We’ll skip all introductions and we will get right down to business.

Regular Village Commission Meeting
Tuesday April 9, 2013

Held at Treasure Island Elementary School

 

We’ll skip all introductions and we will get right down to business. There were a few positives at the regularly scheduled North Bay Village Commission Meeting. Two people were presented with certificates; Christopher Robinson was presented with a Life Saving Award and resident Mr. Jorge Brito a Certificate of appreciation both of which were well deserved.  Another being that due to the time curfew imposed by Treasure Island Elementary School, the meeting ended shortly after 10:30 pm, sparing those present at the meeting the agony of listening to our elected officials rhetoric.

 The consent agenda: Matters on the consent agenda are self explanatory and are self explanatory and are not expected to require discussion or reviews.  If discussion is desired by any member of the commission, that item must be removed from the Consent Agenda and will be considerate separately.  Voted 5/5 and approved.

A.   The proposed Resolution will allow North Bay Village police to share police resources and services with these municipalities when necessary.

B.   The proposed Resolution recognizes the discovery of Florida 500 years ago, and encourages our citizens and visitors to participate in programs celebrating this event. The Resolution will be provided to the South Florida Liaison for the Viva Florida 500 Celebration.

C.   The proposed resolution proclaims April as Water Conservation Month and encourages our citizens and businesses to help protect our precious resource by practicing water saving measures and becoming more aware of the need to save water. The Resolution will be sent to the South Florida Water Management District.

D.   The proposed Resolution supports and recognizes May 25, 2013 as National Missing Children’s Day. As per Bert Wrains, NBV Financial Director, Budget in Brief thru Feb 28, 2013. It also encourages participation in the protection of children and education children about children abduction and sexual exploitation, and how to respond and seek help from law enforcement, social services, and the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children. The Resolution will be sent to this organization.

 

The proposed Resolution supports a grant application for $ 17,500.00 in funding for planning and design of a recreational boat dock at Dr. Paul Vogel Community Park, with 50% required match for a total project cost.

 

Great idea wrong time and wrong place, the residents of Harbor Island keep getting dumped on. Think about it: problems with dirty streets, undesirables and speeders are constantly menacing their streets. The addition of a dock will only provide more places for hanging out and increasing these problems.  Residents pointed out possible liability problems and maintenance costs.  Twenty five thousand dollar dock that can accommodate roughly six boats, I got a bridge to sell you! Is it fiscally responsible mayor?  Others pointed out that we were turning away an opportunity to benefit from federal funding, an interesting concept that needs exploring.  Yet another resident pointed out that this can be revisited in the future and that maybe the Harbor Island future Village Hall site may be a good consideration since it is by the water.  Vice Mayor Eddie Lim, Treasure Island Commissioner Wendy Duval and North Bay Island Commissioner Richard Chervony prevailed and voted correctly by putting an end to this requested expense.  Mayor Connie Leon-Kreps and Commissioner at Large Jorge Gonzalez wanted to continue to squeeze the village coffers and were in favor of this Resolution.    

 

That puts an end to the positives although our Mayor Connie Leon-Kreps does not deal well with negatives, here is a noble idea Mayor Leon-Kreps “exceptional political leaders deal with negatives resolved them and make things better”; work with others and not ignore them.

Public Safety and Discussion in a summary:

Crime is up and police services are down- that’s a reality.  Chief Robert Daniels the residents of North Bay Village deserve better! 

 

The proposed Resolution calls for creating an assigned for Fiscal Year 2013 Expenditures line item within the fund balance of the General Fund in the amount of $ 200,000.00.  

This was introduced by Commissioner Richard Chervony and supported by Vice Mayor Eddie Lim. Commissioner Chervony is extremely concerned with the depletion of the unreserved reserves and wanted to set aside these funds. Mayor Connie Leon-Kreps and Commissioner Jorge Gonzalez refer to this resolution as taking money from one bucket and placing it in another bucket! Stating: “If these funds are unidentified, it may not be transparent and the attitude would be if there is money there let us go and get it”.  This is exactly the attitude that is dwindling our unreserved reserves from over a million dollars two years ago down to $ 550,000.00 to date; not very fiscally responsible.

 

Here are the facts mentioned by Commissioner Chervony in defense to his Resolution:

 1)    Budget for the year (10/01 to 09/30) for Legal Services Dept is $262,750. Feb year to date spent is $253,147. Leaving $9,500 for the remainder of the year.

2)    As per Mr. Wrains the March 2013 Check History Report we wrote a check to Weiss, Serota, Helfman, our General Counsel on March 7, 2013 in the amount of $52,088, putting the Village probably in the red.

3)    In the budget the Village calculated the cost of the annual contract for Landscaping Services. What was left out of the calculation was the cost of replacing trees, new plantings, flowers and mulch. This is another line item that will be overspent and in the red.

4)    Police has a budget of $3,182,367 out of General Funds. It is expected to have an overrun of $269,880 by fiscal year’s end.

5)    Kevin Smith of the Village's auditing firm said yesterday that the Village should have 15 to 20% of the budget in unassigned reserves. The village started the year with only 10% or $550,000.00 and is quickly depleting it.

6)      The only solution is Fiscal Responsibility. The only non budgeted expenses should be for EMERGENCIES and not for Commissioner’s whims; wait that’s negative thinking and Mayor Connie Leon Kreps is against that.... Even with these steps we may not avoid an increase in taxes next year….more negative thinking? Or reality thinking?  

 

Mathematicians need not apply, just keep subtracting and we’ll wind up with a deficit resulting in a TAX INCREASE!!!

 

Compensation for interim Village Manager Jenice Rosado was an animated and senseless discussion. Commissioner Richard Chervony suggested that a $ 95,000.00 per year compensation package and that even at that amount she was still underpay. Commissioner Chervony spoke highly of Ms. Rosado’s performance. This sentiment was shared by the entire commission and the public. There is no question that Ms. Rosado in a short time has shown her leadership abilities. The Interim Village Manager Jenice Rosado bowed to dedicate all the effort necessary to return to a safe and healthy village hall as soon as possible. However, Commissioner Jorge Gonzalez and Mayor Connie Leon-Kreps argued that the appropriate just compensation was a raised of 15%. The commissions spend almost 30 minutes of precious time justifying the 15%. It appears that anything and everything Commissioner Richard Chervony says or suggests is too difficult for the commission to understand. The 15% added to about the same amount; wow what a waste of time!

 

By now it’s almost curfew and Mayor Connie Leon Kreps wanted to get one more item of the agenda done, the advertisement-Permanent Village Manager.   Commissioner Chervony suggested not rushing into this and that holding a workshop to discuss all attributes and qualifications desired for our next village manager was necessary.  Mayor Connie Leon-Kreps and Commissioner Jorge Gonzalez insisted that adverting was necessary now and Commissioner Wendy Duval and Vice Mayor Eddie Lim agreed and went against Commissioner Chervony’s cautious suggestion. The residents pleaded to take it slow with that process and hold the workshop first however it fell on deaf ears.  My question is, if Jenice Rosado is doing such a great job as an interim village manager, a sentiment shared by everyone including myself, what’s the rush Mayor? Are we asking for another mistake?  Oh that’s right you argued for over 30 minutes Ms Rosario’s compensation increase of 15%.

 

Humbly opinionating!

PUTTING NORTH BAY VILLAGE FIRST

 

Mario Garcia

April 12, 2013