We cannot seem to do anything right!

Our Mayor acts like a dictator and tramples over proper procedure, she calls it:”rolling up your sleeves, positive thinking and doing was best for the Village!” Further insulting everybody and says: If you don’t agree at least don’t create a problem or be negative.  Meaning if you disagree with her you are a negative, problem creating individual.  To make matters worse Vice Mayor Eddie Lim and At Large Commissioner Jorge Gonzalez appear to support the mayor on her strong arm tactics. It is becoming more and more nauseating to attend these meetings.  

 Today’s special commission meeting was to make public that Mr. Frank K Rollason miraculously called the Mayor, Vice Mayor and Commissioner at Large to offer his services as an Interim Village Manager  , leaving for the last moment the Commissioner for North Bay Island  and totally ignoring the Commissioner for Treasure island.  This all happened within forty eight hours? Is this the same commission that could not appoint members to a board because Vice Mayor Eddie Lim was absent? Treasure Island Commissioner Wendy Duval who was unable to attend today’s meeting, did that matter?

Copy of Email from Commissioner Duval addressing the matter:

From: Wendy Duvall
Sent: Thu 7/11/2013 11:05 AM
To: Yvonne Hamilton
Cc: Connie Leon-Kreps; Eddie Lim; Richard Chervony; Jorge Gonzalez; Jenice Rosado; Nina Boniske
Subject: Re: Special Village Commission

Hi Yvonne,

I would have liked to have been included in this meeting as I had no idea we were looking at appointing an outside interim City Manager.

Even though this is an interim position wouldn't this have called for interviews from the commission and possibly including other candidates? How much will this interim cost us? I didn't see numbers in the backup. Has a background check been conducted? Do we have references?

I will be leaving the hospital today and am not in a condition to be present during the meeting. Is there a way that I can participate via telecom?

Please advice.

Thanks Yvonne!

Wendy Duvall
North Bay Village
Treasure Island Commissioner

 Commissioner Richard Chervony felt even stronger about the matter and addressed those present with the following:

“I am still dumbfounded not quite 48 hours later, after receiving my first advisory notifying me of this meeting.  The lightning speed that it has taken for a non-emergency puts the recent tragedy at SHUCKERS to shame.   The Mayor’s attitude and actions mirror one mistake after the other.  You’d think she had learned with Shuckers.  Then the constituents wonder why no one applies

Tonight’s SPECIAL CALL adds another black eye to our history and redefines EMERGENCY!!!!!  The availability of an extremely qualified individual with an impeccable resume and extensive knowledge of how a Village should work has put the Mayor and the Vice Mayor to a speedily and hastily called meeting knowing that the we have FOUR MEETINGS scheduled for this month and we most definitely have a COMMISSIONER absent tonight as she underwent a planned procedure and motherhood this past Monday.  The possibility of having this Commissioner oppose these actions may have prompted this hastily called meeting and have further tainted the process.

This Village has a STRONG MANAGER type of leadership not a STRONG MAYOR as ours believes.  The problem that I see is not in staff but rather in the Mayor’s leadership skills.  The missteps that have been taken with how meetings are run resulting in numerous violations of rules of order, the incident at Shuckers, moving out of the Lexi and now with the revolving door that she has created in our employees under our direct control that dare to go against her wishes continue to make North Bay Village the laughing stock of South Florida.

Three months ago when the dais released the Manager of his duties, it was an overwhelming unanimous choice to appoint Ms. Rosado to the post.  It was less than a month ago at the last Commission Meeting where Ms. Rosado got glowing reviews from All the Commissioner on this dais.  Her herculean efforts at solving the Lexi issue and finding us a place to call home and yet keep the Village running have been overlooked.  All over a silly spat and not bending to one member of the dais.  It is unfortunate that our Mayor continues to strong arm employees into performing as she wishes otherwise you get the boot.    

Our Vice Mayor has shown he repeatedly follows her requests rather than have her wrath be enacted on him again.  She acts more as a mother figure than as a leader or a Mayor, reprimanding and scolding her chickees when they go out of turn and perform in a manner against her wishes.  Spineless may be a better definition.

It further surprises me tremendously that a capable and extremely qualified candidate for this job with the vast amount of knowledge of Public work as you have Mr. Rollason has deemed a non process as the way to re-enter the political fray.  This job has not been posted as it is not vacant; this job is not in need of filling as we have chosen an individual who has fulfilled all our expectations and then some.  Just last month I proposed assistance in the job and was rebuked fiercely by the other four members who comprise the dais.  Mr. Rollason, I don’t recall seeing your application to be considered Village Manager as one of the 25 submitted for our consideration.

The abuse of overstepping and creating a situation such as this, where no other candidate is even considered is totally an abuse of power.  There are numerous qualified and good candidates that would have applied for the position of Interim Village Manager if it had been posted and opened for public consideration.  In my eyes, Mr. Rollason you have just tainted yourself and the selection process.  It smells foul and should be investigated by the State Attorney’s Office for possible Sunshine Law Violations. 
 
I personally found out that there is only one candidate being considered by this dais at 9:30 PM on Tuesday evening when I received my Agenda for this meeting.  To me this process is foul, when two Commissioners, the Mayor and the Vice Mayor who has been absent the last three weeks, sign one piece of paper requesting a Special Commission Meeting for the Appointment of an Interim Village Manager.  The impression that I have gotten from this hasty process and the materials submitted is that these individuals have met with the candidate privately and that this may have created sunshine violations.

In brief this process has been very tainted.  Mr. Rollason, my vote is no reflection of the personal qualifications of you as the candidate, as I consider you extremely capable and am willing to work with you for the betterment of our community.  Mr. Rollason I can't promise you that the other members of this dais will give you a fair shot.  I can only speak for myself and of the flowing reviews that I have been able to obtain in a short period of times from your peers and coworkers.  I just wish this process had taken an open and transparent approach. I further wish that a full dais was sitting in on such an important vote and not hobbled by the medical absence of one of its members.” 

                               *************************************************

 Mr. Frank K Rollason is extremely qualify and may indeed be able to help us. You can visit North Bay Village Official Website and see his impressive resume. Everyone agreed that he is more than qualify for the job. The concept is correct the process was not, therefore flawed; did it meet all the components Moral? Ethical? Legal? Transparent? You be the judge.

Finally, I salute Ms Jenice Rosado the exiting Village Manager who without question did an exceptional job. Ms Rosado was an inspiration to all and a true leader.

Honestly Opinionating

PUTTING NORTH BAY VILLAGE FIRST

Mario Garcia

July 11, 2013