We elect five people to run this city and to be accountable to us. In turn, they hire a city manager who then hires staff to implement direction of the commission. Any decision involving over $15,000 must come to the commission.
I have a problem with Tuesday night's New Business B:
RESOLUTION NO. 02-2011 ESTABLISH A PROCESS TO
REVIEW AND EXECUTE CONTRACTS AND/OR AGREEMENTS
This is part of the wordage: Since it is the City Manager who is charged with the budgetary responsibilities of the City of Lake Worth it is only reasonable to authorize the City Manager to review, approve, and sign off on all contracts and/or agreements related to our City. The Mayor, as the head of our city government is required to execute all contracts and will continue to do so under this resolution. This sounds safe and reasonable, doesn't it?
As it turned out, it had much more significance that just the City Manager validating that she had read and approved a contract by signing her name to it before it was presented to the Commission. This is what I thought the Resolution was all about. I even said at the lectern that I was confused. A few commissioners were confused--why were we changing process again? Well, I guess we were confused because all of the information was not revealed until a little later.
What happened on Tuesday night after public commentary, was that the City Manager eventually revealed (through a lot of coaxing by Commissioner Maxwell) that if she did not approve a Contract that was before her--and that could be for any reason--such as preferring a different Contractor to do a specific job--she would not have to then move it forward to the City Commission. A perfectly legitimate contract could sit on the city manager's desk or in file 13. You can certainly see where a process involving contracts could become corrupt. I wish that this had come out before I spoke to the issue. It also was implied (not specifically stated) by a few commissioners that if the city manager approved it then they wouldn't have to do as much due diligence when dealing with contracts that affect the pocketbooks of all the taxpayers.
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This passed on a 3 to 2 vote with Maxwell and Varela dissenting.
This passed on a 3 to 2 vote with Maxwell and Varela dissenting.
I would like someone on the prevailing side to bring it back at the next meeting.
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In my mind, the Commission just transferred some of its power to the City Manager whereas it should remain in the hands of our elected body. I do agree, however, that all contracts should and must be read by the City Manager as well as the City Attorney and we expect them to relay and express their opinion to the Commission.************************************************************
Tell me where I've gone wrong.
16 comments:
You must have read my mind, I just finished reading posting, you are clueless as to what is going on right in front of your nose. Stevie has been pursuing this since he got to LW, it started when he took control of the budget process away from the finance department and he created his office of management and budget. Not one individual saw what was coming, just like all the new positions he’s creating at some high salaries while claiming poverty, how do they say it “you can’t fix stupid”. He is a narcissist of epic proportions and Lynn, you are just seeing it now, hard to have any sympathy for LW either the citizens or employee, just never ends.
What happened to all of the transparency that Ms. Stanton promised when hired ? This process could become very corrupt. We as taxpayers elect Commissioners ,not Lake Worth employees, to make decisions that affect our pocket books. Then our Commissioners are held accountable by we taxpayers.There is no accountability in this new process. Ms Stanton has made some very good decisions for Lake Worth. This is not one of them.This uninformed decision by our sheep like group of Commissioners needs to be reversed.
We as citizens are clueless--I agree with you on that. We are not privy to meetings and negotiations behind the scenes, only what's revealed in the sunshine. So, if there is a power grab going on, then why would we as citizens know about it? Why would you say that you have no sympathy for the residents on some power conspiracy (if that is what's going on) that has been kept from them?
Well maybe this would work out if and only if you had an honest city manager in place. But what if we had another Boyer? What then. I say that the commission did the wrong thing.
You are implying that the present manager is "honest." How do you even know that?
Did you really expect anything different? Subterfuge and confusion accompany the deception of thieves so it's no accident you didn't understand a key seperation of powers issue.
See it for what it is... it's just another predictable power grab in the march toward the consolidation of power... the objective being:
He who controls information controls everything (including the cash register)
And you mention the "C" word. Just take a look at the "Waste Clock" at LakeWorthMedia.com... you knew that the city manager and utility director boldly lied about so many things we lost count... and now you're surprised at this?
Millions of dollars have been deliberately wasted, can't be found, were never accounted for... and Lake Worth continues in the same sleepy state as Largo despite being warned over and over again.
Where's the Mayor's promise of a forensic audit of the utility where the big cash hangs out? No one knows what's really going on. Meanwhile your pocket's being picked.
Look at the joke of your finance committee... the city manager sees to it that it relies on data controlled by the city manager... duh.
Corruption starts AT THE TOP and a commission is only as good as the information given to it... control the information and you control everything including the cash <=(most important for thieves).
Bill's posting is entirely correct. The waste at the utility would stagger a normal person.
From the Charter--
Sec. 3. - Mayor, vice mayor, and vice mayor pro tem.
The mayor shall be elected as provided in this article, and the city commission shall elect from among its members a vice mayor, and a vice mayor pro tem to serve at the pleasure of the city commission. Election of the vice mayor and vice mayor pro tem shall be done annually at the first regular city commission meeting after the general election. The mayor shall preside at meetings of the commission, shall be recognized as head of city government for all ceremonial purposes, by the governor for purposes of military law, for civil emergencies, for service of process, execution of contracts, deeds and other documents, and as the city official designated to represent the city in all agreements with other governmental entities or certifications to other governmental entities, but shall have no administrative duties except as required to carry out the responsibilities herein. The vice mayor shall act as mayor in the absence or disability of the mayor. The vice mayor pro tem shall act as mayor in the absence or disability of the mayor and vice mayor. In addition to other duties, the mayor shall have a voice and a vote in all commission proceedings, but shall have no veto power.
Seems like the "best commission ever" is publicly admitting they are clueless on most major decisions and issues facing the city and don't want to held responsible when the excrement hits the oscillator. I can hear it now: "I didn't sign that contract, we didn't know what was happening".
What a joke.
The office of Management and Budget was created long before Mr. Carr became employed with LW, would he say anything in contravention of Stevie, if so his employment with LW wouldn’t be very much for the longer, history has proven that fact, don’t agree with the CM and hit the pavement.
Our Lake Worth City Charter is clear on that the authority to approve or disapprove ,sign or not, is first with the Mayor and Commission in the events of Contracts presented by any entity.
In case of absence for legal reasons or suddenly dropping dead of the Mayor in a Meeting,
the Vice Mayor may sign,an Elected official not any emlpoyee!
The City manager is an employee not an elected Official
and therefore must submit all Contracts presented by any entity to Lake Worth,to OUR CITY by developers,Contractors,architects,
Engineers and any other entity which wants to have a legally binding agreement with our City must be brought before the City Commission, for approval or disapproval, part of the Commission's job! Including the 700 page Greater Bay Lake Worth Finance requirement Laws violating agreement.
The then City manager arranged in private with the speculator greater bay,(I was present) to excise the profit sharing clause with lake Worth in the Contract,
making G.B. exclusive multi million dollar beneficiary of the Contract with control of our Beach for 43 years!
This City manager immediately gave his asst.City Manager(wittness) a $50.000.- raise to make the contract go through.The Commission did not read it and illegally took the gavel from the ultimate authority, Mayor Marc Drautz(30 years old and life guard) ,who was present and healthier than the usurper(300 pounds?)!
This shows that a City manager can keep information away from the Commission(one was known too lazy to read any packet,a belligerent character because of ignorance)
and harm OUR City without knowledge of the Commission.
Even a Mayor cannot always be trusted.That is why we elect a 5 Member Commission.
Why did the honest, brilliant, conscientious Rachel Smithson,perfect Asst.City manager leave? Was she tortured into leaving as she followed procedure?
Dee McNamara, Citizens' interest and truth Advocate!
If the Elected Commission wants to transfer its' Charter empowered signatory authority of all Contract legally binding with our City,to an unelected,employee,than any employee can demand that power and go into an agreemtn with anybody and steal what ever they want!
Lake Worth is ready it is proven by this sitting group, to be annexed to the county, therefore they have no resposibility!
Good bye, and don't be too long about it befor they bankrupt our City!
In that case the Commission must resign in its' entirety as it has relinguished its duty to employees among which we had and have many corrupt elements..
I did not attend this meeting but after reading this post what concerns me most is the lack of legal advice this commission is receiving. I have said for years that most of the legal problems this city faces are the result of very poor legal advice and guidance by our city attorney. I would demand that the city attorney provide the commission with a written legal opinion on what just happened. Did any commissioner ask the city attorney for legal advice before voting on this? What is she sitting there for? Very sad event for our city.
To clarify--when I say "the best commission ever," what I mean is: honest, non-corruptible, educated, doing the job for the best welfare of the city and not special interests or their own self interests or promotion. Any commission can make mistakes. Give me an example of a "best" or "better" city commission over the last decade.
Can yu trust the legal opinion?
Perhaps the present "honest" commission is too trusting. Maybe we need more hard-liners like Scott Maxwell.
Joe
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