Letters to the Editor

Posted on 03 February 2011 by LeslieM

A Fire Department run by BSO?

Dear Editor:

Circa 1967, Ordinance 617, by referendum vote, was created to govern the hiring, promotions and disciplinary procedures of the Fire Department.This was the will of the people. Two years ago, the city commission through labor negotiations, eliminated Ordinance 617. Logically, it would seem that rules created through referendum could only be changed by referendum.

Not so in Deerfield, where special interest groups, the mayor and commissioners can join together and supercede the people’s will.

Currently, the city is talking with Broward Sheriff’s Office (BSO) to take control of our Fire Department.  Three years ago, by referendum vote, we, the people, overwhelmingly (70 percent) opposed this action and voted to keep our Fire Department.

There is no indication that our leaders will enforce the people’s will, but rather impose their own.  Couple this with back-to-back years of tax increases and one can see how history repeats itself. Taxation without representation … sounds familiar and much like the tyranny we revolted against in 1776. So welcome to Deerfield Beach, where Democracy is not alive and well, and your vote, the people’s will, means nothing.

Gary Lother

Deerfield Beach

These are the times that try men’s souls

Dear Editor:

In January, certain city employees were faced with giving back city money that placed them above the cap on their salaries. It seems as though the choices were made selectively since not all who benefitted were asked to pay back. Who was responsible for the choices that were made?

While the city was nickel-and-diming the non-uniform employees, a fire captain was allowed to accumulate $111,000 in overtime pay in the last three years. How did that happen? His final pension payout will be obscenely generous.

The commission itself has cost the taxpayers.

• Failure to schedule a vote on the increase in cost of beach parking stickers resulted in a loss of $83,500 when 1,670 were sold at the bargain rate of $50.

• Authorization of an $80,000 Kessler report that was full of smoke and mirrors thanks to the allegations of a vindictive blogger.

• The commission spent $1,200 for an outside attorney to tell them how to read the charter.

Explain to the taxpayers the overtime being collected by Fire Department personnel.

What needs to be done:

• An audit of city overtime expenditures and a cap on the amount that can be added to enhance pension payouts.

• Stop penalizing the worker bees and have those earning in excess of $100,000 a year, take a 10 percent pay cut.

• Make a change in one of the services that costs us the most. The trend is to regionalize police and fire and transportation and water. Deerfield should join the parade to save money, and start negotiating with BSO for fire and emergency services.

• Turn back the increase in the mayor and commissioners’ salaries that were mandated by Ordinance 2004/035. The commission cannot increase their salary, but they can sure decrease them. They are part-timers. Why do they have pensions? Eliminate them, as no other part-time employee in the city is eligible for such a bonus. Indeed these are the times that try men’s souls, but it is also the time of economic downturn. No matter how much rhetoric is being put out there, the commission cannot claim to have been fiscally responsible. The public spoke at the final hearing setting the millage rate, but nobody on the Board listened.

Jean Robb

Deerfield Beach

Thanks for supporting Festival of Arts

Dear Editor:

Thank you Deerfield Beach for your overwhelming support for the 31st Annual Festival of the Arts. We on the Cultural Committee are truly moved by all of the positive responses we have received from the public. We can
hardly wait until next year. Check our website www.DeerfieldBeachFestivals.com or our Facebook page (Deerfield Beach Cultural Committee).

Judi Stanich

Deerfield Beach

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