Wednesday, August 26, 2020
Well, "BrambleWitch," It's Like This.
And for a frame of reference, 1) it's not "my" blog. I started it, but it's everyone's blog. 2) "BrambleWitch" told us a month or so ago that she believes everyone knows who she really is, and she signed one comment Nancy.
"BrambleWitch"/Nancy sent me an e-mail today. She wanted to know what my platform is, and she had some specific questions. I wrote back to tell her that she was more than entitled to know what my platform is, and what I think about Village matters, since I am, you know, running for Commission. And I added that anyone else should know that about me, too, and that she and everyone else should want to know that about all Commission candidates. I asked "BrambleWitch"/Nancy if she wanted a private response to a private e-mail, or if I could transfer her e-mail to this blog, and answer openly. She permitted the latter.
So I'm reprinting the e-mail here, I will respond to it, and I hope the other candidates will do the same. "BrambleWitch"/Nancy will wind up with three of us, and she'll need to know which three she wants to wind up with.
Hi Fred,
I saw on your blog that you are running for Commissioner and read your summary of what you stand for and what you were involved in during that time.
I am interested in knowing a little more of your thoughts because (just like in the national election) this vote is important to the Village. In your summary you stated that you wanted progress for Biscayne Park. I would like to know from you what that actually means. I think we all want progress for Biscayne Park, but I am sure that what I consider progress is different from what you or Mac might say. By asking that question, I want to know if your vision of progress includes the “look” of the Village.
I am also interested in your opinion of the FDOT 6th Avenue project. I believe that 6th avenue is in a unique position as the “main” street in a small town. I would like to know what you think would be the best decision for Biscayne Park/6th avenue in possibly going forward with the FDOT project. Would you agree with going forward as already proposed? Are you interested at all in the 2 lane scenario? What should 6th avenue look and function like? What should Biscayne Park look and function like?
Thanks,
Nancy
Nancy,
Thanks for taking an interest. And I agree with you that what I might want might be different from what someone else might want, even if we both/all refer to "progress."
I listed a number of things in my comment to "Noah." Some of what I said had a great deal to do with the look of the Village. I made one comment to "Noah," then realized I should clarify something, so I made a second comment, and I waited to see if "Noah," or "sezzle," would want to discuss further. Neither appears to have wanted that. But I did realize I forgot to mention one other specific thing, which has to do with drainage. Several parts of the Village have drainage problems, and there are a few clusters of Village residents who always bring that to all of our attention. I do think we should improve drainage -- it's already a problem, and that problem will get worse with a rising water table and gradual encroachment from the ocean and the bay -- and that issue segues into your other questions about 6th Avenue. By the way, improving drainage is a big and expensive project, and the Village could not possibly do it itself. This will require state or federal funding.
Anyway, yes, 6th Avenue is "unique" in the Village. It's not unique in CNMB, CNM, unincorporated county, MSV, and Miami. In those places, it's just another four lane street. But here, it's our one and only four lane street. And it's that way because it's a state road here, north of here, and south of here. It's a kind of thoroughfare, and it runs through VBP. You live on 6th Avenue. Probably all of us drive on it. We rely on it, because it is what it is. And the people who come from north of here, and want to get south of here, or vice versa, similarly rely on it, because it is what it is. (Clearly, I'm telegraphing where I'm going with this.)
So, in answer to your question of what I think would be the best decision regarding 6th Avenue, if it were up to me, which it isn't (it's up to all of us, and the state), I think it should continue to be a four lane road. That's what it was made to be, for a reason, and that's what it is. It's what it was when all of us decided to live in BP, and when some of us decided to live on 6th Avenue. It has the advantages and the disadvantages of four lane roads (where the speed limit is 30, in spite of our wish that all BP streets could have speed limits of 25; and all the rest of them do). So, no, I'm not personally interested in the two-lane scenario. BP has nothing but two-lane streets, except 6th Avenue. Anyone who wants/wanted to live on a two-lane street had lots of choices.
On the other hand, I also wouldn't personally agree with going forward with every facet of the proposed design. Better lighting and better drainage are great. I personally am all in on those. But there is no demonstrated or even imagined need for sidewalks on 6th Avenue in BP. No one walks on 6th Avenue, anyone who wanted to could walk on the swales, and sidewalks would cut too deeply into the fronts of these properties, even if anyone would use them, which no one will. But better lighting and better drainage? Yes!
Any other questions or delving?
Fred
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Nancy,
ReplyDeleteI forgot to mention one other thing. I'd like to see better Code compliance. This, too, will have consequences for the "look" of BP.
Mac Kennedy is approaching this from the other direction, suggesting we reward people who make their properties look great. This is very nice, but I'm afraid that the people most likely to win an award for how nice they make their properties look are already among those who comply with the Codes. My concern is with the people who keep their properties as if they don't care about the Codes, or what their properties look like. I don't think we're going to reach them with a chance to earn a prize if they not only do what they clearly don't want to do, but do it better than anyone else.
Fred
Drainage, lights and code compliance? Those are the domain of the Village Manager. If only they hadn’t tossed the old one to the street without a plan to have a new one in the pipeline. You’ll forgive me if I tell you these don’t seem to be very exciting reasons to vote for you Fred. You could just as soon write each commissioner or berate them on this blog to effect that change. What else keeps you up at night that you might want to lead on? Thoughts on how you might approach the budgeting process? How you might keep meetings under 5 hours? Something bolder perhaps you can articulate?
ReplyDeleteThanks, Rafeal,
DeleteI'm not sure which old manager you miss. From the specifics you articulate, I doubt it's Krishan Manners, who did not manage anything, did not have a domain, and did absolutely nothing to improve drainage, lights, and Code compliance. We never had enough of Sharon Ragoonan for me to think you miss her. She never had a chance to manage. So maybe you miss Heidi Siegel. Fair enough.
We never lose a manager while simultaneously "having a new one in the pipeline," as you say. It's a process that includes an interim manager first, while we quickly begin the process of specifying the qualities and credentials of the manager we'd like to hire next, then advertising, then fielding applications, then choosing someone. It's not exactly as boilerplate as you might think, either. For example, with Sharon, we specifically articulated that we wanted to intensify our commitment to Code compliance. And Sharon happened to have more experience in Code compliance than do many applicants. That's why we chose her.
I certainly agree with you that it is the manager who executes agendas like that, but it is the Commission that sets them.
If my vision for the Village doesn't excite you, then attention to the budgeting process, which is much more boilerplate, would excite you even less. As I have said many times, the budget is nothing but a bunch of numbers which are meant to represent something much more overarching. How much we spend on recreation, or the police, or to hire how many Code compliance officers depends on how much we want to accentuate recreation, or the police, or compliance to the Codes. Or maybe we're sick of paying taxes, and our main goal is to lower the tax rate, which means we have to figure out what departments to short.
You weren't here then, but until maybe about 2008 or so, meetings were always 2-2 1/2 hours. I would absolutely like to get back there. But it depends on Commissioners doing their homework in advance, and not feeling a need to talk a lot. I will promise you I'm not a notable contributor to lengthy meetings.
It would help if you attended meetings more consistently, and it would have helped more if you had done that for the years you've lived here. In terms of how long meetings take, it would have helped if you had lived here for 10+ years before you moved here, but that just didn't happen.
So, I'm curious about something (if you really want to have a discussion). Clearly, I'm not the kind of Commissioner who appeals to you. Thinking of my opponents, which three of them would you like to see on the Commission, and why? Let's have you offer a positive analysis of some of the other five the same way you articulated a negative analysis of me. Your neighbors have read your comment, so you have their attention. Help them a bit more, by giving them your advice as to whom you WOULD like to see on our Commission. And make sure they understand your thinking.
Fred
The other thing you might consider, Rafael, is articulating your own wishes for the Village. Candidates for Commissioner don't think of everything, and it may well be that you have a suggestion the new Commissioners -- or the still sitting ones -- would like to adopt.
DeleteFred
In the business world this was a softball question designed to get you to shine a bit of brilliance toward the voting public. I’m off to kick the tires of the other fine candidates.
DeleteRafael,
DeleteYour method with me was pretty easy. I openly present myself and my candidacy here, and you can engage me in conversation about it here. I don't know what the others are doing. And I'd like to know. After all, I'm in the same boat as you are. I'm going to wind up with two or three of them (depending on whether or not I get elected), too. Campaigning on Nextdoor is not allowed. If you reach out to the others, please encourage them to take liberal advantage of the free campaigning available to all of them on this blog. All they have to do (except Mac, who's already done it) is let me know they want guest authorship, and they'll have it in an instant.
We just had our first organizational meeting for the non-Commissioner resident group who will review and discuss manager applications and resumes. So now, I know what William Abreu looks like. That's not a lot to go on. I know a lot about Mac and about Tudor. I have no idea what is Art's platform or Judi's. And I'd like to know.
Fred
Yes lights and drainage and code and every other daily function of this village is the manager's domain. But, it's up to the commission to articulate priorities, goals and a vision to that manager. Sadly the current majority continues being all too happy to just stand in place. The prior manager is gone because, among other things, he wasn't managing the day to day functions. That being said you are exactly correct, Rafael. There should have been a plan in place to immediately begin the search for his replacement. That's the way it always worked in the past. The current majority disagreed and has been content to stick with an interim manager(s) AKA caretaker even though it's clear those they put in the position struggle to do 2 jobs. They finally consented a few weeks ago to begin the search but by the time the new person is hired we could be a year, or close to it, without a properly vetted and credentialed manager. As for your comment that Fred could write the commission to effect change good luck with that one. You'll get a response from Mac and Rox. If you get one from Dan or Wil it will be "thank you for your email." On the very rare occasion Ginny responds it will be what I like to call a "non answer answer" such as "stay safe".
ReplyDelete