If you want to read the most current minutes (from October 31st) of the Charter Review Task Force hit right here.Attendance is half the battle, and Lobbyist Miguel DeGrandy, the wicked and vile Natacha Seijas’ appointee, made it to every meeting that we have minutes for. Seijas probably went to Miguel's house and dragged him out of bed and poured expresso down his throat as she told him what to do. What is with Lyn Dannheiser, Katy Sorenson’s appointment? She has been late or not shown up for most of the meetings. Shame on you Lynn Dannheiser.
They should be posting DRAFT minutes Mr. Harvey Ruvin because waiting 6 weeks to see these minutes is too long. Well, actually at this point, it doesn’t matter does it?
This Charter Review Task Force is a farce. Read the little slice of minutes I posted above.
Here is a message to all you task force members: You know that the Commissioners are not going to put redrawing their districts on the ballot. Get real. Why don’t all you members quit in protest? Except Miguel DeGrandy, he can stay on and try to control himself instead of everyone else.
Isn’t the last meeting on December 12th? Does anyone care? Lyn Dannheiser seems to have given up and so have I.
8 comments:
Another area where the Miami Herald has really let down the community. A steady stream of information to the public on charter review (not the occasional news report or editorial) would have been very useful. It really seems that the only daily newspaper doesn't care much ...
The whole Charter review process is a joke. Do you really believe that any of the commissioners will accept changes to their comfortable accommodations? No way! They have their little kingdoms well established to guarantee their reelection FOREVER, while they also stick their fingers into the other districts despite not being elected countywide.
Lynn was in a pretty bad car accident. Maybe you should give her a break. In addition, although she works for Wiess Serota, she is a municipal attorney for Surfside (and other small municipalities), and I am sure she does not have full control of her calendar as a result.
Then she should have not been appointed or she should have asked to be replaced. This was important...Miguel DeGrandy knew it. GOOD People not showing up for board meetings - task forces etc. ruin the process. The powerful count on bad attendance. You can't vote if you are not there.
Anyone who has even some rudimentary knowledge of the County Commission knew nothing would come from the charter review.I participated in 3 of the public hearings and watched 1 or 2 others. In the beginning I thought maybe I was wrong; the committee was engaged, public friendly and listened intently to the public. Only a couple of the members were antagonistic (DeGrandy and Holland to name 2). There was a great deal of agreement between many speakers on most of the issues. Mayor Dermer encouraged speakers and seemed to take their comments to heart; Chair Diaz was likewise public friendly. Wow, could the public actually get to vote on substantial changes to the charter? Then the negotiations started, out of public view (no televised meetings) and the list of public comments was thrown away. DeGrandy and his supporters took control and steamrolled those members who actually cared about the public.At a commission meeting Commissioner Souto, who had appointed himself to the committee, railed against the committee. He said, with great surprise, they want the people to vote on everything! They are looking into everything. They have no business looking into legislative things; only the commission can do that. He said he had to resign from the committee because they were out of control.
Unfortunately, this charter review committee will accomplish exactly what others have done. The commission will seek a raise and seek to take power from the Mayor. The first attempt to hogtie the mayor will be on the January ballot when voters will be asked to make the property appraiser elected instead of appointed by the mayor. It was OK to have an appointed property appraiser when the commission had control. So we could have a politician as the property appraiser.
I predict that the November ballot next year will have a commission raise question,and questions for elected sherriff, elected elections supervisor, and elected tax collector; all designed to remove power from the mayor. Other than suspending the constitution and making them commissioners for life, ah la Chavez, I don't foresee anything else and certainly nothing to make it better for the people ever being on a ballot.
As an aside, don't buy into the agrument that a "decent salary" will encourage others to run. People may run but they can't win because the commission did away with realistic public campaign financing. No one can match the funds from special interests that flow to sitting commissioners. Any gutsy challenger will be buried by special interest donations and political retalliation. Don't fall for it!
great analysis
Katy Sorenson should have dragged Lyn D to the meetings too... or she should have dumped her!
trying to make change in 2008.
www.mcgillis4clerk.com
get on board!
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