October 2021 Update on some important #HollywoodFL stories about real estate development proposals, inc. The Related Group's 1301 S. Ocean Drive project. If fixing the Hollywood Beach Community Center was really so important to the Hollywood City Commission, why wasn't it listed on the 2019 GO Bond list?

October 2021 Update on some important #HollywoodFL stories about real estate development proposals, inc. The Related Group's 1301 S. Ocean Drive project. 

If fixing the Hollywood Beach Community Center was really so important to the Hollywood City Commission, why wasn't it listed on the 2019 GO Bond list?

Updates on some important #HollywoodFL stories about real estate development proposals, projects that are either going to appear to you to be:

a.) Common Knowledge to you,

b.) Something percolating below the surface that you've been hearing faint outlines of for a while, or,

c.) Comes as a complete surprise to you if you aren't already following me on my popular Twitter platform and my new-ish Facebook page.

I've been working on these for a bit and even felt the need to share some of them as emails rather than posting them here first and then sending out an email with a link. I may likely have even more news about some of these stories early next week if some people I've been talking to decide to finally share what they've hinted at to me via phone calls and emails.

Real facts, real news, not unsubstantiated rumors or hearsay.

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So, via my email of Wednesday September 15th, 2021

Sad reality of what Hollywood residents are up against as The Related Group gets help from

City Commissioners, yet refuses to have even one public, in-person mtg. abt a 3-story luxury 

condo on public land. 

AT the beach!

a.) Since there are so many comments being made about this Related Group project, a project that's incompatible to its location in ways both large and small, physical and symbolic, and which to me represents a very conscious public thumb to the eye of every reasonable Hollywood resident and stakeholder by Hollywood''s elected officials and top-tier bureaucracy, and since everyone is NOT able to see, know about, or even necessarily keep track of who said what, I've made these 3 screengrabs below, based on what's been said/written the past 24 or so hours, as of about 1:15 pm today.

My purpose in doing so is to make it easy for you to find or highlight a comment quickly that you 

agree or disagree with, and not have to keep scrolling through everything to find it.

b.) Over the past week, former Sun-Sentinel reporter Ihosvani "George" Rodriguez, now working 

for Memorial Regional Hospital, has dropped lots of interesting facts re Hollywood Commissioner Kevin Biederman's rather strange and peevish behavior, and in particular, Biederman's unconscionable 

and reprehensible lies about Cat Uden actually being a secret, paid lobbyist against the project.

Having worked at a relatively high level on several winning national political campaigns in lots of different places with very different political cultures, doing policy and coordinating advance work and logistics, plus having worked for 15 years in Washington, D.C. on Capitol Hill and K Street for some of the largest law firms and corporations in the country in a variety of policy roles, 

I have a very well-developed Sixth Sense about local elected officials and govt. functionaries.

Especially pols who liked to pat themselves on the back perhaps a little too often, in order to try to endear themselves to the press, candidate, me, or our staff, I'll leave to another time my thoughts regarding how often elected officials who are at pains to always describe themselves as self styled "truth-tellers," eventually fall from grace when they do say what they REALLY think.

Suffice to say that I believe Kevin Biederman shows all the hallmarks of having fallen into this rather sad and dubious category.

ICYMI: Another unsolicited bid is generating anger in a city NOT named Hollywood. 

But plenty of similarities with us here about the public being intentionally kept in the dark when a government wants to do something that they know is very unpopular with the public.

Miami Herald
Miami-Dade | Key Biscayne - 'Give this a chance': - Key Biscayne softens approach to Rickenbacker bid proposal
Samantha J. Gross; Staff Writer
September 5, 2021
https://www.miamiherald.com/news/local/community/miami-dade/key-biscayne/article253941053.html

ICYMI, my latest blog post is:

What is the empirical data from Memorial Regional Hospital that the City of Hollywood is relying upon to re-open, and no longer be the only city of 58 in South Florida whose City Hall is closed to the public?

https://hallandalebeachblog.blogspot.com/2021/09/what-is-empirical-data-from-memorial.html

I encourage you to read that when you can, because right now, there is no objective criteria publicly delineated by Hollywood City Manager Ishmael on what parameters must be met for Hollywood City Hall to be reopened to the public again.

And yes, you read that right - Hollywood is the only city in South Florida whose City Hall is closed as of today. Why? 

We are either not getting the truth or we are being taken advantage of by the City Manager's office and the folks at Memorial Regional Hospital Hollywood.

I'll have some more news to share about this story next week, via some public records requests I've made to find out who said what and when to whom -and why.

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September 15th, 2021

https://www.instagram.com/p/CT2Ia0krycq/

flipflops365

Demonstration to oppose a 30 story condominium tower on our public land at #HollywoodBeach. This public land has deed restrictions for "open space, park, recreation, and public purpose." The land was given to the city to decrease density. This condo (99 year lease) would be 347 feet tall and 188 units. @joshlevymayorofhollywoodfl says that they can ignore height/density restrictions because it's public land.
The city has not even given the public one in-person meeting about the condo. They won’t even tell the public that they have the ability to oppose. All of the emails have been misleading, as if it’s a done deal. Commissioner Shuham CShuham@hollywoodfl.org asked that the city manager look into other ways to fund a remodel of the community center. Has he? (You can email the city manager Wazir Ishmael about this). Wishmael@hollywoodfl.org
.
If you live, work, vacation in, or visit Hollywood: Sign the petition at Change.org/WeLoveHollywoodBeach  You’ll receive an alert about the next event.
https://www.instagram.com/p/CT2Ia0krycq/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link

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I received this email on Saturday September 25th, 2021

Subject: A Message From The President of The Hollywood Council of Civic Associations  

Mayor and Commissioners,

The Hollywood Council of Civic Associations (HCCA) agrees with District 1 Commissioner Shuham and opposes this P3 project at 1301 S. Ocean Drive. We join all the other organizations such as the Hollywood Beach Civic Assn, the Hollywood Lakes Civic Assn, the Hollywood Hills Civic Assn. the Summit Towers Condo Assn, The North Hollywood Beach Civic Assn, the Hollywood Historical Society, the Friends of Hollywood, North Central Civic Assn, the Sierra Club and scores of individual residents and taxpayers who also agree with Commissioner Shuham. The reasons for this opposition have been well stated. To burden the taxpayers with a 99 lease with a private condo association that clearly violates the intent of a 45 year old deed restriction especially when there are potentially other funding sources for the community center replacement does not make good sense to anybody but the developer.

We feel that it is your duty as elected officials to adhere to the wishes and desires of the residents that elected you to office and move on from this bad project.

TERRY CANTRELL
President - HCCA

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I received this email today

From: Friends of Hollywood Florida Inc. <friendsofhollywoodfl@gmail.com>
Date: Fri, Oct 1, 2021 at 1:32 PM
Subject: Why Wasn't This On The GO Bond?

Dear Mayor & Commissioners,

The Hollywood Beach Coalition and its members have been following as
many presentations and meetings as possible on this project.
We have been listening to all the voices, the developer, city staff,
comments from the commission, comments from the residents of Hollywood
and the community at large.

We are of the opinion and have concluded that this project is not in the
best interest of Hollywood or its residents and we are opposed to it.

We share many of the same concerns and join all the other organizations
and scores of other individual residents and taxpayers that you already
have heard from, in opposing this project, as presented.

Below are some of the points that have been brought to the Hollywood
Beach Coalitions attention and why we are against this P3 project:

We do not believe that the height of this project conforms to the
surrounding area and certainly is against the “bookend” plan that city
staff has previous put forth for beach building heights in the CRA
district. This project will dwarf surrounding buildings.

We believe the city did not do their due diligence when they did not get
an appraisal for the property particularly in light of the fact that
other assemblages of property on the barrier island are for much greater
prices than what is being offered by this project, in our opinion.

There is concern about a 99 year lease and the possible renewal of
another 99 year lease term at its end. Clearly, this would be a sale and
not a lease.
Who would evict the condo owners if the lease was not paid? Who would
pay to demolish the building and return the property to as is condition,
at the end of the lease?
Would the city really evict 190 condo owners for nonpayment of the lease
payments?

Parking for the beach community center would be problematic for the many
older or disabled residents that continually use this facility and they
would have to compete to get a parking space with the proposed condo
residents, beach users and those that would use the proposed restaurant
and community center.
Look at what happened at Margaritaville where the hotel has taken over
the public parking spaces.

The issue of how the developer would transfer title to the condo
association is still unresolved as the P3 state statute does not appear
to address or allow this type of transfer or assignment.
A comprehensive agreement would not be able to supersede the state statute.
This question remains unanswered.

We believe the original deed transfer is quite clear to its purpose and
we do not see how a condo project built on this land qualifies as a
public purpose, as it will be closed to the public and we do not see how
it comports to the P3 statute with an ensuing transfer of ownership from
the developer to a condo association.

We also heard that there were known defects of the beach community
center since 2018 which were not divulged to the public and monies were
not put on the GO Bond to maintain and update this beach community center.
These defects are now being used as an excuse and driving force about
getting a new beach community center.
This is very problematic to the community at large.
Either pass a new GO Bond, take savings from the GO Bond, have the Beach
CRA pay to renovate, remodel or build a new community center or look for
other financing methods.

There were no Beach CRA projects on the GO Bond list and this is
certainly something that should have qualified.

This is some of the last beachfront property that the city owns.

This is prime beachfront property that Hollywood should keep and utilize
for the enjoyment and use of future generations of Hollywood residents
and taxpayers.
Once gone, it cannot be replaced.

We hope that you will move on from this project as presented, as it
seems most of your electorate is in agreement that this is not a project
for Hollywood.
If you doubt this statement, please put it out for vote to the community
at large.

Thank you,

Bob Glickman
On Behalf of the Hollywood Beach Coalition

Dave 

Hallandale Beach/Hollywood Blog: http://www.hallandalebeachblog.blogspot.com/ 

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City of Hollywood presents its side Monday night re Hollywood's Sept. 13th referendum re Police & Fire pension costs

Hollywood civic activist and blogger extraordinaire Sara Case recently sent the following note out to folks to remind everyone in SE Broward about Monday night's HCCA meeting on the referendum taking place in two weeks.

From: Sara Case

Sent: Wednesday, August 17, 2011 4:23 PM

Subject: HCCA's Public Education Meeting on Pension Referendum

Hi All,

Here are the details of HCCA's public education meeting on the Sept. 13 pension referendum election. Please notify your all your association members and friends as this meeting will provide a good opportunity for voters to learn the implications of this special election.

Date: Monday, August 29, 7 PM

Place: Fred Lippman Multi-purpose Center, 2030 Polk Street (large meeting room)

Purpose of Meeting: To provide fact-based information on how the referendum will affect city operations, city services and employees, and city taxpayers -- both if it passes and if it is defeated.

The Interim City Manager Cathy Swanson-Rivenbark will make the presentation.

The exact ballot language can be found at this link on the city website:

http://www.hollywoodfl.org/election/2011/2011referendum_questions.htm

Sara

See Sara's July 20th Balance Sheet Blog post titled Financial problems in Hollywood

http://balancesheetblog.wordpress.com/2011/07/20/financial-troubles-in-hollywood/

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Why-oh-why can't the union officials who represent the individual members of the City of Hollywood Police and Fire Dept., Jeff Marano and Dan Martinez respectively, accept the fact that no matter how many times they say it to reporters or their members, the City of Hollywood CRA funds are not "found" money for the Hollywood City Commission to do with as they choose for whatever purpose?

(For that, you have to go to where I live, Hallandale Beach, There, things are so upside-down in the logic and common sense dept., that a perfectly preposterous idea for putting TVs/monitors -that run nothing but local ads- in HB businesses and public areas of condos NOT even in the CRA zone, got approved 4-1, with little to show for it but money down a rat hole. Money that the city is NOT trying very hard to get back from some of the individuals involved, once it went kerplunk.)

Over-and-over for years I have heard whining from them and Hollywood beat cops about there being this magic pot of gold over the rainbow.

But showing in many cases the very poor value of a Florida public school education, many persist in ignoring the facts and constructing arguments that result in them getting more, more, more.

It's NOT your money!

Given that taxes in Hollywood will still go up 11% even if this is approved, I believe that if it is rejected, the City Commission should fire about 300 City of Hollywood employees, not the 170 or so suggested in the Herald article below by Carli Teproff that appeared in this morning's newspaper.

Consider the extra people fired both a margin of error and a shot across the broadside that there are far too many people in the city's employ who are NOT earning their paycheck.

I know, I see it every week with my own eyes and have experienced it many times.

The condescension is the worst part.

People with Masters Degrees who think they know everything and are NOT interested in what you say about something, even when you have photographs that show that THEY are doing something that is NOT appropriate or safe, and even likely to lead to injuries to the public.

Nope, they just can't be bothered with your facts, they have workshops to go to.

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Miami Herald

HOLLYWOOD

With YouTube video and city mailings, Hollywood residents are learning about upcoming pension referendum

The gloves are off and both sides are coming out swinging with their campaigns to educate Hollywood voters on why they should or shouldn’t vote to change the city’s pension system

By Carli Teproff

http://www.miamiherald.com/2011/08/28/2376781/with-youtube-video-and-city-mailings.html

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Please be sure to read this excellent overview of the government employee pension situation by the Tallahasse Democrat's Senior Political Writer and Columnist Bill Cotterell.

I meant to mention it here weeks ago when the controversy over whether or not the City of Hollywood and the Police and Fire unions would work things out without a referendum being necessary.

Tallahassee Democrat

Things are tough all over

Government employees everywhere feel the pinch

Bill Cotterell

July 25, 2011

http://floridacapitalnews.com/article/20110725/COLUMNIST03/107250305

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Here's an interesting article from a year ago that I circulated at the time via an email.

New York Post

http://www.nypost.com/p/news/local/you_pay_the_price_hNooJsBk9MtO67HvinglHP

City taxpayers foot 90% of municipal pensions

By Susan Edelman

Last Updated: 10:31 AM, July 11, 2010

Posted: 2:10 AM, July 11, 2010

Taxpayers kick in an average $8.60 for every dollar that city employees contribute to their pensions, a sweet deal costing the Big Apple a bundle.

Even though their own retirements are less secure, as private businesses have shifted from traditional pensions to riskier savings plans like 401(k)s, taxpayers' support for rock-solid public employee pension plans is growing. That's because pension funds are guaranteed to grow 8 percent a year -- and taxpayers have to make up the difference if they don't.

Taxpayers' share of city pension costs has skyrocketed more than 900 percent in the last decade -- from $703.1 million in 2000 to $6.5 billion in 2009, according to the city comptroller's annual reports.

The cost is expected to hit $7.6 billion this fiscal year and $8.7 billion next year.

"It's a double-whammy for taxpayers," said E.J. McMahon, a senior fellow at the Manhattan Institute.

"If they're privately employed, they shoulder the risks of saving for their own retirement. At the same time, they have to pay a steadily mounting cost of guaranteed pensions for government workers."

Teachers get the biggest bang for their pension contributions -- the city puts in $15.50 for every $1 they contribute.

Taxpayers pay $10 for every $1 firefighters put in, $9 for every $1 from cops and $5.60 for every $1 from transit, sanitation and other civil servants, the 2009 report shows.

"The cost has risen because employee benefits were dramatically increased in 2000, just as the [stock] market began to collapse," said John Murphy, former executive director of the New York City Employee Retirement System, NYCERS, the largest city pension fund.

"In retrospect, it was one of the most irresponsible things to have done," he said.

Many private companies cut back or suspended matching contributions to employee 401(k) plans after the most recent dramatic market downturn in 2008. Some have begun to restore contributions, depending on profits.

Teachers hired after 2008 contribute 4.85 percent of their salaries for their first 10 years, then 1.85 percent a year thereafter.

Cops and firefighters make annual pension contributions depending on their age at swearing in, at most 8 percent at age 20. But in a benefit called "Increased Take Home Pay," the city subsidizes 5 percent of that.

Cops and firefighters are guaranteed an 8.25 percent return on their contributions, and can take loans from the plans up to twice a year, interest-free.

It's only fair, said Anthony Garvey, who recently retired as executive director of the Police Pension Fund.

He said the benefits befit the Finest and Bravest who risk "getting shot or running into burning buildings."

Retire it's on us

Taxpayers kicked in $7.35 billion to the city pension funds last fiscal year, while employees contributed $853.5 million.

An average of: $8.60 to $1

TEACHERS

Average pension: $54,268

Taxpayer contribution: $15.50 to $1

FIREFIGHTERS

Average pension: $53,347

Taxpayer contribution: $10 to $1

POLICE

Average pension: $41,319

Taxpayer contribution: $9.13 to $1

SANIT., TRANSIT, OTHER

Average pension: $24,889

Taxpayer contribution: $5.60 to $1

Source: Comprehensive Annual Financial Report of the NYC Comptroller for fiscal year 2009.

Forum in Hollywood on Amendment 4 slated for Wednesday October 13th at the Hillcrest Playdium, hosted by HLSCA & HHCA

Received this bit of public policy news this afternoon that I wanted to share with you ASAP, so you can check your calendar and make plans to attend.

To be honest, until today, I'd never heard of the Hillcrest Playdium, but just hearing the name, well, it sort of makes me wish that Hallandale Beach had a Hippodrome of its own.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hippodrome_of_Constantinople

As most everyone knows by now, I support Amendment 4, since the Diplomat LAC proposal in Hallandale Beach earlier this year made HB the poster-child for why this legislation is NEEDED.
----------

PRESS RELEASE
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Amendment 4 Informational Forum in Hollywood - Wednesday, October 13th, 2010

The Hollywood Lakes Civic Association (HLSCA) in partnership with the Hollywood Hills Civic Association (HHCA) will host a Forum on the upcoming statewide ballot question, Amendment 4. Amendment 4 would require city or county land use or comprehensive plan changes to go before the voters at an upcoming election.

Participating in the Hollywood Amendment 4 Forum will be following individuals:

For Amendment 4:
Bett Willett – Ms. Willett is the South Florida Coordinator for Florida Hometown Democracy, the grass-roots organization that was successful in getting Amendment 4 on the ballot. Bett is also a member of the Broward County Planning Council.

Tom Connick – Mr. Connick is a practicing attorney from Deerfield Beach and works closely with the Deerfield Beach Save Our Beach organization.

Against Amendment 4:
Mayor Frank Ortis – Pembroke Pines Mayor Frank Ortis is an outspoken critic of Amendment 4 and has a long history of civic service. Mayor Ortis was appointed to Vice Chair of the Broward League of Cities 2010-2011 Legislative & Advocacy Committee and has served as a Commissioner and Mayor for Pembroke Pines since 1996.

Cliff Schulman – Mr. Schulman is active with the “Vote No on 4” campaign organization.

Location for the Hollywood Amendment 4 Forum will be the Hillcrest Playdium, 1100 Hillcrest Drive, Hollywood, FL 33021.

Time: 7 to 9 pm.

Free parking.

For information, call 954-923-1940 or info@hollywoodlakes.com

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For the record, Cliff Schulman, mentioned above as one of the speakers who'll appear as an opponent of Florida Hometown Democracy, is considerably more than just someone who is "active" in anti-Amendment 4 activities.

Schulman is a frequent visitor before municipal and county government bodies throughout South Florida on behalf of his clients in his role as an attorney and lobbyist.
He was formerly the co-chair of the Environmental and Land Development Practice in the downtown Miami office of Greenberg Traurig, LLP, down on Brickell Avenue.

Earlier this year, Mr. Schulman left for Weiss Serota Helfman Pastoriza Cole & Boniske PL. http://www.wsh-law.com/content/attorneys/s/clifford-a-schulman/

Tell me, would it ever occur to you to ask for increased density for a client, in this case, Publix, as a result of development credits for underwater land?

Underwater, as in the Intracoastal.
No, really.
Well, Mr. Schulman has.

To wit, whether "submerged lands within an adjacent platted lot owned by Publix can be included for purposes of determining density and intensity of land use under section 265-5 of the City of Sunny Isles Beach Code of Ordinances..."

I have to admit, THAT is one lawyer who thinks 'outside-of-the-box'!

To see more on the particulars, see
http://www.3dca.flcourts.org/opinions/3D07-1895.pdf and http://eyeonmiami.blogspot.com/2007/04/greedy-developersjoe-martinezclifford.html and
http://eyeonmiami.blogspot.com/2009/07/r-allen-stanford-and-miami-based.html

Schulman is also the Chairman of the Board of the Aventura Marketing Council (AMC). http://www.aventuramarketingcouncil.com/

For more information on the individuals and groups mentioned above, see:

http://hollywoodlakes.com/news.htm

http://www.hollywoodcivic.org/modules/wfchannel/

http://www.hccacentral.org/

http://floridahometowndemocracyamendment.blogspot.com/

http://blogbybett.blogspot.com/

http://www.originalsaveourbeach.org/