Monday, May 20, 2019

Politics in Messed Up Pahokee


Unlike Lake Worth's mayor, this video even shows that they don't know how to run a meeting after a motion. These are the people running governments and some could even ascend to higher positions.

Pahokee has a lot of problems. Their city council just fired their attorney, Gary Brandenberg, who was their attorney for 12 years. He was just about to give his damning report regarding the city manager, Chandler Williamson, when he was fired.

This was about as bad as when Nadine Burns made a motion to fire our city manager years ago...at around midnight. He was blindsided just as Pahokee's city attorney was at Pahokee's April 23 meeting. Not a nice way to treat a long-time employee.

Gary Brandenberg was prepared to reveal his findings that were over and above the Inspector General's report that condemned closing city hall for days and giving employees raises and paid holidays without the city commission's approval. Williamson said, "I'm the guy who makes all the decisions in this city."

Chandler Williamson was chief of staff to State Rep Mandy Dawson who left her office in 2008 and later served prison time for various crimes.He learned on the job.

This reminded me of our own city.  Our city manager makes all of the decisions here as well. One of Brandenberg's complaints was that the city manager held one-on-one meetings with commissioners that "created possible Sunshine Law violations." When a city manager meets with individual commissioners, it allows him to "poll and get direction from commissioners out of the sunshine."  He knows just how far he can push his agenda and who to persuade to agree with him.

Anyone who attends Lake Worth commission meetings can understand this. And in spite of the Palm Beach Post editorial of a few years ago rebuking Lake Worth on its closed dinner sessions before public meetings, this still continues. You see, Lake Worth has an attorney who is a company man and I happen to like the guy.

Read about messed up Pahokee

4 comments:

Anonymous said...

that entire area out there is corrupt.

Anonymous said...

We need term limits here in Lake Worth. Period. Everyone getting up to speak needs to add this request"please Mayor and Commissioners put term limits on the ballot".

Anonymous said...

What does this have to do with Pahokee. Judging from what runs for Office in Lake Worth, I don't think I'd be too anxious for a change. Everytime there is an election, the people have a chance to vote for a different commissioner.

Lynn Anderson said...

@11:44...that's the problem...no one shows up. It is almost impossible to get rid of an incumbent unless they have committed misfeasance or worse.