WPB Needs Katherine Waldron
Dear Members,
We are proud to announce that we are heartily endorsing Katherine Waldron for West Palm Beach City Commission District 2, in the March 10, 2015 election.
It is our organization’s goal to help ensure transparency,integrity and ethics within our local government. Katherine Waldron has earned the endorsement of WPB Watch because she exemplifies the type of commissioner we hope to have representing our district as well as our city as a whole.
Katherine’s ability to provide her time and significant efforts to the job of commissioner adds to our strong endorsement. Our residents deserve a committed commissioner with the business, political and community background that Katherine has as well as the ability to commit the time our city deserves from our commissioners.
We encourage you to support her in her campaign and to vote for her on March 10, 2015.
Sincerely,
WPB Watch
P.S. Remember that the rules for absentee voting have changed and registration for absentee voting has to be renewed after two main election cycles. You can visit the web site of the Palm Beach County Supervisor of Elections to check your absentee voting status
Introduction
Katherine Waldron is a former Sprint executive, founder of Gamxing® Inc., and the mother of three adult children. She received her undergraduate degree from the University of Virginia and, recently, her MBA from Palm Beach Atlantic University.
Katherine came to Florida in 2002 and became a full-time resident of West Palm Beach in 2005. Except for a brief stint in San Diego to co- found her online compliance training company, she has been a full-time resident since then.
As a resident, she has been very active in the community. Her accomplishments include founding ACTION PAC, a downtown political action committee; accepting a mayoral appointment to lead volunteer efforts for the 2010 Coleman Park Revitalization project; serving as president of her downtown condo board from 2007 to 2011; and most recently assuming Directorship of the Premier FC Foundation and maintaining membership of the Palm Beach Premier FC Advisory Board.
Katherine has raised funds and served as a board or committee member of various non-profits including the American Cancer Society, the Palm Beach County Florence DeGeorge Boys and Girls Club and ElderHelp Services. She has volunteered with the Palm Beach Preservation Foundation, the American Red Cross and the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation. She was appointed by County Commissioners to the Citizens’ Committee on Airport Noise from 2008 to 2011.
In 2013 she established the east coast operations of her company, Gamxing® Inc., in West Palm Beach.1
Katherine enjoys living in this wonderful city with so much character and a great deal to offer residents and visitors alike. As City Commissioner, she hopes to continue the great efforts already underway in addition to developing new initiatives to ensure West Palm Beach remains the world-class city it is today.
1 Gamxing™ Inc., a software compliance training company, is headquartered in San Diego and has east coast operations in West Palm Beach. Gamxing™ has three U.S. patents pending and one international patent pending.
WPB Charter School = They never learn.
The Sun Sentinel newspaper has written an excellent investigative report on Charter Schools. If you aren’t sure where you stand on the City of West Palm Beach attempting to open a Charter School I recommend you read the story in the Sentinel for a real eye opener. (See: Florida’s Charter Schools – Unsupervised, part 1 and part 2);
The city has submitted an application, and Mayor Muoio, and 5 City Commissioners, Robinson, Mitchell, Moffett, Materio, and James are the “Founding Team”
The “Founding Team” will appoint the “Board of Directors” who will have authority and control over the school and will consist of Mayor Muoio, and 5 City Commissioners, Robinson, Mitchell, Moffett, Materio, and James. Can you see where this is going?
Of course the Board of Directors will be required to take the “Four-Hour Initial Governance Board Training Course” then they will have the education necessary to run the “West Palm Beach Municipal Charter School” (WPBMCS) You good with that?
(The Mayor of course has some real experience running a school. See: AFTER LAWSUIT, PARENTS PRAISE NEW SCHOOL THE FAMILY WAS REIMBURSED $110,000 and SCHOOL MUST PUT DISABLED GIRL IN CLASS )
WPBMCS is the brain child of Commissioner Kimberly Mitchell who has been moving this forward with as much enthusiasm as she pushed another school forward named Digital Domain, which was a complete failure, and cost the taxpayers two million dollars which was a taxpayer gift to John Textor, founder of DD, but I suspect that figure to be much higher, considering the effort by city staff, city attorneys, and attorney’s from out of state, hired by the city to initiate a lawsuit to get back the “tent city” land also donated to Mr. Textor which was valued at ten million dollars, and we were this close too losing it.
In my opinion WPB has had multiple failings in both projects and city departments, to name a few: Waste Water Treatment Plant (37 million) Open Sky Police Radio (5 million) and 5 years of supporting the “consortium” so add approximately 2 million to that figure, and we still don’t have a system up and running to insure police safety. Housing and Urban Development (HUD) is looking to the city to recoup millions of dollars misspent, or not properly allocated. The city has been embarrassed by news reports of departments not properly supervised, such as Housing and Community Development (HCD) Human Resource Department (HRS) Parks and Recreation, and the city hires consultants to over see the problems. What do these departments have in common? They all report to Deputy City Administrator Dorritt Miller. Why can’t the mayor see the problem? You OK with that?
The city mayor/commissioners constantly circumvent the city’s master plan by ignoring building height, density, and set backs, which has caused residents to file 2 lawsuits against the city. The residents voted, twice, to set the limit of 5 stories max. on the “Old City Hall” site. The mayor/commissioners are floating 8-10 stories. You OK with that?
Commissioner Mitchell has shown a desire to “help these poor kids” receive a good education. She wants the school located in the North End. Now would be a good time to mention the poor kids in the North End, the majority are black children. Please take the time to read two stories previously written on this site. “WPB slow to keep school children safe“, and “Holiday’s not so happy for all WPB residents.” Every taxpayer dollar placed into Charter Schools is taken from public schools. In my opinion this is not to educate children, but to help fill the treasury. The governing body of WPB has failed to be good stewards of taxpayer dollars, and are not fiscally responsible, and this latest project will fail because of the inept administration who put themselves in charge to run it. You OK with that?
They Won’t Stay Gone.
It appears once again the residents lose due to the irresponsible running of the city by Mayor Muoio.
It’s a shame that Claudia McKenna’s services to the city, was so unreliable that the city commission hired their own attorney, again at taxpayer’s expense, to give them advice, on an as needed basis because they didn’t trust the advice they received from the City Attorney.
Claudia McKenna’s contract with the mayor is not in the best interest of tax payers and any public money spent by elected officials is supposedly for the benefit, and best interest of residents. Every failure of the city for the last twelve years or so has happened under Ms McKenna’s legal watch.
Ms. McKenna should have advised the city about Digital Domain with all of the evidence of failure available on any computer search engine. Google would have told the story of John Textor and Digital Domain, and saved the taxpayers well in excess of 2 million dollars.
Ms McKenna sat on that dais as the mayor and commission violated the First Amendment rights of public speakers, by turning off the microphones, having residents removed by the police, commissioners voting to remove residents from public meeting, and the mayor even threatening residents with arrest, simply for mentioning a commissioner by name, without Ms. McKenna once intervening.
Ms McKenna advised the city commission that it was proper to refund $7,325.00 to Commissioner Kimberly Mitchell for her abuse of power in her Comcast issue. The Office of Inspector General, which investigated the issue, and found it to be improper. On Sept. 27,2013 the OIG wrote their 4 page letter to the Mayor, and outlined their reason for their finding, with a recommendation 1: “The city commission should be re-presented with all of the facts in order to make a determination as to whether or not the reimbursement of legal fees totaling $7,325.00 to Ms. Mitchell met the legal standard.” 2: “If the city commission determines that the legal standard for reimbursement was not met, the City should move to recoup those funds” Mayor Muoio’s response was one line We will take it under advisement. To hear more on this issue, please read the story found on this web-site titled “WPB Officials Disrespect OIG” Hear City Attorney Claudia McKenna, challenge the OIG, and spend over 42 minutes saying absolutely nothing over and over again. Also take the time to listen to Commissioner Keith James, who is up for reelection in March 2015. He feels he owe’s no one an explanation, including the OIG. All 4 commissioners, Robinson, Moffett, James, and Materio, said they voted for reimbursement because they were following City Attorney McKenna’s advice. Listen to them and judge for yourself.
City Attorney Claudia McKenna led the charge against the OIG in a lawsuit, in my opinion to cripple Ms. Steckler’s budget and halt investigations. The lawsuit is still ongoing, but maybe with Claudia McKenna’s supposed retirement things will change now that there’s a new sheriff in town.
Ms. McKenna’s duty was to advise city officials and protect the city from liability and in my opinion, she was derelict in her duties as a city attorney. What benefit does the public receive from paying Claudia McKenna $4,800 per month? I see no bebefit at all.
HUD asking city to return $1.3 Million.
The Mayor of WPB has guided the city back into the limelight with a story in the PB Post with headlines that read “City on hook for HUD’s $1.3 million” Read the story HERE.
Once again Mayor Muoio has let down the residents she say she’s committed to helping, who are among the folks most in need of help, with her irresponsible leadership, placing people in management positions who constantly “drop the ball” and for reasons known only to Mayor Muoio continue to leave them in their position to do further harm to the city and it’s residents, with no consequences.
The WPB HCD (Housing and Community Development) have had eight full or part time directors in eight years, who have lasted approximately one year. The city constantly had major problems with HUD and this is just one more repeat of the problem, with HUD asking for repayment of funds the city neglected to spend on poorer neighborhoods. If the money wasn’t spent where intended, where was it spent?
With a recommendation from Deputy City Administrator Dorritt Miller, who oversees the HCD dept; suggested the mayor hire an outside firm named Community Redevelopment Associates, and they were given a three year contract with option for two more. The mayor fired them after two years, and my bet is on another lawsuit for Breach of Contract. The city is now nine for nine, managers and years worked.
Dorritt Miller, Deputy City Administrator, is the person the managers of HCD reports too, and Ms. Miller reports to the Mayor. With that said, why are managers resigning or being fired after one year of service, and Ms. Miller remain’s at her post. Soon there will be a number ten, and before they are even hired bet’s are being taken on how long they will last.
The PB Post in the last paragraph of the story reads “It’s not entirely clear whether the city will have until mid-June or early July to make its final arguments. Although the letter notifying the city of its 30-day window to respond is dated May 19, it was not received by the deputy city administrator until late last Friday.” Why didn’t the Post identify Dorritt Miller as the deputy city administrator, and is it possible the letter was received on May 20 or 21 but wasn’t stamped by the city until May 30. After all the city is notorious for changing dates on documentation.
I addressed the problem of Ms. Miller at the May 27,2014 City Commission meeting and mentioned if Ms. Miller wasn’t bringing these problems to the mayors attention, in my opinion, she should be replaced. If she is bringing them to the mayors attention, and Mayor Muoio does nothing about the situation, until the PB Post writes a story, then the mayor should be replaced.
WPB Residents Fight Back
There are now three legal challenges facing the mayor and city commissioners over their decision to allow development that goes against what they as a group previously passed as law. In February 2014 the Citizens for Thoughtful Growth filed a lawsuit on the planned condo on the waterfront of the Chapel-by-the-Lake with the city leaders ignoring their own city growth plans concerning height, density, & set back along with state statutes.
A resident of Waterview Towers is challenging the city for the planned 75 foot, 108 room Marriott “Boutique Hotel” measuring over 92,000 square feet, along with 2650 square feet of meeting room, 5000 square foot restaurant, and a three story garage, all on 1 1/2 acres of land.
The latest lawsuit is the massive Rybovich Marina which the city approved the project in April 2014. The six buildings which the city approved will be 25 to 30 stories tall, and will total 1,059 units or 2,118 new residents based on couples, along with 15,000 sq.ft.of restaurants, over 61,000 sq. ft. of office space, 10,000 sq.ft.retail space, beach club, boat dock, and the icing on the cake, six slips which will house mega yacht’s.
Mayor Muoio stated “We have very excellent planners who are very knowledgeable” This writer disagrees, and if they wish to keep their job, the planners better approve the city plan. Mayor Muoio also states “If you want services, we have to increase tax dollars somehow. Where is that money going to come from?” I have a suggestion. Instead of raising taxes why is city government not being prudent with the taxes they have.
For example, the city has recently cost taxpayers over 2.5 million dollars in lawsuits and settlements, and that does not include the cost of the city defending the lawsuits. (The above figure includes a lawsuit won by Matthew Ladd who won a judgement of $880,000.00 against the city, as the mayor brags of a cap of $200,000.00, the city is contesting the award. Mr. Ladd has filed a FEDERAL lawsuit and I believe Mr. Ladd will be victorious, and a FEDERAL lawsuit has no cap, so what the courts award, the city (taxpayer) will pay. William Mc Cray who won a lawsuit against the city and was awarded $230,000.00 dollars, the city contested the award, and ended up paying Mr. McCray $300,000.00. The city sure showed Mr. McCray, along with the taxpayers. Over five million dollars wasted on Open Sky Police Radio, 2.9 million spent on land in the south end to keep Walmart out of the area, 2 million wasted on Digital Domain, and again doesn’t include the cost of litigation to take back the land that was given to Digital Domain by a very generous mayor and city commission. $37 million wasted on the Advanced Wastewater Treatment facility, a system that never worked right, and has been quietly shut down after a few years.
The figures above amount to 49.4 million tax dollars wasted, and the mayor asked the question if residents want services where is the money to come from. I say the city had the money, but choose to squander it. If a private business ran the way the city does, it would soon be bankrupt. The city continues to spend money it doesn’t have, and continues to punish the taxpayer for their negligence.
No one is happy when a lawsuit is filed against the city due to the fact it will cost us tax dollars when the city loses, which it generally does. On the other hand, when the city is determined to do what they believe is best for the residents, and ram it down our throats, they leave no alternative but to involve the courts. With that said I applaud the residents who will not be pushed around by the city any longer and are willing to fight back. It only takes one person the say “enough” organize a group, and fight back.
Now if we could only have someone say “enough”, organize, and work to replace Mayor Muoio and City Commissioner Keith James, who are up for reelection in March 2015, a new mayor and commissioner willing to lead the city and represent the residents instead of the developers, WPB will be a much better, healthier, happier city.
Hope & Crosby On The Road Again
At the annual budget meeting held on 9/19/ 2012 the WPB City Commissioners placed $10,000.00 in the budget to be used for travel expenses. The budget passed unanimously.
11/2012 Commissioners Robinson & James traveled to Orlando and spent a combined total of $1,450.45 of which $460.77 was spent on gas, tolls, and parking.
11/2012 Both Commissioners traveled to Boston, Mass. and spent a combined total of $5,396.05 of which $37.00 was spent on taxi’s.
3/2013 Both Commissioners traveled to Washington, DC and spent a total of $5,221.57 of which $239.77 was spent on taxi’s.
With these 3 trips Commissioners Robinson & James spent a total of $12,068.07 or $2,068.07 over budget. $737.54 was for gas, tolls, parking and taxi’s. Now is the time to remind taxpayers each Commissioner receives $500.00 a month for “car allowance” and obviously not to be spent on gas, tolls, parking or taxi’s. Commissioner Robinson has collected in excess of $66,000.00 since 1999 and James $18,000.00 of taxpayer money for their “car allowance” to date.
Sept. 2013 Lets place another taxpayer funded $10,000.00 in the Travel Budget.
Nov. 2013 Commissioner Robinson & James traveled to Seattle, Washington and spent a combined total of $5,766.51 of which $89.00 was spent on taxi’s.
On 2/24/ 2014 at 10:00 AM The Mayor/Commission Work Session was held.and #2 item on the agenda was “Expenditures for Travel and Training” and Commissioner James informed all present Commissioner Robinson and he was traveling back to Washington, DC for another National League of Cities Convention. If the commissioners spend what they spent in March 2013 they will once again be over budget. Commissioner James said the extra needed funds would come from their discretionary funds. All Commissioners receive $3,200.00 a year taxpayer dollars to be used as they see fit.
The conventions these 2 commissioners travel too are for the National League of Cities, or the Florida League of Cities. Here is an example of what the Fl. League of Cities try to accomplish for politicians in our state. A story in the PB Post reads: “Clemens ethics bill draws heat” A bill filed by Sen. Jeff Clemens, D-Lake Worth is drawing heat for clashing with a tougher ethics standard for public officials passed in 2013, and hailed by Republican leaders as one of the top achievements of the year. Clemens proposal (SB 606) which he says was sought by the “Florida League of Cities,” would lift most gift-reporting requirements for elected officials and public employees; shield officials from ethics complaints if they acted after getting advice from a lawyer; and allow for penalties of up to $5,000.00 against someone who files a complaint “with malicious intent.” With 3 county and 2 city commission sent to federal prison for corruption and residents working long and hard to establish the Office of Inspector General, and the PBC Commission on Ethics this is what the league tries to accomplish. Is this why Commissioners Robinson and James are traveling, to support the legislation?
When the “Travel Budget” was introduced it was with the understanding the commissioners would discuss the travel plans and vote on it at a “public meeting” where residents would have input. Their travel plans were never discussed at a City Commission meeting which is held every other Monday @ 5:00 PM and would allow residents to attend after work and more important have the right to make comments. These commissioners discuss their travel plans at a Mayor/ Commission Work Session held at 10:00 AM ( I was the only resident in attendance) and public comment is not allowed. I asked The mayor and Commissioner James if the upcoming trip to Washington, DC would be discussed at the City Commission meeting and was told no it would not because they had a consensus at todays work session. Commissioner Moffett was absent along with Commissioner Mitchell, so the consensus was with Materio, and the two taking the trip, James and Robinson.
The only feedback taxpayers who are funding the travel ever received was from Ike Robinson who mentioned a letter sent by Mayor Muoio to Rep Frankel and Murphy at their Washington office was not received by either of the Representatives. Both have offices on Military Trail and it cost the taxpayers over $5,200.00 to find out this information. Shame, shame, shame on these commissioners. They don’t know the meaning.
WPB Slow To Keep School Children Safe!
For too many years WPB Resident, Mr. Cleveland, has appeared before the mayor and city commissioners with a simple request. Please install a blinking warning light at the Pleasant City Elementary School, located at 2222 Spruce Avenue, to inform drivers they are approaching a school area, and school is about to be adjourned, and the speed limit drops to 20 MPH.
The last response from the city to Mr. Cleveland was that a GRANT was coming in 2015 and a light would be installed at that time. In the mean time we can pray the children cross the street safely. For residents not familiar with the Pleasant City School, it is attended by African American children located in a crime ridden section of the city, a few blocks south of the celebrated Northwood Road and within one block from St Ann’s Center for the homeless and one block from the city’s problematic Blum Park.
Here are a few of the mayor and city commissioners priorities, and where taxpayer dollars are spent:
District 1 Commissioner Sylvia Moffett: The CRA (city) has for over 5 years, spent, and continues to spend $12,500.00 a month for a Wine & Cheese Festival held monthly at Northwood Village. Over the years it has cost the taxpayer over $750,000.00 dollars.
District 2 Commissioner Robinson: Travels behind Holland & Knight, a lobbyist firm, who has a contract with the city for $144,000.00 a year to represent us with the ” League of Cities.” and the “National League of Cities” The commissioners placed $10,000 in the 2014 budget for travel and with the budget year just beginning Commissioner Robinson and James have spent over 1/2 the budget on one trip to Seattle, Washington, and have no qualms spending $400.00 a night for an “Executive Suite” in hotel’s.
All five city commissioners receive $500.00 a month “Car Allowance” (some call it a slush fund) and when Commissioner Robinson travels to Orlando for a League of Cities convention for the day, he bills the city $100.00 for gas and tolls. This expense is always approved by assistant administrator Dorritt Miller. What is the “car allowance” used for if not gas and tolls?
District 3 Commissioner Mitchell: Made a recommendation that $25,000 be placed in a fund for lobbyist, in the 2014 budget meeting “because they work so hard” I guess a contract of $144,000.00 a year isn’t enough. I assume Commissioner Mitchell is referring to Holland & Knight and not her mother Anita Mitchell, a lobbyist, and recently elected PBC GOP chair, or her ex husband, Mr. Pinsky also a lobbyist. I hope the city will not funnel tax payer dollars to any lobbyist.
Commissioner Mitchell along with WPB Mayor Muoio, is pulling out all the stops to bring a Charter School to WPB. Residents are upset with this idea due to the fact that the city does not do well with “schools” and taxpayer dollars. Commissioner Mitchell brought us the deal of the century with John Textor’s Digital Domain. If you recall, that cost the taxpayer over 2 million dollars, and untold thousands more to reclaim land that was worth an additional $10 million dollars which the city gave to Textor. Commissioner Mitchell, arrogantly claimed she would do it all over again, which apparently she meant with the talks now turning to charter schools. Commissioner Mitchell, claims the charter school is to help ” the poorer kids in depressed areas receive a decent education” and never mentions the millions it will take from already failing public schools and put those millions into the cities “for profit” charter school. This writer believes it’s the money and not education of “the poorer kids in depressed areas” that drives this project, but the dollar signs in Mitchell’s eyes.
District 4 Commissioner James: Read District 2 as these 2 commissioners travel together to these conventions. Commissioner James had the audacity to present a bill for $845.56 to the city for attending a convention for the Florida League of Cities held in Hollywood, Fl. which is located approximately 50 miles from WPB, but opted to spend over $350.00/ night for 2 nights stay in a motel, along with 3 meals a day plus taxpayer dollars for gas, tolls,and valet parking.
District 5 Commissioner Materio: Was instrumental in leading the city to purchase a piece of land in the south end for $2.9 million dollars, for the purpose of purchasing land to keep Wal-Mart out of the south end. The 2.9 million was NOT in the city budget for the year.
With the millions of dollars spent by the WPB mayor and city commissioners as stated above, they have not, for too many years, cannot find a few thousand dollars to place a warning light to keep young children safe who are being released from school by slowing down traffic to 20 MPH. The very children they profess to care about and want them to receive a good education, they cant find the money to keep them safe while crossing the streets. It is time for the city politicians to stop telling residents they love them and start showing them.
When residents cant be bothered to address their elected officials, by attending meetings or in the least sending an e-mail you are letting them know their actions are acceptable to you and your children. If not you—-Who?
Some information on the “Florida League of Cities” which Commissioners Robinson & James so fondly run after spending thousands of dollars annually. This piece was taken from the PB Post dated 1/23/14, and reads in part “Clemens ethics bill draws heat” A bill filed by Sen. Jeff Clemens, D-Lake Worth. Clemens proposal (SB 606) which he says was sought by the Florida League of Cities. The bill he introduced would drastically change the tougher ethics standard for public officials passed in 2013.His bill would lift most gift-reporting requirements for elected officials & public employees; shield officials from ethics complaints if they acted after getting advice from a lawyer; and allow for penalties up to $5,000.00 against someone who files a complaint “with malicious intent “What citizen would ever file a complaint against an elected official if they could possibly have a $5,000.00 penalty placed against them? No wonder they still call us Corruption County!
Holidays Not So Happy For All WPB Residents
The City of West Palm Beach certainty jumped into the Christmas Holidays with sand sculptures, and decorative lighting making downtown and the waterfront a festive sight to behold. On December 21st It was a joy to see families with their children, and Christmas is all about the children, enjoying the sights and a visit from Santa, Santa’s helpers, elves and a moving kiddie train.
What was noticeably missing was the smiling faces of black children with very few seen in attendance. The vast majority of children, enjoying the sights and sounds were Caucasian.
The city invited all families and children to join in, so why the low attendance of black children? If you have a question, like I did, and want an answer you have to go into a black area and look for parents with children. A trip to Blum Park, 23rd. & Spruce Ave where men sit and drink out of paper bags on a daily basis, while children play on the swings and their mother’s hover over them, is where I found mothers willing to answer the question. “Did you go downtown to the Christmas festivities? All I received were “no” answers. It seems the main reason the mothers didn’t attend with their children was due to the fact they didn’t have transportation.
OK that took me back because I never thought of transportation. You don’t think when you jump into your car to run to the Doctors, Publix’s, or something as simple as lunch with a friend. There are thousands who can’t afford the luxury of an automobile.
Blum Park is located in a poorer section of WPB and is inhabited by African Americans. Children shouldn’t lose out due to the fact their parents have no transportation to drive their kids to the festivities.
Now travel back in time and consider this. The extension of State Road 7 which the city agreed to extend years ago, when an agreement was reached to allow gated communities such as Ibis (where Mayor Muoio resides) to become part of WPB. Now it seems the city is reneging on the extension, and held a rally at the South Florida Fair Exposition Center, where Mayor Muoio and City Commissioners approved 4 charter buses, paid for by the taxpayers, to take residents from 3 western gated communities to the fair grounds while one bus picked up residents at city hall, all to protest the extension.
The city of WPB have at their disposal, 5 trolleys, with 2 in continuous operation, while 3 trolleys sit parked at the garage. The residents ride, with no cost to them, on the “Yellow” line which travels to the Kravis Center, City Place, and the Clematis St. Waterfront. The “Green” line travels Railway Station, Clematis St. Dixie Highway, and Okeechobee Blvd.
These trolley’s do not venture into the poorest of poor neighborhoods, meaning black neighborhoods. The city of WPB could not free up a shuttle or 2 to take the children from these black neighborhoods to see Santa and ride the train? These African American neighborhood’s are not, and have never been, a priority to the city of West Palm Beach, or they never would have allowed them to deteriorate to the degree they have. Shame on them, and shame on the two African American Commissioners, Ike Robinson and Keith James for not doing anything to help the little Black children be able to sit on Santa’s lap and whisper to Santa their Christmas list.
City Spokesman Threatens Resident With Jail!
Below is a statement read at the WPB City Commission meeting held on 12/9/13, and is a follow up on the commission meeting held on 11/25/13. My pictures were city related, city business and reflected concerns about deplorable conditions in a residential area within a stones throw from both downtown and City Place. Mr Cohen, city spokesman,and Public Information Officer gave the orders the camera was to stay on me, and no photos of the neighborhoodhood were televised to the home audience. I question if Mr. Cohen took this upon himself or was taking orders from Mayor Muoio. When I requested I be allowed to reshow the pictures Mayor muoio advised me I had 48 seconds of time left. Definately not enough time. Censorship at it’s best.
“Nov.25 I showed the mayor and commissioners pictures of the northwest Historic District of the city and focused on an area within 5/10 of a mile from city hall. This is the area Mr. Waters, representing the Urban Group, expressed a feeling that the citizens in the Northwest Historic District, Tamarind and Rosemary Avenue, had not been afforded advantages to having economic access or social justice to improve their condition. He also stated, those areas have been historically left behind since the areas were developed. Mayor Muoio and Commissioner Mitchell were offended by his presentation and remarks. My pictures proved Mr. Waters correct in his assessment. Of course the city wouldn’t want these pictures made public and they were not.
I e-mailed the city that I intended to show these pictures and needed help with the equipment. Elliot Cohen approached me before the meeting and requested the thumbnail, which I handed him. Mr Cohen attempted to leave chambers and I stopped him and asked for my property back, telling him I will place in the machine when my time came for public comment. Mr. Cohen told me he would place it in the machine, and I allowed it. Mr. Cohen again was leaving chambers and I again approached him and told him I was pulling my thumbnail. Mr Cohen advised me the pictures would not be shown.
Mr. Cohen stated I would be removed from the meeting, and I told him he better be prepared to have me arrested, which he assured me “I will have you arrested.” I became very angry and walked away, retrieved my equipment, and sat down. Mr. Cohen approached me and I asked him to leave me alone 3 times which he ignored, and continued speaking to me. The 3rd. time I raised my voice. You Mayor Muoio were standing on the dais and never looked up. Debbie Fennie who was in the back of chambers heard me and approached us and told Mr. Cohen I asked to be left alone, and why didn’t he walk away. Ms. Fennie made the request of Mr. Cohen a total of 3 times before he finally walked off.
Will the city allow me once again to show the pictures to be viewed by the home audience.
These pictures and the accompanying story can be seen on WPB Gov Watch.”
What the City of WPB Don’t Want Residents To See!
Below is my comment that I read at the city commission meeting held on 11/25/13. I received an e-mail from a friend this morning and he liked my presentation, but wondered why the city didn’t show the pictures I presented but kept the camera on me the entire time.
There were approximately 10-12 residents in the commission chambers but I hoped to reach the audience watching the meeting’s in their homes.
My intention was to show the public how badly the homes have deteriorated to the point where repairs are not possible. This section of the city know as the Northwest has a large population of African Americans, many of who have given up the idea of a clean, decent place to live. Other residents still hoping for a city to recognize them have created a “Wall of Freedom” and residents have written their thoughts and thoughts of other’s such as Martin Luther King in order to keep hope alive. Hopefully you will take time to view the pictures. Below is the statement that was read to the mayor and City Commissioners.
“At a recent CRA meeting Mayor Muoio & Commissioner Mitchell were offended by Mr. William Waters, who was representing The Urban Group, when he responded to a question “What area of the city do you see as the greatest challenge if you are selected?”
Mr. Waters expressed a feeling that the citizens in the Northwest Historic District, Tamarind Avenue and Rosemary Avenue, had not been afforded advantages to having economic access or social justice to improve their condition. He also stated, those areas have been historically left behind since the areas were developed.
The Northwest section that Mr. Waters spoke of is 5/10 of a mile from city hall. Lets see if the mayor and commissioner had reason to be offended. (SHOW PICTURES)
The city did not cause this blight, but this city is responsible for allowing a section of the city to develop into what it has become by ignoring the problem and allowing it to continue.
Is the CRA plan to eventually take this property as the city did with the property of homeowners in another section of the Northwest in order to build City Place, with a large turnover of businesses and is now in foreclosure.
CRA under the direction of RMA owned and operated by Kim Briesemeister, who is responsible for City Hall 150 million, the waterfront 30 million, and the loss of 2 million dollars wasted with Digital Domain, which that loss can be shared with Commissioner Mitchell.
If this mayor and city commissioners are satisfied with RMA and Kim Briesemeister way of doing business then by all means award her the contract which she has already been told was her’s.”
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