The Double Standard

So read what Twitter did...

The President is 100% correct. A majority of the main news media is one-sided and out of control. Heck, we even have that attitude on a local level, and this newspaper wonders why it has lost customers.

Supreme Court Gives Warnings to District Judges on Trump Resistance Rulings

The Supreme Court delivered a not so veiled threat against judges who use activism in place of the law in their decisions. They also criticized the judges for making their rulings national and not case specific, a breach of trust on their part.

Those judges would be eligible for removal for corruption. Although the warning is about several different issues, the court was especially harsh on judges who ruled against Trump’s travel bans, as he was doing this under the auspices of a law passed by Congress. They pointed out they could not take statements made by Trump or any of his officials on the subject. [Steadfast and Loyal]

Read about it...

Cheesecake Factory under Fire

Anti-Christian bias ended by the Federal Court

Federal court orders schools to end anti-Christian bias

In what is being hailed as a "major victory," a federal court is ordering schools in a big U.S. city to stop discriminating against Christians.

You won't believe what educators were trying to suppress ...

Read about it...

An Unbiased Press

Comment Up

When I think of an unbiased press, this particular newspaper is not included. Bias, however, is something that we all should consider and be concerned about. Media bias runs rampant in our society and in Lake Worth, we have been used to it for years. Seldom does our local editor endorse the same local candidates as does the Palm Beach Post as an example.

I would suspect that if you want to be really good as a journalist, you have to be objective. The question then that comes to mind is there any journalist that is 100% objective?  Perhaps, but if your answer is "no," then trust is the only goal you have when reporting and that is accomplished by reporting facts, whether they are good, bad, whether you agree or disagree or what you personally thought was true, etc.   Facts stand on their own.

The fact remains that Ryan Maier is the best candidate for Commissioner District 4.

Marco on hot seat with Congressional Black Caucus

Comment Up

Blacks continue to play the race card. Most people are pretty much fed up with it all. Marco Rubio has reservations on two black judicial appointments when nearly one-third, or 10 out of 33, of the judicial nominees currently pending in the Senate are African Americans and the CBC is raising holy hell. If you are not black, then I guess you have no right to question anything about anyone who is?

Click here... to read about what they are doing now!

Politics is a bitch.

Former Navy SEAL comes out as transgendered

Comment Up

"There's a lot of prejudice out there. There's been a lot of transgender people who are killed for prejudice, for hatred. When the book came out -- some amazing support and some amazing praises -- but also some pretty amazing bigotry and hatred."

Click here

Many of us believe that a lot of the hatred towards our former city manager (that still exists today by some in our city) was because she was transgendered. Every decision she made was questioned and debated by some who blamed it on hormones that made her make the tough and sometimes controversial decisions. No other city manager in our history was treated the way in which Susan Stanton was treated.

Palm Beach Post fails to give pertinent facts in disclaimer of letter writer's background

Today, there was a Letter to the Editor expounding on Martin County sheriff Robert Crowder over Allen West. It was written by Frank Messersmith. The Post noted that he was a former state representative from PB County. What they failed to tell all of its readers is--

When the Florida Sheriffs Association decided to outsource its governmental consulting in the year 2000, it was Messersmith’s law-enforcement background that selected him to represent the Sheriffs in the Legislature. As there was a conflict where he worked, he started his own firm, FSM Associates, LLC and  became a lobbyist for the Sheriff's Department.

Messersmith has been a governmental consultant with FSM Associates since 2000.  He served on the Florida Public Service Commission from 1990 to 1992, in the Florida House of Representatives from 1980 to 1990, and was an assistant to the Sheriff of Palm Beach County from 1968 to 1978.

Usually the PB Post does qualify the writer. This time they failed to give important details of the  background of the letter writer which clearly prejudices his endorsement of a Sheriff over Allen West.

Owner of Lake Worth Tee Shop writes to Lake Worth Commission

Comment Up
January 24, 2012

Mayor Triolo
Commissioner Maxwell
Commissioner Amoroso
Commissioner McVoy
Commissioner Mulvehill
City of Lake Worth
7 North Dixie Highway

Re: Withdrawal of Lake Worth Beach Tee Shirt Company from consideration as a tenant for a Unit at the renovated Lake Worth Casino

Honorable Mayor and Commissioners:

Regretfully, I am choosing to withdraw my business, the Lake Worth Beach Tee Shirt Company from consideration as a tenant for a Unit at the renovated Lake Worth Casino. I have decided not to pursue a location in the new building.

The 3-2 Commission vote on January 17^th against me being awarded Unit #6 was more than disappointing. I cannot understand any reasonable explanation as to why Mayor Triolo, Commissioner Maxwell and Commissioner Amoroso voted against me being awarded Unit #6. I asked my attorney for his evaluation, and with his permission I have attached it to this letter.I have come to the conclusion that in light of that denial and the surrounding circumstances as described in my attorney’s letter, that the current Administration will not treat me in good faith.I have been struggling with this decision, and am tired of the unfairness throughout the process starting last June. Since making my decision not to be further abused by the City Administration, I am at peace with myself.

With age, hopefully has come some wisdom. I feel the best course is to graciously accept the fact that there is an underlying negativity and prejudice against me by the current Administration and Staff. It is time for me to let go.

I look back at my 26 years at the Casino and my relationship with the City with fondness. I have had many wonderful experiences from these years and have met and become lifelong friends with many people, including many former or current City Mayors, Commissioners and employees. Overall, being a tenant at the Casino, where I have devoted so many of my years has been a wonderfully rewarding experience.

I lived through the years of the City’s neglect of the Casino, witnessing it first hand as a long-time tenant. Since the renovation project was first talked about, I was looking forward in anticipation to that time when I, as a long time tenant of the old Casino would be a tenant at the newly renovated Casino. I anticipate that this Casino renovation project will make it a jewel to our City on the ocean. But sometimes fate intercedes so that one does not get to enter the Promised Land. So, even thought I will not have the privilege to be a tenant at the newly renovated Casino, I still love the City of Lake Worth and only wish the City the best of success. Being at peace with my decision, I wish Fox success. We were long time competitors and sometimes things became heated between us, but I wish its business well at the Casino.

I also wish to express my appreciation to Commissioners McVoy and Mulvehill for their fairness, professionalism and responsible exercise of their duties as Commissioners in voting in favor of awarding me Unit #6 at the January 17^th Commission meeting. While they were the minority in the vote concerning Unit #6, their affirmative vote was the correct vote. Had just one other member of the Commission voted with them, the entire rental situation concerning the South building would have been completely decided and resolved at this January 17^th Commission meeting.

I wish the City of Lake Worth, and specifically the Lake Worth Casino project the best.

Barry S. Freedman
Lake Worth Beach Tee Shirt Company

Lake Worth City Manager Resumes

Comment Up
Thirty-one resumes have been submitted to The City of Lake Worth for the City Manager's position. I asked someone very familiar with the position of city manager and who has been one for years, to study the resumes and rank all of the people according to their experience, education, and other special qualifications. Below is the ranking, without prejudice, on a total score of 60 points.

1. Dale Sugerman...50 points
2. Paul White...46 points
3. Robert Hudnall...45 points
4. Frank Spence...42 points
5. Richard Kerbel...40 points
6. Joseph Kroll...40 points

Kerbel and Kroll were tied.

It will now be up to the Commission to choose the best and most qualified candidate to be our new City Manager. Hopefully the full Short-List will be presented to the Commission this month.

Out with the Old - In with the New

Comment Up

Not enough to pull it off

If Waterman could have received 12.3 more votes per polling location, she would have won the election. She needed to take 111 votes away from Triolo to win by 1 vote.

I can't tell you who is smarter--who will do the best job--but one thing in which we all agree, from the day that Pam Triolo introduced herself to all of us as a candidate for mayor, we liked her instantly. We believed her. There was no monkeying around. She got right to the point and understood what was in our hearts. Warm and sincere, we just knew that she would like us back.

This Mayoral election boiled down to a couple of things:

1. The Neighborhood Associations have become political over the past several years. If you recall, I predicted this in a Dirty Dozen series. Although there are a few neighborhood associations that insist they are non-political, when it comes down to taking off the wrapper, they are as political as the next. Everyone wants to make Lake Worth a better place to live. Kicking one perceived bum out and replacing that person with someone of like mind is a big objective. Many of the leaders of these neighborhoods are convincing their members that the city is being run by anarchists, officials who do not approve of code enforcement; love slum and blight, illegals and the homeless and are basically gypsies.

The neighborhood associations are out in their communities daily with crime walks and trash pick-ups and doing good deeds. They are influencing the community by working in them to make positive changes. Those who live in the neighborhoods are impressed by these deeds and the leaders of these associations who are pro-active. They have come to trust them to give them the "skinny" when it comes to casting their vote. Just in my own community, a forgotten one I might add, residents are always asking me for whom they should vote. This year I totally abstained from taking a position.

2. Negativity caught on. Two of the candidate forums put on by the Neighborhood Associations had many questions that were asked with prejudice. The forum at the Playhouse is tied with Tropical Ridge's forum as a put up job to cast doubt on the incumbents, especially Waterman...not sure which forum was worse. Dustin Zacks was there to do the dirty for the Triolo campaign. There was no other reason for him to be there. He could have dropped out immediately after Triolo filed. He said what Triolo couldn't say. All his comments trickled throughout the entire city of Lake Worth by those living in the neighborhood by those who had attended the debates.

3. The incumbent, Rachel Waterman, has no one to blame but herself. In a short term of less than four months, she managed to alienate many in the community. Several people who had been active for years were ignored as their concerns hit a brick wall and went dormant. She kicked 2 people out of the Chamber, one for whispering. She used an iron fist. Every time she smiled from the dais, or when she rolled her eyes, we all wondered when the sparks would fly. She voted for a budget after spending 80 hours reviewing it, not changing a thing. She allowed the city manager to jerk her chain at every opportunity. She voted for the free lunches: travel, membership fees, conventions and conferences. She brought up a salary increase at election time, knowing that voters would be very critical after she just voted to increase taxes. She had no conception of what the fire assessment was really about--all she knew is that the city manager just had to have the money to balance her budget and to get much needed cash. She tried to con us by saying that she never voted for the fire assessment. Her own personal finances had been a disaster and voters did not agree with the tax and spend mentality at city hall. She did not take her constituents seriously and in her mind, classified them as trouble makers, stupid, complainers and even used the words "rabble rouser" describing one resident. He voted for Triolo.

So, because of these three things, we now have a new Mayor, an extremely likable gal, Pam Triolo, who did understand. We have high hopes that she will be a leader and not be lead.

Jack Simons has an Opinion

Comment Up

----- Original Message -----

From: jepsimons@comcast.net

To: Lynn Anderson

Sent: Monday, March 21, 2011 11:13 AM

Subject: Re: ???

Lynn:

In talking with multiple Commissioners and mayors in various municipalities in Fl., my lawyers have made me sensitive to being classified as a "Conduit" with respect to the stated intentions of the elected officials with whom I am talking on various matters that will come before them to vote upon. I have been advised that I am in violation of the Fl. Sunshine Law if I transmit the intended vote from one elected official to another. I have been further advised to not transmit intended votes from a Volunteer Board member to an elected official if there is any chance that the elected official will vote in the future on the matter.

With respect to your post: I asked the CA to opine because I feared your post might be construed as such a violation of the "Conduit" classification and thereby "taint" any votes taken tonight. My thought was that if there was a problem, Elaine could address or at least mitigate it.

Elaine called me this morning and told me that she did not think there was a problem with your post as it was just an opinion and not a relating of a vote count. I went over my interpretation of the Sunshine law and my interpretation of your statement as not being construed as an opinion, but rather as a relating of a vote count. Elaine listened to everything I had to say and then reiterated her original opinion that the matter was not a problem.

While I take some satisfaction in Elaine's opinion that this is not a problem, you may want to get a copy of Tolces' research for the CRA on Blogs and the Sunshine Law. If we have learned nothing else, we know that a judge on any particular day will opine given his experiences and prejudices.

With respect to my to date unlisted post, you have attacked and ridiculed me on your public blog and I have answered by restricting myself to personal experiences and my understanding of current situations. If you are not familiar with Dennis' conduct and actions, I suggest you go over my unpublished post with him as you will not believe any explanation I give you anyway.

May your constructive efforts in the City be realized,

Jack

Note: This was not a privileged or confidential e-mail. This e-mail is worthy of review.