http://www.margatenews.net/margatenews/ Reader Emails Copyright � 2008-2011 MargateNews.net All Rights Reserved Solupress News - www.solupress.com http://www.margatenews.net/margatenews/news/articles/article988.asp I don't live in your city, but very near. With your article on how they closed Margate Blvd I just can't keep quiet. As I pass by I always wonder, Doesn't anyone inquire at what is behind the slaughter of all of the legitimate small businesses in Margate? The slow killing off of dozens of small businesses has resulted in a vast field of pretty green weeds. Is it someone's idea to turn the whole city into a beach? With a tall, chiming clock in its middle? Or, what now? Will they turn tables and apply for federal or state grants to stimulate small business? Thanks again for your informative emails! - CG __________________________________________http://www.margatenews.net/margatenews/news/articles/article951.asp RE:[linkstart href=http://www.margatenews.net/margatenews/news/articles/article925.asp[linkclose]Greenway Residents Want Trees Removed.[/linkend] I for one am excited for the sidewalk..what do these homeowners on the banks have to hide? the last and only time I walked back there I was attacked by pit bull dogs, the yards are an eyesore, hopefully this will help clean up that mess back there. im looking forward to the improvement!! - Kat D. __________________________________________http://www.margatenews.net/margatenews/news/articles/article920.asp RE: [linkstart href=http://margatenews.net/margatenews/news/articles/article913.asp[linkclose]Board of Adjustment Paves Way for Jobs in Margate[/linkend] I�m writing in regard to the Coco Center successful deal with Saveology. I think compliments should be given when well deserved. I have to compliment the commissioners the CRA and city staff for looking beyond cookie cutter ordinances and regulations and taking a bold step in the right direction. The city did everything in its power to make sure Margate gets a boost in jobs and traffic within the city. What the CRA, commissioners and city staff did is thinking outside the box in order to help the city. It is sad that others city�s do not do similar things in order to attract investment, I have seen it and read is in newspapers that cities are not willing to budge their ordinances and regulations in order to help and attract businesses and investment. I think the city did the right thing here and hope they continue. - George and Tommy Zentefis, Lester�s Diner. __________________________________________ http://www.margatenews.net/margatenews/news/articles/article916.asp RE: [linkstart href=http://www.margatenews.net/margatenews/news/articles/article909.asp[linkclose]Landmark Downtown Restaurant Closed[/linkend] I am a former DEDICATED Bello Cibo employee (server). I and a select few dedicated servers did not smoke cigarettes and were conscientious employees. We knew there was a problem of a declining reputation due to inconsistencies and worked hard to maintain favorable reviews and a generally happy and returning customer base. We were successful to a certain extent. We needed more support from the owner, moral support and less finger pointing if operations were running subpar. For example, if the dinners were taking 45 minutes to be cooked and served as stated in the original article, often it was due to a school of 60-80 teachers and students coming in at one time which would require additional help behind the line. Often owner/chefs would jump back to help in other restaurants where I have been employed. Also, the staff became discouraged by the unethical practices we began seeing on a daily basis. I was being asked why I didn�t find another job when these �stories� got out. Need I remind people that there is a rather severely depressed economy? Also I did work with some fantastic employees. Concerning the paychecks that were brought up as being worthless checks: the serving staff was at an advantage because we work for gratuities. But the waitstaff, kitchen staff and others always had difficulties cashing their checks. The participating bank was very aware of this and often expressed their sympathies. We for the most part just needed more honesty on the part of the owner. Also it got to the point that the staff could not cash checks at Publix, Walmart or a check cashing store. There are so many other examples of why this business was doomed to fail. We are all human and make mistakes but this business was broke and not being fixed properly or professionally. At this time, owner of the restaurant, Mr. Valdes, is not very happy with former employees because we are exposing his actions. Many former employees have reported him to the Labor Board, State Attorney and Margate police. We are all attempting to collect on paychecks. I also would like to mention that Mr. Sessa, his partner, was not involved in most of this unfavorable activity but felt his hands were tied due to his investment in the business. Thank you to some of the great staff I worked with and also having the opportunity to serve many of the great customers at Bella Cibo. - Diana Cargill _______________ [bold]Bella Cibo owes employees wages[/bold] I'm writing in regards to the article written on Thursday Oct 13th about Bella Cibo closing. I am a former employee at this restaruant and on behalf of my coworkers and I, we believe you don't have the full story on the failure of this business. Myself and others have not been paid in weeks prior to this place closing. Tommy Valdes the one owner has provided us with weeks if not more of paychecks we can not cash at the bank. Some of us have already documented this at the Margate Police station and are looking into a civil lawsuit against Tommy Valdes. Besides us and his rent not being paid time after time, he also has not paid vendors. We have notified the labor department as well and they are not able to help us at this time because this business is now closed. There is a lot more to this story that I believe would stun and shock the community around this business. - Gina Ferrante __________________________________________http://www.margatenews.net/margatenews/news/articles/article894.asp I feel the city should send out to every Margate resident a survey card on this matter and see what they get back. Apparently, the developer only has one idea - apartments which I would hate. Margate in desperate need of nightlife, restaurants, movies, etc. Everyone I know that's choose to stay in boring Margate goes to other cities to spend money on eating out and entertainment. I only notice the bad in whats going in around my neck of the woods like pawn shops, check cashing stores, ethnic food marts, ethnic barber shop, etc. - pushing a lot of good people out because they don't want to be around it. I feel this is Margate's last ditch effort to turn it around - and not with apartments, that's for sure. They need to build busineses to keep the money in the city - not apartments. On my block alone there are 5 empty houses and believe me they are not rushing to "RENT" in Margate! - Concerned Margate Homeowner, Traci __________________________________________http://www.margatenews.net/margatenews/news/articles/article885.asp Just wanted to thank Margate and the organizations involved in this very lovely memorial. The week that the flags were displayed made a huge impression on me as I drove by each day on my way to and from work. I made a point of telling my friends who normally would not drive that section of 441 to do so. It was beautiful in its simplicity and I am sure made thousands of others stop and reflect on the sacrifaces of so many as well as the anniversary of 9/11. Thank you, a Coral Springs neighbor; - N. Richardson __________________________________________http://www.margatenews.net/margatenews/news/articles/article836.asp This is in response to Mr. Hylander�s letter addressing the Big League Dreams proposal. I do want to emphasize the word PROPOSAL because at this point that is all it is. We do know parking is a problem, we know in some cases it sounds too good to be true and we know that it might not be right for the people of Margate. That is why it is only a PROPOSAL. The meeting was not underhanded. We made sure we contacted all the baseball people so they could come and hear the good and bad. They were in attendance. I also contacted the Sun-Sentinel and asked that an article be placed in the paper, so residents who were interested would show up. The article was published in the Sunday edition, the day before the meeting. I guess it is easy to skew the facts to make it sound better. Again, the City has only agreed to look into this proposal, to get information, to hear from the public and we gave ourselves two years. So, to suggest to the readers of the MargateNews.net that we are keeping everyone in the dark and doing only what we want is a completely false statement, but when you are running for office throwing things out and hoping it will stick is how the game is played. No one should hear the real facts�right Phil. The deposit we gave was not taxpayer�s money. It was from the Parks and Recreation Trust Fund from money we receive from the Cell Towers. The money can only be used for Parks and Recreation capital projects. It was given in earnest, so they cannot negotiate with any other city within a 50 mile radius. Yes I wanted 100 miles, but the 50 covers all of Miami (not Homestead) and all of Palm Beach County. People do not like change, leave it the way it is�not broken why fix it. But it is broke. Our baseball leagues have come to us and said they would love to hold tournaments, but the fields are not big enough for the older children to use. Instead of just reading stuff on the internet maybe Phil you should go out and talk to the children who say we would love to play on those type of fields. One boy said to me, I know I will never make it to the major leagues but if I can play on those fields I will feel like I am in the major leagues. That is what motivates me to keep looking into this project. If it is good for our kids, residents and the City then I am all for it. If it has too many pitfalls, then I am all out. I like you was brought up not to believe everything I hear and read�to research get facts�weigh the pros and cons and that is what I am doing and I have given myself and the other Commissioners enough time to do just that. I hope this clears up any misunderstanding Mr. Hylander led you to believe. If you have any questions, I can be reached by e-mail at fla97@aol.com or by phone 954 972-6454. Thank You Pam Donovan Mayor Margate __________________________________________http://www.margatenews.net/margatenews/news/articles/article833.asp I am not against the idea of Margate having an event or attraction that sets it apart from other cities - I think it's a great idea. It is just that the idea has to fit Margate's economics and demographics of the city. _______________ [bold]Reader Email[/bold] in response to [linkstart href=http://www.margatenews.net/margatenews/news/articles/article819.asp[linkclose]Margate Approves licensing agreement with 'amateur stadium' company[/linkend] _______________ At a commission meeting a while back, I offered the suggestion that the [linkstart href=http://www.margatenews.net/margatenews/news/articles/article680.asp[linkclose]Margate Street Festival[/linkend] could be the event that makes people take notice. The same could be true of the [linkstart href=http://www.margatenews.net/margatenews/news/articles/article811.asp[linkclose]proposed ballpark.[/linkend] At the present time, few have enough information to form an opinion as to whether or not this is 'The Idea" for Margate. Call me skeptical... I do not believe everything I am told with blind allegiance. Perhaps that is a result of how I was brought up - I was taught to respect my parents, the police and teachers.. but question authority. [linkstart href=http://www.margatenews.net/margatenews/news/articles/article833.asp [linkclose]Read more...[/linkend] [linkstart href=http://www.margatenews.net/margatenews/news/articles/article836.asp[linkclose]Click here[/linkend] for response to reader email from [bold]Margate Mayor.[/bold] [linkstart href=http://www.margatenews.net/margatenews/news/sections/section16.asp[linkclose]More Reader Emails[/linkend] __________________________________________http://www.margatenews.net/margatenews/news/articles/article838.asp Mr. Hyland has written a great piece [linkstart href=http://www.margatenews.net/margatenews/news/articles/article833.asp[linkclose]"Margate City Commissioners: �What�s the �Big League� hurry?"[/linkend] With excellent comments on this rush to "judgement?" I did a inquiry on the Internet and found other cities that have been short changed by BLD,[linkstart href=http://www.heraldtribune.com/article/20110710/ARTICLE/110719989/-1/news?Title=North-Port-weighs-450-000-sports-park-gamble[linkclose] North Port weighs $450,000 sports park gamble.[/linkend] This is a gamble that the City cannot afford with the $3 million deficit and the erosion of the emergency fund, especially during hurricane season. Stop this already. Lets get some businesses here to pay taxes, hire and dress up the very sad look of our City. Bob Fedak Margate Voter __________________________________________http://www.margatenews.net/margatenews/news/articles/article822.asp I attended the City Hall meeting yesterday [Monday July 11] and I must say the city is sold on this idea. Which leads me to believe our city is run by some incompetent people. Everyone is entitled to their opinion on this, but I have to say the numbers do not add up. I cannot believe the city with all their personnel cannot figure this one out. This is simple math. Nothing complicated at all. The white elephant is standing right there in the room with them and they refuse to look at it. If this takes place I can assure you that Margate Youth Baseball as we know it is done. Why you ask? Following me for a moment and I will tell you why. For starters Big League Dreams estimates the park will generate revenue of $2.1 million in their first year operation. For this exercise I am not going to figure their expenses which they are estimated to be $1.8 million. This is how they came up with the net cash flow of $300,000. Now back to the revenue of $2.1 million. (Pause for the effect) This new park would have to generate $40,385.00 per week or $175,000 per month in revenue to have revenue of $2.1 million. Okay, repeat the last sentence. Now, I don�t know about you but I find it hard to believe that three baseball fields can generate that kind of income. If BLD is expecting to generate this amount of income where does the Margate Youth Baseball League fit in? This answer is we don�t. Here is the other gotcha. They are claiming that the park has the potential �oh I love that word potential- to draw 35,000 out of towners for weekend play annually. Hell, why not 50,000 it sounds better. Those of you who have gone to Cooperstown and/or Cal Ripken can appreciate what I am about to say. Big League Dreams would have to have a tournament every single weekend with around 20 to 25 teams to generate 35,000 out of towners annually. Personally, I don�t see a team coming from Texas, Georgia, Alabama or even Orlando to play on three baseball diamonds in Margate. The numbers don�t make since to me now nor would it make since to me tomorrow. Finally, the park supposes to generate 60 to 80 full time or part time jobs. I don�t think the Florida Marlins have that many people on their staff. Big League Dreams is doing just that; they are selling the city a DREAM and we as taxpayers, parents, coaches and especially our kids should not have to suffer because the city has no leadership. Banks is all we have for baseball. It might not be much to an outsider but we keep beating cities with better fields and better facilities. And we have more people coming to play in Margate who do not live In Margate (Thank you for your Support) than we have Margate players going to play elsewhere. It is what it is �WE ARE A DAMN GOOD LEAGUE. Ask yourself this question. Where would you go to practice with your kids if this takes place? Margate does not have a lot of public parks. What a shame that the City wants to take away a positive outlet from our youth. __________________________________________ Just to add a few other questions/observations to this situation. Big League Dreams Parks charge an admittance fee to spectators entering the facility. Depending on the location the entrance fee can run as high as $5 per person. In the first 6 months of this year Margate recreation baseball played 283 games at the Banks Sorts Complex (per their posted schedule on their website). Assuming an average of 10 players on the teams for each game, 2 teams per game equals 20 players. BLD states the players are not charged an entrance fee, but what about their parents? 2 parents per player (we won�t include siblings for this example) equals 40 people per game X $5 = $200 per game. $200 per game X 283 games = $56,600 the residents of Margate will have to pay to watch their kids play baseball & softball. Add to that expense spectators are not allowed to bring in refreshments, coolers etc� the only refreshments available are through BLD�s concessions etc� So if you want refreshments you can expect to pay for them on site. Remember that was only the first 6 months. These figures do not include any practice time on these fields nor does it include games played by the post season All-stars or Margate travel teams. It also does not include the upcoming 6 months and the Fall Ball season games. Big League Dreams Parks promote Softball tournaments as portion of their activities. If a deal is worked out to accommodate the Margate youth baseball league it is conceivable to find kids playing on 1 or 2 fields and adult softball playing on the 3rd. Big League Dreams parks in other parts of the country sell beer during the games. Does this mean we can expect beer being sold during youth baseball games? Who provides security during these events? Big league Parks? Margate police? If it�s Margate Police, how will we pay for the extra expense? Will we need traffic control? Will that traffic control mean additional traffic lights or more police? Who pays for that? What about parking? The parking lot is small and frequently fills up during the youth baseball games. Where will the over flow park? Will it be in the parking areas of the local businesses? Will there be additional parking built? Who will pay for that? If we have to have this, instead of building the Big League Dreams Park on the Banks sorts complex location, why not build it on the former swap shop location owned by the city at 441 and Margate Blvd? There is plenty of room and there is parking across the street. Why leave that lot sit empty? If building this Big League Dreams Park is that profitable to the city it would be the sensible conclusion. Why take away use of city fields already in place and being used by the residents of the city year after year. - Marty, Margate resident __________________________________________ http://www.margatenews.net/margatenews/news/articles/article832.asp I would have preferred the term special use lanes and not toll lanes. We are not considerimg tolls. We are only looking at potential congestion pricing or user fee for this new service. The new lanes would be free to hov, hybrids, electric cars and transit. The idea is to develop a tranit system that can compete with the car. The bigest draw back for existing transit is convenience and speed (not so much the actual travel speed but less station delay, congestion and intersection delays). Hopefully we can develop something that makes transit more conveniant and faster than the car. - Gregor Senger, FDOT __________________________________________http://www.margatenews.net/margatenews/news/articles/article805.asp A fellow unit owner emailed me your article, "Is your condominium or homeowners association being taken by board attorneys?", and in light of the recent violations that I, and another fellow condo unit owner (and board member) reported to the Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation, Division of Florida Condominiums, Timeshares, and Mobile Homes, regarding how our Association has no financial records from 2009 to present, exercised election fraud, and restricted unit owners access to accounts receivable ledgers--reading your article, taken by board attorneys, sums it up. Additionally, the board's registered agent, Charles Otto, is a good friend of the investigator in the Division (which recognized the no financials violation and issued a warning letter to the Association). Also, the board attorney knows how to keep an incompetent President in power and who also has her children (two men in their 40s with no contractor licenses but felony convictions each) work for the Management company that eludes questions concerning financials and goes against honest unit owners who run for the board. (Prior to Otto, Springcrest's former registered agent was represented by Katzman, Garfinkel & Berger, mentioned in your article). In December 2010, ninety-nine unit owners signed a petition to recall the Board, but the arbitrator accepted a policy imposed by the Board to discount 28 votes due to 90 day delinquencies. On May 3, 2011, the Division ordered to cancel the May 10th election; however, since the investigator was a friend of the Board attorney, the Board decided to ignore the letter and had the "fatally flawed" election. In spite of this, as aforementioned, the Division recognized (due to the Association Attorney's admission) that there are no financials from 2009 to present. On May 27th, I had a meeting to review records and was blatantly denied ledgers; conversely, I noticed an account statement of the current Secretary being in arrears of over $700 dollars. Hence, I made another complaint to the Division (which is currently pending). Ironically, yesterday however, I did receive a phone call message from Elegant Homes Property Management saying I can set a time to come by their office to get copies of whatever documents I had requested (over a month later). In conclusion, your article is right on target. Unfortunately, as you had eluded in your article, my condo's Association Attorney (as well as certain Association members and the management company) has divided neighbors in addition to foreclosing more condo units in order to make more profit. Also, some selective Board members may gain financially (but uncovering the evidence is difficult) especially if a condo owner does not know the Florida Statutes that are violated. - Springcrest Condo Owner __________________________________________ Re Mr. Drummond's article about HOA/CA attorneys: Jack, You are so far off the mark it's not even funny. I am in my 6th year of being on Boards, 5 at a condo and now on an HOA. You have no idea what it's all about unless you walk in my or other Board member's shoes. "Well informed board members doing the legal footwork"? Get real. We are up to our asses in free time given of our lives, living and breathing the Association and now you want us amateurs to go to the courthouse on our own dime and try and litigate these cases? You are living in a fantasy land! Plus, you want to incite our 330 owners to each contact us to show them line items on attorney's bills? Do you volunteer your time to help us fulfill the man-hours that would require since you are so "concerned"? I better stop because I'm getting fired up. In the future, actually know a little about a subject before you portray yourself as an expert. - President Paradise Gardens Phase 3 HOA, Margate __________________________________________ http://www.margatenews.net/margatenews/news/articles/article793.asp The article regarding MYBL states that they (the league) is trying �to upright self after two treasurers steal more than 100k� however, the time to have done that was when the first treasurer paid back all the money that had been taken prior to his trial/sentencing. The league should have considered themselves lucky to have recouped the money and at that time implemented procedures to prevent this from happening again. The league and its board members should take partial responsibility for what has happened to the kids and their supporters due to their inability to be proactive. [italic] - Anonymous[/italic] __________________________________________ http://www.margatenews.net/margatenews/news/articles/article786.asp There is a softer side to David Elder than what is being portrayed in the Media, wrote a Margate Resident and Margate Baseball League family member in an anonymous email to MargateNews.net. The reader references Elder�s criminal history of DUI (Driving under the influence) and drug paraphernalia charges reported in a WSVN 7 news story that was published after MargateNews.net broke the story of Elder�s arrest for embezzling some $84,000 from the Margate Youth Baseball League. �Also, in terms of your sensationalism of his criminal history,� writes the reader, �he has PASSED background checks with the league. Digging into driving infractions? For real?� [linkstart href=http://www.margatenews.net/margatenews/news/articles/article786.asp [linkclose]Read more�[/linkend] __________________________________________http://www.margatenews.net/margatenews/news/articles/article790.asp Just a response to the article on Dave elder the last treasurer to make a bad decision. I read an article that someone wrote in favor of Dave and it gave me a sigh of relief. Although what he has done is wrong not everyone knows the otherside of him,. It kills me that his wife and kids are suffering so much. Everyone seems to forget all of the good the Elder family has done for our league and community. He is a terrific family man and I love him and his family so much. Get all the facts before you judge and remember his family has also been suffering. No body had a problem taking his money when he was doing good. You don't have to agree with what he has done but don't forget the good he has done also. [italic]- Shadow27[/italic] __________________________________________http://www.margatenews.net/margatenews/news/articles/article794.asp I have been reading the MargateNews.net for some time now and have always found it to be a most informative publication. It has been particularly helpful to me, as I have always had a great interest in Margate's history, but now find myself 800 miles away where, as you can imagine, Margate events don't get much coverage in our local papers. About five years ago, there was a debate in the Margate City Council chambers over whether the soon-to-be-published History of Margate should be simply a feel-good, PR-type publication or a genuine history, warts and all. Happily the latter view won out, for clearly the fact that some bad things have happened in Margate's history in no way detracts from the great many accomplishments of the city since its inception. The city's greatness does not lie in its never having experienced difficulties, but rather in that it has faced and overcome these difficulties. In the city's 50-plus years, there have been some sad moments, many happy moments, some quirky things, and some things that were so quirky as to be downright funny. But I can't think of any events during all those years where the city's citizens were confronted with as great a test of their tolerance and true Americanism as they are facing right now, with regard to the MJAM Mosque issue. The outside groups coming in to spread hatred (and except for the police presence, probably violence as well) have no place in Margate, and it is my fervent hope that local church groups, civic leaders, and everyone else of good will in the city will renounce them for what they are: Un-American, unpatriotic, and certainly ungodlike. Isn't it ironic how groups supporting the most despicable doctrines try to distort their true nature. Thus Americans Against Hate is the name given to a group promoting hate, and the Worldwide Christian Center and Christian Church of All Nations both preach a gospel that Christ would condemn in no uncertain terms. Keep up the good work � your reference to McCarthyism was right on the mark! Respectfully, Bill Cahill __________________________________________http://www.margatenews.net/margatenews/news/articles/article778.asp When I am in Florida in winters, I have been to Bella Cibo many times since it opened. The food is really quite good, especially compared with most other Margate area restaurants. Locals are just not supporting the place from my vantage point. The prices are very very good, and so many offers are available for those who want or need to spend far less than the regular menu prices. If they fail, that's another nail in the coffin of any successful redevelopment. If they are allowed to stay and have their books audited by MCRA to make sure all the money is in fact being accounted for, maybe they could survive to help the revival. As for the other tenants, they surely have a beef though.... Tough to find a solution that works for everyone. - William Brooke __________________________________________http://www.margatenews.net/margatenews/news/articles/article769.asp In response to [linkstart href=http://www.margatenews.net/margatenews/news/articles/article761.asp[linkclose]"Red Light Cameras Hitting Margate Streets"[/linkend] I believe the city thinks the red light cameras will be a cash cow. And that's probably all the cameras will be, a cash cow. They will NOT make people observe the light. The city needs to program traffic lights so traffic can travel smoothly through the city. - Donald E. Haugen, Lights by H & H Industries __________________________________________http://www.margatenews.net/margatenews/news/articles/article768.asp The market study for Margate in your story today is correct in it�s conclusion that multi-family rental in one of the only viable development/investment options in the market: for today. [linkstart href=http://www.margatenews.net/margatenews/news/articles/article763.asp[linkclose]Read story.[/linkend] However; rental housing development should NOT be allowed to go forward on the best portion of the land assembled by CRA where the Margate community plans to create a sense of place with mixed-uses and if it does lead investment, it will be isolated from any support retail/restaurants within walking distance-right idea wrong time and wrong location! This is not Placemaking nor conclusive to market presence/attraction for other uses.  [linkstart href=http://www.margatenews.net/margatenews/news/article_files/article_file112.pdf[linkclose]Learn more about Place-making[/linkend]  [linkstart href=http://newurbannetwork.com/article/retrofitting-suburbia-state-art-14716[linkclose]Read �Retrofitting Suburbia: the State of the Art�[/linkend] Rental units should come with other uses or the CRA/City should wait for the market to recover and rental housing should NOT be built in any significant numbers on the old Swap Shop site! Can you say �Cherry Picking�? Build rental above shops or not at all on that land-all of it! That�s the plan and the CRA/City needs to hold fast to the plan or conduct public hearings to get the message loud and clear-that would be easy-ask US/the citizens! This is our town and plans should not be changed simply because the market is stagnant!!! Maybe a new RFP should be issued for the whole site? Conditions have changed and more than one bidder will come forward next time the opportunity is offered-all developers are structuring new deals now! Watch, next it will be the plea that �because subsidy funding is available� and margins of profit limited that it is necessary that those rentals be �affordable� housing. While for 30 years of professional public planning and investment I do advocate-I do not think this should happen in City Center! Ya just don�t marry the first girl at the dance that says yes when you ask her to dance!!! I agree with Mayor Donovan and Commissioner Peerman; they are right on-point. Stick with the vision. - J. Gary Rogers, Executive Director of CRA | Community Redevelopment Lauderdale Lakes __________________________________________http://www.margatenews.net/margatenews/news/articles/article759.asp In keeping with what has become the tradition of the blogger format of MargateNews.net in printing unconfirmed stories and letters without getting the City side of the issue I feel it necessary to respond to the story [linkstart href=http://www.margatenews.net/margatenews/news/articles/article758.asp[linkclose] "Why is Margate vacant?"[/linkend] What is clear, is that Mr. Wilson, the owner of Dudley Holdings, convinced the City Planner that the repossession business that was going to go in his very building should be a violation of the code as he did not want that use as a permitted use. (He had contracted away his right to control any lawful use to his tenant.) He thereafter, knowing that the City determined the use was a violation, had his sub-tenant, the repossession business, ignore the determination of the City and allowed the business on his property. Upon notification that the City would enforce the City Code based upon the clear violation, Wilson hired a high priced law firm in an attempt to simply defy the laws of the City. All of this is laid out in the [linkstart href=http://www.margatenews.net/margatenews/news/article_files/article_file109.pdf[linkclose] attached letter[/linkend] of February 17, 2010 (five months before the Special Magistrate hearing to decide this matter) Eugene Steinfeld City Attorney cc: City Commission City Manager __________________________________________http://www.margatenews.net/margatenews/news/articles/article756.asp I am always thankful when a program steps in to do the right thing. I live off Winfield in a house my mother left to me. She unfortunately died young due to cancer so needless to say I am not old or lower income but choose to live in the house due to sentimental reasons. I have always disliked the neighborhood due to fact not much has ever been done to the area or the fact only about 25% actually take pride and fix up their homes- but I just love this little house. I have probably one of the nicest houses by far due to fixing it up the way I want so I can live in it. Therefore, I LOVE to see when others fix up and not offer to low income or section 8 it makes for a promising future for this area. There are still parts which could be cleaned up but a step in the right direction. I�d like to thank the program for buying the little house on my block featured in your story. I think that�s really great! No one is in there yet but keeping my fingers crossed for someone nice. We need more people & programs to care like this and start fixing and helping this little area of Winfield blvd have a nice future and not go downhill for others to ruin. - Traci Cautela, Homeowner __________________________________________http://www.margatenews.net/margatenews/news/articles/article757.asp Saw your article on the city purchasing and refuburshing 12 homes and was outraged at the waste of my tax dollars and your reporting of just the party line. If you do the math, the city spent 2 million to get back about 1.2 million (before costs of sale). Yea, its great if you are one of the fortunate to win the home lottery but if you don't you just have to wonder about the waste. Yet all you "report" is the city's bureaucratic groupspeak. - John Brekka __________________________________________http://www.margatenews.net/margatenews/news/articles/article746.asp  Marilyn Gerber - Commissioner Coconut Creek  Our heart and prayers go out to the Tobin Family - Frank and Rachel Talerico  I was so sorry to learn that Jack had passed away. I send my heartfelt condolences to Leslie and the entire Tobin family. He was such an energetic "life force" and will be missed by many. Arlene Lakin, Esq.  Jack Tobin is a very well known name and he will be missed very much. He was like and loved in Margate. We deeply send our condolences and prayers to him and his family. Rest in Peace. Tony Finno and family.  Frank & Delores Schwartz  We are standing on a dock next to a great ship. As it leaves the dock, we feel a great sense of loss, for it is a great ship. As we watch the ship sail away, it gets smaller and smaller against the horizon. Eventually, the ship disappears, and someone behind us says, "There! He�s gone!� But, as someone says he is gone, on the other side of the horizon, someone says, "There! He comes!" And that is dying. Our deepest, heartfelt, condolences. Rene and Michel Chamberlain  Sandra Becker PO Box 936176 Margate ,Fl. 33093  I have known Jack Tobin since his first run for the Legislature and have long admired his contribution to our community. He will be missed. Coral Springs Vice Mayor, Claudette Bruck  We will all miss Jack. He was truly a dedicated public servant in the best sense of that phrase. He was one of the first officials whom I met when I came to Florida and was always accessible and caring. My condolences to his wife, Leslie and his children and grandchildren. I know you will all have treasured memories.  I knew Jack for over thirty years. He was the one who got me involved in the city of Margate and various charitable organizations (Kiwanis and Alzheimers and Senior Center). He was the driving force behind the Alzheimer's Center. He was always there for Margate and was remarkable in that if you asked him a question or called him with a problem, he would take care of it and always return your call. He has a fantastic family (wife Leslie) and great kids (David and Loren) whom he was very proud of. We will miss you Jack. You were one in a million. Commissioner Frank Talerico  WE WILL MISS YOU JACK !  a truly good, and honest man  I am in shock at Jack's passing...He was instrumental in helping with different issues with my business...He will be sorely missed.. __________________________________________http://www.margatenews.net/margatenews/news/articles/article743.asp The responses from the Signs101 Forum were mostly negative to the presence of the human signs. Most of these guys are not from areas as diverse as South Florida and appreciate the more dignified approach most communities take to signage. I think Margate's decision to eliminate pole signs was a mis-step and businesses are struggling to find ways to steer customers in. I think it's very hard to find an address, let alone explore a business driving down SR7 in traffic behind the bus and trucks. The setbacks and foliage make it hard to see signs on buildings and something is needed near the road. I hope Margate appoints a task force to study the problem and find a solution that repaires the damage done 10 years ago. - Marc Sitkin, digitalmomentum, llc. [linkstart href=http://www.margatenews.net/margatenews/news/articles/article739.asp[linkclose]Read Article[/linkend] ___________________________________________http://www.margatenews.net/margatenews/news/articles/article742.asp Why does the CRA continue to give these places breaks with their rent. The amount of $1500 a month is a joke and nowhere near market price. The CRA is not there to fork out continued rent concessions for places to survive, if the product and service was good they should be thriving by now, so now it�s costing the CRA city and tax payers money to keep this and other places open. I did not think that the CRA was a charity - Peter Milton [linkstart href=http://www.margatenews.net/margatenews/news/articles/article741.asp[linkclose]Read Article[/linkend] __________________________________________http://www.margatenews.net/margatenews/news/articles/article710.asp Carole Morris presented the city with a check for $6,000 in March Regarding the presentation by Carole S. Morris of the South Florida Water Management on water usage during the dry season. In general I find it disappointing when the Margate City Commission allows guest speakers on the public payroll to speak and run without taking questions from reporters and public in attendance. South Florida Water Management is an appointed hydraulic empire that rules over us without the consent of the governed. We are expected to accept their water regulations under threat of even greater draconian measures because we can't be trusted to properly use the very water we pay for. If the dry season means we can only water our lawns or wash our cars no more than two or three times a week, telling us should be enough. We're grownups, trust us, don't threaten us with fines and rationing. I fail to see how restricting water usage to certain days of the week serves any purpose other then to point out who is to be fined. In reality we should get to decide when it is convenient to wash our car and water our lawn based on our days off, etc. We are losing our freedoms incrementally bit by bit as these sucker ordinances are passed. Yes there may be some who simply don't care, or don't know because they don't happen to read the print media where official notices are posted or share a common water meter and therefore don't see the city's messages on their water bills. It is a waste of city resources to track down individual water wasters when there are so many other bigger fish to fry. The elephant at the commission meeting was the question, exactly what are we saving the water for? Our county leaders stand poised to issue building permits to see our population doubling in the near future, yet we don't have enough water today! I think any four year old can understand this problem, they can't both exist at the same time. Our guest Carole Morris presented the city with a check for $6,000. toward installing low water usage spray heads in restaurant dish washing areas. What we weren't told was how much money Margate has lost in water sales because Margate sells water to Margate and Coconut Creek residents for a profit we use to maintain the water system, repair roads and other local uses. We need to sell as much water as our customers need. - Margate resident and former commission candidate, Robert Perkis [linkstart href=http://www.margatenews.net/margatenews/news/articles/article717.asp[linkclose]Read Story[/linkend] __________________________________________ http://www.margatenews.net/margatenews/news/articles/article698.asp "Insiders say", "they say", "some in the department say"; seriously Mitch? You spoke to me and I told you that I was told Westbrook retired. To imply that I or any of the other Commissioners did not know that is both insulting and untrue, since you had the information from at least 1 commissioner. As to the reason; as I said, I do not know, nor do I believe it was something I needed to know for the reasons I stated to you. I was informed by a person who had a name, Frank Porcella, who is in charge of the employees, not a "some" or "an insider" or even a "they". As a Commissioner, I am not allowed to interfere with the day to day dealings with employees - per the Charter. As for a retirement party, I did ask what we did for people who took the buy out, and was told that usually the department does something for the employee. I work for the School Board and people retire all the time. They retire early for whatever reason they may have, some have a party; some just leave. As for your reader opinion, I think the only one trying to besmirch Gary's reputation may be The Margate News and the "insiders", "they", and "some" that have been used as sources. Gary Westbrook has served the city well and I wish him nothing but the best in his retirement. Commissioner Le Peerman __________________________________________http://www.margatenews.net/margatenews/news/articles/article697.asp I find it appalling that they, whoever they are, can do this to Garry. I have lived in Margate for 40 years and I worked as a nurse in Margate General Hospital for 8 years and am now employed at Northwest going on 26 years. I remember all of Garry's fine accomplishments and all the other hardworking guys. What is the matter with these people? I believe they are threatened with his impeccable work to which few can hold a candle. Boy, politics can destroy somebody. I just want to commend Garry on a fantastic job and he should have every right to honorably be able to retire. - Caroline Lawhorn __________________________________________http://www.margatenews.net/margatenews/news/articles/article686.asp My Aunt and Uncle lived off Rock Island Road and I constantly used it to get to their home in Margate. When I was on the B.C. Bike/Ped Advisory Board from 1998-2000, we discussed this sidewalk project. I�m glad to see it became a reality. Although: I�m a frequent walker and bicycle rider. This sidewalk looks very nice but I would choose the STRAIGHT sidewalk on the opposite side of the street and UNFORTUNATELY close to the traffic. Walking next to traffic is NEVER FUN so Why? Well, if I�m trying to walk several miles, I don�t want to spend the time following the curves. Why do people who seldom walk get to destroy the functionality of sidewalks all over the country by building them in a fashion that people don�t walk? Curvy! In order to ENCOURAGE walking, we should be building them as FUNCTIONAL as possible AND away from the traffic as I will admit this sidewalk is. Note: If there is ever any bicycle traffic on the curvy sidewalk, let�s say a �fair� along Rock Island Road, people won�t be able to bicycle ride. #1 � It appears 4 or 5 feet and therefore too narrow. #2 � The riders will NOT be able maneuver past each other and will have to stop to get past each other. Parkland resident, Stuart Krantz __________________________________________http://www.margatenews.net/margatenews/news/articles/article664.asp The 26th amendment (granting the right to vote for 18 year-olds) took only 3 months & 8 days to be ratified! Why? Simple! The people demanded it. That was in 1971...before computers, before e-mail,before cell phones, etc. Of the 27 amendments to the Constitution, seven (7) took 1 year or less to become the law of the land...all because of public pressure. If everyone who reads this message sends it to20 people then in three days, most people in the United States of America will have it. This is one idea that really should be passed around. Congressional Reform Act of 2011 1. Term Limits. 12 years only, one of the possible options below.. A. Two Six-year Senate terms B. Six Two-year House terms C. One Six-year Senate term and three Two-Year House terms 2. No Tenure / No Pension. A Congressman collects a salary while in office and receives no pay when they are out of office. 3. Congress ( present & future) participates in Social Security. All funds in the Congressional retirement fund move to the Social Security system immediately. All future funds flow into the Social Security system, and Congress participates with the American people. 4. Congress can purchase their own retirement plan, just as all Americans CITIZENS do. 5. Congress will no longer vote themselves a pay raise. Congressional pay will rise by the lower of CPI or 3%. 6. Congress loses their current health care system and participates in the same health care system as the American citizens . 7. Congress must equally abide by all laws they impose on the American people. 8. All contracts with past and present Congressmen are void effective 9/1/11. The American people did not make this contract with Congressmen Congressmen made all these contracts for themselves. Serving in Congress is an honor, not a career. The Founding Fathers envisioned citizen legislators, so ours should serve their term(s), then go home and back to work. If each person contacts a minimum of twenty people then it will only take three days for most people (in the U.S. ) to receive the message. Maybe it is time. THIS IS HOW YOU FIX CONGRESS!!!!! If you agree with the above, copy, paste and email. - Joe Martin __________________________________________http://www.margatenews.net/margatenews/news/articles/article662.asp I followed the special election for Margate's (seat #3) City Commissioner's race very closely and supported one of Le Peerman's opponents, Brian Donahue. Gracious in defeat, I congratulated Ms. Peerman and was convinced the City made the best choice...for the city. As I continued to follow the press of the special election, I was appalled that this article was written regarding her sexuality and the �supposed� precedent set of being a lesbian Commissioner. The outright ignorance even writing that on paper makes my skin crawl in utter disgust. Ms. Peerman is now a Commissioner. It�s just that simple. I'd love to ask the obvious questions of why is this important to Margate residents and what does this have to do with �ANYTHING�. But I'm afraid I may get a dissertation about my own sexuality as an answer. Hetero for the record. What is most upsetting is authoring and giving credence to anyone that thinks overcoming sexuality stereotypes is landmark in today's political society when it simply has no tangible relevance to qualifications and job performance. Apparently you do Mitchell. What journalistic credentials have you served my City here. What information other than personal about Ms. Peerman have you given to those who may have not had it? Overall and overwhelming that answer to those questions is the same as the value and weight I give your piece. Nothing! I�ve been to the last 4 or 5 Commissioners meetings and see many other stories that serve the public in light of this historic and special election. For example, you supported Rich Popovich as one of your 6 viable candidates. Based on what? If you�re so forward thinking to write an expose� on the groundbreaking discovery of Ms. Peerman�s sexuality, where were you on giving the residents the facts on Popovich�s antics at every City Commission meeting. Regular attendees do not see him as a concerned citizen. He comments on virtually every issue with contempt for every sitting member. He uses (wastes) all time allocated to him for public comment to spout a singular solution (His) and never stays within the framework of the debate. With all kindness to his delusional impression of being �part of� he is a disruption at best and more fitted for �a joke�. That would take some real journalistic fortitude on your part to tell that story, but let's not play he said/she said. The audio transmissions of the City Council meetings are online and available to listen. I challenge anyone to listen too and not tell me Rich Popovich is nothing but self-serving vs. concerned citizen than ask yourself why isn't the Margate News writing about that. The Margate news missed a real oppurtunity here and in my case you lost a loyal follower of your column(s) about local politics. Here's what you needed to say and the oppurtunity you missed: The story of Le Peerman's election to Arthur Bross' seat #3 was about overcoming the stereotype Ms. Peerman has had to fight in her failed (last) 3 attempts to serve our City. The story of Le Peerman is a story about persistance and never giving up...NO MATTER WHAT. No matter what they say or do, YOU GET BACK UP AND FIGHT! The story of Le Peerman is doing a job in spite of the prejudices she faced and still served the public without the grandiosity of the Commissioner's title. Le Peerman, on behalf of all Margate citizens who actually live in the real world, I thank you for your service and congratulate you on your win. You are an example to not only the children but to all of us of what to do and how to do it when you really want something. I'd also like to apologize to you for both the ignorance and petulance of this article which was written regarding your sexuality and the irrelevant precedent of your victory last Tuesday. I look incredibly forward to you taking oath Thursday, it is a day long overdue. - Tom Coccia __________________________________________ http://www.margatenews.net/margatenews/news/articles/article661.asp I followed the special election for Margate's (seat #3) City Commissioner's race very closely and supported one of Le Peerman's opponents, Brian Donahue. Gracious in defeat, I congratulated Ms. Peerman and was convinced the City made the best choice...for the city. [linkstart href=http://margatenews.net/margatenews/news/articles/article661.asp [linkclose]Read more...[/linkend] __________________________________________http://www.margatenews.net/margatenews/news/articles/article659.asp How sweet it is to turn 105. Happy Birthday to "BILLY SMITH". God bless her and give her many more "young years". [linkstart href=http://www.margatenews.net/margatenews/news/articles/article653.asp [linkclose]Read story[/linkend] __________________________________________http://www.margatenews.net/margatenews/news/articles/article637.asp As a supporter of Rick Popovic, I understand what [linkstart href=http://www.margatenews.net/margatenews/news/articles/article618.asp[linkclose]Mr. Kostick[/linkend] means from the FOP. The City is top heavy with large salaries not proportionate to their qualifications or extent of their Duties, starting with the Commissioners. Coral Springs Commissioners only receive $15,000. and no insurance benefits or pension. Commissioners are not City employees and they don't pay union dues. Coral Springs Commissioners also have a four year/two term limit. They also require that the Mayor run separately, not appointed by fellow Commissioners. We need a strong candidate with common sense with the knowledge of the Commission workings who will stand up and take action on the Commission without any conflicts of interest or personal agendas. We need Rick Popovic who will move to take a serious objective reevaluation to make changes so people are paid commensurate to their jobs and achievements. Perhaps an non-partisan civilian commission. I noticed too that the candidates data reported in the Forum had a continuing theme of the bad image Margate has. I have lived in Margate for seven years and as a business owner, former City Council member, in CT, and accountant, I have to agree. - Robert Fedak __________________________________________http://www.margatenews.net/margatenews/news/articles/article629.asp I am writing to express my extreme displeasure at the FOP policy of only interviewing candidates that contact them first. We were supposed to know this, how? Lucky for me this policy will likely backfire as their choice of candidate has yet (to my knowledge) to reach out to voters. I'm guessing the FOP's decision was based on votes for this candidate's position on the HOA board. As this vote could include condo owners who may not be legally allowed to vote in this state or country the strategy is flawed. I was proud to respond to the PBA questionnaire and was interviewed by the IAFF. In my opinion it is the responsibility of all candidates to make themselves available to the voting public. At no point did I get the impression of a quid pro quo offer. Of course any interview can branch off one way or the other as topics develop. My approach was straight arrow, never promised anything beyond gratitude for their assistance. Your point is valid, not everyone votes. However, I'd like to think a higher percentage of municipal employees vote and there are police and firefighters who work in other cities who live in Margate and vote. It is typical for union support to payoff at 1,000 to 1 so a $500 ad investment could return $500,000. improvement in salary and benefits when things go the union's way. There is always a shell game going on with salaries as benefits need to be included for the long term when compared to surrounding cities. Unions are always free to negotiate how benefits are funded if their members would rather have more pay in their pockets. We all pay about 20% more for everything due to unions and associations like the BAR and AMA in collusion with government and politicians. Not that pointing this out will change things. On the positive side, good unions have done a great deal to raise their membership into middle class while protecting their lives and health in the workplace. Margate citizens have good reason to be proud of their Police and Fire Rescue personnel. It is not in the best interest of Margate taxpayers to be the training City where Police and Fire Rescue personnel cut their teeth on the job only to move on to greener pastures. We need to pay our employees the prevailing wage and benefit package even if we all have to dig a little deeper because the alternative is not a pretty picture. The theory we can afford to lose our expensively trained personnel to other cities and cheapskate using newbies and castoffs with no reduction in quality is a pipe dream. Robert Perkis __________________________________________http://www.margatenews.net/margatenews/news/articles/article619.asp Hello, I am sixteen year old high school student who is taking journalism. I was surfing the web and came across [linkstart href=http://www.margatenews.net/margatenews/news/articles/article617.asp[linkclose]this article[/linkend]. I was curious about the "questionable" act of the firefighters chauffeuring santa around. I have done research of my own and found out a lot about the matter. The Margate firefighters have been doing the santa detail for well over sixteen years. The firefighters over a three day period hit multiple neighborhoods around the city and do this on their personal time as a selfless act. A firefighter dressed as santa listens to Christmas wishes of the children and the firefighters hand out candy canes and coloring books. The firefighters feel that this is a nice way to reach out and give back to the community especially to those in need. To take something positive like firefighters and santa and to spin it in to something negative, just baffles me. My journalism teacher is always emphasizing to us to be responsible journalists. I had found all of this information with a simple phone call to the fire station. And to pass off your own personal opinion as newsworthy news is very irresponsible. And also, is "Margate News" a news organization, or just an unprofessional blog? Thank-you for your time and patience. - Nicole Beaver __________________________________________http://www.margatenews.net/margatenews/news/articles/article618.asp I have followed many of your articles over the past year, but I have to reply to your lastest regarding the union endorsement article. I cannot speak on behalf of the fire department however I can for the police union. Our focus, which was expressed to each candidate that requested to speak with us, was what was best for Margate. We looked at what plans each candidate had for business expansion within the city and what ways the candidate would control spending. We looked at how the candidate planned on bringing in businesses to generate additional tax dollars. I am tired of being lumped in with the "what you called greedy employees of Margate." The police department continued to have step plan increases over the past four years. However, a 3% raise was negated by a 3.25% insurance rate hike. The police union, which you say is greedy, has not gotten a COLA raise in three years. We have negotiated with the City in a positive stance and have recognized that the City is in a financial crisis. Therefore, we have taken a backseat over the past three years in order to help the City rebound. I would like you to do your research on topics before putting information out to people in order to facilitate your own agenda. I am not here to argue and I have talked to you on several occassions face to face. But I don't attack you and I would appreciate that you don't attack me or the other police officers that provide services to you and the rest of the citizens of Margate. Remember, the City of Margate Police Officers are the second lowest paid in Broward County. Creek makes 92,000 on average base salary. Springs is at 86,000 base salary. And what does the average Margate officer make? You should know. It's 69,000. You should direct your comments at the City Leaders because they are the ones spending tax dollars. You need to focus on areas other than the police department when you talk about wasteful spending. I am thankful that I have a job, but why shouldn't I get a raise when all the other City leaders are giving themselves one. I am all for equality across the board. The police union is not greedy, we just want things equal. Right now it isn't that way. We are tired of the lies just like you are. Don't slam us in your articles. We don't deserve it. It's bad enough that everyone hates the police and people don't care about us at all. I want a better Margate and so does the Union I represent. An endorsement is not a back door silent agreement or bribe Mitch. It is our way of backing the views of a candidate. Remember, candidates came to us for endorsements and not the other way around. Even if someone we endorse does not get elected to office there are candidates that we support that will bring change to Margate. Our endorsement is not a secret agreement with a candidate. I only wanted to set the record straight. Respectfully, Paul E. Kostick, on behalf Of the Margate Lodge 75 Fraternal Order of Police __________________________________________ http://www.margatenews.net/margatenews/news/articles/article605.asp Will MargateNews.net begin to have other sections similar to Jewish News. Will there be a Catholic News section? Not everyone in Margate is Jewish therefore do not care to read Jewish News and what does a Boynton Beach synagogue have to do with Margate? __________________________________________http://www.margatenews.net/margatenews/news/articles/article587.asp I like what Robert Perkis had to say to Margate News. I like his thoughts on the sign law and code enforcement. It would be funny though that the city made all these business owners spend thousands of dollars to change their signs and now they�re going to tell them that they can put back the old signs. Got a permit installed a sign, city changed law so got a demolition permit put down old sign got new permit installed new sign, now you need a demolition permit to take the sign back down and another permit to install the old sign back (that looked better) Is this a joke? Who is making the money here? Do not get me wrong I agree with Robert that South Florida including Margate is not business friendly. I also totally agree with Mr. Robert on the Code enforcement. It has become ridiculous; the city is trying to make money from fines. We are in the United State after all and people should NOT forget : The Eighth Amendment (Amendment VIII) to the United States Constitution is the part of the United States Bill of Rights which prohibits the federal government from imposing excessive bail, excessive fines (excessive is key here) or cruel and unusual punishments. I�ve heard of resident getting fined for home upkeep and the bill with interest goes to the thousands. Take that to court and see who loses. And this brings me to the nest comment. Call Center to bring 500 Jobs to Margate: Amazing news for Margate. And glad that the CRA gave them some grand to renovate the property. Even though the landscape limit is $4000.00 they thought about it and gave then $25,000.00. I think it�s great. I think the city should think like this and make similar moves like this to attract more employers in the city. But I wanted people to know one thing about this comment �MCRA improvement grants are funded largely by the incremental tax revenues of MCRA properties and not by Margate taxpayers.� Incremental tax is taxpayer�s money, incremental tax is the difference between the frozen tax (when CRA was formed 10-15 years ago) and today�s property tax on specific area. So if an area was paying 100,000.00 10 years ago in property tax to the city and today the same area pays $150,000.00, $50,000.00 goes to the CRA and $100,000.00 goes to the City budget. So when the City manager announces the City has 4 million dollar shortfall ask yourself how much did the CRA got in incremental taxes. Well then, is it taxpayer money or not? Besides look at the key word here: �MCRA improvement grants are funded largely by the incremental tax revenues of MCRA properties and not by Margate taxpayers� Tax revenue, if it�s not taxpayer money whose tax money is it? Does the city tax aliens that we do not know about? When they say MCRA properties, do not be fooled and think the CRA has properties with income. It means the areas, that 10-15 years ago where put in a plan for redevelopment froze the taxes the city will collect and any increases would go to MCRA. The only properties that the MCRA has are properties like the Swap shop that do not pay any property tax since they are owned by the City. Anyway I just wanted to clarify that, I do applaud the CRA�s move though to give grants to attract needed employers in the city.. But let�s make sure who is funding this, it s not some alien entity that just pays taxes to the CRA, it is the People and businesses of Margate and it does affect the Margate taxpayer, it is the Margate taxpayer that funds the MCRA, and the MCRA should have a little more respect to the people that fund it. __________________________________________ http://www.margatenews.net/margatenews/news/articles/article555.asp Please do not rename Firefighter's Park after Arthur Bross. Leave it as it is! What will you do take down the statue of the firefighter's and replace it with a statue of Mr. Bross? Why even waste one cent on this terrible idea. We already have enough street, avenue and parks named after politicians. Let us continue to honor our fire fighter's with the park as we have been doing it. What a slap in the face to these wonderful men and woman! Enough of these politicians and their fool hardy ideas. - Resident __________________________________________http://www.margatenews.net/margatenews/news/articles/article545.asp  I met Mr. Bross several times at the chamber meetings. He was always pleasant and amicable to all. Sorry for your loss.  I am truly sorry for your loss. One thing is for sure, he is in a better place. It's a graduation to glory.  Our Deepest Condolences to the family of a Great Man. Arthur Bross will always be remembered for his kindness and love for always a better community. Doreen & Antonio Zappala Coral Gate Condos of Margate  My deepest sympathy for your loss. Coral Springs Vice Mayor, Claudette Bruck, from the Office of the City Clerk, City of Coral Springs  I will always remember Art as one of the people who helped guide both myself and many of the younger generation of Margate residents. I was honored to know and learn from him, and will carry some of his teachings for the rest of my life.  Thank you for sharing him with us. John D. Fry  May the peace of knowing he is with our Lord grant you the serenity you need to continue through life's journey. With all our prayers and respect, Wexford Day School 1800 Cathedral Drive Margate, Florida 33063, Miss Ivonne Delgado  Arthur was always a gentleman and will be missed. Sandy Becker, Sandy's Plaza Beth Agami, A Fitting Experience Mastectomy Shoppe  The Celestino's family send the condolences to the Family of Arthur J. Bross.  He will be missed, Roy Gold, Coral Springs City Commission.  Our sincere condolences for the family and loved-ones. With thanks to you A.J.Bross for your time, commitment and dedicated efforts. The, Sharkey's  I have lived in Margate for 35 years and have known all of the original commissioners please accept my condolences he will be missed. Caroline Lawhorn  Sorry to hear of Commissioner Bross' passing. He will be missed. Josiane Sampeur, Manager Extra Space Storage  Our deepest sympathy in your time of sorry. Ivor and Joyce Bryan - Margate  My prayers are with you. God Bless CarolAnn  I learned so much by watching and listening to Commissioner Bross the last 5 years. He will be missed. Thank you for your service and your love of Margate. My condolences to his family. Le Peerman  I don't know if Commissioner Bross always showed this when he was in "official" circumstances, but in the few casual times I met him, he was a very witty and intelligent man with a great sense of humor. My deepest sympathies to his family. Jan Hadden __________________________________________http://www.margatenews.net/margatenews/news/articles/article544.asp I think this is a bad idea because in today's horrible economy working for your city can be one way of securing stable employment in an otherwise unstable world. I've always thought one city mandate should be: in order to work for the city you have to live in the city. ...and I don't mean a high-and-mighty muckety muck moving in from out of town for some yuppie job. I've heard and read there are plenty of out of work people in all walks of life. I wonder who, if presented with the opportunity, would step up and fill these vacancies at a reasonable rate for their community. Does Margate have a few unemployed folks who might qualify as firefighters, policemen/women, water, public works and building department employees? Then, if you mount an effort to give local residents these jobs and they earn money to pay their mortgages, doesn't the personal bankrupcy, forclosure rate and abandonded properties go down? No, it won't be a cheap, easy fix like outsourcing - there will be training, positioning, and supervising involved. That could create additional jobs as well. But, in the end, you'd get a citizen responding to a community need and serving their city while having the capability of earning a viable living. This may equivocate to: give a man a fish, he eats for a day. Teach him how to fish, he will eat for life. With outsourcing, you're even taking the daily fish away. Please, don't. __________________________________________http://www.margatenews.net/margatenews/news/articles/article519.asp Please allow me to thank you for this very informative information. I routinely monitor news articles from the Florida Fire Chief's Assocation related to our industry, however, local media does not always enter their media streaming process. This information is appreciated as we continue to effectively manage our human resources. - Donald P. Widing, EFO, Fire Rescue Chief, Oakland Park __________________________________________ http://www.margatenews.net/margatenews/news/articles/article473.asp The PG III HOA had a meeting last week, did any one see a BIG problem here? They tried AGAIN to set up the Maintenance Board and it failed. The President over and over again made statements that were not true this was his special meeting, and it failed. The HOA sets moratoriums on things they are doing that are wrong in the Protective Covenants to make it right for them. The President , his wife the Secretary and the Treasurer all had a moratoriums set for their own use. Someone needs to contact the State of Florida and tell them what the HOA is doing and has done. __________________________________________http://www.margatenews.net/margatenews/news/articles/article467.asp What I have found is misrepresentation within the celltower application process by T-Mobile, which renders the application fraudulent with the intent to deceive. This is an area of legal research and discovery often left unaddressed in T-Mobile complaints. Best Regards, Jane Celltower [linkstart href=http://www.janecelltower.com/gpage.html[linkclose][Jane's website][/linkend] __________________________________________ http://www.margatenews.net/margatenews/news/articles/article466.asp More information about the biological effects of non-ionizing radiation from wireless technology is coming out every day. Enough is not being done by cities, counties, states and the Federal Government to protect us from the potentially devastating health and environmental effects. Through the 1996 telecommunications act the telecoms are shielded from liability and oversight. Initially cell phones were released with no pre-market safety testing despite the fact the Government and the Military have known for over 50 years that radio frequency is harmful to all biological systems (inthesenewtimes dot com/2009/05/02/6458/.). Health studies were suppressed and the 4 trillion dollar a year industry was given what amounts to a license to kill. On it's face, the 1996 telecommunications act is unconstitutional and a cover-up. Within the fine print city governments are not allowed to consider "environmental" effects from cell towers. They should anyway! It is the moral and legal obligation of our government to protect our health and welfare? Or is it? When did this become an obsolete concept? A cell tower is a microwave weapon capable of causing cancer, genetic damage & other biological problems. Bees, bats, humans, plants and trees are all affected by RF & EMF. Communities fight to keep cell towers away from schools yet they allow the school boards to install wi fi in all of our schools thereby irradiating our kids for 6-7 hours each day. Kids go home and the genetic assault continues with DECT portable phones, cell phones, wi fi and Wii's. A tsunami of cancers and early alzheimer's await our kids. Young people under the age of 20 are 420% more at risk of forming brain tumors (Swedish study, Dr. Lennart Hardell) because of their soft skulls, brain size and cell turn over time. Instead of teaching "safer" cell phone use and the dangers of wireless technology our schools mindlessly rush to wireless bending to industry pressure rather than informed decision making. We teach about alcohol, tobacco, drugs and safe sex but not about "safer" cell phone use. We are in a wireless trance, scientists are panicking while young brains, ovaries and sperm burns. - David Morrison / Portland OR __________________________________________ http://www.margatenews.net/margatenews/news/articles/article450.asp Margate Baseball is known for producing outstanding young ball players. This year is no exception, our Pony and Mustang All Star teams are headed to Texas to represent Margate in the Zone tournament. If these teams win, they will be headed to the Pony World Series. The City of Margate and the residents should be extremly proud of these young kids. Please visit margatebaseball.com to follow these young athletes on their conquest for a World Series Championship.The Pony division is made up of 13 and 14 year old boys. The Mustang division is made up of 9 and 10 year old boys. Please support them as we are a self funded organization and these kids deserve our attention. Matthew Knemeyer, President Margate Youth Baseball __________________________________________http://www.margatenews.net/margatenews/news/articles/article439.asp Why haven't we been notified by our HOA that we CAN park in the street? And is it fair to make overnight guests pay to park at the clubhouse? What about the people who were told to widen their driveways because they couldn't park in the street? Is it fair to them if this whole time they were legally allowed to park in the street? SOMETHING IS VERY WRONG HERE! SOMETHING HAS TO BEEN DONE WITH THIS MATTER! IT TIME TO REMOVE THE HOA. WE NEED HELP! - PG III Homeowner __________________________________________http://www.margatenews.net/margatenews/news/articles/article431.asp City cars should be used for CITY BUSINESS only. As a taxpayer, I greatly resent the police using city autos for private endeavours. Too often I have seen a Margate cop escorting his children to & from Margate Elementary School. Also observe cops going grocery shopping in their police car. ENOUGH IS ENOUGH !!! I have a hard enough time making my own car payments, insurance payments & buying gas. I resent doing the same with my tax dollars. The city could save tax dollars by ending the "free ride". Let the police ride their own cars back & forth to work & to run family errands. WAKE UP MARGATE........do something right for a change !!!!!!!!! __________________________________________http://www.margatenews.net/margatenews/news/articles/article430.asp As a parent, I can say there is enough time in a kid's life to do both. My two children growing up in Coconut Creek did sport and I made sure that their study did not suffer. I worked, came home at six and cooked. I set the table and put the television off for good communication. While we were eating, we discuss how their day in school went and made sure they had a good night rest. I went to all parents and teacher meeting, and on occasion just drop in their class to see how they were doing. I had no car and took the bus. It was not easy, my husband worked night shift. I am very proud of my two kids. Both finished high school and college. We, the parents, has to make sure that kids can accomplish both goals while they are growing up. With good support and good encouragement. The most important thing for a child is to make sure they grow up in a healthy environment and know who their friends are. There should be rules for week days and weekends at the proper age for each child. Technology is making it difficult for children to accomplish goals in life and it also make them lacks and less aggressive. - aidadam __________________________________________http://www.margatenews.net/margatenews/news/articles/article429.asp Margate City Hall decides to take advantage of the stricken economy and deplorable infrastructure in our community by installing red light cameras to further penalize cash strapped citizens instead of addressing the real problem. Truly remarkable decision Margate has made to spend more of our tax dollars on red light cameras while the real problem lies in the outdated and outmoded infrastructure that is plagued by light timers that are inoperable and ridiculous traffic light timing schemes that work against he average citizen on his or her way to work. This is in light of the fact that Pembroke Pines and other Broward Cities have now dismantled or placed a moratorium on installing any more of these devices due to reliability issues and false readings that erroneously target folks for simply turning right on red. Some communities in Florida such as Pensacola have outright banned the use of these devices, but our uneducated and provincial City Council Members have decided to ignore the other problems in surrounding communities and go for the quick revenue. Red Light Cameras have ended up costing cities much more in the long run because it created a brand new bureaucracy which is overwhelmed by disputed tickets and false positives. By taking advantage of our crumbling and decrepit traffic infrastructure and utilizing traffic studies that were more accurate 50 years ago, they have decided to treat the symptom and not the actual problem. When my wife and I moved here from California 8 years ago we were shocked at how bad the traffic light patterns were and seemed to contribute to the traffic problems, such as left turn lane signals that only stay green for 3 or 4 cars at time, when there is actually 10 or 12 cars waiting to turn. This is not only frustrating for a citizen that is now contemplating turning on the yellow light in order not to waste an additional 5 minutes at the light, but it creates unnecessary fuel waste and added carbon emissions. Traffic sensors in the ground obviously do not work, because those same citizens waiting to turn left have a view of a cross street with NO approaching cars or traffic. Instead of buying into this gimmick, why doesn't Margate address the real issues. Instead of targeting it's own citizens, why don't they implement a $1000 fine for littering? Crazy? not really, California has had strict littering fines in place for decades which has contributed millions to the states highway revenue. The only thing that is more frustrating than uneducated decisions made by people in power, is someone visiting from out of state using our roads and environment as a mobile landfill. This, among many other bad decisions Margate has made is why this citizen will be doing everything possible to get out of this town. Maybe Pembroke Pines would have been a better choice. - concerned resident Shelbster __________________________________________ http://www.margatenews.net/margatenews/news/articles/article422.asp We here in Margate thank and treasure the hard working guys and gals in the fire department. However, I�m a nurse and I would like a raise too but it�s not going to happen right now and we work double shifts, weekends and pick up slack as well because we are understaffed. Giving firefighters a raise at this time isn�t a fair way to resolve the issue of the budget in the city of Margate. Plus, as a single-family homeowner in the city, my taxes are high enough. Thank you, - Caroline Lawhorn __________________________________________http://www.margatenews.net/margatenews/news/articles/article419.asp I am a resident of this Community. Have you seen the other Communities and all the parking issues? This Community is clean and taken care of. This was written in the original Covenants. The City does maintain the Streets (and Not doing a good job at it).As far as issuing tickets the Police have not written one ticket in here for parking in the yellow lines. Maybe if they spent some time on Margate Blvd. and ticketing illegal parking we would not have a large deficit in the City? __________________________________________http://www.margatenews.net/margatenews/news/articles/article418.asp Firefighters want more money? And the department wants to buy a firetruck when the rest of us are broke? Will taxpayers be willing to buy me a new car too? The seniors did not get a cost of living nor did people that have pensions. What about the Family trying to make ends meet every day not every week anymore. And as far as the police, Why do we constantly BUY cars to replace the vehicles that they take home? You see them all over the place in the City. The officers are in regular dress clothes, they park the vehicles at their houses. They even go shopping and transport their family. The argument that the Community is safer is nonsense. This does not deter anything. Are we paying Insurance and Gas for them ? Have you purchased a vehicle, do you have any idea of the cost? How much would be saved if the Depts. stopped these expenses? I do not have anything given to me Do you ? - Margate Resident __________________________________________http://www.margatenews.net/margatenews/news/articles/article408.asp Since I was instrumental for getting the setback removed from corner houses maybe I should give you some facts on it. It took over 4 years to get the code changed, the commission did not just reject staff�s recommendations. I live on a corner lot so I am a tad more experienced as to the problems with the setback. Before you had to go before the board of adjustment to get a fence on the side yard further than the edge of your house. At that time the setback varied as to what the board would allow. Some were 7 ft some were 4ft some were 2ft there was no consistency. Now the unfair part of not allowing us to put a fence on our side yard is that it allowed open access to our yard to your "passing pedestrians" in which they seemed to think our side yards were their own personal bathrooms, garbage cans and dog run( I even had someone taking a nap under my tree once). Had the commission said that interior yards(houses next to ours) had to have a 2 ft area that pedestrians could use then it would have been fair. Having to landscape and irrigate a 2ft area that we did not want or need was an unnecessary expense and burden on us not to mention it took 2 ft of our yard away from us. The various setbacks that were given by the board of adjustment created all sorts of safety problems since someone could hide at the side of the fence and not be seen by the "passing pedestrians." Your number 2 picture is a perfect example of a safety problem since the two fences do not meet. Not allowing us to fence our side yards gave access to bedroom windows that interior lots did not have to deal with as your picture 3 shows. Your opinion of "landscaped" and someone else are going to differ. I could easily plant bougainvillea along the sidewalk and let the thorns solve my problems or you could plant " shrubbery" for them and maintain it since it is you that wants it not the homeowner. I believe the actual issue you have is the condition of the fences which is a code violation and has nothing to do with the setback. Fences should be maintained and if they are not they should be coded. Plain and simple. - Le, Peerman Margate Resident FYI The code stated that corner lots had to have a 15' setback on side yards nothing that the 15' could not be fenced in. For years the code was interpreted to mean no fences but it never actually said it. __________________________________________http://www.margatenews.net/margatenews/news/articles/article399.asp I just want to thank you for writing this article on 66th ave and 1st ct. I have lived in this neighborhood for 20 years, and have seen how much it truly changed for the worse. As a concerned resident I had thought of bringing this issue to the city hall once, but I never did. I'm glad someone did! I don't think the police is going to solve this problem since there are too many of these hoodlums hanging around here,but it will definitely serve as an awareness to the remaining few good residents in this neighborhood. Thanks Again! Danielle Hansen, Concerned Margate Resident. __________________________________________http://www.margatenews.net/margatenews/news/articles/article370.asp I was very dissapointed to see our commisioners raising the ambulance fees from the high way robbery fee of $ 700 to $1,000! The vast majority of people cannot afford the old fee, with our economy as it is who can afford this new fee? This is only one reason we need to vote everyone from the Mayor down OUT of city hall. My city official's disgust me. - Margate Resident __________________________________________http://www.margatenews.net/margatenews/news/articles/article373.asp After I read your[linkstart href=http://margatenews.net/margatenews/news/articles/article363.asp[linkclose] article [/linkend]it became readily apparent that you must not of actually read the bill titled "Broward Independent Fire District." If you had, you would have realized that "Broward County Government" had nothing to do with the "Broward Independent Fire District." Matter of fact, the only thing Broward County had in common with the bill is the name 'Broward' and the fact that in order to participate in the 'district' your governmental entity (i.e. municipality) must be geographically located within Broward County. While it would be extremely lengthy and verbose to explain in detail within this email the exact intent and design of the bill, I will give you a synopsis of what we are trying to accomplish. You may actually be surprised what this plan could actually do for the residents of Broward County, including Margate. I would love the opportunity to discuss with you this particular topic so that you can make a more informed report about the issue in the future. The "Broward Independent Fire District" (Local Law Bill) is designed to create a alternative funding mechanism to fund fire protection and emergency medical services - on a voluntary basis. There is no requirement that any municipality participate in the 'district.' The 'district' is designed to allow any governmental entity currently providing fire-rescue services to participate within 'a district' or 'sub-district' on a voluntary choice through a referendum vote by the residents within Broward County and then by the residents with the municipality considering the voluntary participation. The idea behind the bill was to provide a medium by which governmental entities currently providing fire-rescue services could voluntarily merge their services with neighboring cities, thereby creating a "quasi-regionalized fire-rescue system" that would reduce the redundancies within the system and the duplication of services that currently exist within all agencies providing fire protection and emergency medical services. One might not be aware of this but Broward County has 31 municipalities; 20 Fire-Rescue Departments (18 career - 2 volunteer); 14 dispatch / communication centers; almost 100 fire stations and over 2500 fire-rescue personnel throughout Broward County. This system design has created several redundancies and duplications of services that are costing taxpayers much more than is needed to provide an efficient fire-rescue service delivery system. I would be more than happy to present to you several examples of the duplications and redundancies if you would like. Furthermore, back in 2002 the residents of Broward County overwhelmingly supported an amendment to create a "Fire-Rescue Services Council" that was tasked with creating a plan to provide (1) closest unit response & (2) common communications. While we have improved in the area of communications, the 'common' part is still not seem-less and not all entities are participating. As far as the "closest unit response" - we still do not do this. Why? Again, I would be happy to explain this to you in complete detail if you would like the information. I would also like to point out that while the bill did create another "taxing authority / district," it contained a provision that required any participating governmental entity to reduce their "ad-valorem and non ad-valorem" millage rates by an equal or greater amount in order to off-set the millage rate of the 'district' (a.k.a. tax-swap provision). The idea of more than one entity creating a 'sub-district' with neighboring entities and in turn sharing the cost of delivering the service to the residents of those areas and decreasing the duplication of those services could easily decrease the cost to the taxpayer while improving the delivery of service they currently receive. Finally, I want to leave you with this: the creation of this bill did not advocate that one way to deliver the system is better than another; it did not advocate having one "county-wide" service. Rather, a mechanism to allow governmental entities - on a voluntary basis - to merge services with one another and reduce the costs of those services while providing equal or greater service. There are entities out there that could benefit from regionalizing their fire-rescue delivery systems and still be in control of how those systems are designed, delivered, and paid for. Mr Drummond - the Broward County Council of Professional Fire Fighters is made up of 10 Local Unions affiliated with the International Association of Fire Fighters. Yes, we do lobby on behalf of the members we represent. But your characterization that the residents of Margate should be concerned about our organization or me as the President is a little disingenuous when you have never met me or had a conversation with me. I would love the opportunity to discuss with you any issue that impacts the fire rescue service, including this one if you so choose. I look forward to hearing from you in the future. John McNamara, President Broward County Council of Professional Firefighters __________________________________________http://www.margatenews.net/margatenews/news/articles/article371.asp I would like to know who in the world decided it would be a great idea to install speed bumps on a four lane divided highway, with a speed limit of thirty five miles per hour on Holiday Springs Blvd. in Margate? Half of the Blvd. is twenty five miles per hour because the condo's there were once a gated community. It no longer is. What would make sense is the entire road to be thirty five miles per hour. But speed bumps in a thirty five miles per hour road? That makes no sense at all. IMO city hall has gone banana's! - Margate Resident __________________________________________http://www.margatenews.net/margatenews/news/articles/article368.asp The only way this proposal would ever work is to have every city in the county start equal in terms of manpower and equipment. If this is not done,the have nots will be taking from the haves.And it will cost Margate residents more in taxes for services we do not need. - Margate Resident, Marvin Schwartz __________________________________________http://www.margatenews.net/margatenews/news/articles/article347.asp I understand all of the various viewpoints on speed bumps and speed tables (a more generally accepted term).... I studied traffic calming with a gentleman from Australia about 15 to 18 years ago when he was in hired as a traffic consultant to Key Biscayne where I used to live. He has been recognized as the world's leading authority on traffic calming. If speed tables are installed properly, they perform a wonderful job of traffic calming. Of course other factors would help as well, including proper placement of plant materials to help calm traffic and many other factors as well. Key Biscayne's results are extraordinarily positive, and more speed tables and other calming elements are being introduced annually. The Fire Rescue Department handles these tables quite well; I fear that most of those opposed to speed tables in general use the Fire Rescue issue as a smoke screen to cloud the whole issue. Proper installation is critical, then no one should be unhappy. We all will start driving as we should and Fire Rescue will adapt. Look at the dips and bumps that an ambulance or EMT vehicle has to navigate in approaching and leaving many condo communities and private homes - often much more severe than a mild speed table elevation. - William Brooke __________________________________________ http://www.margatenews.net/margatenews/news/articles/article346.asp I have been living in Coconut Creek for the past 30 years. My two children grew up in Coconut Creek until they both went to college and made their own life. Thank God they turned out to be good kids. As a parent, I was always reponsible for their behavior, education, friends, etc. Parents are responsible for the behavior of their children. Parents should set precedents for how their children should behave, check who their friends are, invite the friends home to see how they behave, check them out. What parents put into the lives of their children comes back in return as parents get older. And parents should be held responsible for the behavior of their children. Years ago, school kids didn't take cell phones to school. Communication was available in other ways, like calling the school if you were worried about your child. Parenting is not easy and is very tiring, but if you do it right, the consequenses will be good, if you do a sloppy job, then kids turn out bad and you've got nothing to complain about. - Adam __________________________________________ http://www.margatenews.net/margatenews/news/articles/article344.asp I am a resident in Royal Springs North. I have written to the city in the past, but now it's getting ridiculous. Another neighbor in our quiet neighborhood had to stop a passing car to avoid the attack of a pitbull. When is the city of Margate going to ban these dogs, so we can live in peace? - Patti ________________________________________http://www.margatenews.net/margatenews/news/articles/article335.asp The facts speak for themselves. I am MOST surprised, grateful, and proud of our city officials for fighting this unjust statute. This is the Margate in which I am proud to say I live. -Bob Fenton __________________________________________ http://www.margatenews.net/margatenews/news/articles/article334.asp I read and re-read your article on the pain clinic problem here in Broward County and the proposed "ban" that Margate may impose on such establishments. Your article hits the nail on the head of several different aspects of our society today, and you pretty much cover all the freedoms we still have and all of the choices we are able to make with or without any government controls put in place to "save" us from our own self inflicted demise. Yes sir; gambling and alcohol addictions are horrible to accept and to try at times to overcome with all of the glamor and glitz that is paraded in front of all of us every day. I read the report you linked in your article about gambling, and all of the statistics that were listed there about child abuse, child death, and more. It is just as horrible as anything regarding the pain pill clinics that anyone would want to read about. Needless to say, some of the tragic end results of any addiction can be and are quite horrible to cope and deal with. As for the ban on ALL of the different entities you mentioned in your article; yes..let's ban them all. But wait..is that the American way? Is that what we want to live under? No. Liberals and conservatives alike do not want to totally do away with our Constitution, or at least I would argue that most do not. So the problem comes right back to the individual. Should I gamble, drink, or take drugs that I know up front may cause me, my family, or even my friends harm. The simple answer is of course, no. But we all know addictions are just that: things we crave or do to stem the tide of other problems we think we can hide under or from like, oh, say reality. I would be in favor of placing more undercover cops in ALL of the establishments to keep people from either hurting me or my family and friends. Reality? Not. I do not reside in Margate, Oakland, Ft Lauderdale, Hollywood, or any other city that has these pain clinics as businesses in them. Am I in favor of closing everyone of them down? Do I want the so called "state licensed doctors" to be regulated and controlled by the laws already in place? Am I asking that people who run the bars stop serving the patrons before they become too drunk to even stand up and walk much less drive out of the parking lot? Do I want the casinos to better monitor their parking lots and even stop "allowing" people to gamble right down to their last penny? Yes Mitchell; Yes is my answer to all of the above questions. Is that rational or even possible to do? Highly doubtful. I have a personal stake in the pain clinic business here in South Florida. I have a direct connection with one of those clinics located on Andrews Avenue. The 'doctor' treated a patient for pain who came in to him with an MRI of a knee injury. The pain was so great, or so it was told to the doctor, that he prescribed 100 oxycondone to the patient on Nov 11, 2008. That same patient came in one week later to see the same doctor ( the ONLY doctor at this location) and, complaining of pain in the knee again, a prescription for 80 Xanex was written out to help the patient sleep better at night, and filled at the drug store (how appropriate a name) right up the block. That same type of "visit" has been replayed thousands of times in what I am almost certain is all of the 'pain clinics' around South Florida. Are they legitimate businesses with employees and doctors making money and helping an already terrible economy in our area? I guess the answer to that depends on your own definition of legitimate business. I am going to assume that they pay taxes to the local, state, and federal governments for their right to operate their businesses. The same is true for the bars, hotels with bars, restaurants that serve fast food and/or alcohol, and casinos and race tracks too. Millions of people from young to very old have addictions to a lot of different 'vices' in our society. I am blessed that I am not one of those people, so the real fact remains in my mind. Should these 'pain clinics' be banned? We all have to make choices in our lives every day; some of which will at times be very tragic in the end result. I know of one such person who made some choices that ended in a tragic turn of events. She was able to get the 'pain pills' over and over again and again without any problem or resistance. After going through 2 rehabs; she still went back to the same place almost 6 months after the one-week back to back visits in November 2008 that got her over 180 pills. My daughter Danielle was 25 when she went back to the same 'doctor' and got yet another 2 prescriptions for pain pills. She came home at 10:30PM after we were unable to locate her in the previous 36 hours. She was on more pills, some of which we found in her purse that night. Even though I was angry at her latest decision to revert back to the same actions that had hurt her before, I at least got the chance to hug her, calm her down a bit, and tell her "I love you" as I closed the door to her room that Thursday night. We found her the next morning, May 8, 2009; curled up next to her bed on her knees; dead. Everyone has a passion for something in life. Mine is to tell others her story, her life long story, and to tell them about all the choices we all have to make everyday. I believe in my heart that "my angel" is in heaven. I am a Christian and I believe in God and Jesus Christ. I want that same opportunity for everyone I meet and know. Close or ban the pain clinics? My vote would be yes. But it ultimately comes back to "Choices." Keep Looking UP! Sincerely; Steve Hornsby Vice President Southeast Florida Electric, Inc. __________________________________________http://www.margatenews.net/margatenews/news/articles/article325.asp I am a resident in North Springs in Margate. I read an opinion article this month in the Margate News that stated "I am a dog lover, and it is the owner not that dog that is at fault". I am also a dog lover and that is why I want pit bulls gone out of our area. My neighbor and her dog were attacked a while back and the neighborhood is held hostage by these vicious dogs. I don't blame the dogs, I blame the breed. I would never want anyone to lose their dog unless they have attacked. These dogs in our neighborhood attacked and should be gone. Especially since they are right next to a bus stop for children. I am not mean person, just a very concerned parent. They were made to put up a fence but we do not feel safe in our wonderful neighborhood. I miss seeing all of the neighbors walking their dogs in our neighborhood, but I can't blame them. I do not walk our dogs anymore. -- Patti, Margate educator __________________________________________http://www.margatenews.net/margatenews/news/articles/article323.asp I would be very excited to see term limitations. I think it is embarrassing to the entire city to allow some of the present commissioners to be re-elected. As a resident since the 70s nothing good has come from their lifetime term in office. There are 2 commissioners in particular that have been "dead wood" for years and should gracefully bow out and let younger people with fresh ideas and energy step in. They are supposed to serve the public, not their own greed for power and stature in the community. They have become the "joke" of the city. I have seen at least one of them at public events actually fall asleep and start drooling. I also find it particularly offensive that they pass around the position of Mayor between themselves. A Mayor should be elected by the public. Margate is no longer a pristine area to live in - it now feels like we are living in the "hood" and the only way of bringing the city back to its original luster is to bring in new ideas and management. Code enforcement has also become a joke. I have seen single family homes turned into duplexes right under code enforcement�s nose. When incidences are reported - code enforcement either ignores the report or states that this particular violation does not fall under their jurisdiction. -- Resident __________________________________________http://www.margatenews.net/margatenews/news/articles/article320.asp I moved here from Boca and purchased a home on the Carolina Country Club area. I became disabled and moved into Paradise Gardens 3, the entire neighborhood is blighted. I have been struggling to have the HOA become more restrictive and improve the aesthetic quality of the neighborhood. My neighbor is on the HOA board and keeps telling me it will improve,etc,etc. I have been hearing that for 12 years.....it is getting worse. As far as I am concerned most of the people in PG areas are trash and do not care of the aesthetic quality of the area they live in. The code enforcement is not strong enough and people get away with just about anything. It could be a nice place to live but I for one have given up. Moved here to be close to my parents who were aging. My Dad passed away two weeks ago,and I am hoping my Mother will approve me to sell her house. Mine has been for sale for 4 years. No insult to you but Margate became blighted and I do not want to live here any longer. -- Joe L __________________________________________ http://www.margatenews.net/margatenews/news/articles/article312.asp I had to laugh at the article about teens calling Margate a ghetto. They are spot on. Fifteen years ago teens called it mudgate. Forget the home boarded up on Margate Blvd. What about one that has living room furniture and a BBQ on the same Blvd. right at their front door! Are there no code restrictions? 441 is disgusting. Why all of a sudden on the corner of Royal Palm Blvd. and Rock Island Road there appears a semi trailer, signs look like they belong on State Rd. 7 and debris being dumped there. Talk about unsightly. Look at the Chevy Chase strip center on Margate Blvd. That alone is not kept up and is run down looking. Margate leaders can do this city justice by just cleaning up for starters. Also, fighting against term limits speak volumes of just keeping dead wood in city hall. We need fresh blood and fresh paint. For once the teens in Margate speak the truth. Margate is going down hill at a fast pace. Having stores like Payless foods, yet turning down a used book stores some years back, speaks volumes on the low intelligence going on in city hall. - Margate Resident __________________________________________http://www.margatenews.net/margatenews/news/articles/article319.asp There has been a lot of topics concerning city government on these pages,but I have yet to see anything written by our elected officials,either acknowledging or denying what has been written. I would like to see someone give a sensible reply to some of the problems stated on these pages. - Marvin Schwartz __________________________________________http://www.margatenews.net/margatenews/news/articles/article307.asp After reading the article about the Payless Store's owner being so behind in rent: It is time to get rid of this filthy and disgusting store. I went there one time and was shocked at what I saw! The place is a dump and attracts low life clientelle. I couldn't get out of there fast enough! Get rid of it! Is there no regulation for this type of thing? How embarassing to those of us who live here. I want our city leaders to start doing something that will be good for the city and it's residents!!!! Start with removing this disgusting business and replace it with something that we can be proud to have in Margate. - Jan, CBA, Margate Resident __________________________________________http://www.margatenews.net/margatenews/news/articles/article304.asp Poison in our waterways and canals. Why? If it is an attempt at weed control; as one who boats and fishes on our canals, I can honestly say "it doesn't work" If the use of herbicides were effective, Margate city crews would not have to be in the canals with power driven weed cutters choping the weeds,and letting most of them float around to eventually sink and cause more problems. The weeds and grasses are habitat for fish and birds,and letting the grasses grow would not harm anyones boating enjoyment. Weeds and grass are a natural part of south Florida..just look at Loxahatchee,or Sawgrass and Holiday park rec areas. Eliminate the use of poisons in our canals. - Marvin Schwartz, Margate Resident __________________________________________ http://www.margatenews.net/margatenews/news/articles/article305.asp Thanks a million for Margate News. Since I have moved in this area more than 20 years ago, Margate has changed a lot. I still miss the Drive-In. We did not need to have a baby-sitter, just the two kids in their pajamas and we went to the drive -in on the corner on 441. It made it so easy. Perhaps with the new re-develoment, a small drive will be good for business. I am looking forward for the new shopping center. - Resident __________________________________________http://www.margatenews.net/margatenews/news/articles/article272.asp I enjoy reading your news. I agree that this City is very long overdue to a term limitation of our Commissioners. It is self evident that we need new blood. Most of the City is still blighted,the Code Compliance regarding the unkempt yards is atrocious. Margate desperately needs A CITY BEAUTIFICATION PROGRAM like they have in Tamarac,Coral Springs,Boca Raton. I am a resident only because I have aging parents and they need my help. However I have become so disillusioned with this City and the blight that I have put my house up for sale. I reside in PG 3 and the HOA has done absolutely nothing to improve the appearance of the neighborhood. A very disgusted resident....... IN GOD WE TRUST __________________________________________http://www.margatenews.net/margatenews/news/articles/article273.asp The very best in 2010. I enjoy reading Margate News. I have been living in Coconut Creek for the past 29 years and saw the changes in Margate and Coconut Creek, also how both Cities have grown. Age or term should not be a factor to represent the government, if you are in good health and can do a good government job, be impartial and also can grow and adjust and accept changes (which always will be there) it should not matter how many terms. __________________________________________http://www.margatenews.net/margatenews/news/articles/article222.asp And it took how many years and how much money+ before our commission woke up to the fact that the taxpayers in Margate have been paying the Borward Sheriff for services we do not need. Will someone please poke those people and wake them up. - Marvin Schwartz __________________________________________http://www.margatenews.net/margatenews/news/articles/article213.asp Regarding the article published 11/16/2009, authored by contributing Jack Drummond, I might be fat, but I�m not stupid, and yes, I�m offended. It�s not okay to be cruel. I�m not fair game, just because you�re fat, too. You could have published an informative article without being nasty. Fat discrimination and treating obese people rudely and cruelly is not acceptable. In my opinion, it�s the same as saying it�s OK to call an African-American the �N-word� if the name-caller is African-American, too. It�s not OK. It�s not acceptable. It is wrong. And most of all, the message of what you wanted to communicate is lost. FYI�a person diagnosed with dementia is not stupid. The person has a disease. A terrible, debilitating, life-ruining, non-curable disease. Perhaps you have never known someone with dementia. But perhaps you have and think it�s OK to be cruel to a person with dementia, too. Comparing stupidity to dementia is out of line. �Heard enough? Me too.� Yeah�I will be unsubscribing from your email list. No need to continue receiving drivel from uninformed, insensitive publications. There�s enough of that type of garbage out there for me to choose from�and I don�t choose any garbage. Oh�wait�did I offend you? Maybe I�m too stupid to keep reading because I�m fat. -- Email __________________________________________http://www.margatenews.net/margatenews/news/articles/article186.asp I just wanted to add a message to the city officials and MCRA. How do you think it looks when I'm loosing my house and at the same time you are raising my property taxes?, then I walk down the street and you are installing Royal Palms? What do you want me to think or say to you? I understand that we need to upkeep the city but hard times call for hard decisions. It's not the time to be raising taxes but allowing the people that pay the taxes to take a breath to recoup and to strengthen. Then you can come back and ask them to pay something more to beautify the city. Take a look at [linkstart href=http://www.bcpa.net/RecInfo.asp?URL_Folio=484125030010[linkclose] the property that the CRA bought 3 years ago[/linkend] (the SWAP SHOP) on which the county and the City of Margate use to collect $31,495.01 in property taxes. Now, since it belongs to the City, we do not collect anything. So not only did the city spend 15 million dollars on the property, it's already lost 30% of it's value because it was purchased for top dollar during the boom years. Nice going guys. Smart veeeery smart. You guys should apply at AIG they hire people as smart as you. And this is just one property. Add up tax dollars from the rest of them and you will see how much money the city has lost from property taxes, then add what goes to the CRA as increment taxes and you probably find that the 4 million shortfall is not because values went down but because the city was mismanaged. The tax base was destroyed and now we call it a shortfall and need to raise the taxes of properties left to tax. Who is at fault here? City manager? commissioners? the attorney? all of them? Maybe the citizens/voters for allowing you to do all this. I like to know where do commissioners get the idea that you can treat taxpayer money and a city as a private/public investment company and start buying properties all around the city. If it was a private or public investment company then you can do whatever you want with your money, well not anymore because even public companies today hold their CEO�s accountable. Maybe there is legal action here to take against the people responsible for putting taxpayer money at risk by investing without first outlining the risks the investor/taxpayer will be taking. Are there any minutes and study outlining those risks prior to the commissioners taking these risks? Were taxpayers informed about the risk and given the chance to say �no I do not feel comfortable taking such a big risk. A question every taxpayer/investor should be asking his / herself, because don�t forget if the city was treated as a private investment company, then commissioners should be treated as CEO�s or brokers and should be held accountable by legal action. - Taxpayer __________________________________________ http://www.margatenews.net/margatenews/news/articles/article204.asp [bold]What people with a low opinon of the CRA can do to make it better[/bold] When there is a PUBLIC workshop by the CRA wanting PUBLIC input as there was last month and only 2 residents show up, the message the CRA hears is everyone is ok with what is going on. The first word in CRA is COMMUNITY. If the community does not come to meetings or express their concerns ( missinformed or not) then the community is letting the board make decisions for them. What I would like to know is what do the people of low opinion want to do with the area? I believe that it will one day be a place that people will want to come to, will want to spend time at, where families young and old will gather to be a community. I have faith in Margate. No one is building or opening businesses right now, but at some point they will and because we own the land we will be in a better situation than most CRA's. So what can people with low opinions do? Go to a meeting, ask questions, give opinions. Go to CRA sponsered events. The Green Market is a CRA event,(in keeping with the public opinion that Margatians want a Green Market from a survey they did.) The Sounds of Sundown will be a CRA event, an event that brought young and old together. To focus on the clock tower (which was suggested by residents years ago) as the whole of the CRA is a disservice to themselves. - Le __________________________________________ http://www.margatenews.net/margatenews/news/articles/article203.asp Re [linkstart href=http://www.margatenews.net/margatenews/news/articles/article201.asp[linkclose]Mr Bookes comment[/linkend] about gravel driveways. The Code Review Committee reccomended allowing for gravel driveways as an addition to a driveway. One of the main reasons was due to exactly what Mr Brooke wrote. Another was it was a less expensive alternative to needing extra parking space, example you have children they have cars you add a gravel driveway to accomadate the cars, children grow up and leave you can throw sod over the extra driveway that you no longer need if you want. We fought pretty hard to get the recomendation passed by our committee, we worked with DEES to come up with something that would work for the city and residents. I am sure there is a copy of the recommendations at the city clerks office. If you want gravel driveways in Margate contact a Commissioner and ask about it. They have all the reccommendations. - Le __________________________________________ http://www.margatenews.net/margatenews/news/articles/article201.asp I just read with interest about the citizen who was cited for having a gravel driveway 10 years after its installation. I know NOTHING about the facts of this situation, but: All property owners should be encouraged to have gravel or other porous driveways and walkways and paths. The less impermeable concrete we can have the better - less storm water run-off; better natural irrigation; better filtration of rain water where it falls; better looking; and on and on... If there are complications involved in this particular driveway, it would have been nice to have them included in the article. Otherwise, I would like to nominate this property owner for a citation -- for helping to protect our community from unnecessary run-off and the costs we all must bear to channel this run-off into sewers to be processed, or to catchments which cost money to build and maintain and ultimately the rest of us have to pay for this run-off through higher taxes. Let's use this case as an example, and all of us should consider less concrete, less asphalt; more permeable land surfaces. I moved to Margate part time about 4 years ago. I had lived on Key Biscayne for most of the 80's and got very involved in our efforts to incorporate as a Village. We started with nothing and created a wonderful self-governed community with greatly reduced taxes,, massively improved services and a major effort to protect and improve the environment. From that involvement and my interest in the communities where I live, I have learned enormously and feel that Margate could begin opening its eyes to some new, unconventional thinking. -- William Brooke __________________________________________http://www.margatenews.net/margatenews/news/articles/article200.asp Just read your story and I was very moved... enough to write to you. I'm sorry you suffer bi-polar but am glad you showed the strength and courage to nix Dr. Danger's pill "fix" and go the holistic route. In the long run, it's better for you - as I'm sure you know. Might I suggest you find a PCP (Primary Care Physician) with a holistic viewpoint? Dr. Ziton at the Sample Road Medical Clinic is very good and will "swing" holistic if that is your choice. Further, whenever new meds are prescribed, ALWAYS check with your holistically-inclined PCP before filling the scrip. ASK for a holistic alternative. He or she might have a more natural, healthier suggestiion for your course of treatment. Yeah, it maybe costs you the price of a visit but how much will you pay in side-effects and pain (possibly death!?@?!?), if you proceed without heed? I had a full hysterectomy 11 years ago and the ob-gyn dr mandated hormone-replacement therapy. I balked when I read on the scrip the (estrogen, I think), caused weight gain, darkness on the face, and maybe I'd grow a moustache (yikes!). My holistically-inclined PCP doctors at the time okayed the use of phytoestrogen and evening primrose oil (available cheaply at health food stores), as a holistic alternative, a good multivitamin and gentle walking (30 minutes) every day. This was a recommendation by a friend who'd gone through the same thing and had the same horrified reaction I did at "mandated" hormone-replacement therapy. I'm delighted to say it works! I'm now down to taking the phytoestrogen and evening primrose oil capsules just on the last week of the month when I'd usually have my cycle. I walk every day and, although I've gained a bit of weight, I'm blaming it on my love of chocolate, QP's with cheese and movie popcorn - not on synthetic estrogen. Too many times the deal is "just shut up and take a pill to fix it." You have to advocate for yourself and be proactive and actively engaged in managing your health and care, as you found out. __________________________________________http://www.margatenews.net/margatenews/news/articles/article199.asp I feel like I'm living in little Mexico or little South America!!! Where are any American businesses? Every time I turn around it's more hispanic restaurants, etc. ENOUGH ALREADY! How about some recognizable names? We do have a couple of very good Italian places, but why do I have to go to Coral Springs or elsewhere out of Margate to find something American??? And what happened to the place over on Atlantic (by Walmart) that has been closed down for so long now? Why haven't they been able to find something to occupy that like a Bru's or something? I don't care if someone says this is not politcally correct - I'M SICK OF THAT TOO!!! Margate is dying due to this - what do we have here? What's next tatto parlors? For all I know we already have that too! FED-UP AND DIGUSTED!!! The city leaders need to attract some business to Margate that will actually make people want to stay here that already live here or will want to actually live here. I myself wish I could afford to move - how sad - Margate used to be so nice when we moved here over 30 yrs ago. -- Jan __________________________________________http://www.margatenews.net/margatenews/news/articles/article191.asp Yes, let's have all the commisioner's and all cra employees investigated. This city has been a good old boy same old people network for years. This city is becoming a dump. The CRA plan is a joke. Let us rid of this IMO parasite Tobin. Let everyone go under investigation. If you have nothing to hide you will come out smelling like roses. If not, it is time to get taken down. Enough of our tax dollars going down the drain. Enough of this downtown project making us all look silly. -- Resident __________________________________________http://www.margatenews.net/margatenews/news/articles/article183.asp The forever long term Commissioners got rid of the original CRA Board and elected themselves to the CRA with the idea that they could do a better job and have better control of the money. Well, they have good control of the money! - Don Gray __________________________________________http://www.margatenews.net/margatenews/news/articles/article185.asp Re the Pit Bull issue of whether Margate should ban them or not. I do not believe that any breed of dog should be banned. As a dog lover and owner all my life, I know that the problem with some dogs is not the breed of dog, but instead the owner. Dogs are inherently good. If they display bad behavior, it is because of the way they were trained by someone who is a BAD PERSON! Dogs should not be banned, they are truly a gift from God. Instead bad owners should be banned from owning a dog! Dogs bring us joy and pleasure in so many different ways that I could go on and on. People who own dogs that do not treat them right or train them to fight, etc. should be punished. Do not blame dogs due to what BAD PEOPLE DO!!! __________________________________________http://www.margatenews.net/margatenews/news/articles/article184.asp The city faced a $4.3 million deficit coming into budget negotiations because of the drop in property values in 2009. The tax increment revenue for the CRA in 2008 was $5,949.939: [linkstart href=http://www.margatecra.org/PDF/2008-financials-CRA.pdf[linkclose]CRA fianancials[/linkend]. Taxpayers need to understand what tax increment revenue is. Tax increment financing is a unique tool available to cities and counties for redevelopment activities. It is used to leverage public funds to promote private sector activity in the targeted area. The dollar value of all real property in the Community Redevelopment Area is determined as of a fixed date, also known as the �frozen value.� Taxing authorities, which contribute to the tax increment, continue to receive property tax revenues based on the frozen value. These frozen value revenues are available for general government purposes. However, any tax revenues from increases in real property value, referred to as �increment,� are deposited into the Community Redevelopment Agency Trust Fund and dedicated to the redevelopment area. Example:MCRA was created in 1996; the property tax in 1996 within the CRA boundries was, let's say, $1 million. In 2008, it's $2.5 million dollars, hence, $1 million goes to the city budget and $1.5 million goes to the CRA. The problem is that the cost of police, firefighters, city workers and supplies all go up because of inflation, but the city continues to collect the same amount of money from the CRA area. So to compensate, the city increases tha taxes. [bold]Problems:[/bold] Although generally sold to legislatures as a tool to redevelop blighted areas, some districts are drawn up where development would happen anyway, such as prime areas at the edges of cities. California has had to pass legislation designed to curb this abuse[citation needed]. The designation as blighted can allow governmental condemnation of property through eminent domain. The famous Kelo v. City of New London Supreme Court case, where homes were condemned for a private development, was about actions within a TIF district. Normal inflationary increases in property values are captured with districts. Money that would have gone to the public coffers even without the financed improvements. Districts are drawn too large, capturing value, again, that would have been increased anyway. The process leads to favoritism for politically connected developers, lawyers, economic development directors and other implementers. Funding often goes toward what have been traditionally private improvements -- from which developers profit. When the public "invests" in these improvements it is the developers that still receive the return. Approval of districts can sometimes capture one entity's taxes without its official input, i.e. a school districts taxes will be frozen on action of a city. [bold]What does this taxpayer think?[/bold] Money that goes to the CRA today should be going to fund the Margate City budget. If it did, we would not have a shortfall, taxpayers would not see their property taxes go up and public servents would not be arguing about who will get fired. I say close the CRA for now, return the 21 million dollars that the CRA has to the city budget and do not raise taxes. If not, then at least consider suspending the CRA for three years and allow all the property tax money to be used for the city budget. Then, when the economy starts turning around for real, we can re-visit the CRA. - [italic]Taxpayer[/italic] __________________________________________http://www.margatenews.net/margatenews/news/articles/article170.asp Once upon a time we had great city that thrived. Businesses & people making money, beautiful streets and homes,neighbors helping neighbors, The American dream at its best. What Happened To Our City ? Now empty stores and lots, foreclosed homes, neighbors afraid to come out and say anything to anyone. The city commission has just taken to much on, done to little to help its residents & businesses. It does what is best for them not whats best for the city. OK, times are tough out there, I know this just like everyone else does. But the city has to do something to bring this city back. They dont do anything to bring people and businesses here, NOTHING. Oh, you have a couple of carnivals & a green market with only a few dates for them to do business. Big Deal. You deny companies that want to do business and are reputable and let the bad ones do business here instead. Case and point, You denied a new & used book store to come here here but approve a store that sells expired or close to it food, Payless Foods. HUH ??? You deny businesses like Sonic and Hooters because they dont fit your vision for the city, The Margate City Center that will do nothing for anyone except make the city commissioners resumes look better. This city needs new blood, stop squashing the free enterprise system because it doesn't help you. It's not about you, it is about the residents of this city, the ones who pay taxes here and actually call Margate home. Maybe if we had commissioners who actually 'lived' here in Margate this city would be in better shape. Maybe then we wouldn't have 44 acres of undeveloped land, A silly clock tower, lower taxes & happy residents. Look at how nice the surrounding cities are doing compared to us, OK they may not be perfect but at least they dont have a great lawn in the heart of the city on a major roadway. Maybe the city commissioners should take a long hard look around and wake up and smell the coffee. Utilize what you do have, make it easier for businesses to do business, help the residents who live in our great city unlike you commissioners. Need Ideas, try this. Use the former Swap Shop site for a REAL Green Market, one that is open 7 days a week. Hold Concerts &/or Movie night on the weekends. With concession stands by local businesses and others for a small fee. Dont know where to get the money for this, cut the administrative costs and the over inflated payrolls. Leave the Police and Fire/ Rescue alone they should always be untouchable. Dont give out raises, Cut your own salaries ( part-timers shouldnt make what you do ) and you have to layoff some people or eliminate certain jobs that others can do. Stop the spending except on the essentials the city residents actually need. Not what you want to make you and those entities involved look and feel good. Again It about the city not you. Raising Taxes and fees to the residents & businesses in Margate will not balance the budget in the long run. It will only make our city unaffordable and you will get a bigger budget deficit. Also get get rid of some of the 55 and older communities. Let some young blood and families in. Maybe then you can get some of the foreclosed and abandoned back on the tax rolls. You could even get the banks who own those foreclosures to maintain them and pay taxes after all they now own them. There are lot of thing the city could do if they really wanted to. The time has come to stop thinking about yourselves and start thinking of the businesses & people who voted for you and pay the taxes you need and are resident of this city. Save Our City before we are more of a ghost town than we already are. Dont let that silly clock tower be the countdown to the end of the city. - [italic]John Sweeney[/italic] __________________________________________http://www.margatenews.net/margatenews/news/articles/article163.asp Well the rest of the city gave up their pay increases why shouldn't they do the same. Be lucky you all have a job. Because there are alot of people out there who don't!! - Zos We cut out all sorts of programs, we have done everything to cut back on budget costs except to reduce the size of city employees. Now, if the City commissioners, and civil employess would like to take pay cuts and sacrifice a little, then by all means give the extra to police and fire. But I am not willing to pay for it. Every morning, I see a Code Enforcement truck just hanging out on the corner, do we really need eight Code Officers ?? During the Road improvement project there were three workers sleeping against my garage door, I have Pic's. If you want to give raises, please make sure they are earned and can be paid for without making those of us who have not had a pay increase in four years or health care pay for it. The other day there were a group of people who had lawn chairs set up under a tree on Margate Blvd and West River Drive, these people were all without shirts and just stiing there, in the meantime, the rest of the group was stting in front of their house, less than desirable, they have broken windows and about eight cars. I watched as three Margate Police Officers drove on past. So when considering pay increases, maybe they sould be based on individual job performance. - Jeannine Marcoux At the very least a cost of living pay hike should be considered. If our police force and emergency medical personal are not properly compensated for their duties, then the first ones to complain will be the first ones who don't see a police officer or ems person two seconds after they call 911. We should be thankful and more considerate when it comes to public servants who are paid to serve the public sector. If you don't approve, don't complain! - Dave Yes, they should get a raise. When something is wrong or you need help who do you call, night or day. There will be some who will disagree with me on my next statement, I do not think that the office workers need one. I too have not had a raise in some time now, but I am not out protecting the city were I live, they are and it is very dangerous out there. I live in Margate and i have for over 10 years now. Thank you to all of you who try to keep us all safe at your expense! - Barb Yes, Yes, Yes. They should get and do very much deserve a pay raise. Many of these dedicated people are not the rich ones getting richer, they are just regular people who do and provide outstanding service to our community. They work long hours and in many cases are in dangerous situations. They so deserve a raise. Lets take away some of the money and benefits from the "rich" politicians and then things will change with this economy. - Gayle __________________________________________http://www.margatenews.net/margatenews/news/articles/article159.asp These types of articles keep addressing the fact that the city is so poor due to the property tax situation. However on the flip side I didn�t see any great increase in social services and beatification a few years ago when our property and house values and tax rates where having some of the largest increases in the nation. If the city/county/state/country are really so concerned why they don�t give up their health and pension plans to save jobs and continue services. If they don�t want to pay for my health and retirement, than I really don�t want my taxes paying for theirs either. I thought the definition of a public servant was to serve the public taking care of and protecting our needs, instead of leeching and threatening the loss of social services to protect their salaries and benefits. After all everyone in the private sector is pretty much below bare minimum and being forced to leave this state. - James http://www.margatenews.net/margatenews/news/articles/article158.asp They might be on the lower end of the Broward police pay scale, but they agreed to accept the position with Margate at the current scale. Yes they deserve pay raises with time on job , but during this current economic disaster they are not alone in their dilema. I have not recieved a pay raise in 4 years and recently lost my companies 401k matching. They still have a pension to look forward too that most people are not as lucky to recieve. When good times return so should their pay raises. I appreciate what they do for our community , but they need to suck it up and deliver the highest of work ethic regardless of pay freezes, I do. - Mikal http://www.margatenews.net/margatenews/news/articles/article132.asp People must be crazy! When fuel prices are over $3.50 per gallon you will be looking for affordable transit. These buses serve this community and its people 6 days a week with clean, comfortable transportation to all major shopping in the area as well as connections to all major BCT bus routes. Also the number of riders that is posted in the article is way off, I happen to know that this service carried 161,000 riders last year when fuel prices soared, this year it is on pace to carry over 140,000 riders. The elderly on fixed incomes and the residents that make sound decisions based on their economic position to use mass transit need these buses not to mention our children that ride the bus everyday during the school year because they live to close to get a school board bus. So lets put our moms and dads out there to find other ways to get around and lets let our children walk down 441 or Atlantic Blvd. Why don't we just raise the fare enough to help offset the budget and keep this service so that the people that need it can have it. - Kendra P. __________________________________________ http://www.margatenews.net/margatenews/news/articles/article125.asp If the payment to BSO were not legitimate - WHY DID THE CITY PAY IT! - Margate Resident, Bob Fedak __________________________________________http://www.margatenews.net/margatenews/news/articles/article109.asp I applaud Margate building a large and functional shelter and for planning more of them! In Lauderdale Lakes our shelters are similar and I can claim responsibility for how elaborate, large and durable, AND beautiful they are and those factors drive cost. On bid basis our shelters cost $60,000 a copy and we have secured grant funding to build 12 so far! Federal economic stimulus funding was recently reserved to build ten more here this summer! The work, they are popular and the design (like that in Margate) allows you to move around under a wide and deep roof structure to avoid the angle of the sun and most rain events. When rain �falls� sideways like it has been doing lately, then no shelter other than an enclosed building will keep you dry. These are a vast improvement over unprotected ad benches, glass boxes in the sun, and other methods of shelter accommodation beyond the milk box or overturned shopping carts used throughout much of South Florida. Our shelters have been awarded the Florida Redevelopment Association 2008 Transportation Award as well. The public loves these things, they are full to over-flow on some routes and I am proud of our success in getting them designed, funded and built! Most important they are: clean, safe, open and durable! These things can and will last for many, many years! I say bravo to Margate for their efforts and will urge them to continue to make transportation more comfortable as we see gas prices creeping back up toward $4 again! It�s all a matter of perspective I suppose, but I see these things as a great investment of public funds with real and meaningful public benefit. The facts need to be known as to what is being done, how and why�in both Lauderdale Lakes (where I serve as the Executive Director of the Community Redevelopment Agency) and in Margate (where I participated in local planning as a resident) people made it clear that they wanted better bus shelters! The City and CRA should not be cast in a negative light for providing what the people of the community need and want. In both cities there is are large numbers of older and younger people, and both cities also have higher than average numbers of lower income people and families: transit is critical for these communities and to use it people should be allowed the dignity and comfort of getting out of the sun and rain while awaiting transit services. This is a worthy investment for our cities in my view as a taxpayer and as a planning and redevelopment professional. Best Regards, Gary Rogers __________________________________________http://www.margatenews.net/margatenews/news/articles/article108.asp This is the first issue I have received. It is well done and factual. A plus for the community. I particularly like the new bus stop and am pleased that public transportation users have a good protected place. Julian Lewis __________________________________________http://www.margatenews.net/margatenews/news/articles/article101.asp Traffic cameras would be nice, if the Police would get tickets for running their emergency lights though the intersection only to turn them off after running the red light. This is not referencing the Margate Cops only those passing through or on their way home in their take home vehicles. The cameras would also be good if most left turn lights were longer than 10-13 seconds while you have to waite another 4 minutes for another. __________________________________________http://www.margatenews.net/margatenews/news/articles/article90.asp I like the idea of re-opening the former Aztec RV Park - though I am not sure how narketable LUXURY RV's would be in this area. Let's face it, Margate is not considered an area that attracts wealthy people. I keep waiting for better stores and places to go, but it seems all we get are mostly small ethnic businesses that no one really likes - what would attract someone to Margate? We have lived in the city for over 30 years and when we first moved here it was nice - now it is not due to what it has, doesn't have and what needs to be done to make it better and a place where people would like to live. All I hear from people are negative remarks about Margate - as a long time resident it's embarrasing. I think it is fine to open an RV park, as I have absolutely nothing against them. But a better idea would be to reserve some space in it for people who want to vacation with their RV (which by the way, sometimes fall into the luxury RV classification). I do not think it should be limited to people just buying what is available and then live there. I feel this plan is to satisfy the local business(s) now in Margate selling these RV's. What is REALLY needed in Broward County is a new RV resort park that caters to people who want to vacation here as the area is sadly lacking them right now. I have relatives from other parts of the country that have been complaining about that very thing for the last few years. Broward County (and Margate) is missing out on a very good idea of establishing a resort RV park for vacationers. Think about it!!! - Jan, CBA __________________________________________ http://www.margatenews.net/margatenews/news/articles/article89.asp Dare we not forget Florida�s recent legislative session, when Republicans and Democrats gnawed at pork in the budget like the hungry elephants and asses that they are. So, for all of us are wondering where our senators, state representatives and congressmen and women were when jobs were being shipped overseas, AIG was robbing Americans blind, seniors were losing pensions and banks and mortgage companies were sending paper securities around the globe, the answer is, we�ll never know, because they don�t. I can only surmise that they may have been too busy while it was all going on. But busy with what? Certainly not the best interests of the American people. [italic]-MargateNews.net[/italic] __________________________________________ http://www.margatenews.net/margatenews/news/articles/article67.asp I am disappointed in the curbing construction going on in Margate Blvd. I realize being construction it would be messy, but this is crazy. The Blvd. has become just about non drivable. I find my self driving in the middle of the road. You have square deep pot holes and asphalt gravel lying all over the road. Not only is it making marks on my vehicle I just now found out my rear shaft is leaking. I will no longer drive on the Blvd. There has to be a way that it would not be as messy as it is. Sloppy work Margate! __________________________________________http://www.margatenews.net/margatenews/news/articles/article68.asp Almost three years ago, my lovely minpin, Penny, and I were attacked by a loose "family pet" pit bull, in another state, while we were out for an early evening walk. Penny was instantly killed by that pit bull. I still have frightening flashbacks and nightmares about that attack. I'm afraid to take my new small dogs out for walks, and, with some trepidation, I've only recently started taking them to a dog park in Tamarac. Pit bulls are generically unreliable and dangerous and should be banned from all communities. I cannot understand why Margate doesn't at least support the new state measure to restrict ownership of these terrible animals. Thank you for your article in Margate News - [italic]Margate Resident[/italic] __________________________________________ http://www.margatenews.net/margatenews/news/articles/article61.asp I have received a few inquiries re. the Margatenews that I forwarded to friends and family out of state. One being..our former Margate City Clerk, Shirley Baughman, who now lives in Pa.. She also really enjoyed it.. saying it was a great idea and asked how often it will be sent out. Do you have a regular schedule set up? Margate Resident - JN __________________________________________ http://www.margatenews.net/margatenews/news/articles/article59.asp Bella Cibo-went again Saturday and was most disappointed! Hate to beat on them, but they need to get their staff trained, or replaced! And FAST!! The place holds tremendous promises, but falls-down around poor staffing�the cigarette smoking and chatting as staff priorities, poor and slow service, the midriff shirts on waitress� I�m bummed! - Margate Resident, GR __________________________________________ http://www.margatenews.net/margatenews/news/articles/article58.asp With reference to "A Decade of Decline-Part I" I only have a short thought to share with you. Ever since I moved here in June 2001, all I have heard from Margate Governing Office is that taxes will be raised. The other fact I have heard is that, Commissioners, Mayors and other officials, exchange those positions on and off every other term or two and out of all expenditures suffered by Margate City is that these officials get richer by the year just for impersonating progress and that they are doing nothing for the City. It truly is regretful that these names that we have been hearing from over a decade ago are still around like leeches on a body, sucking the life out of the City and getting richer. Maybe one of us should become commissioner or even Mayor of the City of Margate. I believe we would do a lot more with a lot less. - Margate Resident, CC __________________________________________ http://www.margatenews.net/margatenews/news/articles/article52.asp Well that stinks! To bad our Commissioners spent 15 million on land that is now used for carnivals - then there would be money. __________________________________________http://www.margatenews.net/margatenews/news/articles/article43.asp I�m sure I�m not the only Margate resident who has received Congressman Robert Wexler�s (D-FL 19th District) recent email regarding healthcare in America. The email opens with: [italic]�Every 30 seconds in America, a bankruptcy occurs due to the outrageous cost of health care. Over 46 million Americans lack insurance, and for those of us who have it, each year we face higher co-pays and premiums.�[/italic] [linkstart href=http://www.margatenews.net/margatenews/news/articles/article43.asp[linkclose]Click here to read more.[/linkend] __________________________________________ http://www.margatenews.net/margatenews/news/articles/article37.asp Congratulations! It's great that you started the MargateNews.net We were going to subscribe to the Sentinel, but it was stated that it takes from two to three weeks to receive as they mail second class. Didn't seem reasonable; so thanks for referring us to the MargateNews.net. They do have this great page on the Sentinel site that has a chart which pinpoints the locations of crime. It is really clever, I think. I love newspapers. They are unbelievably thin in this area now. A bitter reminder every morning of the sad state of the country. Speaking about dreary, I thought it was depressing to see all those Sentinel paper containers with padlocks in the front of most of the stores. What is their purpose? __________________________________________ http://www.margatenews.net/margatenews/news/articles/article34.asp Thank you for forwarding the review to us. Obviously I wish that it had been a better experience for your reviewer and that I could argue against their observations and experience but it seems like we had a very rough shift. We have taken all comments to heart and we are addressing each of them. We will get these issues resolved and then I hope that we can have a future conversation regarding our First Tuesday Benefit � our monthly benefit that donates money to various local charities in our community. It is our commitment to be a great and valued neighbor within the Coconut Creek community and the surrounding area. - Bill Bayne, President and Co-founder Fish City Grill __________________________________________ http://www.margatenews.net/margatenews/news/articles/article33.asp It always amazes me how non-smokers who can clearly see an ashtray or people smoking use that area to enter instead of using the other door. Or how about the ones who sit on the bench next to the ashtray when there is another one away from it. I try to be a considerate smoker but if you walk up to a smoking area then whose fault is it? If I was an owner of a business shouldn't I be the one who decides who I hire? Maybe the smoker works her butt off while the non-smoker steals. As a smoker I take offense to your assumption that I may be distracted by the habit and less considerate of other people. While you are trying to fix offensive health hazards how about tackling the people who take a bath in perfume and go to a restaurant. Ever try to eat a steak while a cheap imitation of Chanel No. 5 is wafting across your food? Now there's a time to feel sorry for the waitress. Not the same as smoking being hazardous? Tell that to me when my eyes are watering, my throat is closing and my blood pressure goes up. Yep even allergies can be hazardous. Hey, I have an idea why not have a no perfume section of the restaurant and then eventually all the perfume wearers will have to eat outside and then if I walk thru that section knowing it is the perfume section I will keep my irritation to myself. __________________________________________ http://www.margatenews.net/margatenews/news/articles/article20.asp The site looks great. I can't wait to check it often. Good luck with it and let me know if I can do anything to help. You really thought everything out, even the link to the weather. Good job. __________________________________________ http://www.margatenews.net/margatenews/news/articles/article19.asp Great Job on the Margatenews.net website! My only observation is that you keep referring to Margate as a town, but by incorporation papers we are a City. Believe it or not there are differences. Keep up the good work! ________________________________________http://www.margatenews.net/margatenews/news/articles/article16.asp Opinions regarding this publication and news and events in Margate can be submitted via email to MargateNews@bellsouth.net or by clicking on 'Submit Article' on the left menu column of the homepage. You can also call 954-729-6164. All submissions will be edited for readability and will remain anonymous unless you request otherwise. http://www.margatenews.net/margatenews/news/articles/article271.asp I enjoy reading your news. I agree that this City is very long overdue to a term limitation of our Commissioners. It is self evident that we need new blood. Most of the City is still blighted,the Code Compliance regarding the unkempt yards is atrocious. Margate desperately needs A CITY BEAUTIFICATION PROGRAM like they have in Tamarac,Coral Springs,Boca Raton. I am a resident only because I have aging parents and they need my help. However I have become so disillusioned with this City and the blight that I have put my house up for sale. I reside in PG 3 and the HOA has doen absolutely nothing to improve the appearance of the neighborhood. A very disgusted resident....... IN GOD WE TRUST __________________________________________