Have you ever smelled death?
I have witnessed some scummy politics in this city, but re-writing an Ordinance just to kick appointed members off a city board, who have made no mistakes, some whose terms won't expire until July 31, 2014, has to be tops with me.
The Ordinance encompassed two boards, P&Z and HPRB. This was done purposely so that the "king planner" in this city could get appointed back on P&Z where he desires to be as well as allowing this new commission to appoint those with high height fetishes. Small town charm and sensible, sustainable planning may very well be on the "outs." Small town charm--forget about it.
At the end of last night's meeting, P&Z commissioners spoke...all had virtually the same message and one wondered why it was all happening. We all know why it is happening--bad politics by this new "visionary" led by Scott Maxwell who has a lot of axes to grind. He is dismantling it all, swiftly and brutally, one step at a time. That is a promise he made to Phil Spinilli, former Vice Chair of P&Z, two years ago.
This is a board that has worked diligently on the Comprehensive Plan, the Land Development Regulations, zoning issues, the ZIP, nuisance abatement issues, always making each and every project better for the City. We saw what this new visionary did to the Zoning in Process. They had City Manager Bronstein end it with nary a word to several commissioners or even to William Waters, Sustainability Director. Bornstein is their kind of man.
Cara Jennings, of course, was not there. She was already eliminated by the Trio. They all showed her who was boss and that made their day--treating her with zero respect. Laurence McNamara resigned with dignity and was not present. Lynda Davis was not in attendance last night. A spider bit her and she had a bad reaction. Actually this entire Board has been bitten by something much more deadly than a spider--Vice Mayor Maxwell, Commissioner Andy Amoroso and finally Mayor Pam Triolo, (a gal who has some common sense and someone who finally showed it by allowing this board to remain until interviews next month) but went along with Maxwell and Amoroso to treat volunteers with contempt.
Commissioner Gael Silverblatt asked "What have we done wrong?" Nothing Ms. Silverblatt. Absolutely nothing. We all thank this Planning & Zoning Board for being "above board," for selfless, devoted hours, and for all their hard work for making this City better than when they found it. Does that sound like an obituary? It is.
13 comments:
You continually demand evidence from commentators who disagree with you.
I would like to know what evidence you have to support your claims:
1. "the "king planner" in this city could get appointed back on P&Z where he desires to be as well as allowing this new commission to appoint those with high height fetishes." Should we assume you mean Wes Blackman? Specifically who in this town has applied to P & Z and has a documented high height fetish?
2. "That is a promise he made to Phil Spinilli, former Vice Chair of P&Z, two years ago." Documentation such as emails or recordings will suffice. Hearsay and speculation will not.
Of course it is only fair for you to follow the same standards you impress upon your readers.
Well, Billy--
#1 is educated opinion.
#2 I heard with my own ears.
To follow-up on standards, my blog, my rules, my opinion. If I don't like yours for the reasons specified to the right, it does not appear. Sometimes I take exceptions especially when some are totally insane. I expect if you make an allegation and you not support it with proof but only with rants or personal attacks, then I won't print it. If you want to post under your own name and I know you, be my guest. Let the world see who you are.
It is funny that posters here want to belittle McVoy's education and intelligence, as if it doesn't matter. The voters obviously preferred an educated, intelligent person to represent them over someone who was not. I personally prefer to be represented by people who have a vision and are willing to express PUBLICLY what their vision is.
The former commission majority envisioned a community that prioritizes sustainability, green space, home rule. These are important considerations for those "30-somethings" who are buying homes and raising families. They're also important considerations for a lot of businesses that have started up in the last decade, and will probably become even more important in the next 10 years. Understanding this trend and branding our city this way is called VISION.
The current commission seems to operate from a "we feel left behind and we want to catch up with Boca/WPB/Delray" perspective. This requires no vision. This lack of vision will manifest itself in their P & Z choices. Back to signing off on cheap looking townhomes with setback variances so developers can profit at our expense.
I can't believe that we were given $23M to spend on revitalization and we can't do better than the hideously ugly structures that are being built around the city right now. Absolutely no imagination and no community pride in the design. They are downright depressing. Why can't we build something attractive? Something I can be proud to have in my neighborhood? Such a disappointment. Thanks Andy, but I reject your 5th grade-level vision.
This commission cannot see beyond the borders of PB county. Have they ever gone somewhere else and picked up an idea that wasn't spoon-fed to them by the League of Cities? The prior commission majority was bold and fearless. Leaders with vision. McVoy speaks five languages. Obviously, he has been around the world and seen what works and what doesn't in other places. Mulvehill has traveled extensively and has tried to implement ideas picked up around the world. Golden lived in another country for several years and also in the most progressive state in the US. Waterman speaks multiple languages and has lived in other countries as well. They all looked to the future of our city, as leaders should. We've lost great leadership on the dais and now we have to put our faith in people who see the world through coke-bottle glasses. I have to laugh at how excited some people are by this majority and tired tired road they are taking us down. In 5 years we'll be Anywhereville, USA. I'll probably be able to walk to a corporate big box store. This commission is white bread and processed cheese spread. Ech.
It seems that posters here are merely making the point that there is no connection to McVoy's phd and his ability to get anything done for the taxpayers that pay his salary. McVoy was elected because he was Cara's hand picked successor and prior to the last election the cabal could get ANYONE elected. (Also see Mulvehill, Waterman for further proof of this).
Guaranteed he won't get elected again. Just like Waterman didn't and Mulvehill can't.
"THE FORMER COMMISSION MAJORITY ENVISIONED A COMMUNITY THAT PRIORITIZES SUSTAINABILITY, GREEN SPACE, HOME RULE". Right they "ENVISIONED" it but they were and are incapable accomplishing any of it. Nothing was being done and it was going to stay that way. The city's course was unsustainable. Although Mulvehill did save the "right of way alleys".
What are the important businesses that opened in the city in the last decade?
How would you have spent the $23 million? On more green space? If it was left up to Golden/Jennings/Mulvehill the city would never have received the money. The new hideously ugly structures are a 1000% improvement over the death traps they replaced. And safer for the low income citizens that need safe affordable places to live. Isn't that "progressive"?
Bold and fearless? Vision? McVoy is bold and fearless because he speaks 5 languages? How does this help the city? It may impress low achievers like his PHD does but that means nothing to tax payers struggling to pay their utility bills. Mulvehill's globetrotting? How has that helped the city? Even when she was in the majority she contributed very little. Where's her bold ideas? How has her marketing expertise and business savvy benefited the city? Where were all Golden's "BOLD IDEAS"? I guess during her extensive travels Golden learned that "we all need to learn to live in a ghetto". There's great vision for you. Waterman wanted a raise after 2 weeks on the job. THAT'S REALLY BOLD! Where is she now?
You have to laugh at how excited some people are about this majority, but the sad reality is, they're excited because of what the last majority provided, that includes some of their former supporters. (Like Andy Amoroso).
And as far as leadership goes- that's like being impressed because someone travels a lot, speaks multiple languages or has degrees. Of all the past cabal commissioners Jennings is the only one that displays any leadership skills and she chooses to use her skills to say F-U to all the middle class citizens, providing preferential treatment to the illegals over taxpayers. So even her leadership skills don't do the citizens any good. Golden/Mulvehill/Mcvoy are merely followers.
There's a big difference between leading a group of 30-something protesters and leading a city.
What are the important businesses that opened in the city in the last decade?
They are ALL important, anonymous.
The rest of it is all your opinion. Some of it you took out of context. Some is just ranting.
I guess that's why McVoy and Mulvehill won their elections. People were of the opinion that they were best. They haven't done anything to disprove that to me.
Lynn, Are you saying that they called Cara and told her that her services were no longer required?? Or, did she resign seeing the handwriting on the wall and trying to save her cohorts from the wrath aimed at her?
Also, does that mean that Phil Spinelli is getting ready to sit on the dais again? I guess Wes's boyfriends last name is Goodman. It looks like everything old is new again...............
They (the new Commission) re-wrote the Ordinance. In so doing, they went from a 7 member voting board to a 5 member voting board. Laurence McNamara had already just resigned...that left 6 current members. In the nomination and the vote, Jennings was eliminated from consideration. However, all those left have to reapply if they want to be considered for the board this June when interviews will be conducted. Jennings term did not expire until July 31, 2014.
This was SLEAZE politics by the masters. They re-termed the board and re-wrote an ordinance in order to kick off fine citizens who were doing an outstanding job.
What about the fact that the voters ELECTED the new majority? Were they all so wrong?
The simple answer is "yes."
A lot of the voters were fooled. Pam and Andy both said they would give Stanton a chance. They did not. A lot of the voters thought Triolo and Amoroso would be "their own people." They are not. They follow Maxwell-- in all cases for Andy and 99% for Pam. Voters did not expect this. I think they expected some sort of transparency they felt they had not been getting from the former CM and the now minority supported her. This commission has made some radical changes of late that are not appreciated by many. They do not confer with the voters, just their backers. They represent all of us but we don't believe that they represent us as they don't listen, don't return calls, don't return e-mails. All an election is about is working harder than the other guy. There was not that much of a vote difference between Waterman and Triolo. Golden really did it to herself with the illegal immigrant issue, Arizona 1070 and her socialistic tendencies. She also was ill and she had broken her leg and could not campaign normally. We now have an internal auditor who will start soon that was finally budgeted by Stanton. Decisions were made for the health of this city. I lot of people just don't want to accept that.
To make a long answer short, Triolo and Amoroso started off with a lie when they were behind the firing of Stanton. And no one is sure that the replacement will be able to run the city without Maxwell's constant interference. People are very suspicious of liars. It's a trust thing now broken.
Besides you, who else is complaining? Who was fooled? Anoymous commenters on your blog? You have one or two who seem to dislike the current actions of the majority. But even those were not fooled. They didn't vote for Pam/Andy in the first place.
Also, what is your issue with my name? My name is William (Bill) Goodson. I live in Lake Worth. Why do you have a problem with this?
Dear Mr. Bill Goodson:
I don't know you...have NO problem with your name...just don't know you. Never have met you. You started off the commentary with a big attitude. I don't make things up here. This is opinion not based on fantasy. I don't need to explain myself to you. I would suggest, once again, start coming to meetings and see for yourself what is going on...not hearsay.
Do you come to commission meetings? Do you come to Planning and Zoning meetings? Ever? Do you understand that not one elected official got 100% of the vote and therefore there are plenty of people who do NOT agree with you--on anything? Is there any remote possibility that you could agree with that statement? NO? Didn't think so.
And there is no "seem" about it. I don't like the current or past actions of this new commission. You got one right.
If you know anything about blogs, you predominately hear from those who disagree and sometimes they are less than polite, particularly Obama supporters. I heard from you.
I voted for Andy, but I have had major complaints regarding this move and others.
The P&Z board is a highly charged board and it should be seen and operated with independence. Look at some of the boondoggle projects in this City and you'll find realtor, developers who got rich but the projects were bad for the City and bad for the neighbors and residents.
P&Z shouldn't be stacked with realtors and developers because those people and their friends have an agenda that often is contrary to the City, the ordinances, the neighborhoods, etc. I don't want more townhouses willy nilly all over the city. They do not benefit me, the planning is poor, not enough green space, not enough parking, I've got one neighbor who is now resorting to Philly style parking reservations, i.e. chairs and 2X4s because the Parrot Cove townhomes were so poorly designed that there is not sufficient parking for the residents and visitors of that development, there have been accidents and near accidents at 5th Ave. No. b/c the townhome residents are parking to the corner of Federal Hwy (a parking violation) such that you can't turn. There are other examples as well but those are the ones that I'm most familiar with. You've got a giant office building on 2nd Ave. that towers over single family homes that has been empty for years. These are bad projects, b/c they only benefited the developer, they don't benefit the city and they certainly don't benefit the residents. Why would P&Z pass these projects b/c these are their friends and b.c some of them benefit. There is a conflict having "professionals" on the board. I won't be voting for any of these folks that opted to dismantle this board. I'm not sure who I'll be voting for in the future b/c at present no one is representing my interests.
If the parking at the corner of Federal is causing problems, you should call PBSO.
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