Call To Action – Prevent the Weakening of the PBC Inspector General
The representatives of the municipalities on the Inspector General (IG) Drafting Committee are balking at the oversight role of the IG. The municipalities are saying that we, the voters, didn’t understand what we were voting for and that we simply didn’t want ‘pay to play’ activities by our elected officials. They are attempting to weaken the scope of the IG, saying that the IG should not be able to review and report on mismanagement or inefficiencies or to second guess the municipalities’ decisions in any way – when it is precisely those types of decisions that can ‘waste’ the tax-payers dollars.
ACTIONS
1 – Attend the Wednesday, February 9th meeting at 2pm at the Vista Center, Vista Center Hearing Room, 2300 N. Jog Rd (just northeast of Okeechobee Rd) – listen to the discussion politely, and when there’s time for public comment, please state that: you as a voter knew what you were voting for and that you believe that the ‘independent oversight of local government operations” is key to the IG’s role.
It is important that we have a large turnout at this meeting. Please make every effort to attend in person.
2 – Send emails to the drafting committee members stating that you support the scope of the IG as described in the original ordinance to “detect misconduct involving abuse, corruption, fraud, waste, inefficiencies and mismanagement” and that the same scope must now apply to the municipalities. The email addresses are:
REPRESENTING THE COUNTY:
| David Baker | david.baker@amrl.com |
| David Aronberg – Committee Vice Chair | aronberg@yahoo.com |
| Donna Raney – County Attorney’s office | DRaney@pbcgov.org |
REPRESENTING LEAGUE OF CITIES
| Kurt Bressner – Committee Chair | BressnerK@bbfl.us |
| Michael Bornstein | mbornstein@lantana.org |
| Trela White – League of Cities Attorney |
REPRESENTING OFFICE OF THE INSPECTOR GENERAL
| Sheryl Steckler – Inspector General | SSteckler@pbcgov.org |
3 – “like” the Vote Yes on Ethics facebook page (http://www.facebook.com/pages/Vote-YES-on-Ethics/104294449637067) so that you can see future action alerts or go to http://ethicspbc.com
4 – Send an email to support@ethicspbc.com with “I want independent oversight of local government” in the subject line.
Background:
In 2009 many of you worked very hard to see that an independent Inspector General was put in place for Palm Beach County, as well as Ethics Ordinances.. You stood up at County Commission meetings, you signed petitions, and you saw the Inspector General’s office get implemented. Then in November 2010 the people voted. An overwhelming 72% of voters wanted these ordinances and for the Inspector General’s scope to apply to all of the municipalities in the county.
The Charter Amendment called for a drafting committee consisting of representatives from both the League of Cities and the County, in equal representation plus the Inspector General for the IG Drafting Committee, and the Executive Director of the Ethics Commission for the Ethics Drafting Committee. The role of the IG committee is to write a new ordinance, using the original as a basis to incorporate the municipalities.
The Charter Amendment (http://www.pbcgov.com/countycommissioners/pdf/charter.pdf), in Section 8.3, defined the role of the Inspector General:
“The county shall, by ordinance, establish an Office of the Inspector General to provide independent oversight of publicly funded transactions, projects, and other local government operations”
The original IG ordinance (2009.049 – Sec. 2.422), stated that the office of the Inspector General was to “detect misconduct involving abuse, corruption, fraud, waste, inefficiencies, and mismanagement by elected and appointed county officials and employees, county agencies and instrumentalities, contractors, and other parties doing business with the county and/or receiving county funds.”
The IG ordinance drafting committee has spent 3 meetings now debating the wording of the Inspector General’s scope. The next meeting is to be held on February 9, 2011 at 2pm.
PBC Candidate Forum on October 4th at the Borland Center
The South Florida 912 is collaborating with the South Florida Tea Party on this event.
We need some volunteers! Please contact me ASAP if you can help with this event.
This is a really important event! Please bring friends and people that have never been to a political event out to hear these great candidates.
This event starts with a Meet an Greet followed by a series of candidate panels moderated by Joyce Kaufman, radio commentator and powerful activist. You and your friends will have an opportunity to meet and ask questions of several Palm Beach County candidates for key offices. Our slate of participating candidates include: LTC Allen West (CD22-R), Jim Horn (CD16-D), Tom Rooney (CD16-R), Joe Abruzzo (FH85-D), Tami Donnally (FH85-R), Steven Rosenblum (FH89-R), Albert Key (FH84-R), Joe Budd (CD19-R), Pat Rooney (FH83-R), Marc Marciano (FH83-D), Lizbeth Benacquisto (FS27-R), Bill Hager (FH87-R) and Bernard Sansaricq (CD23-R). Special guest Lou Galterio will sing the National Anthem.
MAJOR EVENT! Palm Beach County Candidate Forum
Date: Monday, October 4, 2010
Time: 6 pm Meet & Greet; 7 – 9 pm Candidate Forum moderated by Joyce Kaufman
Where: The Borland Center in Midtown
Address: 4885 PGA Blvd, Palm Beach Gardens 33418
Directions: On the north side of PGA just west of Military Trail
Seating limited to 500 people so please come early and bring your friends!
For candidate registration or for more information, please email pam@southfloridateaparty.org.
Please go here for Event Registration. If you would like to VOLUNTEER please contact Shannon 561-506-5258
or email me at Shannon411@gmail.com
Grand Opening of the Jupiter GOP Action Center – 8/17 5:30PM
GRAND OPENING
OF THE
JUPITER GOP ACTION CENTER
AUGUST 17TH (TUESDAY)
5:30 – 7:00 P.M.
810 SATURN STREET, SUITE #28
JUPITER
WINE & CHEESE
FURNISHED BY THE REPUBLICAN CLUB OF
THE NORTHERN PALM BEACHES
LOU GALTERIO
(SINGING OUR NATIONAL ANTHEM)
BETH KIGEL
VICE-CHAIR OF THE REC
FRAN HANCOCK
STATE COMMITTEE WOMAN
COME MEET OUR CANDIDATES
&
GET INVOLVED FOR VICTORY 2010
INFO CONTACT: LINDA GORE (561) 744-5522 OR
REPUBLICANGORE @YAHOO.COM
Early Voting Sites
AG Bill McCollum – Keynote Speaker at our 7/16 Luncheon!
Attorney General Bill McCollum, Candidate for Governor
and
Hon. Ellyn Bogdanoff, Candidate for FL Senate (Dist. 25)
WHERE: Bear Lakes Country Club, 1901 Village Blvd, West Palm Beach
BLCC Policy: Business Casual Dress (No Jeans); Please Silence Cell Phones,
TIME/DATE:
Friday, July 16; 11:30 Gathering; Lunch and Program at noon
(NOTE: CHANGE to FRIDAY)
COST $25 Members
$30 Guests
Complimentary Valet
RSVP by Wednesday, July 14 NOON — 561-697-4911 or email:
info@gopclubpb.org
Action Center Grand Opening
Call to Action – Speak out against the 1% Fire/Rescue Sales Surtax on June 8 at BCC mtg
NOTE: Time change – the agenda item is now time-certain for 11:00AM. In order to speak you must have a comment card submitted by 10:45 at the latest. Allow time to park and get through security!
At the last minute (not noted yet in the official agenda but confirmed) the County Commission has placed the sales tax proposal on the agenda for the 6/8/10 BCC Meeting (Item 6A2). At approximately 10:15am, they will discuss questions posed by staff in preparation to placing it on the ballot in November. It is also a slated agenda item for the County Workshop on 6/15 where the first reading of the ballot measure will occur. PLEASE COME TO THE MEETING ON TUESDAY JUNE 8 AND SPEAK AGAINST THIS PROPOSAL.
We need a big crowd against this. Please spread the word.
Key Points:
1) We oppose a new tax at this time
2) We oppose this being an item on the ballot in November
Here is a link to the Since this agenda item is NOT time certain – please plan on being there before 6A2 is begun to pick up a card so that you can speak. And it may come up as late as 10:45 – so allow sufficient parking meter time. The notice about the meeting has also been posted on the Announcement section of .
Event Tracking
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Anne Roberts Scholarship Awarded to Cindy Morris and James Shackelford
This year, in a break from the past, the Scholarship Committee led by Dorothy Harper decided to award our annual scholarship to two worthy individuals.
Cindy Morris, a mother of 5 with a 3.6 GPA attends Palm Beach Atlantic University and hopes to graduate this year with a BS in Elementary Education.
James Shackelford is attending FAU with a 3.57 GPA. He is Chairman of the FAU chapter of Young Americans for Freedom (YAF), and a member of FAU student government. He spoke to his interest in politics and his involvement with the FAU online radio show Owls with Issues, where he represents the Republican point of view. If he maintains his academic standing and reapplies, James will continue to be eligible for a continuing scholarship.
The Anne Roberts Memorial Scholarship, which honors a founding member of the Republican Club of the Palm Beaches and a recipient of the Jean Pipes Award, is available to any Republican student seeking to further their education (undergraduate or graduate). Current members may refer applicants for this scholarship. In 2009, RCPB made the commitment to follow the Scholarship recipients annually, up to 4 years with a $500 Scholarship, considering the criteria is met.
Congratulations to both Cindy and James. We wish them success in their endeavors.
RCPB May Lunch Meeting
Lunch – Bear Lakes Country Club
SENATOR JOHN THRASHER (FL SD8)
(Pending Special Session-Special Star TBA)
Former Speaker of the House, now representing the Jacksonville area in the Senate, Thrasher is our new star hero Chairman of the Republican Party of Florida. You will be totally engaged by his take on this year’s legislative session and his update on the plans for rebuilding the state Party.
Meet our 2010 SCHOLARSHIP RECIPIENTS
11:30am Meet & Greet 12:00 Program Begins
Wake Up, America! Please!
You’re invited to join us to hear from author, attorney and Palm Beach County Committeeman, Peter Feaman. Peter will be talking about his two books and the war against terrorism, both domestic and foreign.
BOOK # 1: “WAKE UP, AMERICA”-
BOOK # 2: “WAKE UP, AMERICA! PLEASE!”
PETER M. FEAMAN, ESQ., Author, Attorney, Activist, has subtitled his books, “Understanding Jihad for Dummies”
WHERE: Bear Lakes Country Club, 1901 Village Blvd, West Palm Beach
Club Rules: Business Casual Dress (No Jeans); Please Silence Cell Phones, NO VALET TONIGHT—SELF PARKING
TIME/DATE: Wed. May 26 ; 5:30 Gathering; Program 6-7
COST: $5 Members and Guests / Light Refreshments / Cash Bar
RSVP: by MONDAY, May 24 NOON — 561-697-4911 or email: info@gopclubpb.org (NEW EMAIL ADDRESS AND WEBSITE)