan Manners has that as under control as all other duties that he fumbles and bumbles at Tracy's behest.
However, Commissioner Betsy Wise was a no-show for the meeting, with no explanation given even though residents asked. Betsy has time to consult with the village attorney about how constitutionally protected public records requests might be a form of commissioner harassment, but she can't seem to fit commission meetings into her schedule. Commissioner "Splash Mountain" also missed the August commission meeting, with no explanation provided. And, she left the July meeting early after giving an explanation: She couldn't arrange child care for a meeting. Betsy also missed a workshop or two, and when she does attend public meetings she contributes less than any other commissioner (even less than Will Tudor who can use more words and oxygen than any human to say absolutely nothing). The only meeting she attended with "lights on" was the branding workshop she manhandled and then dropped like it never happened. Not a word has been mentioned on that project in MONTHS.
Makes me wonder: Why did Betsy ask for this position, if she's not going to take it seriously or even show up for it? And, when will the commission enforce rules regarding excused/unexcused absences like all volunteer boards are required to do? If Betsy's work/family schedule don't permit her complete participation, she really should step down and let another more available or dedicated resident step in. Work and kids are acceptable reasons to not be an involved RESIDENT, but they are absolutely lame excuses to not be an involved COMMISSIONER.
Betsy, step up or step down.