REMINDER: This is what was decided, approved, voted upon, take your pick at the February 7th meeting on the city manager candidates--Each City Commissioner will submit his or her selections of up to eight (8) applicants to staff (Mark Farrington) by February 23rd. Staff will aggregate the list and provide a master list to the Commission; and during a public meeting, the Commissioners would reduce the list of applicants, by a majority vote one by one, until the list of candidates to interview was reduced to three. The City Commission agreed to meet on March 1st in a Special Meeting to narrow the list of candidates down to three.
Once again the Visionaries' "boy" wasn't in the top three when they took a count last night but by the time the meeting was over, the "directive" had changed once again. Aside from the very serious flaw in Kroll's resume of not ever having been a city manager anywhere, Mr. Kroll hadn't even bothered to complete his employment application. The back-up says he submitted his application on January 9 but in actuality, his employment application is dated February 9, about the only thing that was filled in. In the corporate world, even in spite of an attached resume, if someone had not completed the formal application, his resume would have been moved aside and/or rejected. This may be part of Mr. Kroll's persona.
But why should he even bother? We have three people on the dais who are stacking the deck...a few of whom with no idea of what Mr. Kroll has "accomplished" while Public Works Director. They like him because he has always bit the bullet for them in spite of wasting tons of taxpayer money.
The Mayor, someone who never came to a city commission meeting until she was campaigning, believes that all the e-mails she has received is reason to put him on the Short List. Because she listens to her supporters, she does not know that some on the dais actually saved the city a lot of money and may know what they're talking about here. She lost her cool again last night, a standard, normal behavior that in her mind sounds authoritarian...her need for power and toughness over two commissioners she has been told are inferior, who like chickens.
Now instead of Top 3 it is Top 5. This entire process has been a sick game from day one by three commissioners who finally stated for the record that they haven't met with or colluded with any candidate or any other commissioner regarding this process. Not surprised are ya?
The Kingpin Maneuverer
Vice Mayor Scott Maxwell
The man who says he has had no conversation or contact with any candidate
regarding the city manager position
Vice Mayor Scott MaxwellThe man who says he has had no conversation or contact with any candidate
regarding the city manager position
Dear Mayor and City Commissioners,
ReplyDeleteI just finished listening to the special meeting tonight, to create a 3 person short list for the position of city manager. I was confused and extremely concerned when it was changed to 5 candidates during this process. Giving equal weight to the 4th and 5th candidate is disconcerting and disappointing, especially since one of those candidates has NO city manager experience and DOES have a proven track record of costing this city thousands of dollars and creating divisiveness within the community.
I live across from South Bryant Park and witnessed firsthand the unadulterated waste of my tax dollars, because of Joe Kroll's direct decisions, when the seawall was being renovated and the outfall pipes were being replaced through a partnership with the county and FIND.
Mr. Kroll took it upon himself to change the entire scope of the project without going to commission for approval or even notifying his bosses, the city manager and the commission. Among many bad decisions, he took it upon himself to remove and move 39 native Palm Tree's that had been in place since the 1950's, and replace them and the heavily used picnic area with a parking lot in the middle our premier park. Despite public outcry, despite pages of a signed petitions, despite direction from the previous city manager to STOP the project, despite researched cost cutting presentations and alternatives, Mr. Kroll moved forward with HIS plan. He COMPLETELY overstepped his authority!!! To make matters worse, he lied on various occasions, to neighborhood representatives that met with him and the city manager. He agreed to stop the removal of the trees, and consider some of the cost cutting and green alternatives that the public was presenting, that would have saved the city thousands of dollars. He also spoke with neighbors while in the park and stated that there would be NO trees removed! But the next day, the tree's continued to be moved without the proper authority.
In Mr. Kroll's non-design of the park, he DID NOT allow for pedestrian traffic to enter and leave safely and he DID NOT ask for or consider public input from the residents who actually use the park. There have been numerous corrective after-thoughts put in place since the original Mr. Kroll non-design was created. I would be happy to walk all 5 of you around the south end of the park and show you exactly where the many costly mistakes were made and the many costly fixes were added in at a later time!!!
Please look into the facts of the trail of wasted money on projects.......... $150,000 or so was put into the city pool project, the pool opened for 1 month and then was closed indefinitely; The railroad crossing debacle at 2nd Ave north; Management issues at the golf course; etc etc
Joe Kroll has proven that he does NOT have the city manager experience or the community building skills that ARE necessary to be a GREAT city manager. Our city is sorely in need of a GREAT city manager. This was the biggest complaint about our last city manager that 3 of you voted to fire! Please DO NOT put another person in this position that lacks the city manager experience or the community building experience that is critical to keep our city moving forward.
Thank you for listening to my concerns.
Tracy Rosof-Petersen
Lynn, Is it any wonder that citizens have disgust for government when the Lake Worth City Commission majority acts in a constantly rule changing manner in order to obtain its predetermined results? How else does one explain Joe Kroll making the final cut of 3, er, 5 for City Manager, a job title he has never had. Any objective analysis would not have considered him when there are so many applicants with City Manager credentials. The long term harm caused by the current Commission majority will burden the community long after they have left office.
ReplyDeleteI've been told by a reliable source that one of the commissioners met with Joe Kroll very recently at Benny's on the Beach. But the commissioner said, when asked, that he did not meet with any candidates for the CM position.
ReplyDeleteAre we heading back to the shady dealings of the past? Are we already there?
It wasn't just "one of the commissioners" that was keeping company with Joe Kroll. It was Scott Maxwell.
ReplyDeleteOh what a tangled web we weave
ReplyDeleteWhen first we practice to deceive. Sir Walter Scott (Marmion, 1808)
If moving the trees around Bryant Park was such a big deal, why is Tracy Rosof-Peterson the only person that ever complains? Does she know the pages of petitions were collected at bike night downtown and signed by mostly out of towners who were told lies about the trees?
ReplyDeleteYou really don't like posts that explain the truth do you?
Bryant Park looks 1000% better now than it did before.
The heading 'remarkable quotes' on the right side of your blog page says it all:
ReplyDeleteWith integrity nothing else counts; Without integrity nothing else counts. Winston Churchill
You are way off base. I was at Benny's and observed the "meeting". Joe Kroll came in, got a cup of coffee at the counter, said a quick Hello and Goodbye to the Commissioner and left. If that constitues a meeting, the definition of a meeting needs to changed. THERE WAS NO "MEETING".
ReplyDelete11:27--Is that you Wes?
ReplyDelete12:05--Good quote. You guys need to read it over, and over, and over again.
12:26--thanks for being such a stand-up guy.
yes, there was a meeting.
ReplyDeleteHow many times have we heard that stanton once lived in John Prince park? Everyone has to begin their career somewhere. I have never heard of a school that only graduates City managers. Judges began their careers as lawyers. If I,m not mistaken
ReplyDeletewe still live in the land of opportunity. Our children are taught that they can become anything they aspire to be. IMHO Mr. Kroll is both a professional and a gentileman. I truly believe he cares about our City and our residents.
It was a "secret" meeting. They did not have to say anything to each other. A "quick hello" is code for Kroll saying "Commissioner Maxwell I want the city manager job". When Maxwell said a "quick hello" back he really meant, "don't worry Joe I've already convinced Triolo and Amoroso to give you the job".
ReplyDeleteWhere is Andrew Breitbart when you need him?
What is wrong with you people?