For a guy who over and over again said that he loved our city, he really loved politics more. He wanted to spend his life here and raise his family or so he said. For a guy who sat on the dais and told the residents that he would stay his entire term in spite of the fact that his wife took a job in Maryland, that our city came first, some actually believed him. But those who had been watching him in action over the past year saw the signals. Even though he voted for the resolution against Arizona 1070, this was all politics. And even though he saw straight through what The Cottage pulled by them playing what he called the "gay card," he still played politics against the city manager.
Rene Varela never got over the fact that he lost his first election to a woman, Suzanne Mulvehill, as commissioner District 4. He went on his political path and the following year ran for mayor of Lake Worth carefully studying the Obama strategy. By this time, he had joined all the right clubs and got friendly with all the people with axes to grind and those organizations that could help him on his way. Afterall, that was what this was all about--his career. It was not the Lynn Anderson's of the world, not was it the Katie McGiveron's, the Donna Ross'-- the little people that helped him in his first run for office. He could easily dismiss them like yesterday's bad news. It was the Unions, the Democratic Party and those in Lake Worth who were blaming the entire recession on Cara Jennings. He found his niche. He found his friends.
And his "friends" were out in force last night, some a party to his treachery. They blasted the commission for just about everything ..for not playing by the rules and then turned around and asked the Commission to put the Library issue on the agenda. Hypocrites, all of them.
Varela resigned his mayoral seat 5 days before the Charter deadline that would have saved the city a special election that will cost us an estimated $20k to $25k. This was done so that the present majority commission would be blocked from appointing an interim Mayor for 6 months until the regular election in November. His friends were paranoid that Cara Jennings or some other "undesirable" in their eyes could be appointed to lead this city.
So, he came here, voted with the majority most of the time, but in the end, stuck it to the rest of the commission. Most of all, he gave the finger to every single resident in Lake Worth, a poor city wondering how to tackle a $4.6 million shortfall. Why did he do this? Just because he could. Pay back was complete. Politics prevailed and he got the final say..."Screw You."
Bye, bye Rene.
Mayor, I wrote you an e-mail a few weeks ago. I take it ALL BACK. I like to give people the benefit of the doubt. In your case, I should have stuck to my guns. You fooled us when we vetted you years ago...thinking that you were a "breath of fresh air" as James McCauley described you and that you were in the game for the good of LW. And you subsequently brought me back thinking that perhaps I had been too hard on you. I wasn't. I wasn't hard enough.
ReplyDeleteHe clearly stated in his resignation letter that leaving now allows THE PEOPLE of Lake Worth to select who will lead them over the next few months. It is important that the citizens choose, not the Commission. Especially given how important the next few months will be. As for the cost, perhaps they can refrain from hiring so many unnecessary consultants. Sorry Lynn I realize you may not like some of the decisions he has made - but I'm surprised at your position on this. You have been a staunch advocate for allowing people to vote on the issues (Amendment 4) and this is no different.
ReplyDeleteJessica-Actually I like, for the most part, Varela's decisions. I do NOT like however, his bull shit politics here. To compare this to Amendment 4 is a strange comparison. One is having a vote on land-use changes that affect an entire community forever. The other is forcing the city to spend a lot of money for a trumped up reason of allowing the people to vote on what is basically a ribbon-cutting, ceremonious job for LW because he did not want to give the power to the dais to appoint someone. It was ego driven and politically motivated and shameful really. As far as consultants go, I do not necessarily agree with you on their lack of worth. The city needs to understand ALL of the repercussions before making decisions that cost us. We have made far too many WRONG decisions and Stanton is leading us out of the mess.
ReplyDeleteRene,you are a slime. a political whore. You screwed the taxpayers of Lake Worth. We deserved better than you.NOBODY should file for this special election. Then the taxpayers won't have to pay for Rene Varela's bad joke on the entire city.But we will have dick$ like Tom Ramiccio and his incredible growing EGO who will run , in spite of the cost to the taxpayers.Because with people like Tom and Rene, it's not about what's best for you and me. It's all about THEM ! And Rene, thanks for letting all of the Lake Worth High students down. You really are a slime!
ReplyDeleteOh, now you are using Amendment 4 as an excuse for what Varela did? Too funny. We elected those on the dais and therefore they have the ability to appoint a mayor for a short time without us having to spend 25 thousand dollars. Get it? You people will never admit the truth.
ReplyDeleteWho said that money was the root of all evil? Didn't they mean politics? Everyone honest will admit what Rene did was wrong unless you are Ramiccio, Lindsey or Jessica.
ReplyDeleteAnnabeth was right about him.
ReplyDeleteIf it were Tom Ramiccio and up there on the dias with a couple of people who supported him pretty strongly, would you want them appointing a mayor for the coming budget cycle? Or if the CM got to appoint someone?
ReplyDeleteSam Goodstein
Whether you like him or not, Varela did the right thing for the ENTIRE city. Do you really want Mulvehill, Golden and McVoy appointing someone to be mayor, or do you want the residents to vote? Proposition 4 might have been a bad example but Lynn you have led the charge for "let the people vote" for years, no matter what the situation was, and now you want a mayor appointed instead of being voted in?
ReplyDeleteThe previous poster was correct. If the situation was reveresed you would all be screaming about how the fix was in and the need for an election.
Hypocrites.
Ok now. I don't dislike Rene. I just think he is one phony politician who does not have the best interests of Lake Worth at heart and has now cost us a lot of money for a few months term of office by someone. I have been all about letting the people vote on land use issues and our beach, not costing the city $20,000 for a ceremonial political position. The 3 votes still exist on the dais.
ReplyDeleteSam, this has nothing to do with the Budget. Also, the city manager has nothing to do with choosing an interim mayor. This was all about Rene taking the advice, and very poor advice, from a few political radicals in this city. What he did hurts Lake Worth. We all know now that he never should have been trusted. What an idiot--forcing a special election so someone can serve for 4 months or so. Unbelievable.
By the time we have a special election and someone is in office, they will be there for only 4 months until we have another election. Rene cost us $5,000 a month to have some jerk sit in his seat because he hates the majority. What a guy.
ReplyDeleteWhy don't we take $25K from the $80K we are spending on the "renovation" of our wonderful beachfront building ceremonial ribbon cutting? That's EIGHTY THOUSAND DOLLARS for a party so the BCE can gloat how they pulled the wool over the citizen's eyes. Yes, they sold our beach property to the County for $5 million and now we can't even offer resident parking except in a lower far away lot, they promised to have the citizens vote on a casino project and then played politics to get this sham of a renovation where they knock down all but a few columns and call it restoration.
ReplyDelete$25,000 dollars to let me vote, even if the person I vote for loses, is a small price to pay and more than that amount is wasted every day here without a Charter Mandated Internal Auditor.
Why are the majority so worried about the Charter now?
LET US VOTE!!!
and P.S., Lynn, I voted in your poll that he would leave before his time was up. Part of the 43%. Very few voted he'd stay and most said it was a toss up. So why is everybody's undies in a bunch.
ReplyDeleteI'd be more concerned that TR has a good chance to fall right back into that seat, where you so astutely stated, there are still 3 votes.
The majority has always been concerned about the Charter. And you keep wanting to bring up bull. So be it. The people will vote to have someone in office for 4 months. It is a total disgrace by a spoiled former mayor.
ReplyDeleteNext, the beach ribbon cutting will cost approx $20,000 not the $79 as they voted against the big affair. I agree with you that we should NOT spend this money.
Ask Scott Maxwell about it. He voted for it. Isn't he your go-to person? He agrees to spend money that we should not spend like trips to Washington DC and the League of Cities. Cut out all spending of this type. But no one has come out about stopping the spending on these types of items other than myself. It's ok to spend taxpayer money when you get some sort of a personal benefit, so say some commissioners.
P.S. to you too--
ReplyDeleteYou PAY THE TWENTY FIVE THOUSAND DOLLARS FOR A HISSY FIT.
TR has a chance?
NOT if my vote counts....
ReplyDelete