Too much secrecy in favor of the developers
Interesting column in The Miami Herald that talks about city government having institutional secrecy which allows developers, their lobbyists and consultants to get their way. The article was by Richard Pettigrew. He was speaker of the House of Representatives in the early 1970s and was a Florida Senator. He and Bob Graham are two Senators who make a difference.
Just this past week I saw a major Coconut Grove developer having lunch with the City Manager. It was right out in the open, at GreenStreet, but is that still right?
People don't speak up and when they do, the politicians shut them down.
I'm having the same issue with my simple little condo board. The president thinks he is God now. He owns less a percentage than most of us in the building, yet feels he owns the place and thinks we pay him rent or something.
He told the secretary at the last meeting not to take minutes because those that were not at the meeting were out of luck! That explains why he and the others cannot produce the info I need on a recent painting job where I believe we paid double for the job. But without minutes or records, I could be 100% wrong, but how would we know now?
I like that the county stepped in to delay the Main Highway project, they like to ignore the city, which is a good thing at times. Our city is out of control. Quality of life is out the window in favor of money, money, money. I wasn't brought up like that. Maybe that's the way to be, a money monger. These people think they can take it with them.
There are so few people with a conscious these days. Is it the culture we live in? Is greed the way we should live? Look what they are doing to NYC, those pencil buildings are ruining the skyline. Here, the buildings are ruining the neighborhoods.
I often wonder how these developers mix and mingle with the public after they rape the neighborhoods. I guess they're in a class all their own, a selfish class, and they don't care about the public or what anyone else thinks. They and the politicians who encourage them are shameful.
I know I am on the right track here with my thinking on over-development, because almost daily I get emails of encouragement that tell me to keep on going. And most come from realtors!
Just this past week I saw a major Coconut Grove developer having lunch with the City Manager. It was right out in the open, at GreenStreet, but is that still right?
People don't speak up and when they do, the politicians shut them down.
I'm having the same issue with my simple little condo board. The president thinks he is God now. He owns less a percentage than most of us in the building, yet feels he owns the place and thinks we pay him rent or something.
He told the secretary at the last meeting not to take minutes because those that were not at the meeting were out of luck! That explains why he and the others cannot produce the info I need on a recent painting job where I believe we paid double for the job. But without minutes or records, I could be 100% wrong, but how would we know now?
I like that the county stepped in to delay the Main Highway project, they like to ignore the city, which is a good thing at times. Our city is out of control. Quality of life is out the window in favor of money, money, money. I wasn't brought up like that. Maybe that's the way to be, a money monger. These people think they can take it with them.
There are so few people with a conscious these days. Is it the culture we live in? Is greed the way we should live? Look what they are doing to NYC, those pencil buildings are ruining the skyline. Here, the buildings are ruining the neighborhoods.
I often wonder how these developers mix and mingle with the public after they rape the neighborhoods. I guess they're in a class all their own, a selfish class, and they don't care about the public or what anyone else thinks. They and the politicians who encourage them are shameful.
I know I am on the right track here with my thinking on over-development, because almost daily I get emails of encouragement that tell me to keep on going. And most come from realtors!
posted by Tom Falco at 5:00 AM
YOU MAY NOT LIFT THE PHOTOS & TEXT. IT'S COPYRIGHTED INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY. YOU CAN HOWEVER SHARE A STORY ON SOCIAL MEDIA BY USING THE LINKS HERE.
For linking to this one story, just click on the time it was posted & just this story will open for sharing - only through social media. Not copying and pasting.
4 Comments:
As a publisher in our community I would say you not only have the right, but you also have an obligation to speak out on any and all subjects that affect our Grove community, and you do a very good job.
And I also think that every individual must look into the choices, in this instance to project into the future regarding their choice of domicile; schools, hospital, shopping, transportation, and generally speaking their neighbors & neighborhood. If you buy into a community housing association or a condo association, surely you should have known there would be rules which apply. And what's wrong with a Coconut Grove developer have lunch, right out in the open, with the city manager? As for secrecy, such as our government keeping a record of all phone numbers inside, out of and into the U.S.A., be my guest as my family has nothing to hide! And those developers on many occasions do live among those who dislike new construction. And perhaps others don't. For me the real question is about world wide security and over-population. Who, in their right mind would not LOVE living in or around S. Florida? However, if S. Florida turns into something I really despised, I revert back to my earlier comment that I should have considered such a possibility, way back about 1990, work hard to save enough money to move, or purchase a nice size vessel and say to hell with this crap. In other words, there's not much anyone can do to resolve those issues you mention. Jobie Steppe
One of the rules for County employees is they cannot accept gifts from anyone. I would think that includes lunch I am not sure about the City employees. It is a joke. I used to get a box of candy for Christmas from one of my clients and maybe a bottle of wine from another, until the rule changed from gifts over 25 to any gifts. Meanwhile, the big bosses were having theirs sent to their homes. I know a few who also had paid vacations from lobbyists. There is a sense of priviledge and entitlement that goes with the top guys jobs. Of course it is in their minds. If you find some corruption and you are an employee, don't report it to the Inspector General because it will be buried and you will get yourself in trouble. I know. I have said this before but that's why I retired early. I couldn't deal with it anymore. I think some condo associations are run the same way. Perhaps there is a need to check the bylaws. I used to love living in the Grove, now, not so much, but I'm not quite ready to give up yet. Where else can I have peacocks visiting me every day.
Vanessa Acosta works for the City and she spends 24/7 with billboard lobbyists. She got the job after Pieter "Billboard" Bockweg did the same thing. Rumors of money changing hands. Teresa and Marc Sarnoff get funded by billboard companies. In the meantime, more billboards.
Billboard companies and their owners and employees give money to Teresa Sarnoff too.
Post a Comment
<< Home