RE: Termination, Town Clerk of Hillsboro Beach

Dear Editor:

In 2008, under the mayorship of Carmen McGarry, four Town Clerks were terminated and one Town Clerk resigned during a 10-month time-frame.

During her tenure, Ms. McGarry arranged for the water bill and trash removal bills for the elite Hillsboro Club to be absorbed by the taxpayers.

Former Mayor Dan Dodge was the club manager at that time, and the practice of Hillsboro Beach taxpayers footing the bill for the club continued up to Former Mayor Dodge’s abrupt resignation as Mayor and swift, unexplained departure as Manager of the Hillsboro Club.

We have also been blessed with private, multi-million dollar homeowners at the south end of town who have not paid their water bills in years.

Prior to Richard Maggiore being assigned the position as Mayor, he was the Commissioner in charge of finances. Invoices from the Town Planner that were run up by various condo boards, billed to the town by the Town Planner, paid by the town out of taxpayer dollars, and the town never recouped the money from those condos.

In 2015, once again residents have voted Ms. McGarry back on the commission, in spite of her track record.

The first item on the agenda of her first term back on the dais in April, and that of Mayor Richard Maggiore’s (her personal friend for years) was to fi re the Town Clerk.

The three Commissioners who voted to remove the Town Clerk were privy to the details of the termination prior to the Special Meeting, and two other Commissioners had no idea of the details.

In spite of incessant requests by residents, the Mayor refused to give details at that Special Meeting [late Friday afternoon, June 19].

The problem was not with Jean-Marie Mark the Town Clerk.

She should be applauded for having the fortitude to remain in that position after all of the threats, racial slurs, and abuse she endured when pointing out the malfeasance.

The problem in the town of Hillsboro Beach is with the individuals that residents are electing.

March 2016 is the next Town Election. A lot of damage can be done in 9 months. We cannot let this continue for another day. The residents of this town need to stand up and demand an explanation of the chronic misappropriation of our tax dollars since 2008, and demand the immediate resignation of these individuals.

Lee Craine

Hillsboro Beach