RE: Charter changes

Dear Editor:

It is time to clarify what I was proposing with the rescinding of Ordinance 11.01. For those who vehemently oppose eliminating that from the City Charter, it is time to take a look at what is being asked.

The reality is that what was good in 2002 is not adequate to protect the beach development in 2014.

Are these same people happy with what is being proliferated in the beach area today? Or are these same people unaware of what is threatening the development of our beach under the current restrictions inaugurated in 2002? Time for this commission to step up and create its own new ordinance to deal with the changes in the beach area.

I sat through multiple protestations at the Jan. 28 commission meeting.

I am not too old to realize that change is inevitable, and what was deemed acceptable in 2002 does not hold water in 2014.

Jean M. Robb, Mayor

DeerfieldBeach

RE: North Pavilion

Dear Editor:

I am writing concerning the disappointing new change to the sticker parking locations.

My family frequents the beach 4-5 times a week. We park at the pavilion lot north of the pier using our Deerfield Beach parking sticker because it is a short way to walk when my three kids are carrying their surf board and beach items. Furthermore, there is a restroom, showers and cover if a storm decides to roll in.

One of the perks of being a local is being able to park at this most convenient parking lot using our annual sticker. However, because the beach is so crowded with tourists and people from other cities who come to visit our beautiful beach, it is practically impossible anymore to find a spot there without waiting for someone to leave.

But to make matters worse, now the city has decided to take that little local perk away from us and change this lot from a sticker/meter lot to a meter only lot.

Because of this change, I, a Deerfield resident, can’t even park there unless I am willing to pay the $20 it would take to cover our beach time for the afternoon.

Furthermore, Deerfield has made the rule that there is no surfing on the south end of the beach.

You have limited the surf area to the north side of the pier. So the only group of people who have limitations are the ones you make walk the furthest?

I can assure you, many of the local surfers have stickers and this makes no sense.

Please reinstate the pavilion as one of the sticker parking lots. We are losing so much. What a shame to lose this too, the one little perk we have left.

Yes, a city runs on money.The city will get its money from all the meters at the beach. But a city also runs on its people. Happy people, happy city. Trying to squeeze more money out of its residents is just causing dissension and, frankly, is unnecessary.

This may be a small, petty thing to you, but I can assure you, it is VERY important to those of us who call that lot our home.

Carrie Patten

Deerfield Beach

RE: North pavilion

Dear Editor:

Hope this letter finds you well. I know you have more pressing issues than worrying about this beach goer who has been a well-respected voter of this community for more than 20 years.

I have been faithfully going to the north side of the pier ever since I attended Deerfield Beach High School (in 1985). As a teenager, my friends and I would ride our bikes up to the beach and hang out there all day long.

I grew up, got married, had children — and my children grew up north of the pier as well.

I adore my town. I want to grow old here. I spend most of my mornings walking from the pavilion to the Boca jetty and back as way to exercise my mind, body and soul. On days where I can spend the entire day there, I boogie board, play Kadima, hit the volleyball around and sometimes paddle board … all the things that I CANNOT DO south of the pier!

I say all this because, every year, I faithfully buy my parking sticker, but on Monday morning when I pulled up to the North Pavilion and parked in my usual space, I noticed a new sign that NO ONE ever said anything about!

My heart was deeply saddened that someone decided to cast aside us faithful, voting, tax paying, city residents … and for what? For [money]? Did you even think about us when this decision was made? Why didn’t you create maybe one or two spots just for us, like you have at the Main Beach Parking Lot?

Please, I don’t want to hear that we can drop off our stuff with someone and then walk from where we can park. I don’t want to hear excuses or rationalizations for a very poor decision made by the ones I voted for. I am not one to put you down, threaten or be angry about something that we, together, can create a solution for.

As a voting, tax paying, upstanding citizen of Deerfield Beach, I [make a] motion that whoever is in charge of this situation take time to discuss and vote on creating 1 or 2 spots at the North Pavilion for faithful sticker-buying beach goers like myself. I know there must be more of us out there! Can I get a second?

Thanks for your consideration and for your service to this constituent!

Diana Santiago Rice

Deerfield Beach

North Pavilion Beach Sticker Parking

Dear Editor:

A LOT of residents are very upset and passionate about this.

My husband and I have been property owners in Deerfield Beach since 1981. We decided to stay here when we had our 3 sons because we loved that the city was family-oriented, and we all love our beautiful beach.

When our boys were old enough, they started to enjoy all our beach has to offer, they skim board and surf whenever possible.

We have always purchased beach parking stickers so that we could park in the North Pavilion parking lot, where it is the only part of our beach that surfing and skimming is allowed.

Imagine my surprise when I went to City Hall on Jan. 2, purchased my 2014 sticker (which is in the 700s; almost 1,000 stickers issued as of 1-2-14) proceeded to the beach, waited 45 minutes for a spot to open up in the pavilion, only to find a parking ticket on my windshield when I returned to my car!

Never was I advised we could not park there. I did not look at the signs, as I had no clue the commission changes the “rules.”

It is bad enough that the “snowbirds” can now buy stickers in 2014, which I accepted; after all, they do pay taxes. But now there are enormous numbers of stickers being issued and yet, the commission decides to take away one of our stickered parking lots.

It was also bad enough that restaurant patrons take our spots, both sticker and hourly beach goers, when they have valet service for them to utilize with their own lot.

Is the city SO desperate for money, they take our $100, take away a parking lot (the ONLY lot for surfers, skim boarders and wind surfers!), AND raise the hourly rate at peak time at the pavilion? Forget our families and our surfing community, really?

It was suggested to me to drop off my surfers, go park almost a mile away, and walk back to the beach (AND that is IF a spot is open) … are you kidding me?

What if one of my boys drives my car by himself? He has to park far away and walk with his boards and beach stuff? Please, I am asking you (the commission) to reinstate our sticker parking at the [North] Pavilion.

After all, you were elected to make decisions on our behalf. This was not a good decision for the people you represent.

Dee Sleight

Deerfield Beach

Perhaps it’s time for all religious people to return to England

Dear Editor:

I would remind everyone of how our nation was founded. A group of Pilgrims fled England due to harsh religious persecution to find religious freedom in the New World.

The New World turned into a new country–the United States of America. Then came our constitution and the First Amendment. Read it:

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 petition the Government for a redress of grievances

What does “the free exercise thereof” mean to you? What does “free speech” or “free expression” mean to you?

To me, it means that NO ONE has the right to abridge my right to believe in a higher power that governs life.

Now let’s talk about what a “Nativity Scene” is. A Nativity Scene, typically, is a group of figures or statues representing certain people (and usually animals) that were present at the birth of the founder of a particular worldwide group of religions. What is a “Menorah?” It is a candle holder with a specific configuration commemorating the “miracle of lights” that transpired when the members of one of the oldest established religions in the world returned from exile and rebuilt the temple to the higher power that they worshiped.

During a certain month of the year, both of these representations are placed conspicuously on the corner of Hillsboro Boulevard and Federal Highway.

Last year, the city [commission] allowed an individual to hoodwink them into adding a “Festivus” pole made of beer cans to the tableau.

They failed to recognize that this was a mocking skit from a Jerry Seinfeld show.

To cover their embarrassment, they decided that the city would not officially sponsor the display of the aforementioned religious holiday symbols, citing their fear of lawsuits. I’d like to mention that the writer of that skit, in a recent interview, stated that he was coerced by his fellows into writing up the skit based on some silly behavior of his own father. He never thought the skit would make it into production. He was mortified at how it took off and became part of the cynical sub-culture.

So what happened this year? A group of people, on their own accord, placed the Nativity Scene and the Menorah at the corner of Hillsboro and Federal.

The ACLU and Channel 10 showed up and discussed the separation of church and state. The next day, the symbols of two major religions were taken down.

What are these symbols, after all? Some figures and a candle holder.

In and of themselves, they do not proselytize, they do not criticize, they make no verbal or written statement abridging the rights of people who do not believe in a higher power. All they do is stand mutely on the corner of two heavily traveled roads, in quiet testament to those who choose to believe that there is a higher power governing our lives.

I hereby demand that the ACLU represent my interests as one who believes in a higher power and defend me against those who misinterpret the meaning of the division of church and state.

I demand that they send a representative to the city [commission] and persuade them to reinstate the long-standing tradition in Deerfield Beach of respecting the beliefs of many of its citizens.

I’m willing to tolerate your non-religious belief if you are willing to back off and learn to tolerate my religious one.

Deborah Welgoss

Deerfield Beach

NOTE: The Menorah was removed prior to the nativity scene

Thank You, Deerfield Beach!

Dear Editor:

Thank you from the bottom of our hearts to all who came out and attended our recent events – the Holiday Cocktail Fundraiser (Wine & Cheese event) and Breakfast with Santa.

The backyard [at the Butler House] was filled with Santa, happy children, great food and holiday music. The music was provided by St Gregory’s Youth Band, one-man-band Jim Higgins, and poetess extraordinaire Precious Baker.

Thank you to you all, Pat McGonigal, and Santa from BSO Fire Rescue, as well as Publix, Chick-Fil-A, Kiwanis of Deerfield Beach and Frank Congemi for helping us with the basics. This was truly a community event helping to bring us all together in the loving spirit of the season.

Deerfield Beach Historical Society

My first Deerfield commission mtg.

Dear Editor:

My neighbor has asked me for years to attend a city meeting. Many in our small neighborhood regularly do. Finally, on Dec. 3, I gave in and attended. I was not impressed at all.

I was at first glad to see that a member of the city was retiring and they put together a beautiful video and a heartfelt send-off.

However, after that, it went downhill.

As I watched a Deerfield Beach citizen speaking and questioning the District 1 commissioner, it was sad to see the commissioner boo-hissing in a manner and giving a big thumbs down for all to see while giggling at this man.

Whether his point was valid or not, he deserved some respect and not to be made a fool.

The mayor herself was chewing gum while trying to speak (etiquette dictates to spit that out) and might I add was beyond rude when an elderly lady, apparently with a disability, came to the podium to speak, dropped some things, and did her best to organize all while the mayor rolled her eyes, and said for the lady to hurry it up.

I felt bad, but I did [not] yell out ‘how rude.’

I did, however, learn that if the city doesn’t want to hear what you are saying you are mocked and/or laughed at. It reminded me of a kangaroo court. Don’t misunderstand. I applauded the city manager and commissioners, but was truly saddened to see the mayor and vice mayor in such bad taste. I was thrilled to see it videotaped, as it can be watched over and over again.

But all in all, it was wonderful to be there. Now, I know what our city is like. I will become more involved and do my best, along with many others, to change it.

If you have not been to a meeting, please go, even if it is only once.

See who is acting on your behalf. Because remember … maybe one voice can’t change things, but many of us can. Don’t be the one to sit back and hope others fix what is broken. LET’S DO THIS TOGETHER!

Dana Wade

Deerfield Beach

RE: Congressional and Commission update

Dear Editor:

The United States House of Representatives passed H.R. 3080, The Water Resources Reform & Development Act (WRRDA), which authorized Broward County to prefund the preliminary activities necessary to deepen and widen Port Everglades with federal reimbursement. Our members of Congress: Lois Frankel, Mario Diaz Balart, Debbie Wasserman-Schultz, Ted Deutch, Alcee Hastings and Frederica Wilson were among the nation’s lawmakers pushing for passage of the amended WRRDA bill.

In Tallahassee, Governor Scott urged the State Legislature to approve a $14.7 million investment for Port Everglades in a parallel effort to make Florida competitive worldwide and to also create more Florida jobs. The Port Everglades expansion is expected to create over 7,000 direct jobs and more than 135,000 jobs around the state of Florida.

At the Nov. 12 county commission meeting, I was honored to present and pass the V.E.T. Pass, a six-month pilot program to provide veterans in need with a free BCT Bus Pass. This is a project that I have been working on for nearly my entire time in office, and I am always pleased to pass meaningful policy that gives back to those who gave so much to our country.

Coming this month… The Broward County Office of Economic and Small Business Development (OESBD) will begin the new year by launching a 2014 Business Development Workshop Series, which is an update to the annual 12- part “How to Do Business with Broward County” series. These events are designed to expound on accessing opportunities with county government procurement and contracts. The workshops will be held at varying times and locations every month on Thursdays and Saturdays throughout the county. For additional information, contact OESBD at 954- 357-6400 or visit www.Broward.org/EconDev.

My main goal is to help you foster your own “American dream.” If there is anything that we can do to assist you with your vision for a better Broward, please do not hesitate to contact our office at 954-357-7004 or by email at clamarca@broward.org. You can also stay up-to-date by viewing our website at www.Broward.org/District4, where you can sign up to receive email updates from our office.

As always, it is an honor to serve you.

Chip LaMarca

County Commissioner, District 4

Little League “thank you’s”

Dear Editor:

Ever since I was kid back in the ‘80s in Deerfield Beach, I always looked to the Observer for our Little League games and photos. Now, my son does the same.

It brings a smile to my face when I see my son or the kids I coach get excited over their names or photos in the paper.

Also, I wanted to share that this year we will start serving our community even more by offering T-ball — so now, kids starting at the age of 4 can learn to love and play the game in a fun atmosphere.

Thank you again for the support you have given our Little League over the all these years.

Regards,

Neile D. Thomas

Deerfield Beach

Dodgeball, great fun!

Dear Editor:

A BIG THANK YOU to the city of Deerfield’s Staff from the Booty family!

What a fantastic night my husband Danny, my two kids Sean and Shaina, and I had. [at Dodgeball recently]

They have played both times the city has held Dodge ball and can’t wait till the next time.

Thank you again for the fun night!

Shannon Booty

Deerfield Beach

RE: Butler House events

Dear Editor:

A heartfelt “thank you” to all the volunteers who came out to help to trim the Butler House for the holidays on Nov. 9. Thanks especially to our friends at the Woman’s Club and Commissioner Bill Ganz, who could easily reach those high spots.

The whole community is invited: To visit the Butler House on Thursday, Dec. 5 from 5 to 7:30 p.m. for a holiday cocktail, wine and cheese gathering.

Admission is a $10 donation, that will benefit our Breakfast with Santa event, which takes place on Saturday, Dec.7 from 9 to 11:30 a.m., featuring pictures with Santa, music, poetry, face painting, goodie bags and breakfast for $10/per family.

Thank you,

Deerfield Beach Historical Society

RE: Skateboarders

Dear Editor:

Mr. T. Alvarez, [writer of “Skateboarders abide by rules,” Oct. 17 Observer Letters to Editor] it is apparent to me that you are not a regular weekend walker at the beach.

It’s a beautiful beach and the sidewalk is crowded. The policy of denying skateboards, and bicycles and dogs, is required for the safety of all.

I thank the commission or department head who thought enough of the residents to post the signs.

Mary Ann Hanselman

Deerfield Beach

RE: Skateboarders: abide by the rules

Dear Editor:

This morning as I drank my tea and read this letter titled “Skateboarders: abide by rules,” [Oct. 17 Observer Letters to the Editor] I nearly choked on the fragrance of hyper negativity from this “year round” resident.

My first knee-jerk reaction was to point out the obvious critical spirit of this resident toward other pedestrians … in this case, underage kids on their way to a fundraiser for charity at Island Water Sports (God forbid).

Instead, I will simply state that a sign that reads “NO SKATEBOARDS ON THE SIDEWALK” in a pedestrian saturated area like a beachfront is part of the problem. Then follow it up with “locals” who get critical with local law enforcement who don’t enforce the “rules.” (Don’t they have “bigger fish to fry”… like people committing real crimes!)

In an era of our country having a childhood obesity epidemic, primarily due to inactivity, we should be [applauding] the kids in approval as they skim by us on a sidewalk on a skateboard. They could be using drugs … or out stealing … or better yet … sleeping at home.

Instead, they were up at sunrise to go to a charity event based around action sports. How many charity events did you attend when you were 14?

If the rules were to be followed according to your wishes, that puts them in traffic with 3-ton cars … in the dark! It’s easier to be critical of something we have never done … so I ask you? Have you ever ridden a bike, or a skateboard, or walked a dog like you said in your letter in the street through Deerfield’s “S” turn area … or over the Deerfield bridge … It’s insane. And I thought that we reserved the statement “Go play in traffic kid” for the pain-in- the-neck kids who we no longer want around in this world … which isn’t very nice.

There are plenty of things and people to be more critical of in our city than kids on skateboards while you are out for a “peaceful” walk.

Perhaps you can talk to one of them one time and tell them that it’s good they are on the sidewalk with you. Talk about a peaceful walk at sunrise … Connecting with a teen you don’t know, and showing that you are looking out for their safety can be a beautiful thing.

Tony Alvarez

Deerfield Beach

RE: Affordable Care Act TOWN HALL

Dear Editor:

The article and picture in the Oct. 31 Observer was truly lovely [“Affordable Care Act TOWN HALL”].

Thank you so much for being a great partner of our community.

There is one misprint. Pastor Nathaniel Knowles was actually not present for our 10/29/13 event at Westside Park. The other pastor present and the person who offered the invocation was Pastor George Bowles. [Pictured below.]

Thank you so much and thanks again for the article.

Andrea C. Knowles, BSW

Legislative Assistant – District 92

State Representative Gwyndolen Clarke-Reed