Saturday, July 26, 2014

Meeting held without public notice unethical?

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It's really no wonder why people don't want to move to Lake Worth. It certainly isn't because of potholes.  For years it has had the reputation of being totally dysfunctional and a city that has mismanaged money and assets. As one former resident recently told me, "Will LW ever become 'normal'; it just continues down the path of self destruction. I don't know how people continue to live there, constant chaos."

The "other" side of politics along with its PACs they form, have always taken certain liberties that sometimes are illegal and definitely at times unethical...dirty pool.  And it always seems like the same "tricky" people playing the tricks. We have people appointed to major Boards making decisions for you and me and who are publicly advocating for a certain vote on the Lake Worth General obligation bond. One blogs and then allows disgusting comments on his site and personally attacks other citizens. We have a city manager whose salary is paid by all of you, advocating for a certain outcome. The city has taken $50,000 of your money to promote their argument. I question the lack of ethics and so does the President of ROLO (The Residents of Lake Osborne), who lives in the District near where the meeting was held and who was ignored and NOT invited to their "public" meeting. He wrote the following e-mail:

From: Robert Waples
Date: Fri, Jul 25, 2014 at 9:21 PM
Subject: PAC having non-publicized Meetings on government property
To:
Please explain to me how you have a meeting about a city wide plan hosted by a Political Action Committee (PAC) on Government Property stating it's for Community or City Leaders and it's not properly Publicized and Neighborhood leaders in the same community are "selected" to attend?

This is way out and non-ethical government, not honest to the community and does not represent both sides or all sides of a major electoral event coming up for our city.

You paid public employees to be on public or government grounds and did not notify everyone involved or in the public is a complete disregard for public notice. "Last night at Barton Elementary - LW2020 Presentation to Community Leaders

As a resident who lives in the City of Lake Worth, not a member of any PAC and a very concerned citizen, this is beyond what you're allowed to do. You have over stepped the rules of Ethics for the State of Florida.  I hereby request a formal investigation from the Florida Commission on Ethics and if this meeting is in violation I would want the full extent of the Laws and Rules of Government of the State of Florida to be taken.

Sincerely,


Robert E. Waples II, LCAM
robertwaplesii@gmail.com
Community Volunteer Advocate
Volunteer to make a difference today!

4 comments:

Weetha Peebull said...

Great Poker Tell for any citizens paying attention and able to consider what it's like to be the red headed step child in LW! What doesn't come out in the wash, comes out in the rinse!

Weetha Peebull said...

ARTICLE II
MISSION STATEMENT PBC Ethics
Section 1: Mission
The mission of the Commission on Ethics is to ensure the integrity of the governmental decision-making process, restore public confidence in government and to serve as the guardian of the public trust.

Note this definition is VERY DIFFERENT from the one posted on the Ethics Website! WHY not just USE the MISSION Statement in the By-Laws - Why make something up?

The mission of the Palm Beach County Commission on Ethics is to foster integrity in public services, to promote the public's trust and confidence in that service, and to prevent conflicts between private interests and public duties.

Link: http://www.palmbeachcountyethics.com/

kkss21 said...

A city employee has NO BUSINESS at a PAC meeting that was not open to the public-private invite only.And any Church better watch out that it does not cross the line and lose it's tax exempt status.In a taxpayer funded bldg. Who got permission to hold this little secret get together in a public school bldg? Only one side of the story was told.It is against the law for a city employee to advocate for this bond. And that's just what happened since there was no opposition view allowed. Talk about intimidation.

Lynn Anderson said...

File an ethics complaint. That's what "they" would do as they scrutinize every i and every t on the Treasury reports of C.A.U.T. Sometimes you have to fight fire with fire, especially in this city.