Whose information is it anyway?

I started this blog to discuss the ever expanding Village of Palmetto Bay bureaucracy that is costing us dearly. But, I must pivot to a really important issue that faces all residents of Palmetto Bay: the inability to get public information from the Village administration.      Everyone who reads my blog knows I spend a lot of time reviewing various pieces of information I receive from the Village.  Some of the information is extremely benign while some points to poor governance.  In fact, I wish I had more time to write on this matter because some of the inept financial decisions the Village has made would be a great case study for a political science course.  Unfortunately, for us it's rare that an elected official demonstrates financial aptitude.      In any event, I have continued over the last couple of months to ask for various documents from the Village Attorney and Village Manager which they have refused to release.  They use one lame excuse after another. Most documents I've requested relate to the annual audit of our Village and various emails sent and received by the Village Manager.      This lack of transparency goes against the Village's Municipal Charter, specifically the Citizens Bill of Rights which reads:   Truth in Government. No municipal official or employee shall knowingly furnish false information on any public matter, nor knowingly omit significant facts when giving requested information to members of the public.    Public Records. All audits, reports, minutes, documents and other public records of the Village and its boards, agencies, departments and authorities shall be open for inspection at reasonable times and places convenient to the public.   The Municipal Charter goes on to read;   The Village Manager responsibility is to "Ensure that all laws, provisions of this Charter and directives of the Council, subject to enforcement and/or administration by him/her or by employees subject to his/her direction and supervision, are faithfully executed;   In regards to the Public Audit, for information I've requested over 30 days ago;   A summary of the results, including any deficiencies found, shall be made public. A written response to any noted deficiencies shall be the responsibility of the Village Manager. The response shall be made public no more than 90 calendar days from delivery of the independent auditor's report.   Apparently, both the Village Attorney and Village Manger should spend a few minutes re-reviewing the Charter.  It would help them get familiarized with the concept that the Village of Palmetto Bay citizenry has the absolute right to public information.   Maybe I've been incorrect in my focus on the Mayor and Councilwoman for the past six months.  Maybe my focus should have been on the Village Attorney and Village Manager.  It's the Village Manager and the Village Attorney who seem to spend a majority of their time and a great deal of expense impeding the free flow of public information.   I think it's time for the Council to reassess the administrative personnel of the Village.  They might find that termination is in order.  The new Council has some hard decisions to make in the next six months. Maybe the first item on the agenda should be to review the Village Attorney and Village Manager's interaction with the Village citizens.  After all it's our money that pays their generous salaries and fees.  Maybe they should do their jobs correctly or be replaced.   Once again if you would like to be removed from recieving future emails please notify me. David Singer

A Waterfall of Litigation

To all,

Just when you thought it was safe to go back in the water, news has been released that a lawsuit has been filed against Mayor Shelly Stanczky, Councilwoman Joan Lindsey, Councilman Tim Shaffer, the Councilwoman’s Husband Jerry Templer, Gary Pastorella, Delores Triana, Warren Lovely, Betty Pegram and the owners of PBCHECKTHERECORD.ORG.

So what do all these individuals have in common?  They all supported Brian Pariser’s reelection campaign and Tim Shaffer’s campaign to win Howard Tendrich’s seat.    Brian Pariser has not been named in any litigation.

OK, maybe this isn’t breaking news to everyone who lives in Palmetto Bay, but I’ve been on vacation and it’s the first chance I’ve had to write about it. 

The suit contains allegations of negligence, defamation, libel, etc., etc., etc.     Apparently, it’s judged as bad form, if not illegal, to disseminate misinformation about an individual’s (in this case Jim Ariza and Louis Medina’s) character based on apparent lies that will damage their respective reputations. 

The definition of defamation and libel is simply the communication of a statement that makes a claim, expressly stated or implied to be factual, that may give an individual a negative or inferior image, or in layman’s terms, a blatant lie that injures someone’s reputation.

I prefer not to detail the facts of the case, because I for one don’t want to further damage these individuals reputation more than they’ve already been damaged.  Apparently, or allegedly, the individuals named in the suit had no difficulty in that exercise.    

The real issue is that three of the individuals - Shelly Stanczky, Joan Lindsey and Tim Shaffer - named in the suit are Village of Palmetto Bay Councilmembers that should be holding themselves to a higher standard.  But once again, they may be found without the moral fiber to serve in office.

My question to these individuals, if they are found to have been libelous, is: was it really necessary to behave so poorly to get your candidates elected to office that you were willing to be devoid of any morals?  Is that the way you want to be known within this community?  Is this the face you want to show your colleagues within your profession? 

How long do the citizens of the Village have to put up with elected officials and their cast of groupies who apparently have a moral handicap?    How long must this Village be subjected to members of our Council that do not serve us in our best interest?

If they insist on acting like obstinate children then they should be punished.   Maybe the Village electorate will show their continued dissatisfaction with their behavior and vote certain incumbents out of office as they did in November 2012 or maybe we shouldn’t wait. 

In any event, they should to be held accountable if they acted improperly as alleged in the pending lawsuit against them.  We as a Village deserve better.

In the meantime, I can assure you, I will be reviewing the Village’s legal bills to ensure no legal expenses are incurred to defend any of the accused in this litigation using public money.  Be sure to keep an eye out  for my reports on this matter.

You can find the complete lawsuit on recallpalmettobay.com

David Singer 

 

So who is the Wizard?

To all,

One of the best scenes in the Wizard of Oz, is when Toto pulls back the curtain to reveal that the great and most powerful Oz, is neither great nor powerful.  Oz turns out to be just a normal guy who in real life happens to be a fortune teller/snake oil sales man who runs an entire city as if he was a Wizard.

So who really runs the Village of Palmetto Bay?  Is there a Wizard, Fortune Teller, Snake Oil Salesman or just an individual playing Village Manager?   

Our Wizard’s name is Ron Williams and he controls the Village.  I’ve had the opportunity this week to review his personnel file and this is what I’ve found. 

First, I’m obligated to disclose that I’m not exactly Ron William’s biggest fan.  I find him to be arrogant, condescending, elusive and never forthcoming or cooperative in regards to providing me with answers related Village finances.  

Prior to becoming the Village Manager, Mr. Williams was employed to be the Director of Public Works for the Village of Palmetto Bay in May of 2003.  Previously to being hired by the Village he was a math teacher, worked for the State of Florida in a management position and City of Miami in various administrative positions.   Apparently, Mr. Williams left both the State of Florida and City of Miami for what he states as “political changes” in his employment application.  Nowhere in his previous employment did he serve as a City Manager of a Municipality according to his employment application.     

Mr. Williams initial salary at the Village as Director of Public Works was $75,000, after approximately four years in that position he was hired as the Village Manager for $137,000 plus benefits.  Not a bad jump in salary for four years worth of service and no prior experience as a City Manager.    Mr. Williams’s current salary is $150,316 plus numerous benefits.  Nine years at Palmetto Bay has resulted in a doubling of his salary.  These increases occurred during the worst recession the United States has ever experienced.

While in the position of Village Manager, Mr. Williams has had one ethics complaint filed against him for an alleged oral meeting with a vendor prior to contracts being awarded.  That ethics complaint was dismissed on January 24, 2012.

One of the most interesting items I found missing from Mr. Williams personnel file was the lack of annual reviews.  Per his employment agreement dated May 10^th 2007, states the Village Manager shall be given a written evaluation by the Council and Mayor.    Has Mr. Williams really been employed in the most important position in the Village without a yearly evaluation?   Were the evaluations pulled from his personnel file before his information was given to me or was it just a dereliction of duty by the Mayor and Council in forgoing his yearly assessment?   That question needs to be answered.   

So, David, where is the smoking gun?  There isn’t one.  I can tell you that Mr. William’s has been at the helm with large salary and benefit increases while the Village loses millions of dollars every year from its reserves.    After five years of on-the job training, Mr. Williams has so far been a wizard of cloudy and questionable financial decisions.  Our travel down the yellow brick road will prove to be a long and prosperous one as long as there is sound Village financial management.  For that to happen, Mr. Williams and his Village Staff must be financially prudent and transparent with our tax dollars. 

David Singer

Congrats to John Dubios and Tim Schaffer

Hello,

I hope everyone had a wonderful Thanksgiving.

Well it’s back to work for me and the first thing I would like to do is congratulate John Dubois and Tim Schaffer on winning the election.   I hope that this will be the first step to normalcy on the Palmetto Bay Village Council.

Numerous people have emailed me over the last couple of days and asked where we are on the Recall effort and if in fact we are going to forward.  I’ll get to that bit of information at the end of this email.  Let me first address what I plan on doing in the immediate future with the email names I’ve obtained from the Village.  Please remember if you do not wish to receive any future emails please just let me know and I will delete your email address.  Alternatively, if you know someone who you think should be on the list, please reply to any of my emails with their email address.

I still plan to send out emails either weekly or bi-weekly reporting a fiscal analysis of Village expenditures.  I will also be reporting on any ordinances that the Council is planning on passing that affects the citizens who live in Palmetto Bay.

Some of the items I plan on addressing:

• Litigation occurring in the Village and any associated costs on a monthly basis
• Losses incurred for Coral Reef Park, or other parks in our Village including tennis courts
• Village operating deficits
• Any planned Capital Expenditures 
• Positions on items to be voted on by the board
• Land use related actions by the Council

Please note that any information I disseminate will have appropriate supporting documentation available on the recallpalmettobay.com website.  I pledge not to send any emails addressing the finances of Palmetto Bay unless I have fully reviewed financial information received directly from the Village.  There has been numerous emails that have been sent by other who will not be named with eregious misinformation regarding the Village of Palmetto Bay finances.
In regards to the Recall effort, I presently have petitions that are ready to sign.  I was hoping that these petitions would not have to be used, but feel there is still an opportunity to improve the Village by recalling one additional Council member in January.   I don’t take this decision lightly and neither do any of the individuals who are working with me on the Recall.  We feel if this individual is left on the Council the Village will still be headed down the wrong path.

In January, we plan to start the Recall effort.  The Recall effort shall be performed under the auspices of the Statutes of the State of Florida.  The same laws that allow us to have elections in our municipality allow us to have a recall.  It has neither positive nor negative attributes, it’s just a tool afforded us as part of our political process.   So in January, please do your part to direct the Village of Palmetto Bay down the right path by signing the Recall petition.
David Singer

Recallpalmettobay.com

Remember to Vote Tomorrow, November 20th

To All,

Tomorrow, Tuesday,  November 20^th  is the day that voters will set the direction the Village of Palmetto Bay will move for the next four years.  We as a community can stay where we’ve been for the last four years or we can move in a much more positive direction. 

A direction where the word “COMMUNITY” actually means something to the individuals who represent us on the Council.     A direction where the phase “FISCAL RESPONSBILITY” is not just a phase batted around by those who have wasted and will continue to waste your hard-earned income.  A direction where “OPINIONS” are actually listened to at the Village, not just brushed aside by a group of “condo commando” types who dictate to you how this Village needs to be run.

As you vote tomorrow please remember how we got to the point where we are at this time - it has all been caused by the current Mayor Shelley Stanczyk, the Vice Mayor Brian Pariser and Councilwoman Joan Lindsay.  Here’s a list of their failings to date:

·         Over 1.65 million dollar in losses over two years at the Coral Reef Tennis Courts since the Jane Forman contract was canceled.  Prior to that there were no losses.

·         A  1.1 million dollar hot dog stand, the cost of which exceeds the value of 99% of the homes located in the Village of Palmetto Bay

·         Over $800,000 and counting for attorney fees paid to the Village Attorneys Eve Boutsis and White and Case to fight Palmer Trinity expansion over the last four years.  This equates to a $3,200 attack on each student the Mayor and Vice Mayor tried to disapprove.

·         A 2.3 Million dollar operating deficit for the Villages 2012-2013 fiscal year budget.

·         Over 10 Million dollars of taxpayer’s money spent out of reserves over the last 3 years. 

·         A possible 12 million dollar judgment against the Village in Palmer Trinity’s favor.

Please remember this is the damage they have accomplished over the last four years, can you imagine what they can and will do in the next four?  We all will pay the financial price with “INCREASED REAL ESTATE TAXES” if Brian Pariser and Tim Schaffer are elected to the Council and the wasteful financial shenanigans continue.

Numbers and facts don’t lie, but rhetoric does.  Please tell all your friends and neighbors to get out and Vote tomorrow for John Dubios and Jim Araiza.

Hello From Canada

Hello, from Canada . (No, I’m not trying to escape the Neighborhood Protection Ordinance by moving to the Great White North.)

I will have very little internet access for the next couple of days and as my friends keep asking me “Why So Serious David?”, I’ve decided to have some fun with the characters of Star Wars.  I must tell you that the Star Wars series are my favorite Science Fiction movies because my father took me to see the original and I’ve luckily had the opportunity to share these movies with my children.

Therefore, for giggles, I have recast Palmetto Bay political lumimaries, (thank you South Dade Matters for indirectly giving me the idea) as Star Wars characters.  Some people will agree with my recasting and some won’t, but please remember it’s all in good fun.

Five main characters, which were very easy to recast;

Darth Sidious – Joan Lindsay, I think this recasting speaks for itself.  There has been a direct correlation between her appointment on the Council and the downward spiral of the Village.  She and her band of misfits have allured Mayor Shelly Stanczyk to the Dark Side.

Darth Vader – Shelley Stanczyk,  Shelley’s inner-turmoil between the Force and the Dark Side.  It’s unfortunate that the Dark side seems to be winning with no possible redemption.

Luke Skywalker – John DuBios, along with the silent majority of Palmetto Bay residents, he will defeat the Dark Side in the end.

Princess Leia – Who else could play the part besides the lovely Karyn Cunningham

Han Solo - Howard Tendrich, I’m hoping with a little prodding that Howard will realize the only way to avenge his election defeat will be to continue to fight the Dark Side, whether he’s on the council or not.  I’m rooting for you Howard.

Supporting cast of characters;

Obi Wan Kenobi -Jim Araiza, in my version of events Obi Wan is the final nail in Darth Vader’s coffin, not the other way around.

Grand Muff Tarkin  - Brian Pariser, commander of the first Death Star, which is destroyed with him on it by Luke Skywalker.

Anakin Skywalker - Tim Schaffer, his character is at the crossroads in life but he eventually decides to be transformed to the Dark Side by Darth Sidious…… or does he?

Jar Jar Binks  - David Zisman, just as Jar Jar Binks couldn’t keep his mouth closed for any extended period of time in the movie, Zisman appears to have the same issue.

Chewbacca –  JB Harris, serious who yells louder than JB Harris?

Yoda - South Dade Matters, for his/her brilliant writing and insight.

Ok, so there you have it, my not so serious blog for the day.   If I’ve missed any characters please send me your thoughts, I’d be interested in feedback.

All joking aside, please remember we must do our part and vote for John Dubois and Jim Araiza on Tuesday, November 20, 2012. 

David Singer

Who is the person that keeps sending me all these emails?

Who is the person that keeps sending me all these emails?

I would be asking that same question too, if I kept being bombarded with emails related to the politics and financial integrity of Palmetto Bay. 

First off, my name is David Singer.  I was born and raised in what is now considered the Village of Palmetto Bay.  I attended Coral Reef Elementary, Palmetto Middle and Palmetto Senior High.  I also graduated from Florida State University and the University of Miami.  I am a CPA who practiced public accounting for approximately 10 years focusing on auditing.  I now run (CEO/CFO) a Real Estate Development Company, located in Coconut Grove, which specializes in large retail Shopping Centers averaging over 200,000 square feet in size.

      

The only reason I mention what I do for a living is there is misinformation or, as the Mayor said to me, “just rhetoric” being disseminated that I am an evil developer who has his eyes on Palmetto Bay - this is completely inaccurate. There is absolutely no available land within the Village of Palmetto Bay to develop the type of Shopping Centers the firm I work for develops. 

I have received many, many emails from individuals wondering why I’ve taken such an active interest in the politics of the Village of Palmetto Bay.  I must tell you until about six months ago I honestly had no idea or interest for that matter, to the extent of the problems, which were occurring in the Village.  It was an eye-opening lesson. Once I realized the political and financial integrity of the Village was on the line, I decided to get involved.

My dad, who was a holocaust survivor, always taught me to defend those who needed to be defended, fight against discrimination and to stand up for principles and ethics.  I would hope he would be proud of the stance I’m taking.

I have met Mayor Stanczyk, Vice Mayor Pariser and Councilwoman’s Lindsay’s supporters. I find a majority of them to be narrow-minded, prejudiced and intolerant, if not bigoted.    Why should we tolerate this type of behavior in our Village?

Having spoken to and received emails from residents of Palmetto Bay, I know that there is a silent majority who are just tired of the nonsense.  They are tired of the litigation, tired of the operating deficits, tired of the constant lies, tired of wasted tax $$$$, tired of the misinformation, tired of the rhetoric and tired of being represented by individuals with questionable ethics.

I've done a lot of research and have found misdirected public spending at the Village.  I draw this conclusion from analysis of documents I received from the Village of Palmetto Bay.  For your reference they are all scanned onto my website RECALLPALMETTOBAY.COM.  I have requested repeatedly to meet with Village Manager Ron Williams to review these various documents, but he has repeatedly rebuffed me.

The Village has not been receptive to citizens like me lately.  John DuBois, Jim Araiza, Karyn Cunningham and Howard Tendrich have all done their part trying to make the Village of Palmetto Bay a nicer and friendlier place to live.  It’s time for us to do our part and vote for John and Jim on Tuesday, November 20, 2012. 

Thank you for taking the time to read my Emails.

If you would like to be removed from the blog, please email me at info@palmettobayrecall.com

David Singer