Local elections are very important. In some ways, they are more important than national elections or voting for a President of the United States. These elections are enablers. You become responsible for the financial and administrative affairs of your city. The voters rejected those candidates who were for increased heights, more taxes or screwing around with our beach as an example. They rejected all those who did not have their finger on the pulse of our citizens.
It's not always the amount of money you raise that will take you over the top. If the voter doesn't "buy" your message, you lose.
| Header 1 | Header 2 | Header 3 | Header 4 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Candidate | '# of votes | $ Spent minus office or donation | Cost per voter | |
| JEROME | 907 | 10799.57 | 11.91 | |
| MCVOY | 1636 | 10253.43 | 6.27 | |
| MAIER | 1434 | 10246.98 | 7.15 | |
| SZERDI | 935 | 17926.20 | 19.17 |
Maier-- deducted $353.03 for office account REFLECTED in above dollars spent column
Szerdi--deducted $1,113.80 for donation REFLECTED in above dollars spent column.
Wo. Yeah. Money doesn't always do it. Szerdi was on the wrong side of the people on every issue. Didn't care what the people wanted, what they thought. He thought he knew better. Now he's out on his butt and sulking. Oh well.
ReplyDeleteJust wondering if John Serdi still believes Wes Blackman was a help. Boy, that was a lot of money he spent with Wes, another loser.
ReplyDeleteWell I guess you got what you paid for. Szerdi is still involved in helping the city like he was before he took office and where is Maier? Where was Maier before he took office? Promoting chickens?
ReplyDeleteSzerdi didn't get hired by Hudson to be their architect for the Gulfstream so there was no there there. Your side spread a bunch of BS and all Maier had to do was not open his mouth too much.
No one really knew much about John Szerdi before he waltzed into office unopposed. After he was elected, he did show up for some NA meetings. Don't know where Maier was for the 4th but I am sure he would have attended if he could have. He doesn't need to be on floats or rafts or have a need to be seen to build up his ego.
ReplyDeleteHe doesn't promote chickens but he will promote people over politics. He is a kind person who is on top of the issues. He won't resort to personal attacks like you seem to do and as Szerdi did towards him.
Whether or not Szerdi was hired by Hudson Holdigns for the Gulfstream Hotel is irrelevant. He is employed by them and as such, there is a definite conflict of interest. Everyone saw it. Voters aren't stupid.
As far as Ryan is concerned, people liked him. It makes a difference.
Szerdi is a really special kinda WHINE!
ReplyDeletePast it's prime and turned to vinegar!
Too true that local elections can be very important, they certainly impact our daily quality of life more than national elections. So, how do we get more of community to the polling place? We need more people, besides the two established groups in this town, involved and caring about their community.
ReplyDeleteAlso, while I voted for Maier, I've not seen him really leading on issues like code enforcement and crime which are the two most important issues in my mind. I wish he was doing more.
Commissioner Maier just got elected. He is part of the minority commission vote. Let's not start blaming him for all the crime we have or not doing anything about it or more on code. We have a dais that has been there for nearly 3 years. Ask yourself, what have they done?
ReplyDeleteMaier is actually studying the back-up and learning and understanding everything that comes before him.
I'm not blaming Maier (you are correct that the four that have been on the commission have done little) for code/crime. My disappointment with Maier is that he rarely brings these issues up. If I was on that dias, regardless of whether or not I could effectuate change via votes, I would be asking questions, making statements and pushing these issues. There are ways to draw attention to these issues that I don't see from Maier utilizing and he was elected three months ago. He campaigned as representing the people and I've just not seen much from him thus far.
ReplyDeleteI'm not sure what you mean that he is reading backup. If I were on the dias, I would be suggesting and lobbying for more police downtown (especially like on a holiday weekend) or more patrols or lobbying for regular reports on crime from PBSO (not just once or twice a year) and addressing concerns brought to me by residents.
2:17--totally agree with you.
ReplyDeleteI would like to see the PBSO Reports reflect ALL of the crime categories,not just the four that went down.
I could have shown I heard Ryan say enthusiastically that he would participate when the raft race was oficially announced a couple of months ago at the commission meeting. I really wish he would've been there to show his community support for this great event that joins us together without the bickering.
ReplyDeleteI agree with the above Anon 9:36, it seems we only see him at commission meetings reading his comments from various slips of paper written in different people's hand writing. I tell you I saw with my own eyes as I brought my slip of paper for public comment. Weird. Who's got him in their pocket?
I want commissioners who will bring more PBSO into downtown and who are strict on code enforcement. Get rid of the slumlords, tear those shit hole boarded up places down and get a handle or regulate sober/half way houses out of here - it's all unsafe.
Give me a freaking break, anonymous @ 4:42. You saw various slips of paper with different people's handwriting? Who is this? Amoroso? Someone with x'ray vision? Are you kidding me?
ReplyDeleteNope not Amoroso
ReplyDeleteAnd nope I not kidding you, I couldn't make this shit up.
Just someone with eagle eyes and a nose for bullshit and hypocrisy.
Anyone walking up to the dias before, during or immediately after commission meetings has had the opportunity to see Maier's documents with different styles of handwriting, in different colored pens. It can only mean one thing = various other people's thoughts are driving that wagon... The text wrapping around each agenda item with what appears as questions and comments he's supposed to pose or inject into the public forum at the perfect moment when the agenda item comes up.
No Lynn, it doesn't take a genius or x-ray vision to figure out various brains sit behind the curtain and pull the strings of the puppet mouthpiece.
It's so obvious when he loses his place and his snarky voice crackles questions he should already know the answers to, but does it because he hasn't done the research on the topic before the meeting, all in a sorry attempt to dredge up so called hidden conspiracies, he looks foolish.
It's not his job to 'school' other commissioners and learn on the job. It's his job to be prepared, to meet with staff and ask questions prior to commission meetings, offer well thought out and clearly articulated solutions and to think for himself.
The 3 month honeymoon is over. Why not show us how transparency is supposed to look like? Pull back the curtain, cut the puppet strings, heck, let the code enforcement people do their job and either confirm or repudiate the complaint against him for non-permitted work at his house - once and for all. Better to fess up now, ask for forgiveness than get busted by the Magistrate... Just saying!
All I can say to you is, you are flat wrong. If anyone is prepared for the meeting it is Maier. By the way, every new commissioner "learns on the job." It's just like every job but certainly complicated. You don't think that other commissioners hear from their friends on issues? You saw some papers with other people's writing on them, etc?
ReplyDeleteAs said, you are one person with x'ray vision and nosy to boot. He can "school" other commissioners if they are flat wrong and I'm happy the bullies from time to time have been addressed. Any commissioner can speak up and speak out. That is why he was elected...not to be a puppet for the majority or to the city manager but to speak for the people. He is college educated so to infer he is stupid is again just your dirty politics.
He believes, as does Christopher McVoy, that certain things should be discussed in order to allow the public to understand. This entire dais should not be a rubber stamp to staff and decide things behind closed doors as they have been doing since they hired Bornstein. I say, bring it all out in the public---all of it.
You guys have been deplorable in your pursuit of him to discredit. Hope he got a lawyer and sues the chit out of anyone who was so politically motivated as well as you, to this day, insisting that code enter his house so that he can prove his innocence. It doesn't work that way in America. Where are you from? North Korea? Nazi Germany? Sounds like Gestapo tactics to me.
Discovery and provoking questions and discussion takes place at workshops meetings, initial discovery is what one does prior to commission meeting so they are prepared.
ReplyDeleteNo commissioner or staff member should be baited and blind-sided with inflammatory rhetoric and baseless accusations.
Civility means no jeering, shouting or laughing at someone or something in a mocking or scornful way, there shall be no public outbursts.
To ensure a dignified debate and fair presentation of all sides of a given question, strict observance of parliamentary rules should prevail at all times.
Sorry, I disagree with you. The mayor has asked, on numerous occasions, if certain commissioners have read the back-up and/or have met with the city manager prior to the city commission meeting. Is this "inflammatory" in your opinion? It definitely is rude. She doesn't want discussion on some items. I say, too bad.
ReplyDeleteWe, the public, have a right to know what concerns our commissioners have and why. Simply voting for something with NO discussion is ridiculous. That is what has gotten this city into all sorts of financial trouble. With that scenario, the majority 3 votes on the dais would always prevail and there would be no earth;ly reason to have a city commission meeting. Just buy a rubber stamp and stop wasting all of our time and then we will see you at the polls.
As far as your civility statement, I agree with that. But I would suggest that you tell it to your friends out in the chamber who do nothing BUT jeer and ridicule and tell it to the vice mayor, the biggest culprit for inflammatory rhetoric and baseless accusations.
There should be more discussion at commission meetings. Frankly, there should be more commission meetings (they seem to keep getting cancelled). Let's have a real debate before each vote.
ReplyDeleteWhy does he show up at every staff meeting with Laurel Decker and have a personal assistant named PJ Mahoney and show up with Linda Mahanoney at events. 3 times I've been there and seen. I'm on a board and voted for him but this is ridiculous. The meeting research and handwriting is theirs for sure. . He gets to cut hair and they get to run his "agenda" of transparency of the city. Just like Mc Voy n Mulvehill. Do the work yourself and earn some respect. Everybody knows. Let's see how transparent he is July 30th. Btw. Call him to speaK and P J monitors your calls n emails. People not politics my ass,
ReplyDeleteI have no idea what you're suggesting. Who is P.J. Mahoney? You can't possibly see any of his papers in front of him at his seat at the dais. So, is this another commissioner? Laurel Decker at a staff meeting? Never heard of that. How can that be when it is a STAFF meeting? She is not staff.
ReplyDeleteJust like McVoy and Mulvehill? Wow. You know, both those people also have college degrees--Mulvehill has a masters and McVoy has a Doctorate. You think they need help in figuring it all out? Are you out of your political mind?
BTW, if I call him, he picks up the phone. No one is monitoring his calls. Again, who is P.J.? Are you gossiping and causing a problem on 3rd hand info or are you a commissioner who sits next to him with the only opportunity to see anythign in front of him. Just asking.
P.S. I shouldn't have posted your comment. And in the future, if I do not know comments are true, they won't be posted per my policy.
I inderstand the commission meeting was canceled because Commissioner McVoy was going to be on vacation. I think they decided to cancel so everyone could attend the commission meeting. I don't know if that true, but I don't mind them taking a break once in a blue moon from governing this wild and crazy, but lovable little city. Everyone deserves a vacation once in a while.
ReplyDeleteI haven't seen Commissioner Maier around at all lately, does anyone know if he's ok? Commissioner Amoroso was in town and around his store. Caught a glimpse of Vice Mayor Scott Maxwell walking down Lake Ave. I heard Mayor Pam Trilo was around.
I'm all for more discussion but that also means we all have to agree that sometimes we will disagree. And in the course of a commission meeting, with all the agenda items that must be attended to, its really not the time or place for extended debate back and forth because nothing would get done.
There is time, which they do allow, for each commissioner to make his/her comments, and discussion before motions are voted upon; and time for the public to make theirs. But it's easy to see how if there was an open discussion period where each member of the the public expected a reply to each persons comment/question, how the meetings would take forever and you could only discuss 1 or 2 items. And again, we all have to agree that sometimes we all won't agree... That's why I think the workshops and already in place Advisory Board meetings are so important to get the actual factual information out in public.
That's why it's critical that commissioners and staff come fully prepared, do their own research prior to the meeting and dive into the backup material ahead of time so it's completed, they have already gathered their constituents thoughts and have actually thought thru an issue and come ready to present solutions to the rest of the dais.
Of course, each member of the public has the right to speak to any City official with their concerns and desires, and it's that officals duty to hear them. The commission generally functions as a parliamentary or congressional style legislative body, proposing bills, ordinances or motions, holding votes, and passing laws to help govern the city.
The real meat and potatoes work is hammered out in workshop and especially in the many, all volunteer Advisory Boards the city has. These Advisory Board meetings provide assistance by their service and ability to dive into a subject in great detail and much discussion, have the authority to direct staff for more information and deliver their findings to the City commission. All the Advisory Board members are selected by the Mayor and City Commissiom. These Board meeting are OPEN to the public - so there's ample opportunity to become informed by simply showing up and participating. It should also be noted that all the appointments are a matter of public record and are on the website with each district commissioner having the ability to make appointments when positions are open. These Advisory Board volunteers all deserve a well-earned pat on the back for the countless hours of preparation and meeting time they put out in each month, I know because I'm married to one of them!
There's been some chatter about board appointments - curiously, there still are several positions that have not been filled by the Commissioners. So we need some concerned citizens to step up and volunteer for them, let your commissioner know you are interested. Here's your chance to be heard, help establish fair and equitable policies and make a difference. McVoy has a 5 yr term to fill on one Board, and a 3 years term to fill in another... Additionally there are a number of vacancies across the various Advisory Boards coming up 7/31/15.
thanks for your long, in-depth comment.
ReplyDeleteIs there nothing in policy that at least suggests that a commissioner tell the city in advance when he/she is going on vacation? Realizing that things do come up occasionally in one's personal life and family, I just think it would be, whenever practicable, reasonable to suggest that a commissioner give advanced notice of vacation time if it affects a scheduled meeting. Just my humble opinion. :) To reschedule a meeting because one member is out, seems unnecessary unless you are contemplating a 2/2 vote on something. Also, he can phone in.
As far as Boards go, sorry, but I think many of them are a waste of time.