June 2, 2010 photo of Hallandale Beach City Hall by South Beach Hoosier
Earlier today, I and many other concerned Hallandale Beach residents received the following impassioned email from Luis Paredes, the President of the United Condominium Association of Hallandale Beach, UCA.
Luis has been one of the leaders in the community's fight against the incompatible Diplomat LAC proposal that would've made the Quality of Life here and in nearby Hollywood infinitely worse in the short-term and long-term; the fight against the city approving the shoe-horning of a Charter high school into a single-family HB residential neighborhood that would actually have had very few Hallandale Beach students attending it; and, the much larger fight against the longstanding anti-democratic policies and self-evident incompetency, cronyism and corruption at Hallandale Beach City Hall under the current Joy Cooper & Mike Good regime.
I called Luis this afternoon and received his permission to run his email here -with a little tinkering for space considerations- so you all can see another concerned HB resident's perspective.
This is actually something I plan on doing much more of in the future on this blog, and had originally considered initiating in January, since there are SO many more people in this community vehemently opposed to the ruinous/myopic actions at HB City Hall then the apologists of it would have you believe.
For many of the apologists and acolytes in the local area of the business-as-usual approach, with few questions asked and little-to-no public accountability -save Comm. Keith London- like the entire self-serving HB Chamber of Commerce crowd and Alexander Lewy, the latter of whom who aspires to be a Rubber Stamp come November, it's both a coping mechanism and a revenue stream.
A golden goose -with taxpayer dollars- they want to see continue, with NO questions asked.
Not that the Miami Herald has been paying any attention to any of this in a way that even approximates what journalism textbooks once preached, since the folks at One Herald Plaza consider Hallandale Beach -and most of Broward County- as terra incognita.
The overwhelming evidence presented before us every day as news consumers is that Herald management, reporters and columnists continue to focus their time and energies on serving residents and readers located in Kendall, Coral Gables, Miami Beach, Cutler Bay, Wynnwood, and, of course, Calle Ocho and Cuba.
They simply don't care what happens here. And it shows.
Where's the twice-a-week Broward County-oriented columnist?
There isn't one, even as the existing Herald columnists overwhelmingly continue to focus their columns on the concerns of the half-dozen or so favored South Florida communities -and Cuba- in the Local & State section of the newspaper, to the dismay of the majority of its remaining readers.
As has been suggested to me many times -after I already thought of it when first starting this blog three years ago- perhaps if thru some tectonic plate shifting, Hallandale Beach was moved to Cuba, they'd have more of an interest in covering it.
Sadly, all too true.
June 2, 2010 photo of public notice at Hallandale Beach City Hall regarding Wednesday's meeting there regarding the future of Mike Good as City Manager, by South Beach Hoosier
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UCA of Hallandale Beach; I AM MAD AS HELL AND ....
Luis Paredes
Saturday June 5, 2010 10:14 AM
Good day all, we hope you and your families are doing well.
Hey Snow birds, we miss you and we know your here with us in spirit :)
You're never forgotten and you are always one of us. All for one and one for all.
It's time to say and tell them, "I am mad as hell and I am not going to take it anymore!"
UCA urged and requested that the Special Commission Meeting about City Mgr. Mike Good on June 9th at 1 PM be moved to 7 PM to allow more public participation -UCA was denied.
The reason we were told NO was because Mayor Cooper had an early morning flight the next morning. Is this just another coincidence or a upcoming set up?
Help us understand how only one agenda item for the meeting could not start at 7 PM?
The Vice Mayor (Julian) was willing to head the meeting but was told NO.
People, Mike Good is about to be fired or asked to resign and June 9th is his day for a public hearing for the commission to decide.
From what we understand, Mike Good will have his attorney and the city will have theirs to discuss in a public forum.
City Commission Chambers
400 S. Federal Highway
Hallandale Beach, FL 33009
UCA says, "It's not only Mike Good's day in court, IT'S OUR, THE PEOPLE'S DAY IN COURT!"
Let them all hear from you via email or attendance in this meeting why you are MAD AS HELL AND YOU ARE NOT TAKING IT ANYMORE.
What have and have to pay for today is a by-product of Mike Good and Mayor Cooper's doings no matter how sweet she puts it on in the Sun-Times.
Don't let Mike Good walk away with a BIG PACKAGE as some on the commission may want it.
If you don't know here are some reasons why and what Mike Good and Mayor Cooper has left us with to deal with everyday.
If you have your own, share them with UCA and we will make sure everyone reads them too. (UCA will not use your name unless you provide us permission.)
NOTE: UCA has copied every commissioner on this email so that all you have to do is a COPY & PASTE on your email with your response to them.
UCA URGES YOU TO PLEASE DO SO.
OUR VOICES MUST BE HEARD, FINALLY, JUST AS THEY WERE WHEN WE WERE UNITED AGAINST THE DIPLOMAT AND WON.
JOY COOPER <jcooper@hallandalebeachfl.gov
DOROTHY ROSS COMMISSIONER <dross@hallandalebeachfl.gov>;
ANTHONY SANDERS onevision4life@aol.com; BECJULI@aol.com;
Keith London <londonshow@bellsouth.net>
Our taxes have increase because... 30% plus increase in water and sewer rates in 2009.
Our 4.2 square mile city has more city employees as compared to other cities.
Mysteriously unknown contracts such in the case of Kessel and Mike Good.
Mike Good's resignation in 2008 and then re-hired shortly after with a very HEFTY pay out paid by the city. That year he was paid over $400,000,
Mike Good's attendance record of 50% as reported by newspaper,
Annual your tax dollars paid to the Sun-Times by the city for publicity of a few in power.
The city budget has doubled since 2000, increasing over $48,000,000.
City's debt has increased 20 times, now over $38,000,000.
City has one of the highest sanitation fees in all Broward
BUT has the lowest service levels.
Commission favors, commission seats, land and back door deals, what's/who's next?
If you want to read more we urge you to click on this link PLEASE.
www.changehallandale.com
Recent example sent to UCA: A HB Sergeant who just got promoted to Captain with a big city fanfare of congratulations, and pictures, also gets a huge raise in pay, which will reflect on his pension for life, and not to mention that enormous D.R.O.P. check, announced that he will be leaving HB and move to Georgia to work for Law Enforcement there.
Does anybody realize what we just did?
We bumped up his pension and DROP check and sent him on his way.
No one said anything on the Commission.
So do you want business as usual? Or do you want real change?
Are you by now, MAD AS HELL AND WILL NOT TAKE IT ANYMORE?
IF SO...UCA has copied every commissioner on this email so that all you have to do is a reply to all on this email with your response.
UCA URGES YOU TO PLEASE DO SO.
MIS-MANAGEMENT AND NOT A TRUE VOICE FOR THE PEOPLE...
We ask for resignations of Commissioner Ross, Mayor Cooper for the past/current oversight and spins to what a so called great city manager we have.
Any business with said endorsements would have never these people on the board and/or in charge.
If they don't resign, do we go for a recall?
Whether you call them Mayor Cooper's Poopers, Bloopers or Loopers they are all one in the same.
A stage they rehearse and a commission they verse with clouded spins for their gains, not the residents.
This is what many have told us and we have seen.
Just a few we can call truly honorable.
It's time to say and tell them, " I am mad as hell and I am not going to take it anymore!" OR, DO YOU WANT TO SEE YOUR TAXES INCREASE? AND BUSINESS AS USUAL?
If you are not convinced of what we have said so far....please watch the re-broadcast commission meeting of June 2, 2010.
You can also get the videos from the city's website but as a coincidence, the June 2, 2010 meeting does not come up...hmmmm.
http://www.hallandalebeach.
We think it would be a good idea if you post it for your residents.
Monday & Thursday starts at 6pm COMCAST Channel 78
Friday, Saturday & Sunday starts at noon on COMCAST Channel 78
PS: Many of you have asked to donate monies to our organization. We have said NO but thank you! Our goal is our fellow neighbors and their/ours quality of life, that's what we stand for.
We thank all our watch dogs and organizations whom have helped us shed the light on the truth. Much more light to come...stay tuned.
Neighbors Helping Neighbors and Growing God bless us and our city.
Sincerely,
Luis "Louie" Paredes,
President United Condominium Associations (UCA) of Hallandale Beach
OUR MISSION IS SIMPLE: Through a united voice and VOTE from all the boundaries of Hallandale Beach to bring us together on a focused path that helps our community and property to begin the process of reducing all costs.
OUR GOAL: To share our accumulated knowledge, advise and experience for helpful solutions to all. With objectives to lower all costs for our residents and fellow neighbors, from city taxes, fees to monthly maintenance fees.
May we be guided by the ways of our fathers to make them proud as they watch over us as we continue to unite as a community.
A local government BY the people FOR the people. Fighting the Greater Good for All is more important than the selfishness of one. God bless our city, God bless us all, thank you.
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In case some of you finding yourself here are too young to be familiar with the iconic film which made the phrase above mentioned by Luis so well-known, let's go back to the beginning with Peter Finch in his Oscar-winning performance as American TV network news anchor Howard Beale in 1976's NETWORK:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=90ELleCQvew http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0074958/
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