I understand that criticism is difficult to take. No one likes it. But the blogs are not here to be cheerleaders for their favorite commissioner or readily accept their votes at staff direction.
Someone called me yesterday, "Did you see what she said about blogs as quoted in the Lake Worth Herald?" I just received the paper and the Mayor's quote is as follows:
"The blogs will always complain. These blogs are 15 individuals who lie to one another."
Ok, Mayor. Name the lies. Was it when I endorsed you for Mayor?
This has to make me laugh. You brought forward info every day during the election. I particularly liked those blasts from the past on Tom. Didn't you also contribute to her campaign? It has to make you wonder.
ReplyDeleteThis just shows the sad truth about many politicians. They will say anything to get elected, but once in power their TRUE beliefs come out. Look at Obama. How is that "hope and change" working for everyone?
ReplyDeleteThe Mayor's actions speak much louder than her words. Unfortunately she and other commissioners as well as the City Manager have been talking out of both side of their mouths for some time. The good thing is more and more Lake Worth tax payers are saying enough!
I have never commented on any blog but I read yours and Wes Blackman's. I find both interesting and I have learned a lot about the city and its goings ons. It would serve the Mayor well if she read the blogs and maybe learned some things. No one can be that arrogant, can they? Lynn, I live in your community and voted for the Mayor because of you. Now she has raised taxes and wants to make me pay a whole lot more. Thank you for writing your blog.
ReplyDeleteD.S. I'm even afraid to write my whole name.
Lynn, this is like Verela All over where a bunch of you worked really hard on the campaign and then got snubbed afterwards...I think it was Verela...
ReplyDeleteWaterman owes the public outlet of bloggers a sincere apology as we in the public use this outlet to voice ourselves because they have proven not to be listening and when you do get a meeting. They take no action or discard what you have to say even if its fact.
I wonder if we can all decide to pay only the county portion of our taxes and hold out on the city portion until they go bankrupt?
You last sentence made me chuckle.
ReplyDeleteActually, Varela had a handulf of people who helped him walk to every house in this city. After he lost his eleciton for Commissioner District 4, he never talked to me, katie, Donna Ross or Laurence McNamara again. As I receallm he then applied for a major Board and got turned down. He then ran for Mayor to show everyone and he won.
This sort of reminds me of Dustin Zacks who got turned down for the Community Relations Board and then said, Hell, I will show them a thing or two and run for Mayor."
You'll probably hear that she never said and it was taken out of context and she didn't mean it, etc, etc. etc.
ReplyDeleteI bet there will be a lot of backpedalling at the Sept. 6th meething about these comments. It wasn't taken out of context and the author of the Herald got it right. The CM was complaining about all the comments on the blogs before the Mayor made her feelings known.
ReplyDeleteWow Ms. Waterman continues to prove that she was DEFINITELY not the right choice to hold the honor of sitting in that seat on the dais. I hope that her Mayorship is as short lived as her history as a responsible mortgage holder. I am praying with every fiber of faith I have that November 8th will be her LAST DAY to PERPETRATE THE FARSE OF BEING A MAYOR! Her husband is as arrogant as she is, I saw him be very rude to a city employee several weeks ago. Her statement is a total lack of respect to the residents of our city that care enough and have the courage to voice their opinion and struggle for positive change in our city. I might get in trouble with Ghetto Golden for this but I really think this was an "egregious" assault on our local bloggers and she should apologize publicy. I will be at the 9/6/11 meeting demanding just that!
ReplyDeleteRightously indignified,
Mark A. Parrilla
I think that she just made a mistake on the blog statement. She didn't, however, make a mistake about voting for every single tax increase that was presented by the city manager. This is something that she will be held accountable for this November as will Jo-Ann. Scott did the same thing but he gets a pass. No one should get a pass. Special assessments did not have to happen.
ReplyDeletescott did not support the fire assessment and if he is true to form he will not vote for the budget either...he has made it pretty clear that substantial cuts to the budget are required along with no new spending, pay raises or city positions.
ReplyDeleteI am very sorry Anonymous above, but I believe that you are mistaken. Scott did support the special assessment but wanted the 1.3 mils to be reduced from the total millage. Stanton, I believe, found out that she couldn't legally tax us both ways (keeping the 1.3 mils in and the $60 aasssessment). She took the 1.3 mils out and we get the special assessment. So, Maxwell did not protect the people at all.
ReplyDeleteAs far as him wanting substantial cuts to the budget, the budget talks are over. Why didn't he bring up reductions? The budget is virtually flying as is with a few minor changes such as what they will pay an internal auditor.
He should reject the tax increase as should they all. There is no savior for LW on the dais.
Our Mayor has her good points, but her bad points are showing very clearly now. She is a bit sophomoric about her power on the dais. She needs to remember she is the voice for the people when she speaks. When she speaks against the vocal public, whether it be public comment or blog comment, she only speaks against herself. Lake Worth is lucky to have the blogs. I personally read them all. If only we had an official means of communication....but no--that would be too easy.....
ReplyDeleteAn "official" means of communication would not tell the truth. It would all be biased PR for the City's point of view. They can "get to" to the PB Post by giving Andrew Marra a fluff piece, but they can't get to the blogs. They ignore the blogs and that is a one, big, gigantic mistake. We can actually say things in a way that a news reporter can not.
ReplyDeleteThe following was written June 21st. Somewhat prescient:
ReplyDeleteAnd people wonder why LW is in such bad shape financially. Electing candidates such as this to high office should offer a clue.
As Margaret Thatcher said, "The trouble with socialism (progressivism) is that eventually you run out of other people's money."
This woman is a Socialist/Marxist of the first order and is damned proud of it.
Her last comment to the newspaper is all telling.
God only knows what social programs she is prepared to enact if elected mayor.
Damn, this will be fun to watch as an outsider (in a morbid sort of way), but heart wrenching and financially crippling if you live in the town.
"Even though we have some real fiscal crises, we have some real building blocks," Waterman said. "Lake Worth has a personality. It has a vibe. We live in a town where the right-wings are Democrats. There is money in social progressivism."
http://www.palmbeachpost.com/news/happily-back-in-lake-worth-shes-named-to-1242812.html
What does that mean, there is money in social progressivism?
ReplyDeleteEveryone on this commission except Scott fails to accept the fact that no one trusts the City Manager. It is so clear that the decisions that are voted on were made long before a commission meeting. The public can tell by the lack of questioning the city manager gets from the commissioners. The public will protest that there is no backup material and the commissioners don't even care. Golden is so up Stanton's rear that she just sits there and smiles as Stanton talks and than tells the public that this is what they are getting. It's as if she is deaf to what everyone is discussing. McVoy has clearly made up his mind before he even sits down and than expects someone with 2 minutes to speak to give him a valid argument why he should change his mind. The deck is stacked against the public and no commissioner cares. In November we either throw the bums out or we deserve what we get.
ReplyDeleteJohn's correct. We deserve what we get because either people don't pay attention and don't vote or people vote for commissioners who are against what they really want. We have a chance to change the tone on the dias. It's currently one-sided and with out honest debate. It's a four to one vote all the time. There is nothing much Scott can do. He's always out-voted. We need more balance. Vote out Waterman and Golden. That's the only way we'll get the change we all are looking for.
ReplyDeleteI am not ready to throw people under the bus for unknowns. That is just too irresponsible. Who can say that anyone else would be better in ANY way? We have already witnessed the outlandish spending of the CRA whose members, for the most part, believe they are better than sliced bread. For people to jump into this election and go against taxes is easy and meaningless to me. But on the other hand, I do not want elected officials to disregard the voice of the people and box those voices into a little hole of 15 of us who "lie."
ReplyDeleteCommissions have always been a disappointment in one way or another.
Rachael lied to us all and fooled those of you who supported and voted for her during her campaign (at least those of you who are not totally brainwashed to believe whatever the current power players tell you). Once she is re-elected (and I have not doubt she will be), the TRUE Rachael Waterman will come out. She is not very good at hiding her angry and aggressive nature, her negative attitude, and her lack of ability and as soon as "candiate Rachael" is safe, the real Rachael will rear it's ugly head. Glad I didn't vote for her. And by the way, I am not one of the 15 who regularly comment.
ReplyDeleteWho or what is the "real" Rachel. It is easy to throw stones. How about some examples otherwise it is you who is the "angry" one with an "aggressive nature." Let's hear the reasons.
ReplyDeleteI guess the important question to be asked here among the chosen 15. Is the commission ready to fire the city manager in order to get re-elected?
ReplyDeleteP.N.M.
ReplyDeleteWhen it comes right down to it, the city manager is doing what she feels will turn this city around. If there is something we don't like, then it is up to the Commission to see through it all. Bottom line, it is the Commisison and not the city manager that is responsible.
I am not the blogger above that called Rachel angry, but I would like
ReplyDeleteto point out somethings that has me questioning her leadership abilities.
1} her handling of the budget, not only do they not cut new hires, she and Commissioner Mukvehill want to add $300,000 new expenditures.
2}She thinks we can afford the Conservation Department.
3}She does not listen to the people.
There was one person who spoke for the Special Assessments. How did she vote?
4} Her condescending remark about 15 bloggers , was the final straw.
She has no idea how frustrated we are over higher everything in Lake Worth.
Lynn I understand your fear of voting for an unknow but how do you send a message to a commission that does not fear getting re-elected. Someone like Golden can do so much damage and yet get re-elected? Her third term would be a power trip that none of us needs. WE need to tell this commission there is a reason we have elections every two years. Step aside and lets get some new people who are not afraid to disagree with Stanton and are willing to represent all of us.
ReplyDeleteTo answer the question about the one resident who spoke in favor of the special assessment was Loretta Sharpe. Loretta and I have never viewed the world the same. I would doubt very seriously if she voted for Waterman. Too funny to imagine. The other was Peter Timm. He and I have rarely agreed on anything either. I believe that he was a Ramiccio fan.
ReplyDeleteMr. Rinaldi how do you know that new blood will stand up to the city manager? Scott did his first year and now look at him. Baby.
ReplyDeleteI have heard 3 renditions as to what Rachel said on the 15 blogs. Therefore, I am ordering the tape of that meeting to listen to all of it, not just the part I tuned into, not the part that the LW Herald reported on, not just Rachel's explanation and not take anyone's word for it. Sometimes words get twisted and people hear what they want to hear or think they heard.
ReplyDeleteI was sitting in this meeting and heard the comments made by Waterman. She was responding to the CM saying something about people getting on the blogs and complaining about the Commission's and CM's actions. Waterman did diss the bloggers and said she did not care about them. She pointed out that she had 35,000 other people to worry about than the bloggers. Her tone was arrogant and her body language matched the tone.
ReplyDelete