Big Changes, Many Not Good For The City
May 15, 2019
As Mayor of our city, Keith James is off to a rough start removing key people from postilions they excelled in and a few that retired immediately after the election.
Lets look at a few.
A staff member who for years kept the Mayor’s office running smoothly retired right after the election.
Dorritt Miller who “knew where the bodies were buried” and people reporting to her worked in fear of being fired and in my opinion she should have been replaced years ago, there are two stories circulating city hall. She retired or she was fired. Important fact: She’s gone.
Christine Brevik who brought the IT Department into the 21st Century was fired, but I am told she is being rehired next week. That is excellent news for the city and she never should have been fired in the first place.
Peter Bieniek, Director of Public Works. Peter was hired by Muoio 2 years ago and it didn’t take long for him to prove himself worthy of the job. Peter put new procedures in place, and had other ideas that would have improved the efficiency of the process, eliminating unnecessary steps, using modernizing techniques, or taking other approaches. So what happened? Scott Kelly happened. As I have been told by numerous insiders who watched the interaction between the two men. After hearing different versions I can only conclude Kelly was in fear of his own job due to the fact Peter was doing an outstanding job, and may one day replace him as Assistant City Manager. After the election Kelly went to James and complained, and James fired Mr. Bieniek, I can tell you honestly that Scott Kelly has personally lied to me on certain issues, along with residents of the city when he makes presentations concerning developments. Scott Kelly was one of five executives fired from the city of Jacksonville, Fl. in 2012. if he was not good enough for Jacksonville what makes him good enough for WPB? James definitely fired the wrong guy. Read the story below.
https://www.jacksonville.com/article/20121210/NEWS/801242052
When the IA (Internal Audit) completes an audit of different departments the head of the department appears and answers any questions whenever the committee member or staff need clarification.. I attend all IA meetings, and have heard Ms. Brevik and Mr. Bieniek on occasions when committee members and staff commend them on the job they have done, and continue to do. Want to know how both managers handle the praise? “They couldn’t have accomplished it without their staff members.” Ask the guy who picks up your trash and yard waste what they think of James firing Peter, they will tell you. Both managers had the respect of the people reporting to them. Nuff said.
I am going to digress here and you will understand why if you continue reading. I watched a program where they asked middle school students grades 6-8 (ages 11-13), and high school grades 9-12 (ages 14-18) if they ever consumed alcohol. A shocking 20% said they had. The experts came in and spoke with the kids and they all left a little smarter than when they arrived. They were told of peer pressure and manipulation. The children thanked the experts and one young lady said she understood how she was manipulated and would not be again. So the experts came in and spoke to the kids with a hope of turning their thinking around, and it worked at least with one young lady. They reached out to the young and I believed were successful. Do you believe they would have had the same outcome with College age kids, who are set in their ways and know absolutely everything.
Police Chief Sara Mooney always reached out to the young children while making the rounds in the toughest neighborhoods in the Northend. She is reaching the kids because this is where change begins, with them, not the gang members who destroy and terrorize a neighborhood.
It’s my opinion the WPB Police Dept. is the finest in the state, led by the strongest Chief. I am not naïve enough to believe all police officers walk on water and some should never wear the uniform because they bring disgrace on themselves and their department. The remaining cops put their lives on the line every day protecting citizens who despise them for the uniform they wear. The PBA (Police Benevolent Association) President John Kazanjian endorsed James for Mayor. If a cop is accused or terminated they can turn to the PBA for protection, and they step up. The PBA did not step up for Chief Mooney, but defended Palm Beach Gardens police Officer Nouman Raja who was found guilty of manslaughter with a firearm and attempted first degree murder in the 2015 shooting death of Corey Jones. Thank God the jury made the right decision or once again police would be the bad guys painted with the same brush. How do you rid the departments of the bad guy’s when the PBA defends them? Corey Jones’s family finally received justice. Read the story below for the PBA reaction for finding Raja guilty.
https://www.wpbf.com/article/pbc-police-benevolent-association-reacts-to-raja-verdict/26751289
James is replacing Chief Mooney with Fort Lauderdale Police Chief Frank Adderley. Don’t know anything about Former Chief Adderley, but Neighborhood Scout is reporting on Fort Lauderdale, “We found that the violent crime rate is one of the highest in the nation, across communities of all sizes (both large and small). Violent offenses tracked included rape, murder and non-negligent manslaughter, armed robbery, and aggravated assault, including assault with a deadly weapon.” If you weren’t aware WPB have three excellent Assistant Chief’s West, Spatara and Kahil. Why does James constantly overlook excellent choices to look elsewhere when replacing people that are not replaceable? Now you know the reason why workers moral can be in the dumpster. Read the stat’s below.
https://www.neighborhoodscout.com/fl/fort-lauderdale/crime
One of the best program introduced by Chief Mooney, and there has been many, is the “Community Response Team.” and Officer Courtney Sullivan is our neighborhood Community Officer. She reached out to a few residents and supplied her phone no; along with her e-mail address for any resident who wished to talk to her concerning problems in their neighborhood, like drugs. There are too many residents throughout WPB who are afraid to talk to police for fear of retaliation. If you ask Officer Sullivan not to park her police car in your driveway she wont and that is one way of protecting residents. Officer Sullivan reached out to the Board of Directors with an invitation to speak before residents to let us know she was in the neighborhood and approachable. That was approximately 6 months. The board has not accepted her invitation. I can tell you from experience I called her and her response was faster than white on rice, but that wont help residents who aren’t aware she’s in their own neighborhood waiting to assist them.
It is my understanding city hall has received complaints concerning Chief Mooney’s removal as Chief of Police and after the uproar from Mayor Muoio and others James offered her a position as Chief of Police for Emergency Management. Now this is just my opinion, and take it for what it’s worth. James never expected Mooney to accept the job, but accept she did. Mayor Muoio knowing how Keith James felt about Chief Mooney gave him her endorcement after he told her he would leave Mooney in place as Chief. James lied. Was Muoio that nieve? Hadn’t she learned how strong women intimidated him? Again my opinion.
If you didn’t know, Keith James is a Harvard Graduate. My wish is had common sense and used it.
Channel 5 ran a story on Mooney and Muoio’s response. They mentioned 2 commissioners who were basically OK with James decision, but didn’t name the commissioners. Again just my opinion it was commissioner’s Peduzzi and Lambert. I believe those 2 because I have heard Commissioners Neering, Shoaf and Ryles defend the chief.
What would happen if those 3 commissioners didn’t confirm a new chief of police for WPB?
Hear news 5 report below.