Our former Lake Worth Mayor is in the news!

Baltimore County passes pet protection legislation

Our furry friends aren't just cute—they're a huge responsibility, one that some owners unfortunately neglect. New laws passed by the Baltimore County Council this week seek to hold those pet owners accountable.

Dr. Rene Varela, Bureau Director with Baltimore County Animal Services, said the news was music to his ears.

"[I got] goosebumps. It's incredible to see all the hard work that's been going on for years finally come to fruition," Varela said.

• The first piece of legislation would deem residents "reckless animal owners" if they commit multiple animal-related violations within two years. They would also be banned from owning a pet for four years and have their pet licenses revoked.
• The second law shortens the window for residents to appeal an animal cruelty or neglect case from 30 days to 10 days.
• The third adds a "potentially dangerous" animal category to the county's classifications, and the fourth clarifies basic owner responsibilities.

Varela told WMAR-2 News that the laws will help address widespread problems of people letting their dogs roam without supervision.

Read more...

From AI: Rene Varela served as the Mayor of Lake Worth (now Lake Worth Beach), Florida, from 2009 to 2011, elected in a 2009 runoff. A veterinarian by profession, he ran on a platform to rebuild taxpayer confidence and reduce city electric rates. He did not seek a second term and resigned abruptly in May 2011.

Dr. Varela has a 10 year anniversary

—Baltimore County Animal Services (BCAS) is marking a milestone anniversary this weekend

It is celebrating 10 years of operations at its Baldwin facility. To commemorate a decade of growth and animal advocacy, the organization will host a 10-hour Adopt-a-Thon and Open House on Saturday, Jan. 10.

The event will run from 8:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. at the shelter located at 13800 Manor Road. The day is designed to offer the community a closer look at the facility’s operations while finding permanent homes for pets currently in the county’s care.

To encourage adoptions, BCAS is waiving all adoption fees for the duration of the event. Furthermore, every person who adopts a new pet will receive a PetSmart gift card to help with initial supplies.

The open house will feature several interactive and service-oriented highlights.

Why is this interesting to Lake Worthians?

Because Dr. Rene Varela, MS, VMD, MPH, is its Bureau Director and the former mayor of Lake Worth Beach.

A Critical Time for Adoptions

Rene Varela taking the oath at City Hall with Scott Maxell and Cara Jennings at the dais

Baltimore County Animal Services (BCAS)

The Director is our former Lake Worth Beach Mayor

They are partnering with local radio station Today’s 101.9 to host a major adoption drive, “Santa Paws: Home for the Holidays,” aimed at emptying the shelter kennels just in time for the holiday season.

The event will take place on Saturday, November 15, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the BCAS facility, located at 13800 Manor Rd in Baldwin. With the shelter continuing to experience an increase in incoming pets, officials are urging the community to consider adopting, fostering, or volunteering.

Baltimore County Executive Kathy Klausmeier expressed gratitude for the partnership, noting, “Opening your heart and your home to a shelter animal is deeply kind and fulfilling.” She emphasized that the station’s help is vital in encouraging residents to give these animals the love they deserve.

Dr. René Varela, Bureau Director for Baltimore County Animal Services, echoed the sentiment, stating, “If you’ve been thinking about adopting, this is the perfect time to find your match.” He stressed that the shelter is currently full of wonderful animals waiting to become part of a family, calling the love of a pet “no better gift.”

Read about it...

Glad he's so successful now but he sure put the city in a bad predicament when he left.

Rene Varela

Comment Up

And for a little blast from the past--

The former mayor of Lake Worth has a huge job with Banfield Pet Hospital headquartered in Towson, Maryland. Read about his job description below--

Medical Director
Banfield Pet Hospital
June 2014 – Present (1 year 6 months)

As the Medical Director for the North Maryland (Maryland, Pennsylvania, Delaware) market, I am responsible for ensuring high quality medicine and an outstanding client experience in each of the 14 hospitals that I oversee. I achieve this goal through recruiting, hiring, coaching and supervising veterinarians and by working with field directors to ensure the presence of skilled paraprofessional teams.

In addition, I partner with field staff to ensure exceptional business practices and a high degree of professionalism in each hospital. A primary focus of mine is also to teach medical and surgical skills to help my veterinarian teams grow both personally and professionally.

I would wager to say that being mayor of this city was probably the most pain-in-the-butt job he ever had. I also say that Rene could have been one of the best mayors of all time...just didn't like how he left town.

So much for "Non-Partisan"

Year 2016 is going to be an important year. Not only will we be voting for a new president of the United States to ascertain whether our country will continue on its road of socialism or turn our country's direction back to capitalism and smaller government where we are all paddling our own canoe, Supervisor of Elections Susan Bucher wants local municipalities to move their elections back by a week and set their qualifying times by December this year for the primary that is held in March 2016. This will affect Lake Worth, as three incumbents come up for re-election in March:  Triolo, Maxwell and Amoroso. There very well could be another issue that the city wants on the ballot such as another Lake Worth 2020 bond. Local issues usually get lost on a large ballot as voters have to read all the way to the end to usually find local issues and candidates and many don't bother.

If you recall, former Lake Worth commissioner John Szerdi instigated the vote of this majority commission to change the qualifying time for candidates from one month to three months before the election.  So, we're already doing what Bucher has suggested as far as qualifying times. According to political consultant, Rick Asani, moving the qualifying time probably helps incumbents and candidates with more money. Luckily, this self-serving move didn't help Szerdi as his opponent, Ryan Maier, won by a landslide.

Vice Mayor of Lake Worth, Scott Maxwell, was quoted in the Palm Beach Post yesterday saying that more voters means more expense for candidates to reach them and he worries about the effect the partisan primaries will have on the non-partisan municipal races.

"The biggest concern is the partisan piece. We're supposed to be non-partisan," said Maxwell.

He didn't worry about partisan politics a few years ago. Remember the days when Tom Ramiccio was running for mayor again in Lake Worth? The Republican Party's Chair was called in for some heavy duty campaigning. Sid Dinerstein, who was the Chair of the Republican Party Palm Beach County at that time, was always poking his nose into Lake Worth politics thanks to a certain Republican commissioner. Dinerstein gave Tom $250 in a campaign contribution and helped campaign for Rene Varela, a Democrat, against Laurence McNamara by doing a robo call. Guess whose idea that was?

So much for "non-partisan."

Maude Ford Lee

Maude Ford Lee is back in the news this morning. Her claiming a double homestead on rented property for which she had no rental license is coming back to haunt her. Unless she lived there with the thugs she rented the property to, she could be in big do do. The Property Appraiser's office will delve into this.

Apparently when she was in office she used campaign funds for unusual expenses--sort of like Andy Amoroso buying a new computer, printer and filling his car up with gas--probably not illegal but not standard. Politicians don't do anything illegal, do they?

Remember when former mayor, Rene Varela, did the exact same thing--his house on S. Palmway and the condo he bought for his Mother on South Lakeside? I guess he wasn't a big enough fish in this little corrupt Palm Beach County pond for anyone to question him.

Austin, not the City

Comment Up

Austin Brookley is in the news. Not familiar with him?  I have written about him before...nice young man, 20 years old, who is now Chair of the Lake Worth Recreation Board. He is a graduate of Lake Worth High School and was introduced to Lake Worth politics by former and fleeting mayor, Rene Varela and acted as his protege/aide.

Varela cost us over $20,000 for a special election and this present "visionary" trio commission followed his example for a special election to be held in March 2013. Wasting money.

 We sure can remember what Varela cost the taxpayers here.

Initially, Austin was a big campaigner for the Organizing for America Obama campaign. All young people are idealistic...some old people too. Along with other liberal groups who had a "hard on" for those who have worked hard and have made it in this country, Austin was demonstrating in front of Allen West's office on Thursday to support Obama's' solution to our financial crisis...contributing to class warfare--tax more to all those making over $250,000 a year. 

We sure are cognizant of what Obama has cost this country.

Thanks, Cara. Thanks, Rene. Thanks Commission

Comment Up
For screwing around with our beach.

Great timing. Spring break. Tourist Season. As soon as this is completed, there will be plenty of people screaming bloody murder when most of the upper level parking will be GONE.

Just released:
The City of Lake Worth will begin construction on the Lake Worth Beach Redevelopment Project this coming Monday March 12, 2012. Phase I of the project will require the closure of the Upper Parking Lot with only limited parking available along the beach roadway and lower parking lot. Phase I is expected to conclude by the end of May and visitors to the beach are reminded to take particular care during this period.

Directional and informational signs have been erected and we apologize for the inconvenience but urge beach patrons to continue to patronize both the beach, the pier and Benny's during the beach rehabilitation - click here for press release and more details.

See the original Greater Bay plan that isn't much worse than the plan soon to be implemented. Click to view William Coakley's video here. Funny stuff really. Now with the Singer Plan, we will have 89 upper level spaces and we will have to drive through the parking lot with cars backing up on us. No ocean view anymore. All gone. Poof.

Top Lake Worth Stories for 2011 and the Razzie Award

Comment Up
Top Lake Worth Stories 2011
The political firing of Susan Stanton after her 32 months on the job
The November election changed the dais because of a mysterious "vision" as well as vicious politics.
Fire Assessment (grabbing the cash) controversy...still un-resolved.
The Casino construction begins
The Shuffleboard court building returns to the City of Lake Worth and Mentoring Center kicked out
The CRA begins spending the NSP2 grant money of $23 million that it got in 2010.
Publix opens new store--A grand affair--the City had to make a big deal out of this in order to justify the 1/2 million dollars the CRA gave to Publix.

Top comments in 2011
"Look, Live and Learn." Commissioner McVoy
"I am disappointed Commissioner Maxwell. This is personal." Commissioner Suzanne Mulvehill in talking to Maxwell about his motion to fire the city manager.
"The fire assessment is fair but I will be voting against it." Mayor Waterman
" The 15 individuals who live on the blogs are going to complain. I'm not responsive to the 15 individuals who complain on the blogs everyday. There are 34,865 other people out there." Mayor Rachel Waterman

Comments I liked in 2011
"If we spend money on something does it have value? Look for the value." Commissioner McVoy
"I feel unappreciated right now." Mr. Banting of Anderson & Carr on not finding tenants for our casino
"I had to clean another toilet today." Susan Stanton


The Razzie Award goes to Vice Mayor Scott Maxwell hands down.

No one else came close to him in attitude, demeanor and for his overall bullying of the city manager and undermining her at every opportunity. It was like one sick game played in real time twice a month. As the City moved forward in its policy direction, Maxwell fought the city manager at every turn. He chose his battles and voted with the old commission over 95% of the time. Even though he loved the "free lunch," he only voted "no" on the Budget as well as on financial issues involving the Casino. He constantly complained about not getting the back-up to the Agenda in a timely fashion and mentioned his displeasure in anyone putting something on the agenda at the last minute. He changed his top priority from code enforcement and eliminating slum and blight to the Park of Commerce development and for the approval of a plan to spend $11.05 million dollars over 15 years at today's value. He changed our beach from a beach/park destination to a bar focus caring only about the price per s.f. He wanted open and transparent government. As the City was finally working its way step by step out of the black hole, Maxwell pulled away the ladder and fired the city manager by putting the matter on the agenda at the last minute, never giving one reason for the manager's termination. Even though he was holding the majority vote, he was unsure of his ability to lead the city manager. He even attempted to stifle public commentary on the issue. Many of his "speeches" were right out of the Republican Play Book.

Top hypocritical political comments in 2011
"We need thoughtful and measured leadership." Scott Maxwell
"My heart is heavy...I had my own vision...but also the hopes and dreams of the people who joined me..just ask my husband...over this weekend...I value everyone's opinion but as my husband will tell you I was saddened over this weekend...there is still so much distrust and anger...I'm not so sure that the vision is the vision of the people." Mayor Pam Triolo as she votes to fire the city manager.
"Second." Commissioner Andy Amoroso

Top "Academy Award" Comment in 2011
"I only entered the race because Waterman did not have an opponent." Dustin Zacks

Top Political Mistake in 2011
Rachel Waterman's duck and run, refusing to attend anymore candidate forums because of the personal Zack attacks at the TRNA forum.

Top Political Stick it in your Face tactic in 2011
Rene Varela's resignation and price for democracy cost the city over $50,000


List your favorites.

Blame it on Rene Varela

Comment Up
Summer special election, runoff costs exceed 40,000.

If I have to hear one more time from Joe Public out there to consider eliminating run-off elections or changing elected terms to three years, I will blow a gasket.

This happens every 4 years. I worry about that side of politics getting back into the majority. They pull this all of the time never considering that the voters have turned both those ideas down twice in the last decade.

Herman Robinson was quoted in the Post as saying that both are worthy of education and discussion. To educate:

Placed on the January 29, 2008 ballot:

1. Three year Commission terms:......NO (68%) YES (32%)

2. Eliminate run-off elections:......... NO (67%) YES (33%)

If you really want to waste taxpayer money, just put these items on another ballot. What would actually save money would be to move the election back to March. Just ask Susan Bucher.

Lake Worth City Annex, a big part of Lake Worth's History

Comment Up

City Hall Annex
Once the pride of Lake Worth

The Old Lake Worth City Hall, also known as the Lake Worth City Hall Annex, is an historic site in Lake Worth, Florida. It is located at 414 Lake Avenue. On May 18, 1989, it was added to the National Register of Historic Places.

Back in October 2010, we discontinued a lease agreement with the Lake Worth History Museum and the Lake Worth Art League in order to provide additional space for City Staff and City programs. That was the reason given. Rumor had it that the then mayor, Rene Varela, wanted to give the building to the Palm Beach Historical Society or the County. He had no sense of our history either, being here only a short time and then sneaking off in the middle of the night--no good byes, no nothing, just a note read by someone from the dais. His campaign treasurer back then is now doing the same job for Waterman.

He and the City Manager, both newcomers to the City with no sense of the importance of our history but both in agreement that certain important assets be self-sustaining, insisted that our Museum be just that. It was decided that it would become a non-profit and be responsible for its own survival and the museum was to try and raise funds in order to sustain itself and keep our history alive. The city literally cast off our Museum and the City discounted the importance of it never considering the residents. It was closed down because of an estimated cost of a measly $50,000 a year to operate. The rest of the commission sat there and their silence was consent. The Museum and the Art League were both kicked out/closed prior to 12/31/10 due to what the City later said were needed renovations.

The museum collection is extensive and had to be packed up carefully over many months. We were to get a new site for the museum. What has happened to that idea? And what has happened to our Annex? Are any improvements ever going to occur? Was one little thing done to our building this year? When asking an employee if the building has undergone any renovations of any nature this year, the question left her confused..."none that I know of" was the answer.

In checking the Capital Improvement Plan for 2012/2016, I can't find the word "annex" anywhere in the five year plan. The schedule of projects for this coming budget year totals 25,923,439. This figure includes the casino and beach redevelopment of approximately 10,881,209. Is it the $688,000 scheduled for what is called the "customer service building?"

As our centennial comes up in 2013, which is a really big deal by the way, we now have a Centennial Committee. That information is yet to be uploaded to the city's web site so no one knows, even individual appointees, who is on it or when it meets. We no longer have a museum. And for the last two years, we no longer have our Commissioner and Mayoral history on the walls at City Hall.

Our City Hall Annex, an important part of the history of our City, is still being used for the Utility customer service department. It is looking a little weary, falling in step with so many of our public buildings.

Signs have not been updated and still indicate
that there is a City Museum

Our somewhat now blighted City Hall Annex

Rankings of Importance by Lake Worth City Commission for Utility RFP

Comment Up
UPDATE: MAYOR Waterman says that reliability and price are her priorities. The Commission is now meeting regarding the RFP on our power supply once we exit FMPA. Commissioner Maxwell is right when he says that this Commission is concentrating on renewables at a cost of 10-20% when we are trying to get a favorable price. Renewables were never in our 3 top priorities. It is much more expensive. Commissioner McVoy is ready and willing to charge the rate payers much more money for his green initiative. He wants NO more nuclear.

Blog of 6-10-10
In order of importance:
Lowest score being the top choice--

• 1. Reliability: Varela (4), Jennings (1), Golden (1), Mulvehill (1), Maxwell (5)---Weight: 20%
  

• 2. Competitive Rate/Fuel Diversity: Varela (1), Jennings (4), Golden (2), Mulvehill (4), Maxwell (2)---Weight: 20%
  

• 3. Load estimation/forecasting/Demand: Varela (2), Jennings (2), Golden (6), Mulvehill (2), Maxwell (6) ---Weight: 20%
  

• 4. Use of Renewable Energy: Varela (3), Jennings (3), Golden (4). Mulvehill (3), Maxwell (7) ---Weight: 20%
  

• 5. Bill stability: Varela (5), Jennings (5), Golden (3), Mulvehill (5), Maxwell (3) ---Weight 10%
  

• 6. Own vs. Purchase: Varela (6), Jennings (7), Golden (5), Mulvehill (7), Maxwell (1) ---Weight: 5%
  

• 7. Term: Varela (7), Jennings (6), Golden (7), Mulvehill (6), Maxwell (4) ---Weight 5%
  

As someone recently said to me, "You might wish to use Bill's (Coakley) "Utility Waste Meter" to convey to your readers why 'reliability' should be #1, #2, #3, & #4 on the utilities list of priorities. Had reliability and waste management been at the top of the list, the city would have an additional $1.6 million to spend renovating the pool area.

Every time the utility blows up another piece of equipment, the entire cost of the labor and materials for the removal and replacement comes out of a budget which should be giving back to the city."

As noted above, Commissioners Jennings, Golden and Mulvehill agreed.

L Street Parking Lot - Can of Worms

Comment Up

Oh yeah, we're making money!

The L Street Parking Lot is never full. In fact, it is always empty other than perhaps Friday night and weekends where you might find a few vehicles. Susan Stanton, when asked by the Commission, said that it was making money. How much? $2 a day? The Commission never asked, "Well, how much money are we paying for the Lease and how much revenue are we generating?" Would not that be a normal question when you are going to approve a budget.

The Commission never approved a parking pay station downtown. It just appeared and a Lease agreement was on the desk of resigned Mayor Rene Varela. We were then subsequently informed of the deal. This is a highly questionable transaction. And speaking of Varela, he was the one who constantly pushed for special assessments. He wanted everything but the kitchen sink put on special assessments. If you don't like assessments, we can blame him for supporting and pushing for the whole horrible and unfair idea of which you have not yet seen the worst. He was instrumental in opening the can of worms.

The Scenario: The City entered into a Contract on February 1, 2011 to September 30, 2011 for the sum of $10,000 which comes to $1,250 a month which seems like a reasonable rate. It was signed by the Parties (Mayor Rene Varela signing for the City) on February 10, 2011. We will pay the owners, Lucerne Holdings LLC, rent and charge parking fees to those using the parking lot thus helping to off-set the cost to the taxpayers of Lake Worth and hopefully paying for the Lease. How much did the black-topping cost? How much did that pay station cost? On top of all of that, one of the problems with this and never addressed is the simple fact that there is no one there to write tickets and/or collect fines. This was all a dirty rotten decision by Staff to get downtown parking pay-stations in the City in spite of all of the rest of us who said "no."

This lease is coming up for renewal in 30 days. Commissioners, make sure that you are not, once again, opening a can of worms by allowing paid parking into our downtown. Ask all the right questions but most of all, ask the residents and the downtown merchants whether they want pay stations downtown and what our expenses are for this lease. The argument now will be, well if we don't continue on with it then the owner can put in a pay station--we've already spent all of this money to improve someone else's property so why not just keep paid parking there? We can't get that worm back into the can.

Also, don't screw up the 4 hour parking time limit and change that either, unless you really want the downtown to be a ghost town.

We gave you an emphatic "no" last year on parking pay stations, as did the Finance Advisory Board, in spite of the fact that a few of you wanted paid parking downtown. Stanton found a way of getting it and many of you are on that former Commission that said nothing.

Seniors are Pawns

Comment Up

President Obama, Rene Varela's hero, continues to play political games. I should stay on Rene's case for awhile; he deserves it.

I really hit the ceiling yesterday when Obama said that social security checks to retirees and the disabled as well as paychecks to our armed forces may not go out on August 3rd unless the government borrows more and spends more. That one statement, threatening Seniors, will cost him in 2012 no matter how much money he is raising for his re-election. Right now, the armed forces and the interest on our nearly $15 trillion debt consumes a little over 50% of our revenue.

The government refers to social security as an "entitlement." Social security is paid by current workers in the form of a FICA tax and it is deposited into the Social Security Trust Fund, not the government's operating fund. Note that word "Trust." This money never should have been touched for anything other than for what it was intended. For the government to be even allowed to raid/borrow from it and not pay it back, is criminal.

What that retired worker earns in social security payouts is dependent upon his level of earnings while he was employed and how many quarters he had paid into the system. Social Security became law on August 13, 1935 to protect the elderly when they no longer could earn a living and be less of a burden on the government. Social Security is currently estimated to keep roughly 40% of all Americans age 65 or older out of poverty.

What the government should be doing is getting serious about illegal immigration and the drain on the government entitlement programs that are really entitlements such as welfare, food stamps, housing subsidies and medical to the illegals and others preying on our system. Payments to illegals for social services have cost the U.S. $397 billion dollars over the past 14 years. It is really offensive to me, a senior, to be slapped down by Obama who has closed his eyes to the illegal immigration problem in this country and the true facts of that matter.

Michele Bachmann says that there is so much waste in Washington. I believe her. The government wouldn't need to raise our debt if it really would get serious about eliminating waste and collected what is already owed and ending ridiculous wars. And it certainly would not need to use Seniors and the disabled as a pawn on a chess board in order to spend more.

Obama following European Welfare state model.

Government entitlements now 35% of wages.

Invoice to Rene Varela

Comment Up

The final tab is much more than just the cost to the City of Lake Worth for this Special Election.

There is all the money from the candidates that was raised and most expended.
Tom Ramiccio...$37,225
Rachel Waterman...$23,663.17
Lisa Maxwell...$14,965
TOTAL: $75,853

Then there was the money spent by PAC's on behalf of Mr. Ramiccio:
Voter's Response: 3 mailers...approx $7,500
Firefighter's FACT PAC: 2 mailers...approx $4,000

So, figure over and above the $50,000 it cost The City of lake Worth, there was another $87,500 or a grand total of $137,500, just so that Rene's candidate might win and be mayor for 3.5 months rather than the Commission appointing someone to fill in for a short time.

THANKS, RENE. That was one stupid move.

Sid Dinerstein - It's tough to be Head of the Republican Party PB

Comment Up
What a loser! Katie

--- On Tue, 6/21/11, Sid Dinerstein wrote:


From: Sid Dinerstein
Subject: Re: FW: Palm Beach County GOP News Wire, June 16, 2011
To: "kkss21"
Date: Tuesday, June 21, 2011, 5:57 PM

Kathleen:

The Robocalls i did for Rene were paid for personally, and I never mentioned my position as Republican Party Chairman. There were no Democrats in the race. HUH? But Rene WAS a Democrat. I am proud that I helped to elect a moderate Dem as opposed to one that might have moved the city in the wrong direction. You confuse me, Sid.

But I'm still missing your point.
Are you suggesting that political parties not participate in non partisan elections?
Or is it only the Republican Party that should be excluded?

Sid

Cash and Corruption helping Tom Ramiccio

Comment Up
Lake Worth elections are non-partisan. A candidate, when asked, can't even reveal his Party affiliation when he is campaigning. So, why then is The Republican Party making a full court press, bullying its way into Lake Worth and helping Republican Tom Ramiccio get elected?

National Party's should stay out of Lake Worth with their cash and corruption. The Republican Party of the Palm Beaches Chair, Sid Dinerstein, doesn't even know half the time what Party he is a member of when he helped Rene Varela, a Democrat and former mayor of Lake Worth, with a robo call on his behalf. Rene, of course, is the reason why we are having this special election and the one who forced the City to spend all of this money. Larry Winawer, campaign strategist, likes to use the words "You are a disgrace." The Republican Party that constantly bullies its way into Lake Worth IS a disgrace.

Tell Tom "NO" on June 28.

Memorial Day in Lake Worth

Comment Up
Memorial Day

Monday, May 30 @ 10am at Pinecrest Cemetery, 1749 3rd Ave South

The program will start with the Court of Flags, the National Anthem and the Pledge of Allegiance to our Flag. Followed by that, several will speak and prayers will be given. Our former mayor, Rene Varela is listed on the program to give the opening address. However, due to his abrupt resignation, Commissioner Jo-Ann Golden will speak.

Where is Rene Varela?

Town Hall Meeting in Towson, Maryland

Talk about old--it seems like most cities are older than Lake Worth, a city that will be celebrating its 100th birthday in 2 more years. We pride ourselves on preserving our history even though during Varela's term, he closed the Museum.

We thought that Rene respected history, at least he told us that. He made some history here after being the first public official in the history of Lake Worth to stick us with a $25,000 bill forcing us into a special election after he resigned 5 days early and an election amount that I now have been told will cost us double. Rene Varela skipped out on Lake Worth and is working in Towson, Maryland, a sister city to where I used to live.

Towson's history began in 1659 and there are many historic buildings throughout the City along with beautiful homes. The population was 51,793 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Baltimore County and the second-most populated unincorporated county seat in the United States. It is a college town so there is a lot of energy. Great weather in which to campaign and a town where I met Johnny Unitas years ago when he was at the height of his career.

People who live in Towson have much more disposable income than Lake Worthians and probably don't have to worry about the city going bankrupt because of expensive Sheriff contracts and special elections and all: The median income for a household in the CDP was $53,775, and the median income for a family was $75,832 (these figures had risen to $64,313 and $98,744 respectively as of a 2007 estimate.

In spite of his obvious lack of esteem towards some Staff and elected officials, I came to the conclusion that Rene Varela could have become one of our best mayors. Then he pulled his political trick. His sudden resignation and how he did it got in the way of doing the right thing. His intellectualism was used as his justification for his lack of common sense. He gave our city a black eye because of his hypocritical pretense of having democratic values and therefore he has left his memory forever damaged.

Does anyone miss our former mayor?

Well if you are the oddball out, he can be reached at Banfield, the Pet Hospital in Towson. Rene will be right at home with heated town hall meetings as shown above. But he, as a die-hard Obama supporter, never had to deal with a protest against "The Anointed One" while he resided in, and was mayor of, our poor little city by the sea that he single handedly made that much poorer. We will be keeping our eye on you from time to time, Rene.

Date for Special Election to be set

Comment Up
This Monday, the city commission will meet at 8:15am in order to set the date of the special election FOR THE MAYORAL POSITION due to Rene Varela's treachery. This was a keen political move by Varela with no thought to the City or even to most candidates to raise money or personal awareness. The only one out there has been Tom Ramiccio who, as I have been told, already is financially comfortable.

The suggested date is June 28 so if approved, all of you who are thinking of running must qualify between May 24 and May 31.