Graduation ceremonies not what they used to be

Dear Editor:

I think these are sad times we live in when kids graduate and you, as a proud parent or close family, cannot cheer for your loved ones. I’ve read or heard a lot of stories this week about parents or even the graduate themselves getting in trouble for cheering too loud.

I even heard about one woman who was arrested!

I wasn’t there, but it seems a little over the top. Even [members of] the Naval Academy still can throw their hats, a long-time tradition, but that’s our downfall.

All the good traditions are fading, but what the heck? Instead of church Sunday morning let’s all go for a drink at 8 a.m. at the beach so the restaurants don’t go out of business.

Steven J. Fabrizio

Deerfield Beach

Thanks for Little League coverage!

Dear Editor:

Instead of feeling sad that we had to miss the Deerfield Beach Little League Championship game in which two of our grandsons were participating, we got to see the whole thing on the Internet last week, thanks to you.

Can you imagine what it felt like for grandparents to see their grandchildren play baseball nationwide? Especially when one of them, Kyle Petri, 12, was not only the winning pitcher but also part of a triple play that ended the game in his team’s favor, 8 – 5, and especially when the other one, Ben Petri, 10, stole home for two of the winning runs?

And to top it all off, our son Steven, a U.S. Dept. of Justice lawyer, was the winning acting coach.

How much more perfect can it be than that – thanks to you!

Ann and Bill Petri,

McLean, VA

Don’t let criminals ruin your Summer fun!

Dear Editor:

As our thoughts turn to relaxation and family fun this summer, keep in mind that thieves and burglars don’t take vacations from criminal activity. Stay vigilant about protecting your home, your belongings and your identity. Don’t let crime ruin your summer fun.

The best advice is to stay alert. Be aware of what’s going on in your neighborhood. Never hesitate to report suspicious activity to law enforcement.

If you notice activity at your neighbors’ house when you know they are away on vacation, call 911 immediately. Your tip might be the one that helps BSO detectives catch up to an otherwise elusive burglar.

If you notice someone lurking around cars in a parking lot, phone in that tip.

If you recognize a suspect from a surveillance video, call Crime Stoppers of Broward County. You may remain anonymous, and Crime Stoppers will pay up to $1,000 for information leading to an arrest. Teaming up and keeping the lines of communication open between law enforcement and observant residents is the best defense against criminals.

At home, lock your doors and don’t forget to arm your alarm systems if you have them. When you are out and about, lock your car doors and never keep valuables in plain view. It only takes a few seconds for a car burglar to grab your purse, wallet or cell phone from your car while you step away to walk your dog, pay for gas or put flowers at a gravesite. Don’t make it easier for criminals by leaving a door unlocked.

Thinking of making some repairs before a hurricane approaches? Be wary of unlicensed contractors. They might take your money and run, do sub-standard work or have a criminal history. To make sure the workers in your home are licensed, visit the Florida Dept. of Business and Professional Regulation’s website at www.myfloridalicense.com.

Be suspicious of anyone who shows up at your door uninvited. Sometimes, criminals knock first, and they can be very charming. They might ask for a drink, for directions, to use the phone, or say they were sent to do work at your house. These are common tactics of scam artists and thieves. If you weren’t expecting them, don’t let them in!

Make your house look occupied when you are out. Leave a television or radio on, or set some lamps on timers.

If you go away, stop your newspaper delivery and have someone collect your mail. You can even deter burglars with your landscaping. Plant some thorny bushes under windows that might make an illegal entry difficult. Trim back foliage that might block the view of your home from the street, and add some outdoor lighting so that criminals can’t operate unnoticed.

Once you take the necessary precautions to protect yourself, your belongings and your family, you can relax and enjoy a fun and safe summer.

Sheriff Al Lamberti

Broward Sheriff’s Office

Alcohol sales on Sundays

Dear Editor:

I will be out of town [June 5], when they decide [whether] to let people buy booze on Sunday morning.

I moved to Deerfield Beach in 1972 and since then, people told me they were going to change the name from Deerfield Beach to Beerfield Beach. We here are always within reach of a bar or store that sells alcohol and never go thirsty.

How many more halfway houses and rehabs do we need here? We are sending the wrong message. ‘Come to Deerfield if you need a drink on the way to church. You can get it, no problem!’

Oh well, there is not a household here, I don’t think, that wasn’t somehow in some way affected by a drunk! Think. Was it a member of your family, a friend, or a complete stranger who almost killed you in a car?

[Mothers Against Drunk Driving] MADD is not a social club. These are serious people trying to help people. The restaurant is serving great food. People will go for the food, not booze.

I really respect your newspaper. You always influence people to do the right thing.

Alcohol is really very slick. It takes on many faces and people will defend it to the death and, it does kill.

I hope [the city commission] will step up, and not be quick about this vote!

John Morrell

Hillsboro Beach

Political ads

Dear Editor:

There’s currently an ad running on TV dealing with the President’s Healthcare Act.

This ad tells half-truths and complete lies. They also try to tear apart the reputation of Senator Bill Nelson.

Senator Nelson is a well-meaning, professional and caring public servant. While this ad appears to be sponsored by the local Chamber of Commerce, it is not. It is sponsored by the National Chamber of Commerce and attacks only Democrats. It obviously is a political pact. Be aware that the only ones represented by this group are international and big business.

If I were a member of a local Chamber of Commerce, I would be very concerned that local citizens would feel that I belonged to a biased group and would treat me and my business accordingly. Please be aware of what you are hearing and seeing during this insane political season.

Demand that your representatives are just that, representing you and that country you love.

Don’t listen to anyone who is more interested in furthering the interests of a political party over the interests and needs of our population and our country.

Take heart. This will ultimately end, and hopefully our politicians will take their oaths of office seriously.

Etta Schaeffer

Boca Raton

RE: Relay coverage

Dear Editor:

Just a quick “thank you” to Diane Emeott for the front page coverage and photos of the Relay For Life at Quiet Waters Park in your May 10 edition, as well as your pre-event coverage in your May 3 edition. It was excellent! We appreciate your continuing support of Relay For Life!

Pat Erb

Relay For Life of Deerfield Beach,

Lighthouse Point and Hillsboro Beach

Deerfield Senior softball player turns 90 on Friday!

Dear Editor:

My Dad, Tony Soto, will be celebrating his 90th birthday this Friday, May 18, doing what he loves the most – catching for his team at Pioneer Park from 9:30 to 11:30 a.m.Four generations of our family will be there to cheer him on from as far away as Las Vegas!

My name is Bobbie Lent, a former Deerfield resident for 19years. I raised my family on SE 7 Avenue. Dad has been playing with the Deerfield team for 10 years when he spends the winters with me, but he “started” his softball career at age75 up in Clifton Park, NY.

He hadn’t played ball since high school! He had devoted all his time and talents to raising his girls, my sister and I, and being a loving husband to my mom.

He is and was the best dad any daughter could ask for –fun and friendly, with a style all his own. We are so blessed.He has taught all three grandchildren and two great-grands how to sing “Take me out to the Ballgame” by the time they were 2! I could go on and on…

Does he look like an athlete? Well, no. Can he run the bases anymore? No, he has a pinch runner. Can he bat and hit?Absolutely.Come out and see for yourself! HE IS NOT YOUR AVERAGE 90 YEAR OLD.

Bobbie Lent

Boca Raton

Reconciliation is essential to protecting American security

Dear Editor:

My Republican colleagues and I in the U. S. House of Representatives have voted on and approved a clear and concise plan that will carry the American economy into the next decade, by trimming $180 billion off the United States deficit. These savings are imperative in creating jobs for the American people, by eliminating the massive burden our country’s debt and deficit have placed on American families.

This Reconciliation plan is essential to offset the automatic cuts to our nation’s military set to go into effect in January2013.

If the House-approved Reconciliation plan is not passed and put into law, the Dept. of Defense will see severe, 10percent cuts and shrink to its smallest size since before the Second World War. Under the current sequestration law, the cuts to the nation’s defense capabilities would result in:

• The smallest ground force since 1940

• The smallest fleet of ships since 1915

• The smallest tactical fighter force in the history of the Air Force

At a time when our country is still at war with Afghanistan and facing increased threats from Iran, North Korea, unrest in the Middle East, and a rising China, reducing our military is dangerous, irresponsible and puts the national security of America at risk. With recent reports of a thrwarted terrorist plan against America, it is absurd to think that reducing our defense is safe for American families.

In contrast, Democrats have failed to offer any credible solutions to put our country back on track. Instead, the President insists on taking more money from hardworking families and small businesses, while building up the class of economically-dependent Americans. Senate Democrats have failed to pass a budget in more than 1,000 days, a crucial blueprint for going forward, which proves they do not have a plan, or are simply not interested in the future of the American economy.

As one of the only members of Congress who has actually served on a battlefield, I am increasingly disheartened by the

lack of understanding from leaders as to how the United States military functions and/or what is needed for its continued success.

The American military cannot continue to be the billpayer for America’s economic hardships and failed policies.

Congressman Allen West

U.S. House of Representatives,District 22

RE: Money spent on fireworks

Dear Editor:

When reading the [4-26-12] Observer, I noticed on the front page an article describing the 4th of July and Founders’ Days celebrations. I was surprised to read about the high cost of these events and feel the money could have been donated to the disabled veterans. Because of the bad economy, a donation like this would make more sense than to blow it in the air, and it would look great for Deerfield Beach.

Hans R. Paetzold

Deerfield Beach

RE: Cove CrimeWatch mtg.

Dear Editor:

I read with some dismay the comments in the 4-26-12 Letter to the Editor concerning The Cove Crime Watch meeting [on April 19].

First, the 911 router can immediately put one through to the appropriate dispatch, which she did. The homeowner is an ideal person to call 911 because they can advise dispatch of points of ingress and egress from the home, the presence of any pets, and any unique characteristics of the home.

Second, we can cure stupidity through education and awareness. It is not only our right, but our responsibility to question our leaders and law enforcement when the facts demand that we do so. Any crime in our neighborhood affects us as a community, and the right to discuss and air our grievances is sacrosanct. It is ironic that the only lack of civility occurred afterwards on the pages of the community newspaper.

Lastly, we all appreciate the time and energy that BSO puts into protecting us. However, public discourse is NOT about taking everything one hears at face value. I am confident that BSO can handle themselves in the face of criticism and that they want the system to run better. The writer of the Letter to the Editor does not know all the facts and should be more judicious before labeling good, honest and intelligent citizens with invectives such as “rude,” “stupid” and “childish.” None of those words nor any of their ilk were uttered at the meeting. That’s the sort of dialogue we just don’t need and which brings down this community.

Helen Leen Miranda

Deerfield Beach

Bladder Cancer

Dear Editor:

Bladder cancer is the fifth most commonly diagnosed cancer in the United States, yet most people know nothing about it. This lack of public awareness leaves many bladder cancer survivors feeling isolated and alone, and is the main reason why there is so little support for research on bladder cancer and the lack of advancement in treatment over the past 20 years.

Last year, over 70,000 people in the United States were diagnosed with bladder cancer and over 14,000 people died from it.

Bladder cancer has a recurrence rate of 50-80 percent and, because it requires life-long surveillance, is the most expensive cancer to treat on a per patient basis.

It is estimated that $2.9 billion is spent in the U.S. each year on the treatment of bladder cancer.

May 5 is National Bladder Cancer Awareness Day. We hope everyone can join us on Las Olas Boulevard to walk and raise awareness of this deadly disease. Proceeds raised will go toward funds for bladder cancer research and education.

As the daughter of a cancer survivor, I want to be sure that everyone knows to go see a doctor if they notice blood in their urine or have urinary urgency or frequency. I also want to be sure that no one has to go through their bladder cancer journey alone.

The Bladder Cancer Awareness Day walk will, with help from the Bladder Cancer Advocacy Network (www.bcan. org), raise awareness of this under-recognized disease and help improve research into more effective treatment and find a cure for bladder cancer.

For further details, contact us at 954-612-0097 or 954- 687-0097.

Sarah M. Bogdan

Deerfield Beach

Editor’s note: Also, locally in Deerfield Beach this weekend, the annual Relay for Life raises funds for American Cancer Society.

“Paul and Young Ron Show”

Dear Editor:

The City of Deerfield Beach’s recent decision to seek public input regarding its existing prohibition against Sunday morning alcohol sales was discussed early last week during the “Paul and Young Ron Show” on South Florida radio station 105.9FM.

The DJs specifically expressed their aspirations of speaking with me about the topic. They made their objection to the existing prohibition abundantly clear. Likewise, most constituents who have contacted me about it agree such prohibitions are “behind the times” so to speak – and they are, in many ways correct. While my final position on the matter will be stated at the time of the vote and not before, in response to the radio show’s inquiry, I feel obligated to express a few observations about the topic now:

1. Before taking down a wall, one should have a full understanding of what it was put up to protect against in the first place.
2. 2) There is Great Value in providing an opportunity for public input. The law has been around for decades. Providing a few weeks for our constituents to express their thoughts about it is only proper.
3. 3) At this time, when The Cove neighborhood is trying to protect their families and property values from a drug-andalcohol rehab center with nine addicts residing in a singlefamily home, many constituents are rightly concerned about the loss of Traditional Values in our society in general, and specifically about the lack of respect for a day that many of us reserve to Honor God.

4) Our businesses here in Deerfield Beach deserve to be on an equal playing field with surrounding communities.

As a follower of Christ and a believer in the Bible, I can understand how these so-called “Blue Laws” came about. I also Know that I am Saved by GOD’s Grace and my Personal Faith, and not by Works. I think Tim Tebow has it correct as he tries to get people to open the Bible to John 3:16. Those 25 words are the essence of the Gospel, not the Blue Laws!

Joseph P. Miller

District 1 commissioner Deerfield Beach

Cove Crime Watch meeting

Dear Editor:

I attended the Crime Watch meeting forThe Cove area last Thursday night [April 19]. A large number of BSO staff from the Deerfield area attended. They were all very informative, professional people.

Initially, the meeting was a positive exchange between residents and the BSO team.

I was appalled at the behavior of a few of the residents. Childish outbursts, argumentative towards the BSO staff, rude comments and behavior were all a part of the remainder of the meeting.

I hope these meetings continue and I truly appreciate the time and energy BSO puts into protecting our neighborhood.

For those of you who cannot conduct yourselves in proper adult behavior, don’t come and disrupt what could be a very long-lasting, productive relationship between BSO and our residents. Furthermore, let your neighbors know to call BSO if there are robbers in your house – NOT another neighbor that’s 50 miles away. NOBODY can help STUPIDITY.

Mary House

Deerfield Beach

“Thank-you” to CERT

Dear Editor:

April 15-21 marked National Volunteer Week. On behalf of the Deerfield Beach Community Emergency Response Team (CERT), I would like to thank each of our CERT volunteers for your hard work and dedication this past year. Because of each of you, our team has become one of the most recognized and respected teams in the area.

We have responded to fires in our city to assist with firefighter rehab and canteen services, we have been asked to assist Broward Sheriff’s Office (BSO) in missing person searches, we have kept up our skills with continual training, and we have participated in community activities. We have even been requested for Mutual Aid for a missing person search in Pembroke Pines! Our work is appreciated by Broward Sheriff Fire Rescue, BSO law enforcement, our city commission and our city management. As a team, CERT is a vital asset to our community. All that each of you do is greatly appreciated. THANK YOU!

If anyone is interested in becoming a member of CERT, e-mail CSjursen@bellsouth.net or call 954-803-6338.

Carol Sjursen

Deerfield Beach

RE: DB Commission responds to citizen comment

Dear Editor:

In a recent [Letter, 4-12-12, Observer] by the  , they claimed they do not routinely respond to comments made by a resident during a commission meeting.

A resident? They were referring to the former Mayor JeanRobb, and they claimed that her comments were so outrageousthat they had to respond. Yet, there are much moreimportant issues that have been brought before the commission that have yet to see the light of day:

A) A resident was the victim of a hit-and-run at anintersection where the lighting is inadequate. The CRArecently purchased a [circuit board] in The Cove ShoppingCenter to light up a Christmas tree. Isn’t it more importantto light the area where the young person was killed, especiallywhen the cost for such a project would be $3,000 to$5,000?

B) Ignoring the savings of $50,000 by refusing to movethe municipal election to November 2012 from March 2013.Are they afraid of a bigger turnout that just might cost themtheir seats? The commission has refused to put it on theagenda for a vote, so the voters can see just which commissionersdon’t care about saving the taxpayers money.

C) And who on the commission wrote the full-page letter?And which of the commissioners were part of this retaliatoryaction? Was their getting together to put the letter togetheran obvious violation of the Sunshine law? Time will tell when the state attorney is made aware of the circumstancessurrounding the creation of this full-page letter.

Steve Krevoy

Deerfield Beach

Dear Editor:

A recent letter from the Deerfield commission referred to citizen comment. Those comments were made by me, former mayor Jean M. Robb.

The commission chose to dismiss my claim that Carl Pete rhad been brought to Deerfield Beach by former manager Larry Deetjen and was supposed to retire at age 62 after five years. I verified the accuracy of that statement with a call to Larry Deetjen. He knew Carl from Grand Rapids, Michigan and had encouraged him to come to Deerfield for five years.Former mayor Al Capellini disclosed his conversation with Mike Mahaney over the hiring of Charles DaBrusco as anAsst. Engineer in 2007. Capellini was told that Carl was soon to retire and DaBrusco would become the Chief Engineer.

When the city lost the mediation after the firing of 106workers, my question was: ‘why didn’t the Human Services person follow the Employees’ Rules and Regulation Handbook?’The city’s reply was he was only onboard for two weeks prior to the mass firing. Wasn’t that enough time for him to read the book? Instead of being terminated, the person responsible for the debacle was given a $40,000raise.My assertion was that the CRA director who was hired should ethically not have taken another position with the same municipality.

My assertion was based on conversations with the CRA directors in a number of counties.

I also stated that in the 13 years I served as mayor, I had four different city managers, none of whom had assistants.The city claims Deerfield was smaller then. Yes, we had40,000 compared to the present 75,000, but we did not have50 percent of our budget being handled by BSO. So why do we need a manager, an assistant city manager, an executive to the city manager and an administrative support specialist?

The city’s reply is that the city manager is still responsible for overseeing law enforcement and fire-rescue operations.I thought that is what Sheriff Lamberti, Chief De Jesus and Chief Sudler were being paid to do.

The city claims that the article [which appeared in another local newspaper] stating that the city wanted to squeeze more money from city employees was inaccurate and incomplete.The commission [also] said that without economic concessions, the city could not have been able to reduce the millage rate by 1 mill. Wasn’t that the reasoning they gave us behind the passage of the utility tax? Which is it?

It is difficult to keep track of all the information this commission has fed us. We were told that the city would save $2 million with the BSO merger. They have now changed that figure to $1.5 million.

The city was doing the merger to get out of the pension business. Yet 100 firefighters chose to stay with Deerfield’s system so the city will be out of the pension business in the next 60 to 70 years.

As to why the BSO merger had to take place so fast,without public input, it was because six firefighters who were in the DROP plan would have had to retire. With the BSO merger, those six could remain and eventually dip into the BSO plan.

The commission seems to think I no longer support the merger. That is simply not true, but the contract does have some stipulations that should have been more thoroughly debated before passage, in particular, the DROP plan recipient.

Permit me to comment on the vice mayor’s performance at the public hearing of the PMSA appeal. It was like watching someone pull the wings off a fly, and no one on the dais had the good sense to say “Enough is Enough.”

It disturbs me that whoever wrote the recently-published city response did not have the courtesy to refer to me as the former mayor, not just as the resident. It is a title I earned after 13 years of service, and not using it shows a real lack of class.

Jean Robb

Deerfield Beach

RE: DB Commission responds to citizen comment

Dear Editor:

The City Commission does not routinely issue a formal public
response to citizen input made during Commission meetings. However,
there are times when such input is so outrageous that the
Commission has no choice but to respond.
At the Commission meeting on Tuesday, March 20, a former city
elected official made remarks that necessitate a formal response. We
will respond to the defamatory allegations, outright misinformation,
and flawed conclusions in the order they were presented.
Input 1
“At the Feb.21 meeting, the Commission made quite a fuss over
the retirement of Carl Peter. The truth is, he should have retired
three years ago. When Larry Deetjen brought Carl from Michigan,
it was with the understanding that Carl would retire after five
years at age 62. Deetjen wasn’t here when Carl reached 62. I called
the agreement to the attention of the powers that be, and was told
that since the agreement was not in writing, it held no water…How
come Burgess Hanson, who was Deetjen’s assistant at the time,
didn’t know? Peter wanted to stay until he was 65 so the City could
continue paying his health insurance. Although his position and
duties were vastly diminished, during those last three years, his
salary was not. Whatever happened to honor among thieves?”
RESPONSE:
The recruitment and selection process for Carl Peter, P.E., was
spearheaded by a former City Human Resources Director and the
Assistant to the City Manager. There were candidates from Illinois,
Massachusetts, Florida, etc. An interview panel of department directors
and other high-level senior managers recommended Mr. Peter as
the best-qualified applicant for the position of Director of Public
Works and Environmental Services.
As to the allegation that Mr. Peter was to retire at age 62, there is
simply no evidence of any such agreement either orally or in writing.
Mr. Peter recalled no conversation about an expected retirement date,
much less an oral or written agreement. Neither does current City
Manager Burgess Hanson, who assisted in the competitive recruitment
and selection process.
Mr. Peter’s duties changed considerably throughout his service to
the City, but they did not decrease until he helped orchestrate the
disestablishment of the Public Works Department as part of the 2011-
12 budget. Mr. Peter’s retirement was a known and expected result of
this organizational change. Mr. Peter served the City as a dedicated
public servant, and does not deserve to be impugned by baseless and
unsupported allegations.
Input 2
“The City lost the mediation over the firing of 106 City employees
without regard to the rules and regulations as outlined in the
employee’s handbook. Now the City has to rehire and pay back.
Instead of being terminated, the employee responsible for this
financial debacle was given a $40,000 raise in salary?”
RESPONSE:
Mike Milanowski, the City’s current Director of Human Resources,
had been onboard only two weeks when he reviewed and analyzed the
City’s plans for conducting the 2010 layoffs of 80 part-time and 26
full-time City employees. Mr. Milanowski then closely monitored the
effectuation of those layoffs.
The arbitration brought by the International Union of Painters and
Allied Trades (IUPAT) concluded with an arbitrator’s decision and
award that upheld the City’s reasoning for the layoffs, upheld the
layoff of the 80 part-time employees in their entirety, and upheld the
layoff of 25 of the 26 full-time employees who were laid off.
Rather than continue the arbitration process and incur considerable
additional costs to defend the belief that the City had followed all
applicable rules in the layoff of the single employee identified by the
arbitrator, City Management opted to return that employee without
further objection.
Input 3
“$40,000 increases in salary seem to be the favorite number.
Keven Klopp was hired by Mahaney, as CRA Director, with a
salary of $80,000. He got an increase of $40,000 when he became
the Assistant City Manager. As CRA Director, he also has an
Assistant CRA Director, and a Project Manager. And yet other
CRA Directors will tell you that it is unethical to take any job with
the same municipality that you serve as the CRA Director?”
RESPONSE:
Mr. Klopp was not given a $40,000 increase for assuming the duties
of Assistant City Manager. He was hired as the City’s CRA Director/
Economic Development Manager with a salary of $86,000, and
received an increase of $14,499 upon accepting the position of Acting
Assistant City Manager. When the position transitioned to a permanent
status, he received a final competitive salary of $120,000. His
salary in a tri-capacity position is lower than the salaries of many
single-capacity Assistant City Managers in similarly-sized cities in
South Florida and is $52,000 lower than the salary of the previous
Assistant City Manager under the former City Manager.
The accusation that Mr. Klopp engaged in unethical and unprofessional
behavior in accepting this role is absurd, and is a biased and
pathetic effort to defame both Mr. Klopp and the City. Multi-capacity
positions are a common practice among local governments. The City
Attorney and external auditors have carefully scrutinized Mr. Klopp’s
position, and have found no legal, professional or ethical basis on
which to discontinue a practice that benefits the city.
Input 4
“In the 13 years that I served as Mayor, I had four City
Managers, none of whom had an assistant. Although our population
was smaller, we had our own police and fire departments
most of the time. Now, 50 percent of our budget is handled by BSO.
So why do we have a Manager, an Assistant City Manager, an
Assistant to the City Manager, an Executive Assistant to the City
Manager, and an Administrative Support Specialist?”
RESPONSE:
In the 1980s, when this resident served as Mayor, the City’s
population was less than half of what it is today. Today, local
government operations have become exponentially much more complicated.
Regardless of whether the services are provided internally or
by the Broward Sheriff’s Office (BSO), the City Manager is still
responsible for overseeing the law enforcement and fire-rescue service
operations for a city of 76,000 residents. The staff of the City
Manager’s office is also essential to ensuring that all aspects of city
operations run smoothly.
During this City Manager’s tenure, several department directors
and other senior-level managers either retired or left City service.
Those positions were filled at much lower salaries, amounting to a
savings in excess of $240,000 per year. One position has been
eliminated entirely in the City Manager’s office.
In addition, all City employees whose pay exceeded the maximum
of their salary grade were reduced back to the appropriate salary range.
In at least one instance, this resulted in a Department Director’s pay
being reduced by more than $16,000. Non-unionized City employees
have not received merit or cost-of-living increases since 2008.
Input 5
“According to an article [which ran in a local newspaper] (not
the Observer), the City wants to squeeze some money from the City
employees since the City did not get all of the $1.2 million they
originally budgeted, and they plan to hire an attorney to sue the
employees. Why?”
RESPONSE:
The City Budget for Fiscal Year 2011-12 was predicated on the fact
that the pay of all City employees would be reduced by 5 percent and
that every City employee would be required to pay 10 percent of the
cost of his/her individual health insurance coverage. Without these
economic concessions, the City would not have been able to reduce the
millage rate by the 1 mill it was reduced, effective Oct. 1, 2011.
However, because of collective bargaining that was deliberately
stalled by the 29 employees represented by a newly formed union of
mid-level managers and supervisors, and due to the disavowal of an
affirmative ratification vote on a labor agreement, the above-detailed
economic concessions could not be implemented on Oct. 1, 2011.
The article to which this resident referred was an inaccurate and
incomplete report on a hearing before a Special Magistrate, who was
appointed to provide his recommendations regarding the impasse in
collective bargaining between the union and the City. There is no truth
to the assertion that the City plans to hire an attorney to sue the
employees represented by this union.
Input 6
“We were told that the main reason for the merger with BSO was
so the City could get out of the pension business. Yet, over a hundred
of the firefighters chose to stay in the City’s defined pension plan.
The City will eventually be out of the pension business, but it might
take 60 or 70 years to do it. And just why did the merger with BSO
have to take place so fast and without public input?”
RESPONSE:
There were a number of important reasons for the transition of fire/
rescue services to the Broward Sheriff’s Office (BSO). Interestingly
enough, this resident was actually very supportive of the merger until
the IAFF Union President, a close family friend, was removed by the
Union.
While not the only reason, the closure of the Deerfield Beach
Firefighters’ Pension Plan was one of the main reasons in support of
the transition to BSO. Nearly half of the Fire-Rescue Department’s
workforce had the potential to retire within the next five years. If the
plan had remained open, all of the personnel hired to replace the
retiring employees would have been in the City Firefighters’ Pension
Plan, meaning that the City would have to continue funding the
Pension Plan much further into the future than the time it will now take
for the Pension Plan to expire.
The City was advised both by our labor counsel and by attorneys
specializing in public-sector pension plans to close the Pension Plan
as soon as possible, thereby limiting entry by new employees into the
Pension Plan.
Florida law requires that existing employees in the Pension Plan
(even after their transition to the BSO) be allowed to remain in the
City’s Pension Plan until their retirement. The very best the City could
do in controlling the cost of the Firefighters’ Pension Plan was to close
the Pension Plan to new employees, benefit from the favorable
actuarial assumptions that would apply to a “closed” vs. “open”
Pension Plan and, in the course of time, eventually have the Pension
Plan expire.
The resident alleges that the transition to the BSO was to save more
than $2 million. A more accurate account of savings would be close
to $1.5 million in the first year of the contract. While not actually
reflected in the City’s Budget for Fiscal Year 2011-12, the cash
savings were earmarked by a consensus of the City Commission to be
used either to replenish the City’s Fund Balance or hire more BSO
deputies.
Still another $1.5 million in cost avoidance was produced by the
transition to BSO in fully staffing one existing fire station, opening a
new fire station along South Powerline Road, and avoiding the
purchase of telecommunications equipment that was over 25 years old
in the City’s former Dispatch Communications Center.
Conclusion
We trust that the information and responses to this resident’s input
will provide a much more accurate and true understanding of the
professionalism, responsiveness, efficiency and effectiveness with
which the City is run by the Deerfield Beach City Commission and City
Management.
Deerfield Beach City Commission

RE: Lighting up that intersection

Dear Editor:

How does one put a price on a human life?

Thetus Fleming, age 22, was killed in a hit-and-run accident  on Hillsboro Boulevard [east of MLK].

Anyone who travels that route will have to admit that the lighting in the evening hours is substandard at best. A left-turn signal was denied by FDOT. Why didn’t the city pursue the second alternative, which was to increase the lighting at that intersection? Lack of funding is not an acceptable response when someone has been killed.

When the CRA finished The Cove Shopping Center, they neglected to provide the outlets on the poles for lighting the complex for the holidays. They had to purchase a [circuit board] that has as its sole purpose lighting a Christmas tree. More important than a human life?

There are FPL light polls at the MLK intersection, and the requirement for additional lighting would be also adding transformers and lights. The cost for such a project would be anywhere from $3,000 to $5,000.

Where should the money come from for the transformers and lights at MLK?

The city is assessing users of electricity as a result of the passage of the utility tax. That tax should generate approximately $4.9 million by the end of the fiscal year. We heard that the public service [= utility] tax was to be used to reduce the millage by 1 mill. That would only have required $4,622,065, but the budget added $6,201,100 as the combined income from the water and electric assessments.

If it is necessary to maintain those figures in the budget, and the city is complaining about not getting the $1.2 million from the employees, then the next step would be to use the $2 million savings from the BSO merger. That money was never part of the adopted budget, but is supposed to come to the city by the end of this fiscal year.

Don’t tell the taxpayers that a human life in the city of Deerfield is not worth an expenditure of $3,000 to $5,000 to light up that intersection like a Christmas tree.

Jean Robb

Deerfield Beach

RE: Are political parties dangerous?

Dear Editor:

I just read Jim Moore’s article about George Washington and his thoughts for a Return to America as it should be.[3-22 Observer Opinion pg.] This article, in my opinion, should go national. Every concerned American needs to read this and remember it come voting time.

N. Monaco

Deerfield Beach

Safety measures needed at District 2 intersection!

Dear Editor:

Since October 2011, the city of Deerfield Beach and FDOT [Florida Dept. of Transportation] have respectively been petitioned to install pedestrian/bicyclist/motorist safety precautions at the intersection of Hillsboro Boulevard and Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard (MLK), located in the minority section of the city (District 2).

The city has denied request, indicating that (1) it’s too expensive and they may look into it in the future, (2) it is not their responsibility because it falls under the jurisdiction of FDOT.

FDOT originally approved a “citizen request” to install the yellow truncated domes at the intersection, but through city of Deerfield Beach interference, FDOT reneged on their original approval.

Subsequent citizen requests were submitted to FDOT to install street lights, which they temporarily denied, indicating that they will look into it no sooner than November 2012 for work to be done in 2015.

Another request was submitted for East/West turning signals off of MLK, which was originally denied, citing “statistical deficiency,” so installation not warranted.

They have recently decided to perform an on-site observational study to determine if the turning signal installation is warranted.

A video demonstrates the dark conditions at the intersection of MLK and Hillsboro, driving south to north on MLK, which could have been one of the causal factors in the hit-and-run death of Thetus Fleming Jr. (22, black male) on 2/17/12, which received zero media coverage. [Story in p.1 coverage of District 2 meeting, March 1 Observer.]

The driver, David Calderilla Alcocer (20, white male), who was driving on a suspended license, had warrants for his arrest, pending Broward County Court traffic court case from 2008, and intentionally left the scene of an accident (a felony in FL- 1st degree felony if the accident resulted in a death, like in this case).

He did later return to give BSO a statement (from the initial police report and BSO media release, he returned about 30 minutes later).

However, David Calderilla Alcocer was never arrested by BSO to face charges for hitting and then leaving the scene of the accident resulting the death of Thetus Fleming Jr.

His family is looking for justice and would like FDOT and the city of Deerfield Beach to install safety measures at that intersection so no other family has to go through the tragedy they are going through.

David Cody

Deerfield Beach