Publisher Jerry Lower
By Jerry Lower, Publisher
Our coastal community is constantly influenced by the changing seasons.
In autumn we can count on hurricane season giving us a few scares and autumnal tides to swell the Intracoastal Waterway, with standing water reaching into some of our low-lying neighborhoods.
Winter often brings strong winds and turbulent seas that make the ocean surf behave like a giant washing machine. Winter also brings an influx of seasonal residents and short-term vacationers to enjoy our picture-perfect weather. These “snow birds” crowd the beaches, restaurants and roadways, pushing our economy into overdrive.
Spring felt like it lasted longer than ever this year — ah, paradise!
Afternoon showers are already here as summer settles in. We can expect the wind to calm and the surface of ocean to look like a sheet of glass. Air-conditioners will be running full-blast and businesses will operate under-capacity as year-round residents head out on vacation like “reverse snow birds.” It’s all part of our South Florida seasons.
Like other businesses in the area, The Coastal Star swells during season and returns to normal in the summer.
Many of our readers know we print two very different editions during season; one for Boca Raton and Highland Beach, and one for Delray Beach, Gulf Stream, The Pocket, Briny Breezes, Ocean Ridge, Manalapan, Hypoluxo Island and South Palm Beach.
Sometimes in the peak of season there is so much news in our coastal communities, we don’t have space for all the interesting stories from elsewhere around the region.
So as the heat of summer slows the pace of news, we plan to merge much of our two editions to keep the most interesting stories (and advertising) in the paper while allowing our hard-working staff to take well-deserved vacations. We know, of course, that news doesn’t stop this summer — what with two coastal towns considering moving their police protection to the county Sheriff’s Office, the continuing conflict between residential neighborhoods and nonprofit sober houses and the annual budget cycle that inevitably brings considerations of new taxes and cuts in services. We’ll still be here editing the best newspaper we can for you.
We hope you enjoy our combined edition over the summer. Just as we all share the seasons, let’s take this opportunity to learn about our neighbors.
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The Town Council of South Palm Beach changed the Towns]FORM OF GOVERNMENT
From March 2006 EVERY member of EVERY board was appointed by individual Council Member STRICTLY PROHIBITED by the Charter- the Towns Constitution.
They refuse to answer any of my e-mails or questions at Town Hall Meetings – why? If I am wrong just tell me so!
Below is what I tried to read at the Town Hall on June 26, 2012.
TOWN HALL MEETING 6-26-12
At the October 25, 2011 Town Meeting Mayor Clayman instructed Police Chief Crane to remove me from the hall, and in the end Police Chief Crane said to Mayor Clayman “give me instructions Mayor and I will arrest her for trespassing. The Mayor has no authority to give orders to employees.
§ 2-3. - Prohibitions.
(a)
Neither the Town Council nor any member thereof shall give orders to any subordinate of the Town Manager, either publicly or privately. Crane is a subordinate of the Town Manager.
Chief Crane has worked in this Town for 25 years and yet he asks the Mayor for instructions.
March 28, 2006 Town Attorneys wrote Ordinance 255.This ordinance gave permission for the Mayor and Town Council to choose and appoint anybody that they wanted to put on the Boards etc. of our Town – PROHIBITED BY OUR TOWN CHARTER.
Boards were cheery picked by individual Council Members and Mayor to suit their own agendas.
Excerpts from our charter state:
Boards and committees:
a) Appointment—Every member of every board and committee of the Town, whether advisory or quasi-judicial, shall be recommended by the Town Manager, and shall be appointed by the Town Council.
(3) The Mayor shall have no power of appointment, or of veto.
3-3. - Appointments and removals.
(a) . The Town Manager shall report every appointment and removal made by him/her to the Town Council at the next meeting thereof following such appointment or removal. Not done since 2006
§ 2-9. - Citizens advisory council.. Unless there is an emergency or other bona fide reason for immediate action, as approved by the Town Council, all recommendations of the Town Manager for board and committee membership shall be considered by the citizen advisory council, prior to approval by the Town Council.
This Mandatory Citizens Advisory Council that has not sat in this Town since 2003.
§ 2-3. - Prohibitions.
(a) Neither the Town Council nor any of its members shall direct or request the Manager or any of his/her subordinates, or in any manner take part in the appointment or removal of officers and employees in that portion of the service of the Town for whose administration the Town Manager is responsible
§ 3-3. - Appointments and removals.
(a) Department heads, officers, and employees: Such officers and employees as the Town Council, with the advice of the Town Manager, shall determine are necessary for the proper administration of the Town agencies for whose administration the Town Manager is responsible, shall be appointed and may be removed, by the Town Manager. The Town Manager shall report every appointment and removal made by him/her to the Town Council at the next meeting thereof following such appointment or removal. Not done since 2006
Planning Board Members Mike Nevard, Dee Robinson and Pat Festino who helped rob this Town the chance to redevelop our only commercial site, have never been through the MANDATORY CITIZENS ADVICE COUNCIL, and all three were ILLEGALLY appointed and reappointed by individual council members.
Their votes should be invalidated.