Breakfast at Toojays

Yesterday there was a mini-"public" meeting going on at Toojays. As I entered the restaurant close to 10am, in the far back corner of the room where people sit when they want some semblance of privacy, lo and behold there was city manager Bornstein,  assistant city manager Juan Ruiz, and commissioners Scott Maxwell and Herman Robinson.

Implicit in the democratic process is the assumption that government should be accountable for its actions and in this case, the optics were bad. Should we assume that they were there talking about innocuous subjects such as sports or grandchildren as Clinton and Loretta Lynch did on the tarmac?

But then, perhaps they were just there for the onion bagels and cream cheese.

Palm Beach County Commission

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Katie McGiveron

speaking before the Board of PB County Commissioners

on Tuesday, September 13, 2016

on those elected officials who had accepted campaign contributions from the Atlanta Braves,

 a lobbyist for the Atlanta Braves,

 and a baseball affiliate.

She suggested that if an issue comes before them where there could be a perception of or a possible conflict of interest such as voting on a Spring Training facility at our county park and they have accepted a campaign donation, then they should recuse themselves from the discussion and the vote.  Steve Abrams said that they had to vote--that was the reality.

One of the interesting items on the agenda was to approve of the architectural/engineering design services associated with Fire-Rescue Station No. 22 Minto Westlake project in the amount of $375,398 with a total cost of $3.8 million for the station.  This came up after they all agreed that they got screwed on the Minto West/Westlake decision they had made.  Even Drew Martin told them, "If the county had listened to the people out there, you would never have passed this [MintoWest]."

SUMMARY: This contract provides for the design, permitting and construction administration services for a 4 bay fire station, approximately 10,000 sq. ft., on Seminole Pratt Whitney Road in the City of Westlake. The estimated construction cost is $3,800,000. The Small Business Enterprise (SBE) participation for this contract is 94.8 96.1%. Stephen L. Boruff, AIA Architects + & Planners, Inc., is a local business and will be using all Palm Beach County sub-consultants. In fulfillment of County policy and land development regulations, a site for a permanent Station No. 22 was identified by County staff and committed by Minto Communities for approval of the Minto West Development Order granted by the Board on October 29, 2014 (R-2014-1646). Conveyance of that site to the County is due no later than May 31, 2017, which was intentionally timed to allow for design, permitting and construction within the term of the existing temporary Station 22 Lease Agreement. (Capital Improvements Division) District 6 (LDC) (FDO)

Fine and dandy, right? Wrong. As Minto/Westlake will have thousands of new homes and retail, they will need a new fire station. Every time a government allows new development, the infrastructure costs fall on the backs of the resident taxpayers. The Board of County Commissioners voted on this expenditure even after Commissioner Burdick had staff confirm that the county did not own this land. That is not due to happen until seven more months, if it happens. Burdick was for it if and when the land was conveyed to Palm Beach County. This board, still trusting Minto/Westlake, passed the item on a 6/1 vote anyway.

No one listens to common sense. Elected officials rarely listen to the residents.

FEC goes after FOX News

Don’t you just love it when a government entity does things out of the Sunshine even to the point of a secret vote. Transparency and open government can just be damned. I have been told that dinner meetings behind locked doors at Lake Worth City Hall that include our city commissioners still continue in spite of the Palm Beach Post editorial condemning it.

"But this time it involves Fox News. And it is exactly what you would expect of the liberal, progressive, socialistic Democrats on the Federal Election Commission. They did not approve of the way FOX sponsored the Republican debates and tried to find a way to punish them. You will be relieved that the Democrats effort was shut down."

Read about it...

Trivia on the affordable rental project

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Affordable Housing Solutions, LLC bought this piece of property consisting of 3.3730 acres at the corner of Boutwell and Lake Worth Roads in February of this year. They paid $2,250,000, an astounding price when you consider that the last sale in April 2003 was $750,000. Just thirteen years ago the same property sold for $250,000.

So, the above leads me to believe that this company knew in February that they had the vote to proceed with affordable rentals. So, when someone supposedly in authority in this city can tell us that meeting with owners/developers/investors behind closed doors is legal and not subject to the Sunshine, then I say it can breed corruption.  No one spends that kind of money when there's risk, not in this economy and especially when half the city are rentals already.

We are known as the Corruption Capital of the Country for proved reasons and most had to do with development deals.

Lack of Transparency fuels the fire of doubt

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This week, the local newspaper ran an editorial entitled Do You Really Believe that? condemning a citizen(s) for public commentary on the pool and the algae growing in it--told we "negatives" to find out/ask what the problems are with the pool before spewing "inaccuracies and fueling fire" or ridiculing the commission and staff. 

No one is searching for conspiracies in Lake Worth.  All of us are way too active and busy for that. The biggest problem that fuels doubt with the city government is the lack of transparency coming out of city hall. No one is giving this commission "flack" for the pool closure. What we are doing is just trying to find out why it is closed and when it will re-open and under what conditions. This is not too much to ask after three years of closure and this administrative staff, as well as the past, wanting to get rid of our pool. What would have been appropriate was telling the public that the pool pump was broken and the algae would be cleaned up soon. This had to be dragged out of staff because of one photo showing green water and a caption reading "Is this just another excuse to keep it closed?"

Now the Herald did exactly what he accused others of doing--fueling the fire. The Lake Worth Herald editorial states that the city has contracted with an outside pool company for the pool operations--now this is the exact sort of thing that keeps the embers burning because the statement is flat WRONG. An "inaccuracy." Who would have thought an error could be made by a newspaper for not checking out the facts. One phone call would have determined the truth.

According to the Recreation Manager, Juan Ruiz, "We have not contracted with any company. We will have our plans finalized and made public next week once we finalize a few details."

But this is another thing that bothers me.  Why don't we, the public, even know that the city is looking to contract out for pool operations, if they are, that is?  Is that, too, something that has been in the wind for 7 months and we just flat missed it or just another policy decided behind the scenes? After checking the city's web site, I could not find an RFP for a private company to operate our pool. Perhaps one exists, I just could not find it. The Herald's suggestion of "working in a positive direction" is sometimes trickier than one could ever imagine when the public and some members of the commission are kept in the dark. This is done willfully and obviously with commission approval.  All of these things should be given in the city manager's report, a report that we NEVER see.

Pool equipment needs to be constantly checked and maintained whether the pool is closed or not. Sometimes things just wear out.  When a city continues to ignore the public, it is human nature to believe the worst. Our trust just gets thinner and thinner and soon, just like that pool pump, the trust wears out.

An Earth Day Comment

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Last night, Commissioner Amaroso responded to my criticism of the Cultural Plaza on my visit to the Earth Day event and how the plaza is neglected. He said that he was disappointed that I did not give kudos on my blog to all the volunteers and the Kiwanis, etc. Earth Day, as well as all our events, are always successful because of the many people involved. This Earth Day was no exception. However, it still does not negate the fact that our plaza has become blighted. I am just as disappointed that this serious problem was not discussed by the commission.

So here's a positive:   OUC, our new energy provider whose contract starts on January 1, 2014, and a company that came in with the best price and much lower than FPL, was there with a booth to introduce themselves to the residents of Lake Worth. They had literature and LED key chains for those who dropped by and said "hi."


Although no law has been broken, we offhandedly learned last night that FPL has been meeting, out of the Sunshine, with each commissioner individually.

Lake Worth Budget Workshop -

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Budget Workshop #4 took place last night.  Under every circumstance, a budget workshop is where staff presents and commissioners ask questions and set the policy as to what they will be spending and where they will be spending it as well as to understand all the particulars. This is the time that they do that--during the workshop--not after the Budget has been formulated.

Last night, however, was another exception to normal protocol that we have always expected. When questions were asked or comments were made by Commissioners McVoy and Mulvehill, they were shot down by the mayor, Pam Triolo, and told to move on...questions would be answered at a later meeting. When asked "when" by Commissioner McVoy, it was left unanswered...time and date unknown. Then she would roll her eyes and then Scott Maxwell would follow suit.

Normally Maxwell is tough on any budget presentation (he has never approved of any Budget in the past) but last night the only thing he seemed to focus on was having a baseball field in the south end of town.  Commissioner Mulvehill came well prepared to ask the questions and to get to the bottom of the discrepancies but she was stopped in her tracks. Even McVoy asked about transparency and the eyes would roll again. Commissioner Amoroso made some good points.

The City Manager Bornstein intimated that he had not been able to meet with them one on one--ran out of time-- and that is how he likes to do it (answer their questions) prior to the workshop and then just present his numbers. Meeting with commissioners prior to a public workshop meeting is alright but all that communication should be in the Sunshine. Telling commissioners that they are not allowed to ask questions that involve the spending of tax dollars, is outrageous in itself.

The Sunshine Law is applicable to a workshop meeting held by the city commission to discuss future city business. "The obvious intent [of the Sunshine Law] was to cover any gathering of the members where the members deal with some matter on which foreseeable action will be taken by the board." The public has a right to know what questions were asked and what answers were given and how Staff wants to spend all of the revenue.

In the Town of Palm Beach v. Gradison, 296 So.2d 473, 475 (Fla. 1974), the Supreme Court expostulated: "Every meeting of any board, commission, agency or authority of a municipality should be a marketplace of ideas, so that the governmental agency may have sufficient input from the citizens who are going to be affected by the subsequent action of the municipality. The ordinary taxpayer can no longer be led blindly down the path of government, for the news media, by constantly reporting community affairs, has made the taxpayer aware of governmental problems. Government, more so now that ever before, should be responsive to the wishes of the public. These wishes could never be known in nonpublic meetings, and the governmental agencies would be deprived of the benefit of suggestions and ideas which may be advanced by the knowledgeable public."

This workshop meeting was a farce and a total waste of time especially when the city manager told the commission that they could make recommendations during their one on one meetings out of the Sunshine. All this boiled down to was a budget presentation by the Finance Director on behalf of the City Manager...all were to sit there like good little subjects...questions were not going to be tolerated.

Proposed new Public Services Building in Lake Worth

There are a lot of items on tonight's city commission agenda. There is so much to write about that it really has become ridiculous. When this commission was elected, I wondered if there would be as much to write about. My query was short lived. For the very vocal dozen who will be tempted to give me some bull about the BCME, I will admit that she did want to grab the power. However, as said on numerous occasions, it was up to the Commission to control it not abrogate it.

As some of you know who were at the Commission meeting when the architects, all highly qualified, presented their designs for our Casino, Song & Associates lobbied the merchants at the beach. This was border line unethical but in my book it did not conform to any standards of social or professional behavior. No other architect involved in the Casino lobbied any of our lessees and rightfully so.

It is an ethics violation if a firm has communicated with Staff or the Commission. Therefore, a firm that is up for consideration and lobbies a member of Staff or anyone directly involved in a project who might have an interest, to help swing a vote its way, is not professional nor is it appropriate. This was the only firm that resorted to that practice on the Casino according to public disclosure. Also, the fact that they low-balled the cost estimate, put them under special scrutiny, in my opinion.

Under the above circumstances, I would have been scrutinizing each firm very carefully for future work in our City to ensure that everything was above board and out in the Sunshine. However, Song & Associates was the firm chosen to be the architect on the new public services building and garage where the cost is estimated at $2.2 million. Some of the money to pay for this building will be coming from that "missing" billboard money if staff gets its way tonight.

Song was chosen last year by a selection committee from a list of 15 firms that responded to the city's request for proposals (RFP). I do not know nor do I remember who was on the selection committee but I would much prefer that the City Commission make the choice from a short-list in cases such as this, in a public meeting, because of full disclosure and Sunshine Laws. Would this be usurping the city manager's power? I would think that the commission would have a say. At least then we can ask the question of the Commission, "Did this firm contact you or anyone you know involved in the project, in any way, regarding this job?" Behind closed doors, who knows what's going on.

Was Sunshine Law Violated?

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In 1995, Florida innacted Sunshine Law. Sunshine Law applies when two or more members of the same elected or appointed public board or commission meet to discuss or take action on any matter which may foreseeably come before them in their official capacity. The Sunshine Law requires that: (1) meetings be open to the public; (2) notice be given; and (3) minutes be taken.

Members of a board discussing board business or holding a meeting by telephone or e-mail must ensure that the requirements of the Sunshine Law have been satisfied by providing notice and access to the public.

Last night at 1 hour and 22 minutes into the meeting, Scott Maxwell asked Mayor Triolo if she had a concern about the Consent Agenda, "Is there something you want to deal with," prodded Maxwell. This was Triolo's first meeting and she was trying to take things at a normal pace whereas Maxwell was on the fast track. He was reminding her that she might have something she wanted to discuss on the Consent Agenda. Triolo ended up pulling off items A, B & C for discussion. At 1:42:14 when item C was up for discussion, Commissioner McVoy said that he had a procedural concern and asked Maxwell if he had reminded the Mayor by asking her if she had a concern about item C.

Sunshine can sometimes get in the way when you are an elected official. Sunshine Laws are broken all of the time. It is very hard and nearly impossible to prove because those committing the infraction know how to cover it up. However it is the law. It was the above question by Maxwell that was suspect by several who contacted me that this majority commission might have forgotten Sunshine Law, possibly discussed the agenda prior to the public meeting and might have forgotten the importance and gravity of operating in the shade. This is raised simply to make the Commission aware that sometimes the most innocent of questions might raise a concern.

"Any member of a board or commission or of any state or local agency or authority who knowingly violates the Sunshine Law is guilty of a misdemeanor of the second degree. If convicted, the officer or employee may be removed from office. Any public official who violates the provisions of the Sunshine Law is guilty of a noncriminal infraction, punishable by a fine not exceeding $500. Reasonable attorney's fees and court costs will be assessed against a public agency violating the Sunshine Law."

The Fun part of Blogging

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Casino and the City Manager's Report

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"The date of May 7th has been set for the Beach/Casino Project Groundbreaking. The event will consist of the traditional groundbreaking ceremony and fun filled community activities to commemorate this momentous occasion."

The City Commission has one heck of a nerve approving Staff's proposal of spending money on a ground-breaking event. This is a ridiculous waste of taxpayer money. Grrr@#$%^

The Casino tenants have been informed that the final move out date prior to the commencement of construction will be May 31st as they had requested to stay in place for Memorial Day weekend. The Casino Dairy Store has fallen behind in it’s rent. The City delivered a letter to the store indicating that unless the deficiency is corrected by the end of the month that further legal action will be taken. Amount due $4,716.59. Do you think we will get the rent? Lots of luck.

This information came from the City Manager's Report. On Tuesday night, she asked the Commission if they thought it was necessary to continue her weekly report that she implemented soon after her job began...it took a lot of work...wondered if people even read it. Staff has always complained about "work" and they want all of us to provide generous retirement benefits and wages. Just another thing the City wants to eliminate to keep the public totally uninformed.

Comptroller of PB County on "Sunshine" Week

PB Post Letters to the Editor
Sunday, March 13, 2011

Government in sunshine is a responsible government

Florida celebrates its commitment to "sunshine" in government this week, and for good reason. Laws to ensure the public's right to inspect government documents were enacted over 100 years ago, and cemented into our state constitution in 1992.

As citizens, we have a right to know what decisions our government officials are making and a responsibility to stay informed on issues affecting our lives and our wallets. This open access to records is not just mandated by law and the constitution; it is built into the structure of our local government.

In 1838, the framers of Florida's constitution foresaw the importance of an independent guardian of the public's records. Court records, mortgages, deeds and county meeting and finance records are processed and held by the clerk and comptroller to ensure their safety and integrity. You are entitled to easy, unfettered access to information, such as the cost of county projects and other expenses, how commissioners voted, foreclosure and criminal case records, and marriage licenses dating back to 1909. All are available online at www.mypalmbeachclerk.com or at locations throughout Palm Beach County.

During Sunshine Week, I reaffirm my commitment to safeguard, and provide easy, open access to the records held by my office. A government in the sunshine is a responsible government. I encourage you to explore your right to access public records, not just during Sunshine Week but all year.

SHARON BOCK
West Palm Beach
clerk and comptroller of Palm Beach County

*Also read the editorial in Sunday's Post by Jac Wilder VerSteeg, Scott keeps Public in the Dark.

"Open government is what distinguishes democracy from every other form of government. And anything that impedes open government -- be it ill-trained bureaucrats or outrageous open records fees -- should be swept away."
The St. Petersburg Times, Editorial Board

Many thanks to Deborah Andrea at the Lake Worth City Clerk's office for always being helpful, efficient and someone who gives excellent service regarding public information requests.

Power Grab in Lake Worth Continues and the Public can't Speak

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Years ago under Mayor Rodney Romano, holes were jackhammered in the Lake Worth Casino building. Word had it that the government was trying to justify why the building should be demolished. Sweet deals for friends.

Now in yesterday's news, the City is removing the shuffleboard courts. We have had courts for 80 years. It doesn't matter--treat the seniors like crap. The City has been doing that all along to 14% of its population. The voting block of Seniors who are retired, with most of them with resources, is significant--they always vote. They don't cost the city nor do they destroy property; they just don't have the fight in them to put up with politics and bad decisions. They expect we "younger" folks to pursue what's right.

The City eliminated their transportation with the trolley that was costing the City around $165,000 a year--big deal. There are some who say, "Well, let them walk." That's the argument for eliminating 160 upper level parking spaces at the beach. Next it was the Senior Center where they came to play bridge, read, buy lunch, have some camaraderie. They kicked the Seniors out and gave the building to Compass, another voting block of similar proportions but these people are younger and they still know how to fight for rights and for what they want.

Mayor Varela, speaking about the Shuffleboard Court Building is quoted as saying: "Our new recreation facility will serve as green space and activity space for residents (this includes illegals, the very same people who destroyed it) from kindergarten to the elderly." Trust me, Mayor, it will NOT be the elderly driving or walking there to sit on "green." Is this one of the promises to "force change" before you leave town? He did promise to leave certain residents out in the cold when he first took office--a promise now fulfilled.

Joe Kroll, Public Works Director, said that "use of the shuffleboard courts had dwindled," thus justifying this action. Use has dwindled because of the deplorable conditions of the courts. Public Works NEVER took care of this asset. The Mentoring Center never took care of our property. Now the City, once again, would rather just get rid of it. In the mind of Staff, it is the expedient and most cost effective thing to do.

The real reason for jackhammering and taking out the courts is that the illegal population who utilized our building when The Mentoring Center had the Lease attracted those who destroyed our property and The Mentoring Center is responsible for its condition. The City, for some odd reason, is reluctant to go after them for these repairs. To rebuild all those courts would cost the City money that they do not wish to spend. What cost did Joe Kroll give to the city manager for shuffleboard courts? Remember the roof? That cost estimate was totally out of whack.

At our condominium community, we have had tournaments with those who participated at the Shuffleboard courts. We have 6 courts here and we maintain them. If we didn't, we would have people screaming bloody murder and those in charge would be accused of nonfeasance and booted.

It is a sad day for Lake Worth when the City can decide, on its own, to eradicate its history-- from the Commission agreeing to closing the Museum and to other decisions out of the Sunshine like shutting down the Annex? and now jackhammering our shuffleboard courts.

Commissioner Scott Maxwell is correct when he says, the Commission should debate the issue. In fact, the public should have a right to speak on it too. This sounds just like another Bryant Park fiasco.

Will the Commission continue to allow its power to be transferred to Staff?

Mr. Sunshine and Connecting the Dots

Ms. Stanton was at a meeting yesterday with the city managers of four other cities: Wellington, Royal Palm Beach, Lake Park, and Mangonia Park. It was a meeting that she initiated to discuss the tremendous cost for services with the Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Department. Pahokee, South Bay and Belle Glade should have been invited. They can't pay for the service as it is now. After she spoke for approximately ½ hour, the City Manager of Wellington, Paul Schofield, informed everyone that the Press was invited by him and were in the audience. Surprise! Stanton was blindsided.

The "good ole boy network" is alive and prevalent in Palm Beach County. It's been here for years and the seed never seems to die. It just keeps springing up like a bad weed. Afterall, we are not the Corruption County of the Country for nothing.

Paul Schofield has been with the City of Wellington for the past 9 years or so first starting as its Director of Community Development. He became Town Manager in February 2008. It was reported several years back by the Post that he is an old drinking buddy of Anthony Masilotti as well as Daniel Miteff, who both got 5 years in the Federal Pen.

Some of you might not remember what got Miteff in trouble or his connection to corruption.

The Sun Sentinel reported on December 13, 2006 that “The third criminal defendant in the public corruption scandal alleged to have profited former County Commissioner Tony Masilotti through secret land deals is scheduled to appear in federal court in Fort Pierce this morning on 16 counts of conspiracy and fraud.

Daniel N. Miteff, 55, a civil engineer and Wellington businessman, is indicted secretly Friday by a grand jury and arrested Monday afternoon by FBI agents for his role in a Royal Palm Beach land deal. He allegedly paid Masilotti for representations he made as a public official with cash and $39,000 worth of gaming chips when the two met at the Atlantis Hotel and Casino in the Bahamas in February 2004.

Miteff was charged with conspiring with Masilotti to use his power as an elected official to win a contract to develop 50 acres in Royal Palm Beach owned by the Roman Catholic Diocese of Palm Beach for about $1 million in profits. The indictment also said Miteff lied to the grand jury on two occasions in August when questioned about the diocese deal.”

Daniel Miteff, if everyone recalls, was the front man for Anthony Pugliese when he was trying to get hold of our Lake Worth beach in order to build a hotel complex during the Romano administration here in Lake Worth.

Paul Schofield was the one who hired Paul Masilotti, Tony's bother, as Wellington's Building Inspector. You always have to follow the money to attempt to figure it all out and connect the dots.

So Mr. Schofield is a close friend of these guys so we have to wonder what his purpose really was for notifying the press and not even bothering to let the ATTENDEES KNOW UNTIL WELL AFTER THE FACT. .. certainly bad manners. Does anyone really believe it had to do with “sunshine?"

Honesty and Transparency just got more Expensive

The new costs for public information will only affect 5% of the people says Staff.

I believe that public information should be relatively cost free, accessible and easy. We already pay the salaries of city employees. Why should Lake Worth citizens pay again for them to do their job? We have always paid for the price to copy the document which has been 15 cents a page for a long time. Now they want us to pay for research time that will involve the employee’s salary and benefits. The public will be charged after the first hour and it will be itemized. This opens up a whole new can of worms for abuse. Filling public information is part of just being a government employee. We have an employee in the Clerk’s office whose job description entails public information requests. So what’s the big deal here?

What it boils down to is that Staff, whose salaries we pay, is irritated in just doing this bothersome job. The Public is a nuisance in their minds, the very people for whom they serve. It is an imposition on their valuable time. They would much prefer filing or going to the dentist.

The harder the City makes it for the citizenry to access public information and the more costly it is to obtain will definitely slow down the entire process and the transparency goal. The Clerk says that this will not affect 95-96% of the requests. I can well understand someone coming in and asking for any document that ever existed so that he can build a law suit against the City and I don’t have a problem with charging more for a commercial request. The City Manager said a few weeks ago that she didn’t know how to distinguish what was commercial and what wasn’t. Well, the Federal government makes the distinction so why can't we?

I feel that this new policy could be abused and that Staff could punish a citizen for whom it does not like and charge accordingly. All of a sudden that e-mail request comes across their desk and they say, "Oh no, not him again." You can see how quickly that employee might get the request filled. Something normally that should take 2 minutes to download from a computer might end up taking two days of staff time. Also, I think that it is Staff’s obligation to tell the citizen if the document can be found on-line and where they can find it.

Staff should be there to be helpful to the public, not the reverse. If it is a document that can be sent in a .pdf file format, they should offer that free of charge. Wayne Marcinkoski made a good point--what if staff gives you the WRONG information, do you then still have to pay? Wayne requested information on the investigative findings pertaining to the breach at the utility and was told there was none.

On a side note--

This entire matter with the Utility should have been handled in the very beginning and an investigation done immediately…all in writing and in the Sunshine. Why should we have to pay just to see if this was done? It is OUR Utility and we have the right to know if an investigation ever was requested and the results of same.

Why the silence? Why the cover-up? Why was someone fired? Why are two employees on administrative leave? Why not everyone involved in this matter then?

To get back to the point--We know, and the Press knows, that the city is slow to fulfill public information requests on many matters often times telling you the document does not exist. The other ploy is if you don’t request it in just the correct wordage or document name, forget about ever getting it. You might call it an Ordinance on the beach when in fact it is referred to as an Amendment. Staff likes to play games at times. They get some perverse kick out of your ignorance.

The truth of the matter is that public information is now going to be more costly and therefore for that reason alone, will stifle freedom of information. No one on the dais seems to have a problem with this other than Commissioner Jennings who voted against it on the Ordinance's Second Reading. The Palm Beach Post could understand the potential for abuse and were the ones who suggested increasing the original 30 minutes to 60 minutes to when the clock starts ticking. They understood it. The Herald didn't. Our Commission went along with the City Manager.

These public information requests are what keep our government honest and by making it more expensive, that honesty now has a price on it that is subjective and could very possibly be abused. It could very likely put a damper on requests in general. It was right that the public bring up its concerns on this. The City Manager has the majority of the Commission, as well as our local news Editor, convinced that making it more expensive is justified and that most of us will not be affected. You have to wonder what’s in it for them to capitulate?

So the price of freedom of information just got a little less free. As we attempt to have affordable healthcare, affordable housing and affordable everything else, we can only hope that this latest decision will not stifle the process or end up indirectly putting a "gag" on public information.

"Sunshine is the Greatest Disinfectant"--Inspector General fired!

Obama fired Inspector General, Gerald Walpin, for "no" reason. He was just doing his job investigating AmeriCorps money that went to a community group called St. HOPE Academy