RE: Black History Month tour

Dear Commissioner Battle:

Thank you so much to the City of Deerfield Beach and the Deerfield Beach Historical Society for hosting the Retirees, Seniors & Friends on Feb. 18 for Black History Month.

Your hospitality was amazing. The group had an enlightening experience visiting the 1926 Deerfield Beach Elementary School building; the 1920 Old School Museum; the 1923 Butler House; the 1948 Delta Masonic Lodge and the First Zion Missionary Baptist Church established in 1902.

The Black History Month tour hosted 59 members of a prominent African American travel club named Retirees, Seniors & Friends based in Miami-Dade County. The group consists of African Americans who are professionals and had successful careers in medicine, education and the military and as business owners. Many of them are the first generation in their family to attend college during the era of legal segregation. The group consisted of Miami’s black elite.

Some of the travel club members came from Homestead, Miami Gardens, Miami, Miramar, West Little River, Hollywood, Pembroke Pines and West Park.

Here are a few comments written on their surveys:

“I really enjoyed the tour, it was a lot of history given that I was not aware of … very good trip.”

“This was a very Educated Trip. Excellent!”

“Tour itself was very interesting and the guide, and others who welcomed us, was just amazing … The school at City Hall was awesome. I saw books I learned to read from …”

2016 marked the sixth annual Black History Month tour that my non-profit organization has hosted for this African American travel club. My organization [of which I am the executive director/curator] is the Museum of Lifestyle & Fashion History in Delray Beach, which is a non-profit 501(c)3. We have coordinated previous Black History Month tours in Florida to Delray Beach, West Palm Beach, Lake Worth, Mims/Titusville, Sanford and Ft. Pierce.

From my research about Deerfield Beach, I was inspired by its rich history; therefore, I recommended the City of Deerfield Beach for the Black History Month tour for the Retirees, Seniors & Friends.

Again, thank you so much for the warm welcome and informative tour.

Sincerely,

Lori J. Durante, Executive

Director/Chief Curator

RE: New Barefoot Mailman statue on Hillsboro Inlet Bridge

Dear Editor:

I am so disappointed in the appearance of the Barefoot Mailman recently mounted in a horizontal position. It is almost impossible to recognize it at all.

I knew the Town of Hillsboro Beach contributed to the mounting. I think Pompano Beach should adjust the Barefoot Mailman to stand erect as it should be. It is an insult to the people of Hillsboro Beach.

Amy B. Riski

Hillsboro Beach

The camera never lies

As Sheriff of Broward County, I have worked to bring transparency and accountability to the Broward Sheriff’s Office (BSO). It is an imperative element needed to maintain community trust. Bodyworn cameras are a key to providing this public accountability.

It is important that you see the many great things our deputies do right day in and day out; but the few times we make mistakes and do things wrong, we must also be accountable. There is no better way of seeing what actually happened than a visual record of an incident. The public and law enforcement officers have a right to see and hear what goes on in the street when we do our jobs.

On my orders, BSO has already begun the process of implementing body cameras for our uniformed road patrol deputies. The use of this technology will protect good deputies from false accusations, build evidence to increase conviction rates for the criminals we arrest and help protect the public from the isolated instances of officer misconduct. Recording the interactions between our deputies and community members will help improve officer safety, strengthen trust and transparency and better document incidents and crimes.

Our community wants body cameras. I want body cameras. And body cameras are here at BSO.

The results from law enforcement agencies around the country that use body cameras are encouraging. These agencies saw a drop in use-of-force incidents. The best example is the Oakland Police Department in California, which has 800 body cameras in use – the most of any U.S. police force as of this writing. Since the deployment of body cameras, the department has seen a sharp decline in attacks on officers and officer-involved shootings. At the same time, arrests in Oakland have stayed consistent with past numbers, dismissing a belief that the body cameras cause law enforcement officers to hesitate when they see something wrong occurring. Other departments with body cameras have posted similar positive results.

The Broward Sheriff’s Office currently has nearly 100 body cameras in use where they can be most effective. We are currently equipping road patrol deputies, who have the most interaction with the public. We are already in the process of widening this safety campaign to acquire more body cameras. It is my intention for all uniformed deputies agency-wide to wear them while on duty.

There will be only two kinds of law enforcement agencies in the future: those that start using body cameras reactively because something terrible happened and those that use them because they proactively realize the great benefit of the devices. We are proactive. Hesitation to use body cameras could only serve to erode the solid trust we have built within our community.

I believe body cameras are a win-win for our hard working deputies and for all residents of Broward County.

Sheriff Scott Israel

RE: Knights of Columbus

Dear Editor:

When I joined the Knights of Columbus 40 years ago, my first assignment was to solicit donations for the handicapped. At that time, I thought it was degrading to “beg”, but I told myself, “Since it’s for a good cause, I’ll give it a shot.” I felt uneasy when I arrived for my first posting in front of the Grand Union grocery store on Sample Road. I got there early to relieve a fellow Knight and get the hang of things, which turned out not to be complicated.

An hour or so into my shift, a group of four 12-year-olds arrived in their “Saturday work clothes”, free from the pressures of the school day and heading towards the stores hooting and howling to give the shopkeepers a hard time. I thought briefly of going inside the Grand Union to let these young “problems” pass, but I thought, “No, I’m a Knights of Columbus member and should act like a Knight.” Armed with a handful of Tootsie Rolls as my lance, I charged! I thrust the Tootsie Rolls into the youngsters’ hands saying, “Here, have a Tootsie Roll, boys!” They stopped in their tracks!

The leader of the gang demanded to know, “What’s this for?” I explained that people who donated money to help local children with disabilities were rewarded with a Tootsie Roll. The leader thought for a moment, then said “I got some money.” He rummaged in his pockets and came up with eight cents – it was all they had between them. Off they went, and I knew, because of their energy and charity, they had a bright future ahead of them. This encounter made my day.

Over the years, I’ve seen young parents tell their children to deposit some coins, and other handicapped people add their dollar or two to help their own cause. Sometimes, a person gives $10 or $20, or a generous soul may donate $50. Wow! All these donations are appreciated, but none of them has given me as much encouragement as that first gang of boys with their eight cents.

I have been collecting at the Venetian Isles Publix for many years, attend all the Sunday masses at St. Ambrose and hope to see all you good neighborly people again this March [March 5-16 when the Knights of Columbus will be collecting again].

Last year, the Knights of Columbus raised over $9,000 locally for those in need. It is our hope that we can meet or exceed this record, as it is always for the good of others that we persist.

The Knights donate to such charities as Special Olympics, Equine Assisted Therapies, the Dynamos of Pompano and more.

Volunteers are needed and contributions are greatly appreciated. Call 954-303-9736.

Joe Cauley

Deerfield Beach

RE: Open Carry letter (Jan. 28)

Dear Editor:

With all due respect to the Senator [Maria Sachs] from Delray, I strongly disagree with her comments [that we should not allow open carry for guns]. Florida does not have a gun problem, it has a people problem. No one, that I am aware of, has ever suggested that a mentally unstable person should own a gun. If we apply her logic to the automobile, then we would ban cars. What some lawmakers want to do is pass laws that only affect law abiding, sane people.

Gary Lawrence

Morganton, GA

RE: Traffic light timing

Dear Editor:

What does a person need to do to get the new traffic light (which is one year old) at NW 2 Avenue, in front of Bazaar Foods, to be coordinated with the other traffic lights on Hillsboro Boulevard? It’s on a tripper and jams up traffic going in both directions. If this light was on the same [timed] pattern as the other lights, people going in and out of the grocery would have no problem and traffic would flow more smoothly. All the other cross streets in Deerfield have to wait three minutes to cross.

J. Huffman

Deerfield Beach

RE: Open carry of firearms

Dear Editor:

The last thing that Florida needs now is looser restrictions on gun use. Over the last few decades, it has become abundantly clear that our state is dealing with significant problems in the areas of gun deaths, violence and safety. In 2000, the total [percentage] of murders that were caused by the use of a firearm was 56.1 percent; in 2010, this figure increased to 67.8 percent, and, in 2014, this figure had further increased to 70 percent. These numbers do not even factor in homicide where the shooter claimed self-defense.

Despite all this, Pro-Gun Legislators in Florida are now pushing for looser restrictions on gun use. One bill would allow the carrying of concealed weapons on college campuses, even though 73 percent of Floridians say that this is a bad idea. Another introduced piece of legislation would even allow individuals to bring guns to public meetings. Most menacingly of all, House Bill 163 and Senate Bill 300 would legalize “open carry” in Florida, which would allow citizens to openly carry guns almost anywhere concealed carry weapons are permitted. These pro-gun bills would have the dangerous effect of allowing more Floridians to have more guns in more places, a situation we should avoid.

Given the elevated gun violence levels in our state, this is not the kind of legislation that Florida needs.

We must implement stricter and safer gun control legislation that would counteract those issues, not enhance them. Florida deserves common-sense gun control and funding that would provide additional mental health programs.

These are precisely the kind of measures I will support during the upcoming session.

When our forefathers drafted the second amendment to the Constitution, they did not envision that someone who was found mentally incompetent would be guaranteed the right to carry a loaded firearm. There is much talk today about money running policy.

Check your legislator’s record and their NRA rating to see who they are representing in our state capitol: the People or the NRA lobbyist?

This is important as we start the second week of session in which we will be sure to see pro-gun legislation introduced.

Maria Sachs,

Florida State Senator,

District 34

Delray Beach

RE: SW 10 St. improvements

Dear Editor:

Last year, the Broward Metropolitan Planning Organization (Broward MPO) developed a consensus building initiative with the communities along the SW 10 Street corridor to discuss the future of the corridor between Florida’s Turnpike and I-95. The purpose of this initiative was designed to identify concerns on current and future conditions and to develop consensus on potential near and long-term transportation improvements.

Nine representatives were selected from Deerfield Beach to serve on the Community Oversight and Advisory Team (COAT). Over the past several months these volunteers have worked tirelessly to give input on this project and to address some of the many issues facing those who live and work along SW 10 Street. This team has worked very hard to try to limit the negative impact a project like this could have on our city. It has become evident that this project will be a significant one, with negative and positive effects on our city. While we are limited in what we can control on this project, our input will count towards limiting the negative impact on our community.

I implore you to let your voice be heard this Saturday, Jan. 30 at 10:30 a.m. in the North Regional Broward College Library Auditorium, located at 1100 Coconut Creek Blvd., Coconut Creek, FL. This is the final meeting for public input before being presented to the Broward MPO board.

Please come out and participate in this very important meeting. The City of Deerfield Beach will be providing bus service to and from the community workshop.

Bus pick-up locations will include City Hall, Century Village Main Clubhouse, and Target on Hillsboro Boulevard and Powerline Road. Buses will be leaving each location promptly at 10 a.m. Buses will be returning from the library at 11:30 a.m., and 12:30 and 1:30 p.m.

Please contact the City Manager’s Office at 954-480-4263 to reserve a seat. Reservations must be made by Friday, Jan. 29.

If unable to attend the meeting, all interested persons are encouraged to attend, send a representative or express their views by email to info@SW10thstreetvision.org.

For more information regarding the SW 10 Street corridor improvements, please visit www.SW10thStreetvision.org.

Vice Mayor Bill Ganz

Deerfield Beach

RE: Code Enforcement

Dear Editor:

Regarding the recent letter [Jan. 7 issue] regarding Code Enforcement, I agree with the assessment. I have talked to many small businesses over 30 years and they are frightened of Code Enforcement. Some women have been nearly brought to tears who own businesses because Code Enforcement treats them so badly, rather than trying to help them. Small business has a hard enough time to survive as it is with all the massive regulations, taxes, rules and undue outside interference. They work long hard hours just to make a minimal living. Some members of Code Enforcement use their power tactics to make life miserable for many small business owners. In some cases, when a business tries to open, even though they try to comply with everything, Code Enforcement makes it difficult for them by delaying their permit, rather than trying to help them open up. I feel for all these business owners in Deerfield Beach, but the Commissioners care less and they know the little business owners have little or no power to help themselves.

This is America and this has to STOP!

Charles Laser

Deerfield Beach

RE: Code Compliance harassment

Dear Mayor Robb, City Manger Hansen and City Commissioners:

As a resident, General Contractor, homeowner and a part of Deerfield Beach since the early 1970s, I am writing this letter so that the city leaders are aware of the abuse of power, harassment and resentment that the code compliance team [Calvin, Giordano & Associates] is causing in the community with their interpretation and misuse of the codes. They are supposed to help and serve the residents, not create animosity, anger and fear by their SWAT team “sweeps” and their over-the-edge enforcement of code compliance and violations, which is supposed to be at a minimum standard.

Unfortunately, they establish their own minimum standards and write violations in volume because there [is] no established or accepted standard for comparison, and it seems there is very little supervision or control by the city over their activities and abuses.

I called the building department twice (around May/June and then in Nov.) and Norman Bruhn came out both times. He was very helpful and understood my concerns and the seriousness of my neighbor’s structurally damaged seawall. In the 17+ years I lived at this address, I have witnessed two seawalls collapse on the south side of our lagoon, causing lawsuits, thousands of dollars in repair costs, plus a lot of grief, stress and aggravation. Norman said he, or the engineering department would refer this matter to code compliance.

I was hopeful code compliance would help in preventing another seawall disaster (including further damage to my seawall) and would have the owner make the required repairs. I really felt that code compliance would be professional, responsible and help resolve this serious structural seawall problem.

Was I in for a rude surprise! The code compliance team looked at the seawall on Nov. 6 and, between that date and Nov 20, they wrote no less than 28 violations for the eight homes on the southeast side of NE 8 Ave. There are only eight homes on that side of the street on the lagoon, and Bernard Pita’s team wrote violations for every one of them, no matter how petty or frivolous.

Pita said he still has to “sweep” the other side of the street causing more harassment, anger and resentment toward the city.

On Dec. 17, I talked to Assistant City Manager Brian Donavan. First, I want to say that Brian has always been helpful. He is always very professional, honest and nice. He was sympathetic on the poor timing of these violations.

Brian explained that these “sweeps” were in fact standard practices, common and accepted procedures and were done previously by BSO when they supervised code enforcement, even though there is no law, code or ordinance governing them. I would like to know how many sweeps and violations BSO wrote out in their time in Deerfield Beach code enforcement, compared to [Calvin, Giordano & Associates].

I am astonished that the city officials would tolerate and condone these abuses against their citizens. The city should immediately stop and cancel Calvin, Giordano & Associates, contract, rescind all their violations, and reassess code policies and practices.

Frank J. Kenney

Deerfield Beach

[excerpt of letter]

RE: Panhandlers

Dear Editor:

I moved to Deerfield Beach near Military Road and Sample Road a few years ago. I commute that route or on Sample Road by I-95. I see too many panhandlers [at] both corners. They [create] trash [and] litter. I see the regular panhandlers are not really homeless. [They] just make money rather than find a job. [It is] time to stop panhandlers in Deerfield Beach and Pompano Beach.

Mark Sikora

Deerfield Beach

Kudos to Kathy Richards

Dear Editor:

Kudos to Kathy Richards for her column in the Observer entitled “My View, subtitle “What’s this?” [Dec. 17, p. 13]. She was right-on when she said the Reporter (C.V.E. newspaper) seems to print only what they want and what they feel is correct for the paper.

Some months ago, one of their columnists wrote an article about the senseless shooting of Michael Brown and the treatment of Freddie Gray in a police vehicle. It was quite evident the writer had no idea what police work is all about. I was a police officer for 25 years in a city, county and state police organization. I experienced many, many situations where I had to make an instant decision. Fortunately, I never had to use my weapon. Many times, I had my hands on my weapon and I was definitely ready to use it.

I wrote a Letter to the Editor and defended the police and the actions they took. Not one word was printed. I wrote a second letter to the editor complaining [that] nothing was published. I then wrote to the president of the Reporter explaining about my displeasure with [them]. I did not receive an answer from anyone.

Robert J. Zukas

Deerfield Beach

Collapse of an empire

Dear Editor:

I never thought I’d live to see the collapse of an empire.

In 476, the great Roman Empire was no more. It had taken the nosedive that all empires, before and after, had taken. And for basically the same reasons. It took the Roman Empire literally hundreds of years to collapse and many generations can share in the responsibility for its downfall. But collapse it did.

You can, however, read about it, because the downfall is in history books. It is long reading, but it is worth it, because, as I read it, I began to sense something familiar about it. To recap, many things contributed to the Roman Empire’s demise. Here, if you’re interested, are the main causes:

Barbarians—from surrounding territories—got inside the Empire’s border and the people were too busy living high on the hog to notice, or even care.

The Empire was contributing to wars outside their boundaries, and they were overspending just to keep it up.

The Empire let its infrastructure fall into disrepair and never bothered to maintain or repair it.

The Empire (under the emperors, of course) was rampant in corruption and totally helpless against political instability.

The Empire’s military force, which was substantial, was being replaced with mercenaries who had no tie to the Empire.

Whatever, “traditional values” the Empire had were gradually aborted and replaced with obscene literature, sexual misconduct, dishonest dealings and character chaos.

You may wonder why I am telling you all this. It’s because — as I said — I sense something familiar about it. And I feel I must share it with you.

What is gradually happening to the American Empire today (yes, we are an empire) is frighteningly [similar to] what happened to the Roman Empire. And if you fail to see the similarities you either aren’t paying attention, never read about the Roman Empire, or simply don’t care either way.

Think about what’s happening today in America. There are “barbarians” inside our borders, or trying to get in. And we’re not stopping them. In fact, our administration is letting many of them in.

America has a military presence in at least 130 foreign countries and we’re spending hundreds of billions of dollars to keep them there.

The infrastructure in most American cities is desperately in need of repair or rebuilding, but our money is being spent on “small” wars and foreign entanglements, which has put us $18 trillion in debt, and counting.

The American administration is wasteful and corrupt and most of our politicians are more committed to building personal wealth than they are doing the will of the people.

All this, I believe, is precisely what contributed to the fall of the Roman Empire. Only, this time, we’re talking about the American Empire — the United States of America. We are, today, doing exactly what the population of the Roman Empire did 2000 years ago; and, unless we change, and fast, America is destined to wind up the same way: a collapsed nation.

Are we going to let this happen? Right now we’re doing nothing to stop it.

Jim Moore

Tallahassee, FL

City must show the MPO a united front

Dear Editor:

Last week, I attended the SW 10 Street overpass committee of the MPO (Metropolitan Planning Organization) board meeting. There were pictures of possible solutions to the traffic problems along SW 10 Street. The public was invited to give its input to help solve the traffic problems. I spoke of possibly adding two lanes on the south side of 10 Street with one lane in each direction as a speed lane with timed traffic lights. This would cause the least disruption for the residents of Deerfield if any solution had to be found.

The MPO board feels there is a traffic problem from the Sawgrass Expressway to I-95. Be assured something will be eventually done. The overpass was not received well by the committee. I expected Deerfield Residents and committee appointees would defend our views. A resident of our city got up and spoke of a [type of] superhighway, 15 or 18 feet down and 12 or 13 lanes wide, called a depressed roadway. It would mean bridges would have to be built to cross Powerline and Military Trail. Fences would have to be built to protect the vehicles below from teens showering windshields below with rocks. These would make 10 Street look like a prison. He even suggested super express bus lanes and a rail line. I asked myself from where and to where would this rail line go?

The pollution from 12 or 13 lanes of trucks and other vehicles, I believe, would be dangerous to the health of our residents on both sides of this monstrosity. Pollution is a serious problem. We must protect the environment.

This is an issue we, as a city, must unite on. When invited, the public must show up in force to let the MPO know how we feel and what we will accept and not accept.

There is no politics here, just a concerned resident of Deerfield Beach.

Bernie Parness

Deerfield Beach, FL

[Editor’s Note: MPO meetings are open to the public and are held at the Broward MPO offices (unless otherwise stated), located in the Trade Centre South Building, 100 W. Cypress Creek Road, Ste. 850, Fort Lauderdale, FL 33309. For more information on all meetings, visit www.browardmpo.org/calendar.]

RE: Garbage pick-up

Dear Editor:

For years now, I have been using the city for garbage pick-up at my small auto repair shop. The fee was $169 a month for a 6 yd. container. However, my last two bills were only $75. I called to question that and was told that was correct, so I figured not to look a gift horse in the mouth … until today when I got my December bill of $279. I called again and was told that’s the new charge for a 6 yd. dumpster. Not much I can do about it except move down to a 4 yd. for $220.

The point is … how can the city just raise prices with no warning whatsoever? I mean a letter would have been nice about a $100 increase. This just burns me up. At least if I had known, I could price shop … Typical city move — just keep raising more revenue ‘til we are all out of business.

Steve Fabrizio

Deerfield Beach, FL

Treatment of Petland owner

Dear Editor:

This past commission meeting was an embarrassment of epic proportions … a new low for our commission.

We watched the meeting live, horrified and ashamed by this behavior, going outside protocol to call up a taxpaying business owner of our city for no other purpose than to ridicule a man who is outright exhausted from having to defend his name, his business and his livelihood for weeks.

He broke no laws. His business is state and federally licensed, and he adheres to those regulations. This was nothing more than modern-day McCarthyism.

After so much consideration afforded to The Cove Shopping Center businesses (multiple discussions, meetings, workshops, carrying on for months) despite a 60-year plus taxpayer subsidy given to those businesses, there was no real discussion making the taxpayers aware we’d be losing our freedom of choice, certain commissioners refused to meet with the business owner to learn more and have their questions answered, and the majority didn’t bother to respond to communications from constituents opposed to the severity of this ordinance.

Since it was a resolute “no” before this meeting even began, they should’ve kept it respectful and said no…instead of embarrassing themselves, and our city, with rambling, incohesive attempts to justify why they support an ordinance proposed by someone who doesn’t live here, fails in its intent of consumer protection, and opens us up to lawsuit which could’ve been avoided, the cost of which now falls on the taxpayers.

Jenn Pedone

Deerfield Beach