Free Speech-Vs-Censorship-Another View
Posting on November 30,2015 “Free Speech-VS-Censorship is an interesting article written by Debbie. I would like to offer another opinion, and invite you to look at the other side of the coin. Debbie’s first paragraph explains the First Amendment of the Constitution on freedom of speech.
She mentions “very insensitive comments” made by Commissioner Moffett at the October 26 commission meeting, but fails to mention what the comments were. I attended that meeting and can’t recall any statement by Commissioner Moffett concerning the West Palm Beach Police Department, except that she wanted the very best officers working for the city.
She mentioned an African-American speaker who had some “strong comments” in that meeting, but failed to mention his name. The speaker is actually a Palm Beach County Deputy and former West Palm Beach Police Officer, who was fired from the city. According to the PB Post at the time of his firing, he had a total of 15 reprimands and 10 suspensions on his record. He is now with the PBC Sheriff’s office where he has acquired more reprimands and suspensions.
At the June 8 2015 City Commission meeting the deputy used his three minutes slandering me with accusations of being a racist and bigot along with being ignorant and condescending.
I was absent from the June 8 meeting but attended the June 22 meeting where it was more of the same.
He sent an email to the mayor and commissioners with a request that his email be read at the July 6, 2015 meeting, and the topic once more concerned me. This email was not read, I believe in part due to the length of his message. It would have taken an auctioneer to deliver the message in the three minutes allotted to residents. He writes in part:
“Saying you don’t understand New York and Baltimore, shows blatant disrespect, lack of knowledge, ignorance and racist views for not knowing why millions of black, white and others were marching around cities in this country because of people like yourself.”
Here is my favorite paragraph in his email.
“Sandy, you need to leave writing about black issues, in our community to us. Clearly you don’t have a grasp of what’s going on in our community and clearly, you need to write about your own community and leave the black community alone.”
Appears he is dictating to me what I can write and talk about. Is he attempting to infringing on my right to free speech?
What I actually said was I didn’t understand why the people of New York weren’t protesting over the murder of two police officers shot to death while sitting in their cruiser, by a black man.
I don’t recall mentioning Baltimore, but did make comments concerning Ferguson, Missouri. Ferguson was not protesting, Ferguson was out of control– looting, burning police cruisers, smashing windows, closing business, and when Michael Brown’s stepfather was caught on video yelling “Burn this Motherf—er down” along with “Burn this bitch down” the protesters who were in a high state of agitation and the utterance of the stepfather did just that, set the town on fire, and video showed a vast majority were black. It was so violent a state of emergency was called for.
What I know of Baltimore: After the death of Freddie Gray in Baltimore Maryland, Stephanie Rawlings-Blake, the black mayor, told the police to stand down, and allow the protesters to “vent” Well they vented alright. It was a repeat of Ferguson.
As of August 2015 there have been over 300 murder’s committed, and the count rises daily. Most of the crime appears to be black on black. Many more mother’s heart’s broken.
In July the Mayor fired the Police Commissioner, and replaced him with a black man. The death toll continued to climb.
Baltimore Mayor Rawlings-Blake has decided not to run for re-election as Mayor in 2016. My opinion- she made a good decision.
In the news as I write this:
Police officer Jason Van Dyke was arrested and will be tried on 1st. degree murder charges in connection with the shooting death of a black man named Laquan McDonald in Chicago. Officer Van Dyke shot the young man 16 times. The story continues.
The University of Chicago was shut down recently due to Jabari R. Dean, 21, a black man who threatened to kill 16 white male students or staff. One dead white man for every shot fired by officer Van Dyke. He further stated he “will die killing any number of white policemen that I can in the process” In my opinion when innocent police and citizens are murdered, the black community loses a little more support from the white community.
The comment below was written in the Opinion section of the PB Post 11/15/15, and I will refer to the author as the “writer”
“Off-duty officer was rude, unprofessional”
“Recently, at the West Palm Beach City Commission meeting, during public comment, where speakers have three minutes to address the mayor and commissioners, a man employed by the Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office as a deputy addressed the commission in a rude and unprofessional way.
I understand that this may be his personal time; however, what the public sees is an off-duty sheriff’s deputy verbally attacking and breaking the rules of the televised commission meetings. Mayor Jeri Muoio had to remind him multiple times that he would be removed from the chambers.
If I were his employer, I would be concerned with his off-duty public behavior. Hats off to the commissioners and mayor who had to endure this abuse. Great job not reacting to this rant, which had to be infuriating. These types of hurtful, disrespectful comments have no place in a city meeting, and it’s unfair to anyone, including the viewing public, and should not be tolerated.”
The “author” who wrote his opinion for publication did not mention the deputy’s name.
At the last city commission meeting (11/23) the deputy may have recognized himself as being the subject of the “Letter to the Editors” because he directed what I consider to be hateful rhetoric toward the “writer”. The deputy concluded his free speech informing the dais, the audience along with residents listening to the televised meeting personal information concerning the “writer” in what may have been an attempt to shock listeners. To me it showed what the deputy is made of.
I applaud “writer” for speaking up and allowing his views to be known. There needs to be more people willing to come forward and express their opinions in a gentlemanly way as he did.
Debbie you wrote: “Unlike private citizens, elected officials actions are subject to public scrutiny, as they should be.”
I would remind you that “writer” and myself are not elected officials, and it appears our “free speech” is not acceptable to the deputy when our comments concern him. Speaking for myself, I don’t mind scrutiny, but am concerned about being called a racist and a bigot, especially while living in a black neighborhood. All it takes is another Louis Head to cause harm and destruction to me and others.
I applaud the commission, and want to thank Commissioner Ryan and Mayor Muoio for having the courage to suggest public comment be moved to a later time.
Any resident who watches city government and wishes to address the dais is welcome to attend, listen and learn. If residents wish to address the mayor and commission they will still be welcome,hopefully an hour or so later. City government is not attempting to remove anyone’s right to free speech.
Free Speech – VS – Censorship
The First Amendment of the Constitution guarantees citizens certain rights. Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion , or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble and to partition the Government for a redress of grievances.
Intended or not, there were some very insensitive comments made by Commissioner Moffett in the October 26th Commission Meeting regarding diversity in the West Palm Beach Police Department. Unlike private citizens, elected officials actions are subject to public scrutiny, as they should be. A poor choice of words, used by an elected official, opens the door to subjective points of view and judgements as to what the comments mean to the eye of the beholder. An African American speaker had some strong comments in that meeting and he was denounced by the mayor as disrespectful. Different points of view stems from culture, life experiences, environment and any number of events that take place in people’s lives. Music to some, is noise to others . . . what’s disrespectful expression to some, is assertive expression to others. Too often individuals are unconcerned about a rock that hits someone else because they’re not the recipient of such condescending remarks or actions but see’s much fault with individuals who expresses an offense to the act or actions! Considering the cause will do much to better understand the effect.
In the November 23rd Commission Meeting, Commissioner Ryan and Mayor Muoio briefly discussed the possibility of moving “public comment” from the beginning of the meeting to the end and the reasons stated was, a concern for children and visitors hearing comments from the public that was deemed as being obnoxious. There is no justification for entertaining the thought of prohibiting visitors from hearing something that someone else thinks is inappropriate for them to hear. The primary purpose of public meetings is to conduct the business of the city and the meetings are adult meetings and should not be tailored for the ears of children or to censor the public. There are questionable behaviors displayed in commission meetings, coming right from the dais.
Censorship is the suppression of free speech and free speech is, the right to express any opinion in public without censorship or restraint by the government or anyone else as long as the content is not threatening or profane language, slander or abuse of the allotted time to speak. To move public comment to the end of the meetings, with the intent of the speaker facing an empty audience, is censorship to both public speakers and individuals who attend the meetings. It is an intended punishment to speakers, that’s motivated by the content of their comments. If speakers were complimentary, that would be acceptable and there would be no suggestion to push public speakers to the end of the meeting and that confirms the move is motivated solely because of an undesirable content.
Public Comment is intended for speakers to air grievances or pleasure regarding city business, public officials or anyone who conducts any part of business for the city. When private individuals are the target of comments in public meetings and letters to the editor about the writers perception of a private individual’s comments in a meeting, shows a lack of tolerance while expecting total tolerance of ones own expression and not expecting a warranted backlash from those who feel offended . . is self serving.
Who determines what’s offensive to someone else? Who decides how an offended person should respond to something that is offensive to them? Who’s declaration of what’s disrespectful counts and who’s doesn’t? Who determines what’s hateful and what isn’t? A quote from ACLU Legal Director, Stephen Shapiro, as he spoke with NPR News recently, stated: “The First Amendment really was designed to protect a debate at the fringes. You don’t need the courts to protect speech that everybody agrees with, because that speech will be tolerated. You need a First Amendment to protect speech that people regard as intolerable or outrageous or offensive . . because that is when the majority will wield it’s power to censor or suppress and we have a First Amendment to prevent the government from doing that”.
The US Supreme Court ruled on a Freedom of Speech case in 2011 . . . Albert Snyder vs Westboro Baptist Church. The high court’s ruling was 8 to 1, in favor of the church and their right to freedom of speech with Justice Samuel A. Alito Jr. dissenting. I think most would agree that the church’s intrusion at funerals and their remarks were insensitive at a time of grief and Justice John Roberts agreed the comments were hurtful but stated, “we cannot react to the pain by punishing the speaker”. Justice Roberts also said, “Debate on public issues should be robust, uninhibited and wide open”.
Mayor Muoio needs to revise the city’s Civility & Decorum code, then “fairly” enforce the rules on members of the public as well as every person sitting on the dais and eliminate “content” as a reason for enforcement on some and not others. There has been disrespect to the mayor by commissioners, disrespect from the mayor to commissioners, a commissioner abruptly leaving a meeting in anger, prior to adjournment twice, a public speaker pounding the podium, declaring his community looks like a “Sh*t Hole, another speaker, who was recently awarded $50,000 from the city due to a confrontation with police, yelled, “this is bull sh*t during her public comment, another speaker warned that someone is going to get shot on his front lawn if his personal information is revealed, due to the city’s compromised public records debacle and that was said during public comment.
A former police captain was fired for indiscretions on duty, with a subordinate officer but was pre-scheduled to speak in a commission meeting about the downtown district. He was allowed to come into the chamber in uniform and armed to do a 15 minute presentation, in spite of being terminated at that time. No expressed feelings of fear and no questions as to why a terminated cop is in the chambers armed. Another speaker referred to someone as a “slut”. The mayor did not interrupt, chastise, warn, tell any of those individuals to sit down, she didn’t threaten to have them removed from the chambers or accuse them of being disrespectful and every one of the individuals were White.
At some point and time we must look at what’s in front of us . . . It is what it is and we must say what it is. It would be nice to see a greater effort to understand the feelings of others and especially how they got there. The face of disparity and selective enforcement in city commission meetings and anywhere else, is ugly and causing division and does not coincide with a sincere desire for civility in public meetings or society by and large.
OIG & Elliot (Scott) Cohen
Residents question why Mayor Muoio continued to defend Elliot Cohen after he posted thousands of e-mails on the city web site endangering police officers, confidential informants and others.
The old saying “No good deed goes unpunished” certainty applies here. If the mayor had fired Mr. Cohen when the story was first reported there would be no investigation by the Office of the Inspector General (OIG).
The OIG is currently investigating Mr. Cohen’s releasing records and equally important his involvement with Kim Briesemeister owner of RMA (Redevelopment Management Associates) where Mr. Cohen reportedly is earning $175.00/ hour as a consultant for her company. City Statues forbid city employees from working with city contractors, and Mr. Cohen tried to hide his actions by using his middle name, Scott.
When the city’s power’s to be (former Commissioner Mitchell and Materio) decided to outsource the CRA I sat and listened to 3 companies make a presentation to the City Commission and it was obvious the decision was already made to hire RMA which was a done deal as Ms. Briesemeister told her employees, and later denied the statement to the Palm Beach Post when questioned.
Residents were upset and vocal with the city’s decision and the PB Post were writing articles and questioning Ms. Briesemeister. After the questions started, Ms. Briesemeister reported to police had a home invasion and her computer and briefcase with the pertinent information were stolen from her home.
The following week another home invasion and her second computer was stolen. All evidence gone. What a coincidence.
Now is the time to remind residents that Ms. Briesemeister brought John Textor’s Digital Domain to WPB, and gave them two million dollars and a piece of city land worth 10 million.
She then accompanied former City Commissioner Kim Mitchell and former City Attorney Claudia McKenna to a meeting at Mr. Textor’s home the night before he declared bankruptcy. The city lost the 2 million but we reclaimed the land through a lawsuit.
There has been much speculation as to why the city didn’t sue Digital Domain to reclaim taxpayer’s 2 million dollar’s, but it was assumed a lawsuit would have revealed facts the city didn’t want exposed. Now it has come to light that Mr. Cohen was on RMA’s payroll.
As he has been described as one of the mayor’s closest confidantes, one has to wonder how much influence Mr. Cohen had on the decision to outsource to RMA, a company he was working with while receiving a salary.
The city hands over millions of taxpayer dollars to the CRA every year and I am not aware of an audit ever being done on RMA, and I question accountability of taxpayer’s dollars, or lack of.
City directors and managers “clock in” with the use of their ID badges. Director’s and managers are not required to “clock out”. So Mr. Cohen can show up at 8:00 AM and leave the building at 8:05. If he’s needed calls are made to his cell phone, and he could just as easily be sitting in Kim Briesemeister’s office or tending to his private business.
Mr. Cohen has a designated parking spot, and how hard would it be to pull his records from the parking garage which would show his entering and leaving city hall and comparing it to his “time card” records.
City Administrator, Rick Green has stated Mr. Cohen is allowed to work flexible hours. Just how flexible are they when RMA is paying Mr. Cohen $175.00 /hour?
The OIG received complaints when the story broke and an ongoing investigation begun.
The city received questions from the OIG with a request to respond within 30 day’s.
Mr. Green sent a response 2 day’s late which to me shows the contempt and lack of respect for the office of the Inspector General, and should help explain why the city of West Palm Beach initiated the lawsuit to cripple the OIG budget.
The City Commissioners can stop this frivolous lawsuit by simply adding the cost of our share to the city’s budget to pay for the OIG but have refused to do so. This story is a good example of why.
Please take the time to read the questions from the OIG to the city, and the city’s response to those questions. Click HERE.
Waterview Towers Part 3
The city of West Palm Beach continues to cost taxpayers thousands of dollars in legal fees due to the continual lawsuits filed on behalf of homeowners.
This story is an update on the recent lawsuit filed in behalf of the Waterview Towers.
Petitioner: Waterview Tower
Respondent: City of West Palm Beach
Writ of Certiorari: A decision by a court to hear an appeal from a lower court.
On October 9,2015 the 15th Judicial Circuit Court issued an Administrative Order in relation to the Petitioner’s “Petition for Writ of Certiorari” from City Commissioners for the city of West Palm Beach. Their petition sought to review the City’s approval and development orders related to the proposed hotel being built next-door.
The three-judge panel of the appeals court ruled unanimously in favor of the Waterview that the city departed from the essential requirements of the law by denying the petitioner procedural due process by depriving them of a meaningful opportunity to more fully participate in the approval process of the development orders.
The court released a 9 page ruling which served to strengthen Waterview Towers other lawsuits against the city, with another new lawsuit to be added this month.
The court issued an Administrative Order stating “As a result of the amended lease, and subsequent official acts, West Palm Beach Marina, the Developer and Petitioner’s are co-lessees of the entire parcel”
The court also issued a legal conclusion stating:
“We conclude the Petitioners likewise should have been permitted to participate as”parties” to the quasi- judicial zoning proceeding below as a result of their property interest in the parcel,including the vacant sub-parcel. Indeed, contrary to the Respondents argument. Petitioners here are more than mere “adjoining landowners” or “interested participants.” Instead they have an active property interest in the parcel of land which is a result of their status as co-lessees.”
The court also made the legal conclusion “We find this process afforded to the Petitioners was insufficient, and thus procedural due process requires that they be given the opportunity to present evidence and cross-examine witnesses in support of the project before the vote of the City Commission.”
“Accordingly, the petition for Writ of Certiorari is Granted and the Development Orders are Quashed .”
Oct.13,2015 I attended the City Commission meeting where two items, number 19 & 20 were discussed,and Waterview Towers has an interest in both items.
#19: Public Hearing and Second Reading of Ordinance number 4594-15: Regarding a request by Sam E. Poole of Berger Singerman, on behalf of Leisure Resorts, LLC, to amend various sections of the Zoning and Land Development Regulations to permit the Commercial Marina use within the City Center Lakefront Zoning district.
#20:Public Hearing and Second Reading of Ordinance 4595-15. A request by Sam E. Poole of Berger Singerman, on behalf of Leisure Resorts, LLC, to amend Table XV-6 “City-wide Parking Requirements” in section 94-486 of the Zoning and Land Development Regulations relating to the parking requirements for Commercial Marina’s.
The magic word in both Ordinance’s is amend. Webster’s dictionary defines amend as “To change some of the words and often the meaning of (a law, document, etc.”
The Director of Development Services Dept; Rick Greene, (not to be confused with City Administrator Jeff Green) never met a developer he didn’t like, and once again proved it by stating “Staff Recommended Motion” “Approve” and just like that the City Commissioner approved both Ordinance’s.
I question why when the Waterview’s Attorney John Eubanks brought to the City Commission facts that may not have been known to them, why they didn’t take the time to allow the Commission attorney, which they placed $10,000.00 in the city budget, for an opinion that may have differed from recently appointed City Attorney Kimberly Rothenburg.
Let’s keep in mind she worked and trained under retired City Attorney Claudia McKenna, who in my opinion was the queen of lawsuits.
Commissioner James did ask Ms. Rothenburg if she was confident in her answer’s, and she responded “yes.” What was she going to say, I’m not sure. The court issued it’s finding on 10/9/15 and the City Commission meeting was held 4 day’s later. Mayor Muoio and City Attorney knew of the courts decision. Did either of them advise the commissioners, if not why?
How would you like to be a resident of Waterview Towers and support a lawsuit in an attempt to receive justice from the city, and realize the taxes you pay the city are supporting the city’s opinion which the court’s continue to find in favor of the Waterview.
In the audience was the attorney for Waterview Towers and Mr. Jerry Waldman, President, of the Board of Directors. Both spoke on the issue to no avail, and the motion passed, but without the help of City Commissioner Paula Ryan.
Commissioner Ryan recused herself from the vote as she stated she missed the presentation and wasn’t familiar with this particular issue.
Commissioner Ryan dismissed the “Staff Recommends” and instead choose to study the matter further to insure she understood what she was voting for or against. What a concept.
Why didn’t the remainder of the commissioners postpone the vote in order to study both items and confer with their attorney? I don’t expect an answer, and neither should you.
Who is Hazeline Carson?
Cast of character’s.
Joanne Sharp: Former City Clerk
Lakisha Burch: Interim City Clerk
Dorritt Miller: Deputy City Administrator
Hazeline Carson: City Clerk
Joanna Sharp, Former WPB City Clerk, was as her name suggest, sharp. She was very careful about doing what she was supposed to do and concerned with doing it right. In other words she was extremely conscientious, and expected nothing less from the people who reported to her. She trained them well.
If you were to talk to employees who knew and worked with her they recall her fondly, and she was missed when she moved on. Ms Sharp resigned in May 2012.
Lakisha Burch, who worked and trained under Ms. Sharp was appointed as interim City Clerk. Ms Burch had the same work ethics as her former boss, and I always found her knowledgeable, courteous, and extremely helpful. If you placed a PRR (Public Records Request) with her she always responded within a day or two.
Hazeline Carson was at one time employed by the city of WPB as a legal assistant where she formed a friendship with Dorritt Miller before she left for a position as City Clerk in Lauderdale Lakes, Fl; and she was eventually fired from that position. You see a pattern here?
Ms Carson re-applied to the city for employment in the City Clerks office, and was denied a position. It appears someone did their homework in vetting her.
Right about this time Ms. Sharp resigned her position, and Ms. Burch appointed interim.
Here is how the story was told to me by a city insider:
Ms. Miller called Ms. Carson and told her to apply for the position of City Clerk.
Ms. Carson said she had already been denied a position with the city clerks office.
Ms. Miller told her not to be concerned, and just re-apply. She did. Guess what? She got the job, and was hired in Sept. 2012 as WPB City Clerk, 4 months after Ms. Sharps resignation.
Ms. Burch, who had done an outstanding job in the short amount of time she held the position returned to her former job as clerk.
A few weeks later I was walking into city hall and saw Ms. Burch holding a tissue to her face and running into the ladies room. I followed and asked what was wrong. She told me Ms. Carson had written her up again for some supposed infraction. It seems Ms. Carson was writing Ms. Burch up on a regular basis.
My advice to her was don’t let her force you out.
Her response to me was she would not allow her reputation to be damaged. She resigned.
In my opinion the city lost a good employee due to a bad one.
It is absolutely exhausting for a resident to receive a PRR since Ms Carson took office.
Ms. Barbara Peterson, President of Florida’s First Amendment Foundation, where she works exclusively on PRR has stated many of the complaints filed with her office come from WPB. When a complaint is filed she writes the city, the city complies only to revert back to their old way’s. I am enclosing a recent e-mail as an example of how the city tries to hide information from residents.
From: [email protected]
To: [email protected]
CC: [email protected]
Sent: 10/1/2015 9:57:50 A.M. Eastern Daylight Time
Subj: 9/28/15 CC meeting
Dear Ms. Carson,
I have sat at my computer for the last 11/2 hrs trying to view the commission meeting held on 9/28/15. I was particularly interested in Item # 16. I tried to hear residents and commissioners comment’s and the meeting shut off before Resident #1 (William Crouse) finished his comment. He was followed by at least 6 more speakers.
I am requesting to visit city hall and be allowed to listen to the rest of the comments, commissioner’s comments, and how they voted.
Please let me know a convenient time to visit and hear the remainder of the meeting.
Sandy
Please verify this request received.
____________________________________________________________________
In a message dated 10/2/2015 10:57:51 A.M. Eastern Daylight Time, [email protected] writes:
Ms. Matkivich,
This is to acknowledge receipt of your request. I checked with TV18 and they were able to view and hear the meeting on the website. I also checked the website and was able to view and hear the meeting.
TV18 staff has informed me that there is no public computer available for viewing of City Commission meetings. The September 28th meeting will be rebroadcast on Saturday, October 3, 2015 at 9:00 a.m. and again on Sunday, October 4, 2015 at 7:00 p.m.
Hazeline F. Carson, CMC
City Clerk
City of West Palm Beach
401 Clematis Street
West Palm Beach, FL 33401
[email protected]
561-822-1210 (office)
561-822-1214 (fax)
___________________________________________________________________________
In a message dated 10/2/2015 11:18:23 A.M. Eastern Daylight Time,
[email protected] writes:
Ms. Carson
What are you talking about the city has “no public computers for viewing” I am pleased you and the TV 18 people were able to view the entire meeting. I watched the entire thing until resident Crouse (unsure of spelling) was making his statement and it ended. Where will the TV 18 be rebroadcast.on the dates you mentioned below? Did you and the channel 18 folks watch the entire 3 hour meeting? If yes, I think it’s wonderful you are having a slow day at the office.
Sandy
______________________________________________________________________
From: [email protected]
To: [email protected]
Sent: 10/5/2015 11:30:56 A.M. Eastern Daylight Time
Subj: Re: 9/28/15 CC meeting
Ms. Carson,
I sent the original e-mail on 10/1/15. I am requesting a PRR on all city employees and elected officials you have forwarded my request to. When you forward this e-mail please CC me a copy. Verify request received.
Sandy Matkivich.
Please verify this request received.
______________________________________________________________________
From: [email protected]
To: [email protected]
Sent: 10/14/2015 2:32:31 P.M. Eastern Daylight Time
Subj: PRR Request
Ms Carson,
My e-mail sent to you on 10/1/15, I am requesting the names of all city employees and elected officials you have forwarded my e-mail’s too, and their response.
I sent a request on 10/5/15, I am requesting the names of all city employees and elected officials you have forwarded my e-mail’s too, and their response.
Please verify this request received.
___________________________________________________________________________
Ms Carson responded to my 1st e-mail, and has not responded to the other 3. It has now been 13 day’s and counting.
What I am looking for are the names of the people Ms Carson forwarded my requests too.
My guess would be:
Dorritt Miller: Her good friend she reports too.
Kimberly Rothenburg City Attorney
Eliot Cohen Disgraced Director of Communications for the City of WPB. He oversees
the city TV channel (18) (No love lost between us)
And possibly Mayor Muoio and City Administrator Jeff Green.
Your tax dollars support Ms. Carson in the position of City Clerk.
In closing let me share with you
The city clerks office has a computer that is not used by regular staff, and clerks have allowed me to use it on 2 different occasions.
The city has a “training room” where a minimum of 20 computers sit on tables, but she writes TV 18 (Cohen) states there are no public computers available for viewing.
Who Knows Where The Bodies Are Buried?
Residents have questioned Mayor Muoio choice of people she has placed in position to supposedly help her run the city. People such as City Administrator, Jeff Green, who she promoted from Finance Director to City Administrator, Development Services Director, Richard Greene, there is more to be written on Mr. Greene at a later date, and former City Spokesman and Director of Communications, Eliot Cohen. Mr. Cohen is no longer the City Spokesman but remains on the city payroll as the Communications Director.
After Mr. Cohen released names of Confidential Informers, Undercover Police Officers, and sensitive investigations by the FBI on the city web site, and with call from residents and the Police Benevolent Associations to remove Mr. Cohen, Mayor Muoio refuses to let him go.
This following story may help explain one of the possible reasons why.
In 2013 the city announced they would outsource their CRA Department and Kim Briesemeister,who ran the city’s CRA dept from 2004 until 2013 resigned in August which allowed her Broward County based firm, RMA Associates to participate in the bidding process. Word leaked to the press that Ms. Briesemeister expressed confidence to her CRA staff that the commissioners would choose her company but denied the accusations when confronted by the press.
The residents were upset with the city and especially Ms. Briesemeister company RMA due to her numerous decisions made while working for the city. For Instance:
City Center: A citizen’s alliance group sued the city over the building of the new city hall, library and garage. The alliance group sued for the right to allow residents to vote on the project. The courts agreed, but then Mayor Frankel, pushed to have the projected finished, while giving the residents the one finger salute. This cost the taxpayer’s $300,000,00.
Digital Domain: The city gave prime city land valued at $10 million, along with $2 million in cash to Digital Domain in a partnership with FSU for a digital animation college.It was reported in the PB Post that Kim Briesemeister approved the deal between the city and Digital Domain, and said CEO John Textor was fully vetted.
On Sept.10,2012 Commissioner Kimberly Mitchell, Kim Briesemeister, and City Attorney Claudia McKenna drove to John Textor’s home for a private meeting.
On Sept.11, 2012 Digital Domain filed for bankruptcy.
On Sept.13,2012 Ms. Briesemeister reported to police her home was burglarized, and two laptops were stolen along with two briefcases filled with paperwork. A week later another burglary and more computer equipment along with jewelry was stolen. Ms. Briesemeister stated it was a private matter and refused to discuss the situation. It leaves one to wonder if the computer’s and briefcase’s contained information on Digital Domain, lost forever.
Now enter Mr. Cohen:
If you have kept up with city politics you are aware of the power Mr. Cohen has been given by Mayor Muoio. If you haven’t kept up, please take my word for it, this man has power over city employees, reporters, residents, and possibly the mayor herself.
The information below was received by a PRR from the city of WPB and the dates are taken from Mr. Cohen’s employment application. Please note the dates.
Jan. 2005 to Sept. 2005: Office of the mayor, city of WPB. (Employed for 7 months, and didn’t appear to give much notice upon his leaving)
Sept. 2005 to May 2008: Broward Sheriff’s office and was allowed to “resign.” The date on his “Broward County Sheriff’s Office Resignation Form was signed by both John F. Curry, Sheriff of Broward County on 3/7/08 and Dee Gargotta /IA (internal affairs). on 2/20/08. It appears Mr. Cohen left the BSO on Feb.6,2005, and not May as his WPB application states.
Aug.2008 to Feb.2012: Health First, Inc. Mr. Cohen started his new job 6 months after “resigning” from the BSO.
May 2012 to present: City of WPB. Back where he started.
About now you are asking what the CRA has to do with Mr. Cohen. Well they have history. When Mr. Cohen applied to the BSO he gave Ms. Briesemeister as a reference. So they go back at least 10 years. Coincidence, I don’t believe in them.
How much influence did Mr. Cohen have with Mayor Muoio in order to eliminate all applicants for the city’s CRA outsourcing and insure Ms. Briesemeister received the contract which has a budget of 28 Million dollars, and not much oversite.
See Mr. Cohen’s BSO application below.
Development of Significant Impact
The City helped name this story.
I start this story well aware that many who receive it will not be interested in reading it due to the fact it is not located in their neighborhood or surrounding area. I promise you it will be a matter of time before a developer comes snaking through your hood with the idea this would be a great place to make a few million dollars, and move on. Then you will care when your small piece of paradise is invaded with the full support of the mayor and city commissioners of WPB. Here is the story of one new development just approved by the Lords & Ladies, better known as city commissioners.
I attended the City Commission Meeting held on 9/28/15 and commission chambers had more residents than usual. They were there for Item # 16 on the agenda which was to change the Future Land Use designation of approximately 12.29 acres from Commercial to Multifamily.
Commissioners in attendance were: James, Moffett, Materio and Neering. Commissioner Ryan was out of town and therefore absent.
I listened as a dozen residents living in High Sierra, a community consisting of 32 homes addressed the commission. The speakers were professional, knowledgeable and respectful with their allotted 3 minutes to make their case. At no time did a resident ask that the development not be built. They asked that it be built with consideration of area residents and the traffic that would come with the new development.
The meeting started with the mayor and commission’s Quasi-Judicial (Disclosure of Ex Parte Communication) swearing in of witnesses, and this is where I became concerned.
All 4 commissioner disclosed they had received e-mails from residents.
Commissioner James disclosed he made a site visit which is located in his district.
Commissioners Moffett, Materio and Neering did not make site visits. These 3 commissioners were going to make a decision affecting people’s lives and they weren’t concerned enough to drive to the area to have a better idea of the situation they were about to vote on.
City Commissioners voted themselves, the mayor, along with other city hall royals $500.00/ month for car allowance which the taxpayer so generously supply. Mayor Muoio passes the area on her way home to Ibis, and she declared she didn’t make a site visit. You good with that?
I took a drive to Skees Rd (which is 1 mi. west of the turnpike) to visit High Sierra, which is the first development on Skees Rd; and spoke to a gentlemen named William Crouse who was the first speaker at the commission meeting.
I wanted to verify what was said at the commission meeting and Mr. Crouse showed me documentation and I had a tour of the small well maintained development. I saw Adonel Concrete, the second commercial business south of Okeechobee on the east side of Skees where they are producing and shipping concrete daily.
The developer of the new project is CMSJR Development Group (Mr. Scardina) who previously built Casa Brera in Lake Worth. The residents requested Mr. Scardina build the same size development on Skees as in Lake Worth.
Here is the comparison between Casa Brera and the yet to be named development, but for the sake of clarification let’s call it Skees Folly.
Casa Brera: 92 rental units on 12.2 acres or 7.7 units per acre.
Skees Folly: 245 rental units on 12.29 acres or 20 units per acre.
Casa Brera was built in 2013 and sold in 2015.
Skees Folly will consist of 5 buildings 4 stories high.
245 rental apartment and let’s figure 2 cars per household for an additional 490 cars traveling on Okeechobee Blvd. Some families will have 1 car-some will have 2 or 3 depending how many kids still live at home.
At the end of the commission meeting Commissioner Materio basically told the residents to suck it up and be good neighbor’s. She mentioned a development in her neighborhood that she didn’t particularly like, but there it was. What ever development she spoke about may have been approved before she was appointed to the commission. Just like the Walmart fiasco she didn’t want built in her district and with the help of her BFF former Commissioner Mitchell the city spent 2.9 million to purchase the land and insure Walmart didn’t build.
Q: Why did the Mayor and Commissioner’s vote to approve this massive development?
A: Because they can.
Q: Why does city government favor developer’s over residents?
A: Because they can.
Q: What can residents do?
A: Election March 2016 up for re-election Materio and Moffett, pray for challengers.
Payback has always been a bitch.
It would be nice if intelligent, honest candidates who are truly more interested in approving issues, and new developments that help, and are supported by the citizens and less interested in helping big money make more money. Unfortunately in the world of politics today it is nearly impossible to find a politician who will stand up for the common people and possibly lose their big money supporters.
Another Weekend 3 More Shot in W.P.B.
The “Peace March” recently held in the northend of the city, did it help or not? I believe no harm came of it, and at least may have shown residents living in the area that residents care about this section of their city. It was a good effort but unfortunately it has been undone by the release of confidential information by the city, and once again the rash of shootings.
Another weekend and Sunday night shots rang out and 3 men were shot, where else but the northend on 14th. St, and later on 10th.St. where black on black shootings have taken place over the summer. Names, ages, and conditions of the victims are unknown at this time.
The Police report “The preliminary investigation indicates that this was not a random act of violence as the victims appear to have been targeted.”
Is it possible the 3 men that may have been targeted, and may have been CI’s (Confidential Informers) for city police?
Is it possible gang members found their names on the city website where Elliot Cohen, City Spokesman, released them to the public?
If the answer is found to be true both Elliot Cohen and Mayor Jeri Muoio who refuses to fire Mr. Cohen over this grievous error in judgement have blood on their hands.
Half the problem is admitting you have one. No mayor wants to admit their city has a “gang” related problem, but the City of West Palm Beach has done exactly that, and the residents living in the city are very much aware of it. Denial should no longer be accepted by residents.
These thugs have to be rounded up and jailed, not pushed to another section of the city to reign hell down on other neighborhoods. The police have their work cut out for them and I question if they can count on northend residents for assistance.
Mayor Muoio has traveled to Denmark for a week of walking and bicycle riding. I’m betting she’s safer than the residents in the northend who live in fear of walking to the grocery store or sending their children to wait for the arrival of the school bus.
Below are listed the Mayor, City Administrator, and City Commissioners e-mail addresses. If you’ve had enough please take the time to tell them.
[email protected]
[email protected]
[email protected]
[email protected]
[email protected]
[email protected]
[email protected]
Closing on a positive note: Palm Beach Gardens who joined the W.P.B. lawsuit against the Office of the Inspector General (OIG) met and voted to include in their budget the funds to pay their fair share of the cost of running the OIG office. Good for them, hope more cities follow their example.
Who is Elliot Cohen?
Elliott Cohen is the Director of Communications for the City of WPB. He oversees the city TV channel (18) and the city’s website. He reports to the Mayor. If you don’t follow city politics you don’t know who Mr. Cohen is or what function he serves. The majority of residents know the name Mayor Muoio which is why she will take the hit for this story and others that are sure to follow.
I’m damn angry, and have to wonder why good people who try and make a difference in the city are constantly shocked by what happens behind the scenes at city hall.
Mayor Muoio invited residents to a Peace March and we showed up and marched black and white together, side by side. My objective was to let residents know I cared about what was happening in a very small section of our city.
I just finished posting a story “Police & Northend Neighborhoods” where I asked residents to find the courage to step forward and help the police with the rash of black on black murders happening in the Northend of the city.
Now all the marches, forums held by Commissioner James and Neering, police dept. reaching out to residents, new programs the city initiated trying to build trust between residents and police may be in jeopardy. Why? Read the story for yourself.
WPB Watch previously wrote about concerns receiving public records report and copies of meetings held. Mr Cohen made the decision to switch from CD to thumb drives and the cost to residents went from free (CD) to $7.00 (thumb drive). Read the story below.
Mr. Cohen’s actions have damaged the city and it will be extremely difficult to reach out to residents, who admit to being afraid, and once again ask for their trust.
A good start would be a new City Spokesman. One the city, press and residents can trust.
Police & Northend Neighborhoods
All over the country there are law enforcement officers who make major mistakes and use bad judgement. Some should never wear the uniform because they bring shame and disgrace to the multitude of officers who serve and protect with honor and integrity.
With that said WPB has been plagued with as many as nine straight weekends of violent shootings with loss of life. Many perpetrators being children as young as 10 or 12 years of age.These shootings cover a 21/2 square mile area in the Northend section of the city, and is black on black crime.
Commissioners James and Neering joined forces and held a summit on youth violence with the kid’s in the Northend. The PB Post wrote an editorial on 8/23/15 when they interviewed Commissioner James who said the city along with the Police, Schools, private sector, government, nonprofit’s, churches, synagogues…All of us must get involved with finding solutions to this crisis.” At no time did anyone question the responsibility of the parents.
Why are these young people out all hours of the day and night and their parents don’t know where they are or who they are with. When did the parents responsibility end?
In August Mayor Muoio asked residents to join her and city officials in the city’s first Peace March in a section of the city where shootings occurred. The residents responded and the march was considered a success. The residents came on crutches, and on walkers, and the elderly lady in the picture walked as far as she was able and with the police officer help she finished the march. Young people jumped off their porches and joined in. Please join us and show your support for the residents and police and take our city back from those who believe they can terrorize a neighborhood, and murder innocent teens. For example:
Johnny Davis was a nineteen year old man, described by his family and friends as a young man who mentored other teens and tried to make a difference in his neighborhood. On Aug. 26 Mr. Davis was walking with 3 friends when a car drove by and opened fire killing him and another young man and injuring 2 others. No mother should bury her children or ask residents to speak up if they know something.
On 9/8/15 I attended the Mayor/Commission Work Session where there were 3 items on the agenda.
#1 S. Dixie Presentation. (Dana Little of TCRPC)
#2 RMA Presentation: South End Real Estate Redevelopment Strategy of Municipal Golf
Course & Vacant Land at 8111 S. Dixie Hwy. (Materio)
#3 Status report On Police Efforts To Combat Recent Spate Of Youth Violence in our
City. (James, Captain Bernhardt)
Normally the meeting is held in a smaller room, but due to a large residents turnout the meeting was held in the Commission Chambers, with TV Camera’s present.
Immediately after Item 2 was discussed there was a mass exit for the door.
I find it hard to comprehend residents are more concerned about a golf course and empty lot on Dixie Hwy. than the youth violence going on in their city.
If you missed the meeting below is an excerpt on item #3 and I encourage you to please take the time to listen to Captain Bernhardt, Mayor Muoio, and your commissioners.
[vimeo 138894496]
Also there is a plan being implemented called Mayors Village Initiative Overview.
Please take the time to read the overview and see what steps the city is taking to
combat crime in the Northend.
See “Mayors Village Initiative Overview”
On 9/6/15 the Post ran a story and interviewed a resident who stated “I teach my kids and grand kids not to walk up or talk to police because I’ve seen the way police are treating these young people.” There is one generation teaching two more generations not to trust police.
In the Northend residents are fearful. I can’t imagine going to bed afraid and waking up afraid. I can’t imagine not wanting your children to play in their own front yard for fear of them being murdered by a drive-by shooting.
As Commissioner James recently stated Northend neighborhood’s are in crisis.
Residents can’t do it alone. Police can’t do it alone. You need each other.
Please, if you know something speak to the police, don’t wait until you become the parents
of another Johnny Davis pleading for someone to help catch the people who murdered your child.