Hillsboro Blvd. Lane Elimination

Dear Editor:

At the June 17 Deerfield Beach commission meeting, consultants explained their plan to eliminate two traffic lanes on Hillsboro Boulevard.

Some of what they proposed is very good, a longer and better marked right turn lane approaching US 1 is needed. Also, a raised median strip with left turn lanes would improve safety.

It’s interesting that two of the consultants said that in their planning process they looked for “fatal flaws” and found none. However they did not mention the effect of increased road closures because of increased rail traffic.

East bound traffic will have to merge three lanes into two after waiting on a long freight train. Also, there will not be bus stops so if a bus does stop for passengers, it will block one of the two lanes. Both of these are flaws that could cause accidents and road rage incidents that could be fatal. This passed the commission by one vote. Commission rules allow any commissioner on the prevailing side to bring the issue up for reconsideration.

They voted based on a flawed report and I think the commission should reconsider it. Let’s keep the raised median and improved right turn lane and let’s keep six lanes.

Robert Lloyd

Deerfield Beach

Guest Editorial

RE: Deerfield Green Market shut down

Dear Editor:

I spoke at the June 17, city commission meeting. The topic was, the termination of the Green Market at The Cove Shopping Center.

The first Green Market was from North Miami Beach, coincidently where Keven Klopp came to Deerfield from with a $10,000 check to help the start up. Did anyone ever give you money to start your business? Actually, the other markets, about 6, never received 1 cent. They never completed the contract.

The second Green Market was run by the Cultural Committee, who I honestly forgot to mention. They worked for FREE, with the promise from the commission that any profits at the end of the markets would go to scholarships. Guess what? They profited between $8,000 to $10,000. But Keven Klopp decided any profits should go back to the CRA. These hard-working seniors were furious and NO scholarships were given.

The lady who ran the Saturday Green Market in Boca also ran ours. Deerfield got Saturday’s leftovers with NO management, and it was a bomb.

Then came Arthur D’Amato, a former resident of Deerfield Beach, who actually ran the best Green Market, and he was terminated. Another city blunder.

Once again, I apologize to the wonderful Cultural Committee, forgetting to mention them was not intentional.

Steve Krevoy

Cove Bagel Deli

Different approach to keeping streets clean

Dear Editor:

I’ve lived in Deerfield and Hillsboro Beach for 40 years. I built the Pickle Barrel and Lock, Stock & Barrel years ago, but I’m still here!

I read that article on cigarette butts [June 5 Observer newspaper] and yes, they really annoy me also. Every time I get out of my car, I step on a filter. I don’t care where I am — Publix, the doctor’s office, all over town.

We go to Michigan in the summer for a vacation and when you buy Coke, beer, water, all those bottles have a 10-cent deposit on them. Bring them back and get your 10 cents back!

You don’t see any litter on the streets or parking lots because they get their money back. And if someone is in need of money, they go around looking for deposit bottles and cans. They keep the streets free of containers.

So why don’t we put a 10- cent deposit on filters? Bring them back and get your $2 back. You won’t see any on the ground, plus people having to come up with an extra $2, maybe they will stop smoking and save their lives. One pack a day at $10 a pack, $300 a month, you can get a great iron lung or a leased caddy.

It really burned me up to see all the filters on my golf course, Deerfield Country Club. Now, I have to find another club because it was sold.

Hey, look at ALDI supermarket over on Federal [a second location is at W. Hillsboro Boulevard]. You put a quarter in to get a shopping cart, and when you bring it back, you get your quarter back. You don’t see any carts in the parking lot either!

The people who smoke are in DENIAL big time — and they will defend smoking till they die, and they will. It’s not a pleasant way to go. I watched my mother gasping for air and I was still smoking, but then I quit. That was in 1999 and I’m glad I did.

I love The Observer. Did you know the Publisher was one of my first customers at the Pickle Barrel and I’ve known him ever since of course, good man. And I miss his writing also.

Well enough out of me … Keep up the good work. Deerfield Beach is a great place!

John Morrell

Hillsboro Beach

RE: Katz’s Deli New York

To The staff of the Observer,

I wasn’t sure who to address this to, but I wanted the press to be aware of the situation and to hear about it from us first. The circumstances are regrettable, to say the least, and you hold a large influence over the public opinion.

I wanted to make it clear that the Katz’s operating in Deerfield Beach is in no way associated with Katz’s Delicatessen of New York City. We’re a family business that has been around for 126 years. That’s over 12 decades of hard work building a reputation based on the quality of our product and service. The Katz’s of Deerfield has come in and tried to catch a free ride on our good name.

We have tried to resolve the situation amicably; but unfortunately, it’s looking as though a peaceful resolution is not going to be possible.

Jake Dell

Katz’s Delicatessen

NY, NY

RE: Hillsboro Blvd. lane elimination

Dear Editor: [In the April 10 Observer newspaper] The city wants to reduce Hillsboro Boulevard from 6 lanes to 4 lanes from Dixie Highway to Federal Highway to make it a Complete Street and improve pedestrian and cyclist safety.

I think lane reduction will make that stretch more dangerous because of the bottleneck caused by planned rail traffic increases.

The Florida East Coast (FEC) railroad is in the process of adding more powerful locomotives to haul more freight coming into the expanded Port Everglades. Also, plans include adding Tri-Rail and All Aboard Florida trains to the FEC tracks. All of this expansion will increase traffic from 14 trains a day to over 100 a day, which will cause HUGE traffic backups.

These backups will extend further and last longer because motorists will be merging from 6 to 4 lanes.

Frustration could lead to road rage incidents, making this stretch more dangerous.

Hillsboro Boulevard does not fi t the government’s concept of a Complete Street, but it is complete with 6 lanes, sidewalks for pedestrians and cyclists, and the right lane has bus stops for mass transit.

Lane reduction combined with dramatically increased street closings for rail traffi c is a really bad idea.

Anne Lloyd

Deerfi eld Beach

RE: Here we beach again-in Deerfield

Dear Editor: [In the June 5 Observer newspaper] Why could not the State of Florida or County, or City, through law of eminent domain, look into the possibility of claiming those parcels of the beach held privately for the good of the public?

Vince Opromolla

Deerfi eld Beach

Lack of maintenance of city playgrounds

Dear Editor:

I’m concerned with the lack of maintenance in our city playgrounds.

The park on SW 24 Terrace has a lot of safety issues that have been going on for a while. These issues would have been easily caught by a Parks & Rec worker if they were doing weekly safety inspections and daily walk-throughs.

I know the city has a tight budget, but kids safety at playgrounds should not be overlooked.

Here are some of the issue’s at this one park. I’m sure others are just as bad.

1) Baby swing has cracked plastic on the seat, exposing a rusty sharp metal edge right on the top where kids would put their hands

2) One of the posts that holds up the platforms has a crack going halfway through it

3) There is a picnic table with a rusted hole in the top. It’s rusted so bad basically, you can take the top off of the table.

These are some of the issue’s within one park.

Brian Moberg

Deerfield Beach

Hands Across the Sand – Deerfield

Dear Editor:

On Saturday, May 17, Deerfield Beach, along with hundreds of areas across the coastal United States, demonstrated against Fracking Oil from our beaches.

Close to Naples, not far from the site of their main drinking water source and home to the Florida panthers, plans for Fracking are taking hold.

“We must stop this!” are the cries of those involved. Fracking each well uses over 1 million gallon of water per well, poisoned with toxic chemicals which cannot be recycled.

The potential for gas blasts and chemical spills from Fracking is overwhelming. Hands Across the Sands meets every year on our coasts, hosted by such organizations as The Sierra Club (www.sierraclub.org) and Oceana (www.Oceana.org). Please go to them to see how you can help.

Donna Friedman

Pompano Beach

RE: Community gardens

Dear Editor: The Deerfield Beach city commission voted to explore community gardens.

All they need to do is look at history. The Pilgrims had a community garden for their first couple of years and they almost starved to death. The Soviet Union and China had communal gardening and they failed. The reason is that in every society there are many slackers who don’t show up for the work, but want some of the food at harvest time.

Apparently, the city has experimented with communal gardening in Constitution Park and failed. For years I have been taking my 94-yearold mother for walks in Constitution Park. They have a fenced-in garden area with two papaya plants in one corner and the rest is weeds.

The bad news is that the commission stated that this be one of the first items considered for the budget.

As far as I can tell, only one person has asked for this.

If a group of people commit to doing the work, the city could offer some land for their use, but if they make this a budget item, those tomatoes that we can buy for 99 cents a lb. will end up costing the tax payers $100 a lb.

Robert Lloyd

Deerfield Beach

Editor’s note: St. Paul’s United Methodist, at 244 SE 2 Ave., Deerfield Beach, FL 33441 (the same street as City Hall, just south of Hillsboro Boulevard) was offering community garden plots a few years back. 954- 427-9407.

The Fruitful Field, neighboring Deerfield on the acreage around Parkway United Methodist, 100 NE 44 St., Pompano Beach, FL 33064 offers a spectacular model of how a community garden can benefit a whole community, as the fresh produce grown supplements area food banks.

www.thefruitfulfield.org.

Illegal donation boxes

Dear Editor:

I just wanted to mention that we really do need to get rid of illegal boxes in Deerfield Beach and throughout the county.

Without your help, there is no way that all the positive changes in Deerfield and throughout the county could have taken place.

But, we have limited resources and manpower, which is why we would need to be able to place one of our boxes at a location in order to even consider picking up an illegal one.

Thanks SO much!

Jim Moyer

Salvation Army

Illegal donation boxes

Dear Editor:

Jim Moyer, the Salvation Army Director of Donations, needs our help. PLEASE, let me know if you see any illegal for-profit clothing donation boxes around the city (or anywhere you see them).

They are the ones without a real charity on them.

Email me the address of the box. I will contact the owners of the property, who usually don’t even know the box is there, and get permission for the Salvation Army to put a box in it’s place.

PLEASE HELP ME WITH THIS.

Bett Willett

Deerfield Beach

RE: Hillsboro Boulevard Lane Elimination

Dear Editor:

OK, let me get this straight – as I am curious if I am the only person who does not understand.

Years ago, due to “beautification,” Hillsboro Boulevard east of Federal Highway had lanes removed. Wow, after planting the wrong plants, removing and replanting it is just so beautiful (sarcasm), but the traffic is unbearable.

Some days, weekends being the worst, it can take up to seven minutes to pull out of our neighborhood (Little Harbor) due to the fact that the City will not put up a blinking light on the signage that reads “Do Not Block Intersection.” This is continually blocked.

NOW, I am reading that west of Federal Highway, they want to remove two lanes due to the fact that they do not want pedestrians crossing a broad expanse of concrete. Really? People should NOT be crossing EXCEPT at crosswalks anyways. That is the law. Anything else is jay-walking. Besides the fact that, at a crosswalk, a median cannot be there, there needs to be a direct passage for visual safety.

So, can you please explain why this is needed?

Deerfield Beach [also] wanted more revenue from our beaches. Well, for this, local residents suffer. Try standing on the corner of 12th and Hillsboro and watching on a weekend. Congestion, pollution and major road rage. Our quaint little city has now become a mess of tangled traffic, no longer the nice little town most of us were thankful to live in. I, personally, am saddened to see what has happened to the beautiful city I grew up in.

Dana Wade

Deerfield Beach

RE: Metering The Cove Parking Lot

Dear Editor:

As to the idea of parking meters in The Cove, as a regular customer of a number of businesses there, it’s a bad idea, period.

You can’t ask people who work there to pay for parking. There are no meters at City Hall.

As for [the resident] who said his taxes went up last year, don’t think for a minute that just because the city commission were to get extra revenue from any source, they would not raise them [taxes] again.

Enough is never enough with government! Remember the utility tax that was supposed to keep taxes from going up too? We all know where that got us.

Steven J. Fabrizio

Deerfield Beach

RE: Metering The Cove Parking Lot

Dear Editor:

I have read with interest the Letter to the Editor by Judy Giller in the April 24 Observer [which goes on to discuss Deerfield beach].

Based on this letter, and on earlier expressions of ideas, I’ve come to respect Ms. Giller’s wishes to enhance her newly chosen home — its economy and quality of life. But it seems to me that, as a newcomer to Deerfield Beach, her sources of information have been limited.

Often the people who are loud and opinionated are those who have something personal to gain from changing what is working. I ask that you continue to keep the entire good of the city and the quality of life of those who live here first and foremost in your mind when listening to those who want changes.

The city can only hope to improve if the city is fiscally responsible AND the residents are treated well.

Adding massive congestion to the beach area is not the answer. In fact, that may well be a death knell to our beach.

Any study of residential housing results in the conclusions that it costs more to a city to service the homes than produced by the tax revenues. If development were to be the helpful solution, let alone the panacea that is suggested, then Ft. Lauderdale and Hallandale Beach would be rolling in tax revenue rather than still having had to raise residential taxes.

Allowing politicians to decide the fate of our precious gem of a barrier island will ensure that it is those who pour money into the election coffers who are the ones to benefit. Having the residents in charge is the only way to be sure our will is done in methods that protect us from that exploitation.

Allowing the beach referenda to be overturned and the codes put back into the hands of politicians will result in, if not sooner than later, our city’s becoming the typical overdeveloped Florida coastal city, and not the attractive familyfriendly city that brought her to Deerfield Beach.

I sincerely hope that she will soon develop a clearer and broader perspective.

David Cohen

Deerfield Beach

Need for Traffic calming

Dear Editor:

We have big trucks-car carriers, dump trucks and semis driving on SE 15th St. between Federal and Dixie Highway because there are NO traffic calming devices.

This is a residential area with a bus stop for children on this street.

There is one “No Trucks” sign on each end that cannot be seen. Please put up more signs and please talk to the Toyota and Honda dealers [and ask them] not to have their carriers use this residential street to unload their deliveries. Most use Federal Highway.

Perhaps our BSO, which has been contacted, can be aware and ticket offenders. I sincerely hope our commissioners can help us. Could someone please respond to this letter, so we know it has been read?

Suzi Daines

Deerfield Beach

RE: Deerfield politics: Are you serious?

Dear Editor:

The Observer newspaper edition for April 17, 2014 included a Letter to the Editor by our Mayor.

In that letter, she referenced me, the District 2 Commissioner. She starts her letter: “…I am fair game [for any comments about bigotry] but my late husband, Dr. Robb, is not…” by implying that I made some kind of bigoted statements about her late husband in regard to separate waiting rooms for blacks and whites, which were a part of their operating policy.

“…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…”

For the record, I have never made any statements about her or her husband as it relates to their past practices.

I didn’t go through the community, leading some sort of a charge against the Robb practice for what was policy in the ‘50s and ‘60s — though, I personally abhor the thought and implementation of such policies.

I have my personal feeling about those practices and only in private conversations did I express my point of view.

I purposely tried to stay out of this conversation and focus on the future, and, as difficult as it was, close the door to the past, but you [the Mayor] chose to open up this can of worms.

Since it is your desire to have this conversation in the open and since you went to the newspaper about me, then let’s talk.

You certainly have picked the right person to engage. I didn’t go out trying to provoke hatred or open old wounds about the humiliation and denigration of black people who had to suffer the indignity of being served at the BACK DOOR by your medical practice.

Where was I, Mayor, in 1958?

To answer your question I was a little boy in the great USA enduring racist practices similar to what was happening in Deerfield Beach.

The Mayor states that at the purchase of the practice, they were told that there had to be separate waiting rooms. Purchase, when used as a noun, means – the acquisition of something for payment.

You owned the practice, what followed from there was your own heart, your morals and personal preferences. Don’t blame Dr. Schmidt for this policy.

The Mayor says that they were stunned. Not stunned enough NOT to establish a practice built on racism. In what direction was your moral compass pointing Mayor? Obviously in the opposite direction of Dr. King and the locals in Deerfield Beach who believe, as did Dr. King, that all of God’s children should be treated with dignity and respect.

Why didn’t you just say, “We will not build a practice that doesn’t honor all human beings equally?” You could have made that choice but, instead, you chose what was popular in 1958. In making that decision, you chose protocol that was tremendously painful and shameful to a people, to a community and to God who loves all. And all are equal in his sight.

Mayor, after the 3rd or 4th year of the policy implementation, were you still blaming Dr. Schmidt? Your support of this unjust policy will be remembered forever.

The Mayor furthers states: “The Afro– American community that the commissioner is supposed to serve would testify that Dr. Robb took loving care OF THEM.” Mayor please tell me, who are “THEM?”

I serve my district and proudly, but not to be compared to how you served The African-American community in the 1950s and ‘60s.

Are you serious? In your statements, you rewarded your policies and practices on the neck of those who were harnessed with the yoke of oppression; a punishment and constant reminder that blacks were not the same as everyone else.

The African American Community at that time had no other choice but to endure.

Don’t ever mistake that because the black community came to you for medical treatment, it was a ringing endorsement of this humiliating policy.

Wounds of the past carry with it scar tissue. Scar tissue is a reminder of a past injury, whether it is physical, emotional or spiritual. Scratch the wound of our past and it will surely again bleed injustice.

Many whites during that era did not embrace the policies of exclusion and instead fought injustice and intolerance. I’m sorry, Mayor, that you were not one of those people. You cannot EVER justify racism.

Mayor, simply apologize to the African-American community and the city for what you did and the practice you supported. Unless, you believe you did nothing wrong, so therefore no apology is needed. To simply say, “I’m sorry,” would go a long way in alleviating pain, it’s not a leviathan. I am saddened by your recent letter, but it could not go unanswered.

Now that we both have had our say, I will pray that we can move forward and work together for the good of this community.

Mayor, we are obligated to do the business of the people in an open and positive atmosphere.

It is time for us to get busy and to get some things done on behalf of the residents. I am willing, Mayor, are you?

Lastly Mayor, we are not referred to as The Afro -American Community, we are the African -American Community. What a great day it will be in the United States when the reference will just be American.

Vice Mayor

Ben Preston

RE: Metering The Cove Parking Lot

Dear Editor:

After reading the articles and letters about metering The Cove Shopping Center and the articles written by the Observer about the rise of massage parlors —including the one opening in The Cove, as a resident, I am very concerned about the direction Deerfield Beach is heading.

The Cove parking area is part of a trust deeded to the City.

The city doesn’t own it and, therefore, the City cannot sell it.

If it could be sold, based on the present city ordinances, the sale of any city property over $750,000 would have to be first approved by the citizens of Deerfield Beach.

After the citizens’ approval, the property would have a bidding process.

The Cove businesses could not be guaranteed that their bid for the parking lot would be accepted. Any investor other than The Cove businesses purchasing this property would at the very least put in meters at much higher rate than the city will.

As a newer resident who chose Deerfield Beach as my retirement home, it is alarming listening to folks rant and rave about keeping it a “village.” Deerfield Beach is identified as a city by the state. And this city is in trouble. Fitch has downgraded it. Districts 1 and 4 pay over 80 percent of the taxes and should not be the largest source of income. Our millage rate is one of the highest.

Deerfield Beach is one of the cities identified as a buyer’s market when compared to other cities in South Florida. Higher-end stores and restaurants cannot flourish and lowerend retail, grocery and massage parlors have made Deerfield their home.

We have a beautiful beach and are greeted with a slum motel when crossing over the Hillsboro Bridge.

On A1A, there is a red-tagged drug rehabilitation building that could have been a beautiful condo but, due to another city ordinance, the owner had no choice but to sell it to a rehabilitation company when the commissioners rejected a variance.

I do not want our beach to look like Boca or Ft. Lauderdale, but this ordinance is too restrictive for an investor to purchase an old building that does nothing to enhance this area.

Residents need to have truthful facts and not opinions to make educated decisions that effect our city — not just for the present moment, but with future consequences considered.

Judy Giller

Deerfield Beach

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