Over two hundred years ago,
our Founding Fathers ensured that each generation of Americans would enjoy the
American Dream by choosing freedom over tyranny and declaring independence from
Great Britain. Today we celebrate them and their determination to preserve a
legacy of liberty in America.
To me, the American Dream and the rights our Founding Fathers enshrined in the
Constitution are sacred. No matter where you come from or where you were born,
you are guaranteed these amazing freedoms—and you can achieve whatever heights
that you want in this great nation based upon your own drive and determination.
Today, I want to know what the American Dream and our liberties mean to you. So
in between the parades, the barbecues, and the fireworks, I encourage you to
think about it and share your thoughts with me on our Facebook
page.
Happy Independence Day.
God bless America,
Allen West
Thursday, July 4, 2013
Tom McGow
Comment Up
Everyone in our city who has read the local blogs remembers Tom McGow. He moved from Lake Worth several years ago. He was a blogger writing Tom's Page and the greatest at Photoshop. His special friend, Donna Ross, a former member of our CRA, just wrote to say that Tom needs our help. He suffered a major brain aneurysm and has been in the hospital--intensive care for several weeks and just recently he was moved to a regular room. He is working with therapists and using a walker and trying to feed himself. Donna told me that he still, in spite of all that he has gone through, has maintained his sense of humor for which he was so well known.
You can imagine the hospital costs alone when you do not have health insurance.
His daughter has set up a web site where all his friends can contribute to help in his recovery.
Please go to YouCaring and click on the donate button to the right.
Everyone in our city who has read the local blogs remembers Tom McGow. He moved from Lake Worth several years ago. He was a blogger writing Tom's Page and the greatest at Photoshop. His special friend, Donna Ross, a former member of our CRA, just wrote to say that Tom needs our help. He suffered a major brain aneurysm and has been in the hospital--intensive care for several weeks and just recently he was moved to a regular room. He is working with therapists and using a walker and trying to feed himself. Donna told me that he still, in spite of all that he has gone through, has maintained his sense of humor for which he was so well known.
You can imagine the hospital costs alone when you do not have health insurance.
His daughter has set up a web site where all his friends can contribute to help in his recovery.
Please go to YouCaring and click on the donate button to the right.
Wednesday, July 3, 2013
Obama on Egypt
President Obama said in a statement Wednesday
that he is "deeply concerned" by the Egyptian Armed Forces' decision
to remove President Morsi and suspend the constitution.
Obama also said the U.S. will review its aid to Egypt.
Read more...
Obama also said the U.S. will review its aid to Egypt.
Read more...
Lona on the beat in Lake Worth
Comment Up
Lona O'Connor is the new reporter assigned to Lake Worth by the Palm Beach Post. Willie Howard will be covering Palm Beach Gardens. Lona has the best job --this is where all the action is but it's going to take her awhile to figure out the politics and who is feeding her a line of bull. It's bad enough when we have to deal with editor Andrew Marra on our local issues.
Her bio states that "general assignment reporter Lona O’Connor writes about a diverse set of topics, including religion, the environment, the arts, higher education, neighborhood disputes, bionic dogs and maggots that paint." No kidding!
Her bio states that "general assignment reporter Lona O’Connor writes about a diverse set of topics, including religion, the environment, the arts, higher education, neighborhood disputes, bionic dogs and maggots that paint." No kidding!
The Vote and Will of the people are NOT supreme in Lake Worth
Comment Up
That
was NOT what the heights election was about. It was a CHARTER CHANGE and in order to
change the Charter, it must be by vote of the electorate.
The Charter is the bible or Constitution of the city, not the comprehensive plan or a map that can be changed by a political vote from the dais. The Charter already addressed heights. That is why Respectful Planning PAC was formed and took the issue to the voters. Their vote was decided on March 12, 2013 and it is supreme.
Even Vice Mayor Maxwell got rip roaring mad and red in the face by going so far as to accuse Commissioner McVoy of lying about heights by saying that the commission NEVER wanted to raise the heights; they wanted to lower them. Even Maxwell is confused about the Comprehensive Plan and the Charter. The commission RAISED heights in the Comprehensive Plan and this is why the Political Action Committee was formed to allow the people to vote.
This entire commission minus Commissioner McVoy has always wanted more heights in our downtown. Even now when the vote was decided and 56% of the voters said NO to their demands, they are stomping on democracy just one more time to get their way. You never would have known that last night with all the soft peddling they did. Triolo, Maxwell and Amoroso are all up for re-election. Even commissioner Szerdi, another conveniently "confused" commissioner, said he thought the language of the ballot initiative was "confusing." Last night you felt as if you were in the campaign all over again. The ONLY thing confusing was their argument and devious tactics or stating that they had "no pony in the race." Of course they always did and do.
They fought the Respectful Planning PAC and all those who signed the petition tooth and nail and rather disrespectfully. They cost the voters $25,000 by moving it from the November election to March for a special election; They cost the PAC money to bring the vote home and exhausting hours to even getting it on the ballot. They delayed and delayed the outcome and would not codify the results. They were waiting for their opportunity and they got it with William Waters and Glen Torcivia both who are paid by the commission to achieve results to their point of view.
It was NOT an initiative or referendum for any development order
It was NOT an initiative or referendum for any local comprehensive plan
It was NOT an initiative or referendum for any map amendment.
It WAS an initiative or referendum to amend our Charter.
Florida Statutes mandate referendum when 10% of the registered voters sign a petition for it. When the referendum is successful, the Charter must be changed according to the expressed will of the people. Last night, this commission told the voters who wanted to keep our city at 45 feet that their vote did not matter to them.
When it comes to legal issues, there are always differences of opinion. That is why there is even a divide in the Supreme Court with 5/4 decisions. The Chair of Respectful Planning PAC said, "I will bring them to court."
Glen Torcivia, city attorney--
Worth his weight in Gold
Worth his weight in Gold
One legal opinion siding with his bosses
4 of whom stomped on democracy
4 of whom stomped on democracy
Last night, the attorney who reports to the commission, a body that stalled this referendum from the get-go, gave his legal opinion-- the heights referendum is null and void due to a recent change on a bill that Governor Scott recently signed. Was anyone really surprised?
The bill, HB 537 prohibits initiative or referendum
processes for any development order, local comprehensive plan amendment, or
map amendment.
The Charter is the bible or Constitution of the city, not the comprehensive plan or a map that can be changed by a political vote from the dais. The Charter already addressed heights. That is why Respectful Planning PAC was formed and took the issue to the voters. Their vote was decided on March 12, 2013 and it is supreme.
Even Vice Mayor Maxwell got rip roaring mad and red in the face by going so far as to accuse Commissioner McVoy of lying about heights by saying that the commission NEVER wanted to raise the heights; they wanted to lower them. Even Maxwell is confused about the Comprehensive Plan and the Charter. The commission RAISED heights in the Comprehensive Plan and this is why the Political Action Committee was formed to allow the people to vote.
This entire commission minus Commissioner McVoy has always wanted more heights in our downtown. Even now when the vote was decided and 56% of the voters said NO to their demands, they are stomping on democracy just one more time to get their way. You never would have known that last night with all the soft peddling they did. Triolo, Maxwell and Amoroso are all up for re-election. Even commissioner Szerdi, another conveniently "confused" commissioner, said he thought the language of the ballot initiative was "confusing." Last night you felt as if you were in the campaign all over again. The ONLY thing confusing was their argument and devious tactics or stating that they had "no pony in the race." Of course they always did and do.
It was NOT an initiative or referendum for any development order
It was NOT an initiative or referendum for any local comprehensive plan
It was NOT an initiative or referendum for any map amendment.
It WAS an initiative or referendum to amend our Charter.
Florida Statutes mandate referendum when 10% of the registered voters sign a petition for it. When the referendum is successful, the Charter must be changed according to the expressed will of the people. Last night, this commission told the voters who wanted to keep our city at 45 feet that their vote did not matter to them.
When it comes to legal issues, there are always differences of opinion. That is why there is even a divide in the Supreme Court with 5/4 decisions. The Chair of Respectful Planning PAC said, "I will bring them to court."
The 4th in Lake Worth
10 a.m. the Parade of Rafts
11 a.m. Raft Race at the boat ramp at Bryant park (come early...last year it started way before the announced time)
The entertainment schedule at Bryant Park:
12 to 2:30 p.m., School of Rock
3 to 3:30 p.m., Carol Gianni
4 to 5:30 p.m., People Upstairs
6 to 6:30 p.m., Iggy G
7 to 8:30 p.m., Spam All Stars;
9 p.m., fireworks.
PBSO is planning on closing the Lake Worth Bridge for fireworks on July 4th, from 8:30 p.m. to 10:00 p.m.
Tuesday, July 2, 2013
Tonight's consent
Comment Up
This commission has a mission and a vision; it wants development and it wants revenue from it. It doesn't matter if citizens want a low-rise downtown--they want development and they want it any way they can get it. They keep telling everyone who will listen that Lake Worth hasn't developed anything in years but they fail to tell you that we are built up--there are only a few parcels left for development without tearing something else down.
Remember Scott Maxwell ran on a couple of platforms--one was eradicating slum and blight and the other was developing the Park of Commerce. Slum and blight is now worse throughout our city and the Park of Commerce is an exorbitantly expensive fantasy that will be using someone's else's money--yours. This commission is all for making the "industrial' park a reality. It will be their legacy. Their children will be able to look back and claim that it was Mommy and Daddy who got Lake Worth in a forward motion.
The Park of Commerce is far enough west that developers actually might be attracted to our city...any area closer to town would be another story... would any developer want to build in a city consumed by slum, blight and crime?
But we haven't solved the code enforcement issues that plague our city. We keep talking about them but nothing changes. No one on the dais has done anything about it. They keep saying to themselves, "Thank God I don't live around that neighborhood....poor schumcks." Let's put in an obnoxious speed bump to keep "them" happy and allow them to have a semi-private road and allow a gigantic garage to be built in a residential neighborhood.
What the Commissioners ARE doing, however, is planning on obligating us to tremendous debt in order to finance roads and the Park of Commerce to attract development with the 216 affordable rentals being the first step. It's all okay, they say--it's in that other part of town and besides the fantasy Park of Commerce is now on its way. They choose to forget that this area was for commercial development. This is all just another decision that goes on their resume for re-election. "We are the ones who finally got something done," they will tell us.
As this commission has always ridiculed the hiring of consultants or paying for studies, etc., tonight on the Consent Agenda, the city will be contracting with Public Financial Management of Orlando to advise us on our financial needs pertaining to debt structuring for the roads and utility master plan of an estimated $63 million, the Park of Commerce program that was already stated at a commission meeting of being approximately $11 million for infrastructure and also to refinance existing debt which is humongous. They will advise whether to go out on a General Obligation Bond or a bank loan to finance all of these multi-millions. I am all for a financial adviser when you're talking about big bucks; that is smart business.We better be well advised before we obligate our taxpayers. Folks, we only get around $28 million in revenue to operate our city every year and public safety takes $20 million of that. How safe do you feel for $20 million?
Apparently the City doesn't even have to go out for bid...the city manager can just pick a company and they cite Section 2-112(c)(6) of the City's code (can't find it) that gives them the authority. Also, they don't want the public to speak to this as they put it on the Consent Agenda--a contract of huge importance that taxpayers will fund but have absolutely no say. This is a five year contract involving some of the following costs:
Hourly rates:
Managing Director=$195 an hour
Sr. Managing consultant=$185
Sr analyst/analyst=$175
Fee Proposal per value range of bonds:
Up to $50,000=$0.85 per thousand
Next $25,000=$0.65 per 1,000
Next $25,000=$0.55 "
Additional amts over $100,000=$0.45 per 1,000
All expenses are reimbursed: travel, meals, lodging, telephone, mail, printing, graphics, you name it. There is a flat fee retainer of $15,000 per year and any additional services will require a separate agreement. The city, as well a Public Financial Management, will have a project manager unlike some of our past mistakes when NO ONE was in charge. Well, we did have Corey O'Gorman at the pool and Laurah Hanna as assistant city manager.
This commission has a mission and a vision; it wants development and it wants revenue from it. It doesn't matter if citizens want a low-rise downtown--they want development and they want it any way they can get it. They keep telling everyone who will listen that Lake Worth hasn't developed anything in years but they fail to tell you that we are built up--there are only a few parcels left for development without tearing something else down.
Remember Scott Maxwell ran on a couple of platforms--one was eradicating slum and blight and the other was developing the Park of Commerce. Slum and blight is now worse throughout our city and the Park of Commerce is an exorbitantly expensive fantasy that will be using someone's else's money--yours. This commission is all for making the "industrial' park a reality. It will be their legacy. Their children will be able to look back and claim that it was Mommy and Daddy who got Lake Worth in a forward motion.
The Park of Commerce is far enough west that developers actually might be attracted to our city...any area closer to town would be another story... would any developer want to build in a city consumed by slum, blight and crime?
But we haven't solved the code enforcement issues that plague our city. We keep talking about them but nothing changes. No one on the dais has done anything about it. They keep saying to themselves, "Thank God I don't live around that neighborhood....poor schumcks." Let's put in an obnoxious speed bump to keep "them" happy and allow them to have a semi-private road and allow a gigantic garage to be built in a residential neighborhood.
What the Commissioners ARE doing, however, is planning on obligating us to tremendous debt in order to finance roads and the Park of Commerce to attract development with the 216 affordable rentals being the first step. It's all okay, they say--it's in that other part of town and besides the fantasy Park of Commerce is now on its way. They choose to forget that this area was for commercial development. This is all just another decision that goes on their resume for re-election. "We are the ones who finally got something done," they will tell us.
As this commission has always ridiculed the hiring of consultants or paying for studies, etc., tonight on the Consent Agenda, the city will be contracting with Public Financial Management of Orlando to advise us on our financial needs pertaining to debt structuring for the roads and utility master plan of an estimated $63 million, the Park of Commerce program that was already stated at a commission meeting of being approximately $11 million for infrastructure and also to refinance existing debt which is humongous. They will advise whether to go out on a General Obligation Bond or a bank loan to finance all of these multi-millions. I am all for a financial adviser when you're talking about big bucks; that is smart business.We better be well advised before we obligate our taxpayers. Folks, we only get around $28 million in revenue to operate our city every year and public safety takes $20 million of that. How safe do you feel for $20 million?
Apparently the City doesn't even have to go out for bid...the city manager can just pick a company and they cite Section 2-112(c)(6) of the City's code (can't find it) that gives them the authority. Also, they don't want the public to speak to this as they put it on the Consent Agenda--a contract of huge importance that taxpayers will fund but have absolutely no say. This is a five year contract involving some of the following costs:
Hourly rates:
Managing Director=$195 an hour
Sr. Managing consultant=$185
Sr analyst/analyst=$175
Fee Proposal per value range of bonds:
Up to $50,000=$0.85 per thousand
Next $25,000=$0.65 per 1,000
Next $25,000=$0.55 "
Additional amts over $100,000=$0.45 per 1,000
All expenses are reimbursed: travel, meals, lodging, telephone, mail, printing, graphics, you name it. There is a flat fee retainer of $15,000 per year and any additional services will require a separate agreement. The city, as well a Public Financial Management, will have a project manager unlike some of our past mistakes when NO ONE was in charge. Well, we did have Corey O'Gorman at the pool and Laurah Hanna as assistant city manager.
A beautiful way to start your day
Photo by Cpt. Kimo
Cpt. Kimo says, "HDR Photography image taken from the Juno Beach Fishing Pier during a stormy sunrise. This is an oldie from one of my many trips to the JUno Beach Pier. Every now and then I get a cool cloud formation over the Atlantic Ocean. Three exposure HDR photo processed in Photomatix Pro and Topaz Software."
Monday, July 1, 2013
Squawking young Moorhen
Walking around on some lily pods today, this Moorhen was squawking and vocalizing.
Another Ribbon cutting
Ribbon Cutting Ceremony for the
Wimbley Gym Extension
When: Tuesday, July 16, 2013 11:00 AM-11:30 AM
Where: 1515 Wingfield (Wimbley Gym)
When: Tuesday, July 16, 2013 11:00 AM-11:30 AM
Where: 1515 Wingfield (Wimbley Gym)
News on Lake Worth's Olympic pool
Comment Up
In celebration of the 100th Centennial Celebration for the City of Lake Worth, the Lake Worth Municipal Pool will re-open Thursday, July 4th at 10am. We invite the community to come out and enjoy the pool at the newly renovated Lake Worth Beach Complex in addition to the various events taking place throughout the day in celebration of the City’s 100th Birthday.
The Municipal Pool hours for July 4th ONLY will be 10:00 am-3:00 pm. The Municipal Pool will remain open from July 4th through September 27th. The pool will operate on the following days and hours:
Thursdays 7:00 am - 11:00 am
Fridays 7:00 am - 11:00 am
Saturdays 9:00 am - 5:00 pm
Sundays 9:00 am - 5:00 pm
Admission Fees:
Adult 18 and over $ 4.00
Youth 4-17 yrs old $ 3.00
Infants 3 and under Free
Summer Pass $125
Ea. additional family member $ 25
Pool rentals for parties and privately held functions are available please inquire with staff for rental rates.
For more information on the Municipal Pool call the Lake Worth Beach Complex Aquatics Division at 561-585-6858. (Number corrected)
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
FROM: Lake Worth Leisure Services Department
CONTACT: Lake Worth City Hall 586-1600
DATE: July 1, 2013
RE: Lake Worth Municipal Pool Re-Opening
In celebration of the 100th Centennial Celebration for the City of Lake Worth, the Lake Worth Municipal Pool will re-open Thursday, July 4th at 10am. We invite the community to come out and enjoy the pool at the newly renovated Lake Worth Beach Complex in addition to the various events taking place throughout the day in celebration of the City’s 100th Birthday.
The Municipal Pool hours for July 4th ONLY will be 10:00 am-3:00 pm. The Municipal Pool will remain open from July 4th through September 27th. The pool will operate on the following days and hours:
Thursdays 7:00 am - 11:00 am
Fridays 7:00 am - 11:00 am
Saturdays 9:00 am - 5:00 pm
Sundays 9:00 am - 5:00 pm
Admission Fees:
Adult 18 and over $ 4.00
Youth 4-17 yrs old $ 3.00
Infants 3 and under Free
Summer Pass $125
Ea. additional family member $ 25
Pool rentals for parties and privately held functions are available please inquire with staff for rental rates.
For more information on the Municipal Pool call the Lake Worth Beach Complex Aquatics Division at 561-585-6858. (Number corrected)
Cowering in fear
Comment Up
It's easier to give it away, sell it, or sweep it all under the rug or give kudos where they are undeserved. We have a bottomless pit of problems in Lake Worth and it just seems that none of them are being solved. What we are doing though, is allowing more affordable housing and finding grants (free money) for anything or everything we possibly can at the expense of the over-all welfare of our city. Standing up for principles? Oh no, we can't afford one more dime on legal expenses to defend those.
The city slum and blight keeps getting worse. Crime is unbelievable and we are not being told how dangerous our neighborhoods have become. We have to read about a horrible crime in the PB Post. Just the other night I reported two gun shots to the sheriff that came from the Orange Grove Mobile Home Park--a bed of continuous crime. The sheriff knows where the hot spots are...do you ever see a sheriff vehicle in your neighborhood?
The city has to get serious and tough on all the negative elements within our city. It isn't. It hasn't. It's about time that it does. We know what we want from our city and it's not leading from fear--fear of law suits--fear of being transparent, fear of spending money on Studies that will guide us in the right direction, worrying about development before we cleanup the slum and blight, etc. The antidote for fear-based management is not to dismiss risk but to operate with a controlled/sensible vision and following through without bankrupting us. Getting the priorities straight is what it's all about.
It's easier to give it away, sell it, or sweep it all under the rug or give kudos where they are undeserved. We have a bottomless pit of problems in Lake Worth and it just seems that none of them are being solved. What we are doing though, is allowing more affordable housing and finding grants (free money) for anything or everything we possibly can at the expense of the over-all welfare of our city. Standing up for principles? Oh no, we can't afford one more dime on legal expenses to defend those.
The city slum and blight keeps getting worse. Crime is unbelievable and we are not being told how dangerous our neighborhoods have become. We have to read about a horrible crime in the PB Post. Just the other night I reported two gun shots to the sheriff that came from the Orange Grove Mobile Home Park--a bed of continuous crime. The sheriff knows where the hot spots are...do you ever see a sheriff vehicle in your neighborhood?
The city has to get serious and tough on all the negative elements within our city. It isn't. It hasn't. It's about time that it does. We know what we want from our city and it's not leading from fear--fear of law suits--fear of being transparent, fear of spending money on Studies that will guide us in the right direction, worrying about development before we cleanup the slum and blight, etc. The antidote for fear-based management is not to dismiss risk but to operate with a controlled/sensible vision and following through without bankrupting us. Getting the priorities straight is what it's all about.
American's Favorite Gay friendly cities
Gay friendly Cities. Guess what? Lake Worth is NOT on the list. Do you think it is because of all that slum, blight and crime?
Smile, you're on the FBI camera
Comment Up
Oh no, tell me it ain't so. The government uses facial images to catch the bad guys--it shhhh, profiles people. You liberals should have a field day with this one.
Remember when Susan Stanton put a lock on the executive door? She was being "unfriendly" towards the residents who just came crashing into her offices unannounced and with no appointment, it was said. She got all sorts of static about that one from the now Vice Mayor, Scott Maxwell.. Now city hall is like Fort Knox and even has a two-way mirrored door allowing the city manager to see who is attempting to "bother" him. And forget about dropping in to have a little chat with your commissioner. Their doors are locked too. They don't even answer e-mails.
“The FBI will use facial recognition to match images in the database against facial images obtained from CCTV and elsewhere,” the organization explained, noting there are an estimated 30 million cameras recording Americans already.
Read more...
Oh no, tell me it ain't so. The government uses facial images to catch the bad guys--it shhhh, profiles people. You liberals should have a field day with this one.
Remember when Susan Stanton put a lock on the executive door? She was being "unfriendly" towards the residents who just came crashing into her offices unannounced and with no appointment, it was said. She got all sorts of static about that one from the now Vice Mayor, Scott Maxwell.. Now city hall is like Fort Knox and even has a two-way mirrored door allowing the city manager to see who is attempting to "bother" him. And forget about dropping in to have a little chat with your commissioner. Their doors are locked too. They don't even answer e-mails.
“The FBI will use facial recognition to match images in the database against facial images obtained from CCTV and elsewhere,” the organization explained, noting there are an estimated 30 million cameras recording Americans already.
Read more...
Quote of the Day - William Waters
Instead of a see-and-cite mind-set, the code division should adopt a problem-identification-and-remedy approach.
~ William Waters, Director for Community Sustainability
How long have we been going round and round on code in this city? A remedy approach? If you actually SEE something amiss, write it up. It is time to stop talking about it and actually do something about it. Stop just concentrating on the revenue producers such as lack of licenses or permits but cite these disgusting properties and fine the heck out of the owners.
Every citizen in the city should contact code enforcement when they see a property not meeting our standards and follow up on the complaint. Hold their feet to the fire.
Lake Worth's code enforcement
Comment Up
One of the biggest complaints, if not the biggest, is the lack of code enforcement in Lake Worth. Every where you drive there is an unsightly mess to witness. Some of the same properties have been in violation for a year if not years and it is the biggest complaint that we have as citizens...home owners ignoring our codes and not keeping their properties up to snuff, blighting our neighborhoods, breeding crime and more slum.
A lesson is to be learned here. I have been sitting on a story for weeks regarding our code enforcement Department, hoping that its tribulations would be discussed publicly at a commission meeting. It's been over a month now when the report first came out and still, to this day, it has not been discussed by any commissioner or the city manager. It is not on tomorrow night's agenda either.
Kenneth Oakes, the Internal auditor, put out a critique on our code enforcement department on May 23, and it isn't pretty.
In his approach, he reviewed the personnel qualifications, complaints and code violations as reported and what the code officers did including direct observation and if the violations were properly handled. In his findings he found that "the prior work experience and skill levels of the employees in the division and their performance in their jobs may not be conducive to fulfilling the mission of the division." Over 2,500 complaints regarding code violations were received in the last fiscal year.
In his report, he critiqued ten code employees who have salaries ranging from $32,000 up to $57,000. Only one employee had nothing negative in her file. One had some small complaint and one newly hired officer did not have any experience. You have to start somewhere and no experience is not necessarily a negative.
Read the PBPost article and read what dismal shape we are in.
One of the biggest complaints, if not the biggest, is the lack of code enforcement in Lake Worth. Every where you drive there is an unsightly mess to witness. Some of the same properties have been in violation for a year if not years and it is the biggest complaint that we have as citizens...home owners ignoring our codes and not keeping their properties up to snuff, blighting our neighborhoods, breeding crime and more slum.
A lesson is to be learned here. I have been sitting on a story for weeks regarding our code enforcement Department, hoping that its tribulations would be discussed publicly at a commission meeting. It's been over a month now when the report first came out and still, to this day, it has not been discussed by any commissioner or the city manager. It is not on tomorrow night's agenda either.
Kenneth Oakes, the Internal auditor, put out a critique on our code enforcement department on May 23, and it isn't pretty.
In his approach, he reviewed the personnel qualifications, complaints and code violations as reported and what the code officers did including direct observation and if the violations were properly handled. In his findings he found that "the prior work experience and skill levels of the employees in the division and their performance in their jobs may not be conducive to fulfilling the mission of the division." Over 2,500 complaints regarding code violations were received in the last fiscal year.
In his report, he critiqued ten code employees who have salaries ranging from $32,000 up to $57,000. Only one employee had nothing negative in her file. One had some small complaint and one newly hired officer did not have any experience. You have to start somewhere and no experience is not necessarily a negative.
Read the PBPost article and read what dismal shape we are in.
Obama, the Imposter?
As things are turning for the worst in Washington, I wanted to mention Newsweek's article on our president nearly one year ago. The now closed and liberal Newsweek Magazine featured Obama on its cover. There's no more print edition of Newsweek in the U.S. as of December 2012. It merged with The Daily Beast and went digital.
In that article on Obama, Editor Matt Patterson and Newsweek said that Obama was a fine example of the Peter Principle. "In short: our president is a small-minded man, with neither the temperament nor the intellect to handle his job. When you understand that, and only when you understand that, will the current erosion of liberty and prosperity make sense. It could not have gone otherwise with such an impostor in the Oval Office."
Read the article.
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