RE: Deerfield politics
Dear Editor:
At a previous commission meeting and from letters in the press, I have been vilified as the wicked witch of the west. The one thing I am guilty of is that I do interrupt, and I shall make a conscious effort to not do that in the future.
I shall begin with the allegations thrown out. I did not scream at the District 1 Commissioner. I called and asked him whether he was aware that his nominee [for the fire pension board] was the blogger’s father. I asked the same question of the District 2 and District 4 Commissioners, and, since this was after the vote had already been recorded, it certainly was not a violation of the Sunshine law — or maybe the letter writer does not know what the definition of the Sunshine law is.
Next, is the District 2 Commissioner… I am fair game [for any comments about bigotry] but my late husband, Dr. Robb, is not. Where was the commissioner in 1958 when we purchased the practice from Dr. Schmidt and were told that there had to be a white and black waiting room? We were from Philadelphia and were stunned at the requirement. The Afro-American community that the commissioner is supposed to serve would testify that Dr. Robb took loving care of them. Ask the Judge who gave the main address at the Martin Luther King Breakfast. She told the audience that she would not be here today without the loving care she received from Dr. Robb. Ask the many District 2 residents who have Dr. Robb’s name on their birth certificates.
And then there is the District 3 Commissioner, who claims that the former Director of Planning and Growth Management retired because of me. Not true, and when he comes back as a consultant, you can ask him.
The Assistant City Manager [and former CRA Director] is another story, as I was not enamored with his performance at the CRA, which was probably influenced by his record at North Miami Beach, and he knew it. $6 million and 4 years to pave Hillsboro Boulevard and $5.5 million to build the pier diner, when a snack bar was all that was needed. Instead of purchasing the motels at the entrance to the beach, the CRA will spend $5.7 million on Sullivan Park. That is why I supported the city manager’s request to sunset the CRA, but the commission said “NO.”
The only person who I have ever had a verbal confrontation with in City Hall is the manager, but if you or anyone else has a name to offer, let’s hear it. In City Hall, I deal with the manager’s staff and the clerk’s office, so I know I have had a good working relationship with them.
As for the District 4 Commissioner, I have taken all of his jabs at me since the day I took this office, so enough said. And I have said that I am not involved with the recall effort against him and would like him to know that my campaign manager and I are not bound at the hip. He certainly has a mind of his own and goes his own way.
Do I have a legitimate complaint that I can’t get anything done?
• At the request of a number of realtors, I wanted a referendum to rescind 11.01 that was passed in 2002 and has stymied beach development and has resulted in the proliferation of sober houses in the beach area.
• I wanted the purchase of the motels at the beach entrance way, but the commission wanted to spend the money in Sullivan Park.
• I wanted a referendum to determine whether the voters wanted to move the municipal elections to November. Couldn’t get that.
• Wanted to get a referendum for the sale of the property at Hillsboro and Federal, since the manager said the [fire] station would be in need of major repairs and had gotten an estimate of the money we could earn from the sale. That went nowhere.
• Wanted Habitat for Humanity to get 5 of the vacant lots the city owned, but the commission insisted we go to bid, although the city’s procurement policy exempts non-profit organizations from such.
• After toying with the Director of the Housing Authority and the Housing Authority for months over their takeover of the western CRA, the commission decided once again that we had to bid out the contract. Once again, not a requirement of the city’s procurement policy.
The malcontents who get up at every meeting to attack me are entitled to their opinions, but when will they realize that the election was in 2013, and their candidate lost — so live with it?
I’ll be here for the next 3 years and if you think you have evidence to have me removed, then bring it on.
Jean M. Robb
Mayor
City of Deerfield Beach
Relay appreciates communities’ support
Dear Editor:
On behalf of the Relay For Life of Deerfield Beach/ Lighthouse Point & Hillsboro Beach, we thank these wonderful communities — and Deerfield BSO — for the overwhelming support for our Relay, which took place April 5- 6. We could not have made this happen without our outstanding committee.
We broke all records with 47 teams, 434 registered participants and “over-the-top” fundraising. Our goal was $118,000 and, as of Sunday morning [April 6], we raised $126,000!
Special thanks to the City of Deerfield Beach for providing the many resources that contributed to the success that it was.
We also appreciate the numerous sponsors and other businesses, including the Deerfield Observer, that supported us. This was truly communities coming together to Finish the Fight!
Nona Breitenstein, Event Chair
Karen Hardy, Event Co-Chair
Thank you, and farewell
Dear Editor:
Unfortunately, time is not set aside often enough to simply say “thank you.”
I am truly fortunate to have the opportunity to collaborate with many sincerely caring individuals as we, here in South Florida, continue our efforts to build community and improve our environment.
Thank you for being part of the work and part of the community and part of my professional endeavors.
Nearly 5 years ago, the City of Deerfield Beach provided an opportunity for me to play a role in its redevelopment and I was sincerely appreciative.
Now, as I move on from Deerfield Beach, please allow me this moment to say THANK YOU!
Regards,
Keven Klopp
Assistant City Manager And former CRA Director
Deerfield Beach
Editor’s note: Keven Klopp is moving on to a new challenge as Director of Development Services for the City of Hallandale.
RE: Metering The Cove Parking Lot
Dear Editor:
This is in response to Mr. Jolivet’s April 10 Letter to the Editor.
Using the 460 South Ocean project to falsely blame the “Save Our Beach referendum” shows he did not do his research.
The 460 South Ocean project was unanimously approved by the city commission with all requested variances on May 2, 2006. The property owner received exactly what it requested from the city commission.
From the minutes of the commission meeting: “[The District 1 Commissioner at that time], Vice Mayor Militello said…, she supports the project. She said that this would allow the applicant to keep the design of the project and give some uniqueness on the beach.”
Why they turned it into a drug rehab facility has nothing to do with the building codes. To blame the 2002 Referendum for problems in the beach area is ridiculous.
The 2002 Referendum was approved by 75 percent of the voters to assist in preventing the increasing congestion in the beach area and difficulty in beach access. Responsible development is what our residents voted for.
RE: His suggestion that metering The Cove Shopping Center parking lot is a bad idea. The 780+ parking meters in the beach area generate $1.2 million. He says that metering the 500+ parking spaces in The Cove will bring in $3 million a year. That is so not true.
The surest way to kill businesses at The Cove is to put in metered parking there, something that no other shopping center in the city has. If you kill the business in The Cove, you will not generate any parking revenue from the meters.
These bad ideas and lack of logic advocated seem to have the ear of the Mayor, but fortunately, very few others.
If this is Mr. Jolivet’s logic on generating revenue for the city, I have to question why the Mayor asked him to present his ideas for economic development to the commission at their Dec.3, 2013 meeting.
Marge Hilton
Deerfield Beach
