Showing posts with label John Chidsey. Show all posts
Showing posts with label John Chidsey. Show all posts

Tuesday, March 12, 2013

Future of Hallandale Beach's Fashion Row Arts District on N.E. First Avenue to be discussed at an important 5:30 p.m. meeting on Wednesday at Dekka; What, if any, are insurance executive and developer Stephen L. Riemer's strategic plans for the future of the N.E. First Avenue area, alongside the F.E.C. tracks?; More cases of déjà vu on Hallandale Beach's woeful website


Above from June 19, 2012 

March 12, 2013

One day before an important 5:30 meeting at Dekka about the future of NE First Avenue and HB City Hall's willingness to actually live up to their past promises after years of eyerolling obfuscation and rhetoric -with only one Fashion Row banner still flying above the street that took the city over ONE YEAR to actually order and then erect onto First Avenue street light fixtures, in Dec. of 2011- and less than one week before next Monday night's HB CRA meeting on that matter, weeks after being hired, new CRA Director Daniel Rosemond's email address STILL does NOT appear on the city's own website. 

And can anyone plausibly explain why Liza Torres' contact info is NOT also located on the same webpage?

http://www.hallandalebeachfl.gov/index.aspx?NID=82


Why is it SO consistently hard over several years for the city to actually construct a normal, accurate and intuitive hierarchical directory on the city website that lists who's in charge of what, and their contact info?
It's like pulling teeth to get them to act like a normal city!

For some of you reading this, these words ring very, very familiar.
But it wasn't yesterday, it was four year ago.
In fact, it was March 8, 2009 when I wrote and posted this...
-----------------

Mayor Joy Cooper's so-called column in The South Florida Sun-Times had this headline for her most recent column: It was a very busy week around the community

Her 9th paragraph begins: 
   We continued the first meeting of the month with the public works update. Director William Brandt reported
on the many ongoing construction projects. Many were in the final stages of completion. West Hallandale Beach
Blvd is almost fully completed with punch list items and final signalization test. This included the intersection at
8th Ave., which was implemented jointly with our city. Staff continues to evaluate the continued erosion along 
Shafer Canal and is looking to work with Broward County Erosion Control and the South Florida Water Management
District. We are looking at the possibility of a grant or loan program to assist in repairs. 
   One other project that was highlighted was the bridge rehabilitation project which has already commenced.
It will continue over the next few months with a projected completion date of November 1. This project includes
the beautification and lighting enhancements on the bridges located SW 7th St, Paradise Isles Blvd. and the
seven bridges within the single family residential area.
   After his report Mr. Brandt introduced the new Director of Public Works Department.
   Bill Brandt will remain as Director of Utilities and Engineering. Our utilities infrastructure continues to create a
high demand with many necessary on going projects . These include; sewer line rehabilitation, lift station replacement,
water plant operations, water main line improvements and daily crew operations and maintenance. 
All these projects include extensive engineering and planning.
   In order to expedite many of our construction programs and projects City Manager Mike Good recommended the
department be split between utilities and public works. Mr. John Chidsey was introduced as our new Director of 
Public Works. His duties will include but are not limited to; construction planning and supervision, facility maintenance,
sanitation, fleet management, street maintenance and transportation. Mr. Chidsey has over 30 years of supervisory
experience in construction, mechanical repair and maintenance. He holds a Bachelors Degree in Business from Nova,
is a State Certified contractor having built over 100,000 million dollars in construction and holds a Broward County
Engineering 3G Certificate.
   The combined expertise of both these gentlemen will provide much better service to our community. Keeping with
our goal not to increase costs and provide the same quality or improved services this staff change will create no
additional costs. Recently Frank Hilemen Legislative Analyst/Grant Specialist left the city for a job with a  private firm.
This position was not filled in the city manager's department but transferred to create the new public works position.
   After the introduction I took an opportunity to thank Director Brant on a job well done in repairing the water main
break that occurred on Hallandale Beach Boulevard. at Golden Isles Drive.  During these trying financial times I
have been approach many times with the question.  “Why we are not laying off people and going out to contract
service to save money?” This is one of the prime examples. Our staff was able to mobilize instantly and insure
that our water services were up and running within 24 hours for thousands of residents. If we had to wait to call in
an out side contractor the job would have taken much longer and would have cost much more to complete.

I guess I hardly need tell you that as far as the city's own website goes, as of today, after typing his name in the
search function, it shows that there is no person -with or without quotation marks- named "Chidsey" working
for the City of Hallandale Beach, as you can see below.

Not surprisingly, as of today, the city's website, http://www.hallandalebeach.org/Directory.asp?EID=67
also still shows Mr. Brant as DPW Director
You are here: Home > Staff Directory

William Brant 
Department of Public Works
Title: Director of Public Works
Phone: 954-457-1611


Return to Staff Directory


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No, four years ago, I had to send Mr. Chidsey an email thru other city Dept. heads in order to let him know that the only reason he wasn't already hearing from citizens completely disgusted and dismayed with the continuing unsatisfactory performance of DPW at public parks and the beach was simple -his city email address was still missing from the city's website several MONTHS after he'd been put in charge of the Dept.
Yes, as always, the past is prologue in Hallandale Beach.

Like many of you, I think it will be very interesting to see if insurance executive and real estate developer Stephen L Riemer attends Wednesday's meeting, given all the properties that he owns or is associated with in the immediate area.

All properties in Hallandale Beach currently owned by Stephen L. Riemer or Riemer Brothers LLChttp://riemerinsurance.com/  http://www.riemerbrothers.com/

We have located more than one record for the information you entered.
Directions: Click the folio number to see property details.
 Sort By Folio Number      Sort By Name      Sort By Address
50 Records Found
Folio NumberOwner NameProperty Address
514227070090 RIEMER BROTHERS LLC NE 1 STREET  
514227270050 RIEMER BROTHERS LLC NE 3 AVENUE  
514227300090 RIEMER BROTHERS L L C 101 NE 3 AVENUE  
514227290220 RIEMER BROTHERS LLC 105 NE 2 AVENUE  
514227300080 RIEMER BROTHERS LLC 105 NE 3 AVENUE  
514227300200 RIEMER BROTHERS LLC 106 NE 2 TERRACE  
514227300071 RIEMER BROTHERS LLC 107 NE 3 AVENUE  
514227290240 RIEMER BROTHERS LLC 109 NE 2 AVENUE  
514227300320 RIEMER BROTHERS LLC 109 NE 2 TERRACE  
514227300070 RIEMER BROTHERS LLC 109 NE 3 AVENUE  
514227290260 RIEMER BROTHERS LLC 113 NE 2 AVENUE  
514227270011 RIEMER BROTHERS LLC 114 NE 3 AVENUE  
514227300040 RIEMER BROTHERS L L C 115 NE 3 AVENUE  
514227290100 RIEMER BROTHERS LLC 116 NE 2 AVENUE  
514227290280 RIEMER BROTHERS LLC 117 NE 2 AVENUE  
514227290110 RIEMER BROTHERS LLC 118 NE 2 AVENUE  
514227300250 RIEMER BROTHERS LLC 118 NE 2 TERRACE  
514227290120 RIEMER BROTHERS LLC 120 NE 2 AVENUE  
514227290130 RIEMER BROTHERS LLC 122 NE 2 AVENUE  
514227300160 RIEMER BROTHERS LLC 20 NE 2 TERRACE  
514227110120 RIEMER BROTHERS LLC 201 NE 3 AVENUE  
514227290330 RIEMER BROTHERS LLC 203 NE 2 AVENUE  
514227290340 RIEMER BROTHERS LLC 205 NE 2 AVENUE  
514227110170 RIEMER BROTHERS LLC 207 NE 2 STREET  
514227300110 RIEMER BROTHERS LLC 21 NE 3 AVENUE  
514227110160 RIEMER BROTHERS LLC 211 NE 2 STREET  
514227110150 RIEMER BROTHERS LLC 215 NE 2 STREET  
514227300150 RIEMER,STEPHEN L 217 E HALLANDALE BEACH BOULEVARD  
514227110140 RIEMER BROTHERS L L C 217 NE 2 STREET  
514227300140 RIEMER,STEPHEN L 219 E HALLANDALE BEACH BOULEVARD  
514227300170 RIEMER BROTHERS LLC 22 NE 2 TERRACE  
514227300130 RIEMER,STEPHEN L 221 E HALLANDALE BEACH BOULEVARD  
514227300120 RIEMER,STEPHEN L 221 NE 3 AVENUE  
514222310130 RIEMER BROTHERS LLC 224 NE 4 STREET  
514227300360 RIEMER BROTHERS LLC 23 NE 2 TERRACE  
514227070070 RIEMER BROTHERS LLC 25 NE 4 AVENUE  
514227070010 RIEMER BROTHERS LLC 301 E HALLANDALE BEACH BOULEVARD  
514227270010 RIEMER BROTHERS LLC 308 NE 2 STREET  
514227070111 RIEMER BROTHERS LLC 309 NE 1 STREET  
514227070100 RIEMER BROTHERS LLC 314 NE 1 STREET  
514222340130 RIEMER BROTHERS LLC 316 NE 4 COURT  
514227270030 RIEMER BROTHERS L L C 320 NE 1 COURT  
514227070080 RIEMER BROTHERS LLC 320 NE 1 STREET  
514222340030 RIEMER BROTHERS LLC 321 NE 4 STREET  
514227270014 RIEMER BROTHERS LLC 328 NE 2 STREET  
514227110320 RIEMER BROTHERS LLC 329 NE 2 STREET  
514227270020 RIEMER BROTHERS LLC 330 NE 1 COURT  
514227080040 RIEMER BROTHERS LLC 34 SE 3 AVENUE  
514222120110 RIEMER BROTHERS LLC 408 NE 2 AVENUE  
514227010570 RIEMER BROTHERS LLC 410 NE 2 STREET  


I say that in light of all the many below-the-radar comments that have been heard around town about him and his purported desire to essentially take over the street, and build a high-density building there, perhaps a mixed-use development with residential on top of first-floor retail.

Of course, if Mr. Riemer or one of his associates is there in-person, they need to be prepared to be asked reasonable questions by the public and small business owners about the specifics of Riemer's strategic plan for N.E. First Avenue.

If those comments I've heard are, in fact, true, personally, I don't think his keeping the entire community in the dark on his plans would work to his advantage.
Quite to the contrary.

I guess we'll all see what happens and who plays their cards tomorrow at 5:30 p.m.
Make plans to be there!

Dekka is located at 139 N.E. 1st Avenue, Hallandale Beach, FL 33009

Monday, February 28, 2011

If you think your City Hall is screwed-up, read Hallandale Beach City Comm. Keith London's review of a recent day at the office -and it's all true!

The following comments are an email that I and many other Hallandale Beach citizen taxpayers and residents received from City Commissioner Keith London about the last City Commission meeting, most of which I was present for.
From my perspective, they ring 100% true.

If anything, I should've started posting these review comments of his years ago to give you all a more complete idea of what well-informed people in this city who favor genuine financial accountability, public policy transparency and simple common sense, are up against in the form of mayor Joy Cooper's Rubber Stamp Crew, and the maladroit City Manager Mike Antonio.

Antonio is quickly losing his few remaining supporters in this city thru his frustrating and inscrutable decision-making that consistently puts this city's citizens on the bottom of the political pyramid.


Antonio
is NOT elected and does not make the public policy of this city but rather is supposed to carry out the entire commission's will, not just do the bidding of the mayor, including getting items on the agenda, yet his longstanding amnesia on this simple point is getting harder and harder to explain away -even among people who supported his getting the job.

He consistently makes decisions that are either NOT his to make, or which leave the public on the outside looking in, with little to no information, even when it's supposed to already be public.
Just like his predecessor, Mike Good.

From my conversations with people all throughout the community, the upcoming city Quadrant meetings here are looking to be pretty brutal for Antonio, as well as for DPW Director John Chidsey and some other city high-profile employees, as they have precious little positive to show for what they've done the past year, especially at their salary levels and benefits packages.

By no stretch of the imagination are HB taxpayers and business owners currently getting a dollar's worth of performance for every tax dollar going straight into city paychecks, or, being doled out to contractors for services "supposedly" rendered.


Antonio
, Chidsey and other Hallandale Beach city employees are continuing to perform in a completely unsatisfactory manner, and they can pretend all they want, but they're in for a major shock in the coming months as the public scrutiny on them and their behavior, words and professional performance only increases.

Wheels are definitely in motion...


---------

Everyone,

The following is an update of agenda items and other issues discussed at the Wednesday, February, 16 2011 City of Hallandale Beach Commission Meeting.

Highlights of this Wrap-Up

· Commissioner Lewy undermines yet another one of Commissioner London’s motions

· City Manager Antonio adds supplemental agenda item at last minute to discuss multi-million dollar contract

· City Commission authorizes the spending of $38,750 without any back-up information

· Mayor Cooper states the City of Hallandale Beach only has a “dog-run NOT a park”

· St. Borromeo’s Church is still for sale

· No second to have Public Meeting with NE residents prior to moving forward with two way traffic on NE 8th NE 10th Avenues

http://www.hallandalebeach.org/files/2011-02-16/Agenda%20Outline%20for%202011-02-16%2013-30.htm

http://www.hallandalebeach.org/files/Supplemental%20Agenda%20Item%207E%20_02%2016%2011%20.pdf

REGULAR AGENDA

CITY COMMISSION, CITY OF HALLANDALE BEACH

WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 16, 2011 1:30 P.M.

1. CALL TO ORDER

2. ROLL CALL

3. PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE

4. PUBLIC PARTICIPATION (to be heard at 1:35 P.M.)

· Dr. Judy Selz spoke regarding not being provided information regarding charitable contributions and the Mayor’s/Commissioners travel expenses.

o Commissioner London commented on a document that was provided to Dr. Selz by the City Manager and had information redacted

o Providing documentation in this manner makes the City look like they are trying to hide something; hence not being transparent and accountable

·

5. PRESENTATIONS AND REPORTS

A. Proclamation Proclaiming March 6 - 12, 2011 as Problem Gambling Awareness Week (PGAW)

B. Proclamation Proclaiming February 20 - 26, 2011 as National Engineers Week

C. Parks and Recreation Summary Report

D. Presentation of Certificates in Recognition of the 2010 Martin Luther King, Jr. Humanitarian Award Nominees

TO BE HEARD AT 7:00 PM

E. Recognition of Armin Lovenvirth as the 2010 Martin Luther King, Jr. Humanitarian Award Recipient.

TO BE HEARD AT 7:00 PM

6. CONSENT AGENDA

A. Approval of Draft Minutes - Regular City Commission Meetings of September 1, 2010, September 15, 2010, November 17, 2010 and February 2, 2011 and Special City Commission Meetings of September 15, 2010, September 27, 2010 and September 29, 2010

· Commissioner London made motions to revise/clarify the meeting minutes as follows:

o September 15, 2010 meeting – include comments from Commissioner London stating he wanted the City of Hallandale Beach Chamber of Commerce to become self-sufficient; and the storage trailer at the Upper Deck Bar and Grill should be allowed to remain on the premises

o September 29, 2010 meeting – include the statement that Commissioner London has never received meeting minutes from the Golden Isles and Three Islands Safe Neighborhood Districts advisory boards

· As I have repeatedly stated, I will not approve minutes that are more than 30 days old

· Passed 4:1 – LONDON NO

B. Pursuant to Chapter 23, Article III, Authorize the City Manager to Approve Additional Engineering Services to Tank Engineering and Management Consultants, Inc. (TEAM) to Perform Detailed Engineering and Design on a New Pipe Section for an Inlet Pipe for the City's Elevated Water Tank, in an Amount not to Exceed $2,000.00. (Staff: Director of Utilities and Engineering)

· Passed 5:0

7. CITY BUSINESS

A. A Resolution of the City of Hallandale Beach, Florida, Authorizing the City Manager to Enter Into a Construction Agreement with the Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) for Hallandale Beach Boulevard and NE 8th Avenue and NE 10th Avenue Intersections Improvements Project (Staff: Director of Utilities & Engineering)

· Commissioner London requested City Manager Antonio answer the following questions regarding this project:

o Residents wanted to know if the two-traffic project was planned prior to the Ben Gamla School proposed project - ANSWER: the two-way traffic project was proposed prior to Ben Gamla

o Did the Northeast Quadrant residents have a community meeting regarding this project? – ANSWER: NO

o What is the source of funding for this project? – ANSWER: CRA $150,000; Transportation Fund $630,00; General Fund $100,000 – Total approximately $1 million and total monies spent thus far is $60,000

o The Hallandale Square Project, according to their development agreement with the City, is supposed to contribute approximate $335,000 towards the cost of this project which has not happened to date; if the City commences this project now, will the City lose this money? ANSWER – No concrete answer was provided

· Please click on the following links for studies showing that One-Way Streets are Safer and Better than Two-Way Streets

o http://debunkingportland.org/onewaystreets.htm

o www.Independenceinstitute.org/cad.aspx

o www.denverpost.com/news/ci_3876477

· Commissioner London made a motion to delay going forward with this project until the City holds a Community Meeting regarding this project – NO SECOND

· Passed 4:1 – LONDON NO

B. Discussion of Converting the Temporary Lane Modifications at Hallandale Beach Blvd and Dixie Highway to a Permanent Change. (Director: Utilites & Engineering)

TOBE HEARD AT 2:30 P.M.

· Item deferred

C. Discussion on Allowing Dogs at Joseph Scavo Park (Staff: Director of Parks and Recreation)

· This item was sent to the Parks Advisory Board after the January 18, 2011 meeting on a 3-2 vote (LONDON and ROSS NO) to discuss a plan and location for a dog park

· Mayor Cooper was adamantly in favor of this project as she stated there currently are no dog parks located in Hallandale; only a dog run in Golden Isles

· The Parks Advisory Board agreed unanimously NOT to move forward with a dog park until the Parks Master Plan is complete. (Commissioner London suggested that at the January 18 meeting)

· Commissioner London stated he supports a dog park in the City as long as it is developed appropriately and properly and ends up being an area that enhances the City

· Motion to Delay this project until the Parks Master Plan is complete - Passed 4:1 – Cooper NO

D. Discussion of Establishing a Charter Review Committee (City Attorney)

TO BE HEARD AT 7:20 P.M.

· The City will be forming a Charter Review Committee

· This Committee is appointed every eight (8) years to suggest changes to the City Commission

· This is a seven (7) member board of which the Mayor and Vice Mayor will appoint two members each and the remaining Commissioners have one appointment

· The Board sunsets after six (6) months

· If the Commission votes in favor of any changes/revision, it is then placed on an electoral ballot for the residents to have final say.

· Please feel free to provide any suggestions or comments as it relates to the Charter and City of Hallandale Beach when these public meetings are held

· Please click on this link if anyone has interest in applying to be a member of the Charter Review Committee: http://www.hallandalebeach.org/forms.aspx?FID=60

8. COMMISSIONER REPORTS

9. OTHER

· Commissioner London made a motion to establish five (5) Vision Commission retreats (as suggested by a consultant to the City) – NO SECOND

o Commissioner Lewy offered a friendly amendment to change the number of retreats from 5 to 3 – Friendly Amendment not accepted

o Mayor Cooper stated she did NOT want any vision retreats

· Commissioner London asked City Manager Antonio when the Commission would start receiving a budget advisory report from the City Manager – ANSWER: The City Manager stated he decided we did not need one

· Commissioner London asked if St. Borromeo Church was still for sale?

o This is the property that Mayor Cooper and former City Manager Mike Good wanted to buy for $3,000,000 with no plan. Both wanted us to act immediately because the archdiocese stated there was another buyer. That was approximately one year ago.

· The City Manager brought forward an item to fund a citizen survey at a cost of $38,750 without any back-up material

o Passed 4:1 – LONDON NO

10. PUBLIC PARTICIPATION (to be heard at 7:00 P.M.)

11. CONSENT AGENDA

A. Summary of City Commission Action Taken During the Afternoon Portion of the Meeting

12. PUBLIC HEARINGS (to be heard at 7:15 P.M.)

SUPPLEMENTAL AGENDA #1

7. CITY BUSINESS

E. A Resolution Ratifying a Contract Between the City of Hallandale Beach, Florida, and the Hallandale Beach Professional Fire Fighters Metro Broward Local 3080 District 10 Affiliated with International Association of Fire Fighters, Relating to Relations Between the Employer and the Fire Union Employees of the City of Hallandale Beach

· This was a last minute agenda item provided to the City Commission less than 48 hours before the meeting

· There was no fiscal impact statement, no actuarial study attached as well as pertinent back-up information to discuss an item of this magnitude

· This is a multi-million dollar contract with the City’s Fire Department and approximately 60 pages long

· This is inappropriate to bring this item forward to the Commission or “OUR” residents without adequate time for review and questions

· When asked, the City Manager stated he brought this forward quickly because he promised the Fire Department he would do so for them

· As much as I support the City of Hallandale Beach’s Fire Department, I do not support the manner in which this item was brought forward; this does not represent transparency and accountability!

· Passed 4:1 – LONDON NO

I welcome and will gladly add those individuals who may not currently be included on my email distribution lists. Please feel free to forward those email addresses and contact information to me.

Please contact me if you would like unsubscribe to any future emails.

For all you who are unable to physically attend and participate at the City Commission meetings, these meetings are replayed on Comcast Channel 78 on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday @ 12:00 P.M. and Mondays and Thursday @ 6:00 P.M.

Commission Meetings are now being web streamed and archived. Please visit: http://fl-hallandalebeach.civicplus.com/index.aspx?NID=717

You are always welcome to contact me with questions or suggestions and I encourage you to contact the rest of the City Commission with your questions or comments.

Other good contact information:

Keith S. London

City Commissioner

Hallandale Beach

954-457-1320 Office

www.KeithLondon.com

http://www.facebook.com/KeithSLondon