The City Commission held a workshop last night all about volunteer city boards. The mayor announced at the very beginning that no one from the public would be allowed to speak. By the end of the meeting, it was agreed on a 4 to 1 vote (McVoy dissenting) to make the process less transparent and less democratic. Anyone surprised?
In the past, there has always been an interview process whereas the applicant submits his application to the boards(s) of his choice and then interviews are arranged in June of each year. All board appointments end on July 30th. Volunteer board members are chosen on qualifications and the interview, very much like interviewing for a job. The applicant with the most votes usually is appointed to the longest term. Now, board members will be appointed by each commissioner, the very same process used in the appointments to the Utility Advisory board--all political appointments. The expiration term will be the same as the commissioner's who appointed them.
Out of the seventeen city boards, six were up for scrutiny:
Recreation, Tree, Financial Advisory, Library, Sister City and the Electric Utility. The only board members who showed up for last night's meeting were from the Tree and Sister City boards. They were all ready to speak before the commission but were not allowed to do so even though it was noticed on the agenda in upper case type that they would have a chance to speak. The mayor, Pam Triolo, asked the city attorney for an opinion on public participation and of course, he agreed with the commission...no one can speak. The commission is, afterall, his boss.
This entire switch is to make less work for the City Clerk and two days of interviews eliminated for city commissioners. It is felt that they have too much work as it is. The City Clerk's office suggested but strongly wanted the appointment and membership process amended. The present process has been in effect since 2002, and she feels that it has become burdensome and bureaucratic while not producing improvements in vacancies as well as problematic due to the low number of applicants with it requiring a great deal of staff time to prepare the agenda, the backup material and coordinate the applicants’ attendance at their designated time.
It seems that these boards will be purged just like all public information that has been easily accessible in the past that has been taken off the city's web site. They are only retaining three years worth of records on-line with no good explanation for this decision other than "the State allows us to do it."
City Hall, overall, is less transparent than it ever was and the citizen is worse off because of it. This matter of board appointments will all come back to the Commission on January 15th and at that time, the public will be allowed to speak.
9 comments:
I heard Retha Lowe was there and she wasn't acknowledged either.
"The City Commission held a workshop last night all about volunteer city boards. The mayor announced at the very beginning that no one from the public would be allowed to speak."
That statement just about says it all. YOU COMMISSIONERS REALLY can't figure out why the people of Lake Worth have finally decided that they have better things to do with their time than to be disrespected by you?What a bunch of dumb asses. My eyes are bleeding. Katie Mcgiveron
Now, board members will be appointed by each commissioner, the very same process used in the appointments to the Utility Advisory board--all political appointments. The expiration term will be the same as the commissioner's who appointed them.
Lynn this process would only lend itself to corruption if we had a corrupt Commission. Thank goodness that there has NEVER been a corrupt Commissioner in Lake Worth!
One of the worst commissions ever is on a total power grab.
Less transparent and less democratic. What a joke. Retha was not acknowleged and the meet and greet by the Vice Mayor was only to his people. Great way to get to know the citizens you represent.
What Meet & Greet?
The Vice Mayor announced he would be social and greet everyone just before the meeting started. Came down from the dias and selected his people.
"Guard with jealous attention the public liberty. Suspect every one who approaches that jewel. Unfortunately, nothing will preserve it but downright force. Whenever you give up that force, you are inevitably ruined." --Patrick Henry, speech in the Virginia Ratifying Convention, 1788
It was interesting that Szerdi didn't get the new proposed appointment process, he thinks the commission will still hold interviews! Not true, each commissioner will interview in private, not at a public meeting.
Each commissioner will look to their small circle of supporters to chose from, because without an advertized vacancy on a board how will residents know of a vacancy?
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