Our new commission, lead by Vice Mayor Scott Maxwell, just made its first decision--to fire the city manager. This decision will cost the taxpayers of Lake Worth $124,395 under her contract. The taxppayers will have to pay this along with the cost of a head-hunter to find a new permanent city manager. How much will the final tab be? We know that city managers are anything but permanent in this dysfunctional city. Bad politics, on both sides of the coin, have made us what we are today. Hiring Susan Stanton was a step to correct all of the bad mistakes of the past.
What can we expect going forward? Did this happen so that the new commission majority can put the fear of God into anyone in this position? Will the commission now be making operational decisions instead of a qualified city manager? Hell, they can't even manage policy in a professional or well thought out way. Taking the easy way out by sleazy behind the scene politics and voting to fire Susan Stanton, was the worst decision from any commission of the past. In three weeks these two new members of the commission succumbed to treachery--they had it all figured out.
Now, will we have employees wandering into work at any time they choose as they did just 32 months ago? Leaving at 1pm on Fridays? Jerking everyone around as they did in the past? Being rude and insolent to the citizenry? Unions running all of our operations and telling management what to do and when to do it and how high to jump? Commissioner developer friends influencing them on heights of buildings and zoning issues? Afterall, whatever "vision" they have different from Stanton's has not been revealed to the public.
Time will tell if this is just the worst decision ever or just one of the worst.
19 comments:
All these pathetic old/new commissioners WANT to do, all they EVER wanted to do is sell off our parks, sell off our beach, sell off our utility and water, sell off our police. I believe they will have the golf course sold in record time, perhaps next week! That is what their code word "progress" and "change" means.
So what if it ruins our tourism and turns us into a dump that no one wants to visit? As long as a fast buck is made.
These are some of the people who already had money down on the condo proposed on Old Bridge Park, which would have destroyed the lagoon. They just don't care.
And its an even bigger mess... I believe the writing is on the wall for the remaining two normal commissioners and there is nothing that can be done at this point.
The problem is, and has always been: inept city employees, overspending, mismanagement, sloppy overdevelopment and crony deals.
Its not a lack of a Publix and other development projects... or imaginary brown-white, outdated politics.
The only thing this city has going for it is its location, unspoiled parks on 5 waterfronts, not including Osborn, and tourism. All about to be destroyed by the fast buck crowd.
Has anyone figured out what happened to all the city's cash reserves while Stanton was city manager yet?
Lynn weren't you just calling for the city manager's head because of the "cash grab" fire assessment possible future assessments and due to the fact she had too much influence over inexperienced commissioners? That was your blog right? Amazing how fast you changed your tune when in your perception the group of people you hate so much in the city were behind the firing. Maybe just maybe Stanton should have been fired a long time ago but:
A. The BCE did not want to admit they made a monumental mistake by trying to prove how "progressive" they were by hiring a less qualified candidate because of her life changing decisions..or
B. They just had no clue what they were doing and were willing to continue to be led around blindly by someone that could easily influence a group of weak minded souls.
Worst decision ever, best commission ever, best city manager ever! Prone to a bit of hyperbole and extremes aren't we?
Look, I have already stated that I did not agree with some of Susan's decisions. That is a given. BUT, that does not mean that I approve of what this commission did in firing her and the collusion that occurred.
Now to clear up another mis-conception on your part--I don't "hate" this group at all. I do believe that YOU and your little group of cronies are the ones who "hate."
Come back over here and use your name when you want to slam me on my own blog. Otherwise, take a hike.
It is the city commission that directs the city manager isn't it? So why take it out on Stanton?
People--please just debate the issue. You might believe that Susan Stanton is the worst piece of crap that ever existed in this universe and that you have ALL OF THE ANSWERS to set it all straight--your right based on fairy tales in your own mind.
To the "whiner" in college Park--I don't need to address your bull. You are anonymous and therefore non-credible. To anyone else, you don't have to read anything I write. Your choice. Now do you really think I will whine over that?
This is balanced opinion and certainly fair. You call it like you see it and some just won't like that. What they need to do is read the other blogs that are more in line with their prejudicial political leanings. Have you ever heard, in your life, a boss that could not control his employee? Ever? Stanton did what the commission asked of her. Scott Maxwell went along with 99% of those decisions. What a phony and a bully. It's disgusting.
There are two sides to every coin and that is true here too. The lack of transparency and disrespectful attitude of Ms. Stanton did not serve her well with either the residents or the majority of this Commission. I believe this blog commented on Ms. Stanton's Sunshine violation regarding the 11/21 meeting so the author knows there were two sides.
In private industry, the action on Tuesday would have taken place behind closed doors. Unfortunately in politics the Sunshine law influences how some things are handled. There could have been a very different discussion if the motion had been to dismiss the City Manager for cause. That avenue would have required producing documentation which could have been very ugly. To say "thanks, but we are going a different way" may not have suited some people , but it was a kinder way.
This was a decision that each commissioner had to make for his/her own. Putting this item on the agenda would probably filled the Commission chamber or any other location with people passionate on either side. Yes, we would have had our chance to vent, scream, yell, cry, or whatever; but, I'm not sure what influence our passion would have had. Each commissioner had to decide if it was better to move forward with the status quo or make a change.
The claims of collusion don't hold much weigh given the multitude of lock-step decisions of the previous commission. The new members of the commission have been residents of Lake Worth for many years and had the opportunity to observe Ms. Stanton from both sides of the dais for much more than three weeks.
The comments about a return to employees doing whatever they want and unions running the city does not give credit to Mr. Carr. He was hired by Ms. Stanton presumably because she valued his abilities and experience. He was her choice to be acting City Manager when she was out of the city.
In the end, the decision has been made and the City needs to move forward.
I wonder what the comments would have been if Commissioner McVoy or Commissioner Mulvehill had made this motion? Would we still be reading comments about how horrible this was?
I asked the question if a Sunshine law was violated when the workshop- meeting was changed to a special meeting at the last minute. I personally believe that it was when Mayor Triolo agreed to it. This entire matter could have been avoided IF Vice Mayor Maxwell had not pulled another one of his tricks.
And please explain "we need to move forward." We were doing just that. Move forward to what????????????
anonymous at 4:11--You would definitely hear the same things from me.
No one is safe at city hall. Expect Margoles and Humphries to be subject to the firing squad for simple loyalty to Stanton if nothing else. What about her secretary?
'Firing squad"... "sleazy politics"... "worst decision"...
Wow, what a vocabulary when the majority doesn't agree with someone's opinion. I guess the best decision would have been to let Stanton impose special assessments at will under the disguise of "if the property owners don't pay, then the city will have to cut services."
Here is a portion of the your blog from November 29, 2011:
"Openness and transparency was not evident in changing a meeting at the last minute and luckily this Commission saw that too. And Mr. Easton, prove to me that there was not a Sunshine Law violation by the city manager."
Sounds more like a statement than a question.
Humphries... maybe. The commission has no control over secretaries or assistants to any City Manager.
Thank you for repeating my adjectives to describe what happened and what I think. The majority--you mean 1 bully sitting on the dais and his followers? Is that it? Check with the editor of the PB Post. I don't stand alone in belieivng that this was a bad, decision.
At 7:04--Directly, yes. Indirectly, the city commission can strongly suggest to have anyone fired. It would behoove any city manager to honor that request.
Suzanne Mulvehill and Christopher Mcvoy have A LOT of nerve even MENTIONING things being done "out of the sunshine"! What about all of the HOURS and HOURS of unrecorded,non public meetings that went on between Stanton and those same Commissioners? Anyone delusional enough and arrogant enough to call our city hall "my house"should have been sent packing months ago.And what was wrong with the previuos Commission to allow Stanton to shut off audio in the hallway,take away public seating in an already cramped space,and to top it all off frost the glass so no one could see the meeting in progress. I believe that these acts shouted out to the citizens of Lake Worth"I don't have to see you and I don't have to hear you in a very real way.Stanton totally misrepresented herself when she applied for the job as our city manager. We all had high hopes for Stanton. We welcomed her. Stanton shut the door in our collective faces. And I for one don't care if that same door hits her in the ass as she gets the hell out of my town. Katie Mcgiveron
I recommend a very simple solution to all of you who dislike the termination of the CM; either begin a recall petition, or stop whining and begin working for the betterment of the city.
My guess is that the new Mayor, the new Commissioner, and the Commissioner without an opponent would win by a land side, if for nothing more than showing resolve in moving this city forward. But who knows, I could be wrong.
For one last time--What does it mean to "MOVE THE CITY FORWARD?"
You have NO clue. It is this sort of arrogance that does NOT belong on the dais.
While your "side" was out of power, that's all you did was WHINE. And you continue to do so to this day. Those on the other side, however, never WHINED--not once did you ever hear them complain whereas I have sat in commission meeting after commission meeting listening to the damn WHINING and constant complaints from Triolo's supporters.
This was a stupid decision encouraged by your very vocal supporters who dominate city hall. What about the rest of 37,000? These people are always mad and love bullies such as Maxwell.
Do not get so smug on 222 votes.
To my good friend Katie--
Once again, and let me repeat myself here so that it can be very clear--
The Commission wanted meetings with the CM. The new commission that you supported are DOING THE SAME DAMN THING--meeting with the CM.
It was and is up to the commission to change procedure and to direct the city manager on how they want to proceed.
GET IT?
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