Wednesday, March 31, 2010

Financial Advisory Board Results - The Final Two

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Former elected official beaten to a pulp?
More often than we know, senior citizens take abuse. I'm not talking about physical abuse, they get that too, but the other kind--abuse from those who believe because we are older that we just can't cut the cake anymore. Age discrimination is something very real and until you experience it yourself, you can't really relate. I bring this up because of a statement said to me in the parking lot at City Hall after the meeting on Monday night. A friend of Mary Lindsey said that Ron Exline was a bad choice--intimated that he was too old to figure it all out--different times--therefore just not up to snuff was the implication. Personally, I feel that I am more "with it" now than at any other stage of my life and Ron is too. It has all been a growing up experience and those life experiences are invaluable. Albert Einstein said, "The only source of knowledge is experience. " Because the original tally was added incorrectly, the Commission had to re-vote for the final two members to the Board. This mathematical mistake is unfortunate on so many levels. How the voting went: Maxwell…Ron Exline and Mary Lindsey

Jennings…Laurel Decker and Ron Exline

Varela…Laurel Decker and Mary Lindsey

Golden…Laurel Decker and Ron Exline

Mulvehill…Laurel Decker and Ron Exline

I think Mary Lindsey would have been an asset to this board and would have devoted all the necessary time to come up with answers. She did it when she tackled our Utility and the Budget would have received the same amount of attention. However she was not chosen. Her work ethic is tops. That's politics. You can't expect a potential "boss" to hire you when you have shown repeated contempt for them in public.

Laurel Decker who is a CPA will be very valuable to this board. CPA's work under very high ethical standards. They understand principles of professional responsibility, the public interest, integrity, objectivity and take due care and have competence in all that they do. She is non-emotional when it comes to finances. She will get to the heart of the matter.

I know Ron. He is a good friend of mine and I believe him to be a perfect choice for the Financial Advisory Board. Ron Exline, a former Mayor of Lake Worth, worked on government budgets for 8 years. He knows exactly where to look for answers. He has the experience and knows the techniques used in government accounting which is different than general accounting. As he says, “Things aren’t always as bad as Staff says—they have a tendency to hoard.”

Thrift sometimes is not a way of life in government. We need a reformer…someone looking out for the taxpayers. Citizens do come first. Ron will be making sure of that and in his case, age makes no difference when it comes to ability, experience and honesty. He will be the bloodhound on this Board.

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3 comments:

  1. adminMarch 31, 2010 at 5:37 PM

    Lynn, I appreciate your strong feelings for your friend and what you perceived as an attack on his qualifications based on his age. I was standing right there when the exchange took place and I respectfully disagree with your assessment of the conversation. We may have to agree to disagree on what was said and what was meant.

    I do think the picture you've used and your characterization of the comment as elder abuse is way overboard. I also think any of us should be able to offer criticism, even severe criticism, to our elected officials and senior city administrators without it being viewed as contemptuous.

    Furthermore, I choose to believe that my criticisms of certain Commissioners played no part in their decision to reject my application. I prefer to believe that they voted for citizens in whom they have the greatest confidence for the task ahead.

    I wish the new board members and the Commission all the best.

    Mary

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  2. Lynn AndersonMarch 31, 2010 at 5:52 PM

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  3. Lynn AndersonMarch 31, 2010 at 6:02 PM

    Thanks for your opinion,Mary. Personally, I believe that your criticisms had everything to do with your not getting chosen as well as your politics. As far as "elderly abuse" goes, graphics are used to make points. Of course it is an exaggeration. It was meant to be. Your friend did not mean to come off that way but that's how it came down. She was standing up for you and in her disappointment, said what she said. The good thing that came out of it was that she thought I was much younger than I am...like that! :)

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