Jim Parent - City Commissioner, St Pete Beach » Looking out for the interest of the Community.©

Your City of St Pete Beach has held six negotiation sessions in an effort to resolve what we believe is clearly an unsustainable Defined Benefit Plan (Pension Plan) for the City employees represented by the International Association of Firefighters (IAFF) Local 2266.

Since no agreement has been reached the Special Magistrate will hear the evidence and arguments of both the City Manager’s bargaining team and the IAFF on April 4^th at 930am in the St Pete Beach City Hall and issue a recommended resolution.

If both the City Manager’s bargaining team and the IAFF agree, that recommendation will go to the City Commission and the IAFF bargaining unit for ratifications. If either party files a timely objection to the recommendation the impasse will go to the City Commission at a public hearing where the parties will again present evidence and arguments supporting each position.  Upon conclusion of that hearing the City Commission will make the final decision as to the retirement plan.

You can read an expanded version of this notice <HERE>.

The following email is the latest communication from, and to, the people supporting the Jim Anderson obstructionist gang. It is in the City record.

PLEASE feel free to forward a link to my site to all your friends family, the press, and other interested parties.

If you don’t want to read my thoughts then click HERE to get to the emai.

They are, for some reason, ‘only sending this to the "faithful". No "blast".’  I don’t know who the “faithful” are and understand the no “blast” part but I have always felt strongly that transparency in your local government is important so I thought anyone who wanted to should read it.

I don’t know if it matters if the Courts see it too.  I do know enough about law to know that decisions are made on how the facts support the law.  It has always struck me that supportive facts are much more important that the size of the cheering section.

Speaking of facts, note that the author of the email says “These guys only have about a 5% majority over the rest of the residents “.    I’m not sure what he is talking about and I don’t think he is either (or he is just bad at simple percentages) or he is trying to mislead on purpose.

There were four (4) St. Pete Beach City Charter Amendment measures on the March 8, 2011 ballot in our City.  All four (4) of those were approved.  Note that I have rounded these percentages to one tenth of one percent.

 The first amendment sought to repeal the requirement that voters need to approve certain plans or amendments. There were 1,808 YES votes (54.2%) and 1,528 NO votes (45.8%); a difference of 280 votes out of 3336 a margin of 8.4%

 The second amendment sought to repeal the requirement that voters need to have a say in submitted redevelopment plans. There were 1807 YES votes (54.09%) and 1,534 NO votes (45.91%); a difference of 272 out of 2241 for a margin of 8.1%.

 The third amendment sought to repeal the requirement that voters need to approve development code changes in regards to height of structures. There were 1,768 YES votes (52.98%) and 1,569 NO votes (47.02%); a difference of 199 out of 3337 for a margin of 6.0%.

 The fourth measure sought to revise the section of the charter which deals with initiative and referendum proceedings. There were 1,660 YES votes (50.32%) and 1,639 NO votes (49.68%); a margin of 21 out of 3299 for a margin of 1.0%.

 All of moot importance for one primary reason;  we are a democracy and the majority wins.  The people supporting the lawsuits did not get their way and are continuing to kick and scream.  

In my mind, kicking and screaming is OK; HOWEVER also in my mind to cost your fellow residents over a MILLION $$ and to hold up any chance of redevelopment in our City as the expense of those same fellow residents is not OK.  It is bullying, it is not acceptable to our democratic form of government. 

 You can read their email HERE.

~COREY AVENUE/DOWNTOWN AREA PEDESTRIAN AND STREET IMPROVEMENTS PUBLIC WORKSHOP will be Thursday, March 22nd ‐ 6:00pm Community Center as a follow‐up to the informational workshop held in October of 2011.

The City of St. Pete Beach is holding a public workshop on Thursday, March 22, at 6:00pm at the Community Center (7701 Boca Ciega Avenue) to present further details related to improvements to the public realm in the downtown/Corey area. The proposed improvements implement the goals and objectives of the Comprehensive Plan in that they will help revitalize the downtown as a walkable, bikable, live, work, play destination.

The improvements include street beautification, landscaping and additional on street parking, in addition to improving both pedestrian and vehicle connections. These planning discussions are still in the early development stage and residents, property owners and businesses are encouraged to attend to learn more about the ideas being considered and have questions answered by those working on the project.

To see the extent of the subject area please click the image below.

BAYWAY BRIDGE NEWS ‐ FDOT has two ways you can stay up‐to‐date on the new Bridge progress.

First, you can sign up to receive periodic electronic updates; sign up at roadwork@dot.state.fl.us or call 727‐864‐5464. 

Second, attend a weekly informational meeting for the public to be held on Thursdays starting February 23 between 9‐10am at the Shoppers Village, 5901 Sun Blvd., St. Petersburg.  

The informational meetings will be held in the breezeway.

As part of Jim Anderson's lawsuit against the residents and taxpayers of St. Pete Beach he had his out-of-town lawyer depose the entire current commission. In the spirit of transparency and communication, I recorded the roughly 20 minute session in which I was deposed.

You can listen to it >HERE<


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Sunday, February 12^th was the first of four of this year’s St. Pete Beach, "Music in the Afternoon" Concerts at our Community Center.  It was a great success with over 150 attending and featuring the music of Lew Barrows and the Rhythm Kings. 

A Nifty event for those over fifty. 

Click >HERE< to take learn more and look at pictures from the event.

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St Pete Beach is saving energy.  How much?

Around $30,000 per year on just one project.  That directly saves tax dollars.  

I think that is a good thing.

Click >HERE< to read about it.

 

Visiting my website to learn about paving the City will be doing over the next several months?

>Click Here< 

 

Did you miss the presentation on the upcoming new Bayway Bridge on 31 Jan?

 Here are some Frequently Asked Questions ===>  FAQ

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You, the City, received an offer from Mr. Kadoura to settle some of the pending lawsuits.

I have put his offer and your City's counter-offer here on my website so you can read it.

I think your City Commission proposed, via public meeting motion, an excellent counter-offer.  One that was intended to accommodate ALL the lawsuits against our Comp Plan and not just 60% of them.  I think we did a good job covering everything they have represented that they want and I think our proposal is a good attempt to minimize taxpayer litigation expenses.

Read it >HERE< and see what you think.

Did you know that Ken Weiss has filed at least 76 motions that have required responsive pleadings by our City Legal Team; paid for by your tax dollars?

I attended one of them today that was held in the Circuit Court of the Sixth Judicial Court of the State of Florida in and for Pinellas County.  I sat at the defense table with our City legal team.

This particular suit was brought by Jim Anderson, the Plaintiff.  He did not bother to attend.

I could go thought my notes and give you my opinion of the session but I am going to save that for a later date.

The topic at hand is a Settlement offer from Bruce Kadoura.  Since I started talking one-on-one with Bruce your City has managed to agree to dismissal of three lawsuits.

This offer is for a fourth.

In the first three the agreement was that opposing parities would just walk away and handle their own costs.

This offer is different.  The Plaintiff wants the City (you, the Taxpayers) to pay them $20,000 to walk away.

And, as you can see by an email chain I have attached, Weiss et al, do not want to account for what could possibly make up that $20,000.  We estimate thier legitimate costs to be about one tenth (10%) of that. 

Recently we have been approached by a resident (with a petition of around 100 signatures) who wants us to scrutinize our legal fees.  I have done that and I am confident we are getting great value for our money.  I think, in the spirit of scrutiny, that to consider this demand for money, we must get an accounting of expenses and not accept some number pulled out of who knows where.

I'm not sure that is a settlement.  To me, a settlement usually occurs when there is a debt owed of some sort and the parties agree to some alternate amount of payment or terms of payment.  I don't see a debt owed here so perhaps there is some other concept about what is going on.

I had thought all of this was about the Comp Plan and/or Sunshine law not money.

At any rate, one of the things that Ken said in today’s hearing was that we, the commission, do not bring things before the residents.  While our legal team pointed to the 139 public hearings that have been held in connection with Comp Plan/Land Use, I am taking his suggestion and putting this most recent settlement(?) demand here on my website for you to read.

IF, we agree to this payoff, it will be our (Taxpayer) money.  So read the materials.  I know the commission has/will.  Tell us what you think. 

Make that payment?  Don’t pay them off?  Your opinion matters.

HERE is the email chain proposing the payoff with Weiss threatening to bump the demand up to $25,000, still with no accounting (see Weber’s 20 Oct email; third one down).

HERE is the Settlement proposal and litigation status.  Read it carefully.

HERE is the SOLV (SOLV is a co-defendant in this case) position on the settlement offer.

HERE is the pending motions status update.

Read it all.  What do YOU think we should do?

You can email your opinion to any of and/or all commissioners.  My email address is j.parent@stpetebeach.org and you can find the emails for the rest of us at the City website or rest assured I will copy the whole commission on anything you send to me.

This is your City.  This is your money.

I take my position as your representative City Trustee very seriously and your input can help shape my vote on the commission.

St. Pete Beach Attains Green Government Certification

There have been several messages by several people about the results of a recent motion in one the City's lawsuits.  The theme of these messages are roughly that of the "Cost to the taxpayers AGAIN for ANOTHER losing motion" and "the City and their attorneys lost the motion to dismiss".

I thought you might want to decide that veracity of those lines of reasoning for yourselves.

Contrary to (mis-?)representations made over the weekend, the court did NOT deny the City's Motion to Dismiss.  In fact, the Court directs Pyle to file his Answer Brief within 20 days and states that a ruling on the merits of the Motion to Dismiss will be made after the briefing schedule is concluded.  Finally Pyle will have to incur some expense and actually file an Answer brief.  Note that this is contrary to Weiss and Weber's (the lawyers suing your City) contention that their time to file their Answer brief is tolled (delayed) until the Court dispenses with their Motion for Sanctions.

Here is the actual order issued by the 2nd DCA on September 30, 2011 in the Pyle appeal.  

Be part of the solution.

If you are interested in serving the City either as a Board or Committee member, a poll worker or a volunteer, please fill out THIS form and fax, email, mail, or take it to City Hall or one of the City Commissioners.

Frustrated by the bazillion dollars that the City is being forced to spend to defend the community against lawsuits?  I am.  I get periodic updates as to the progress of our legal actions.  Since it's our tax dollars we should all get the updates.  Here is the latest one.

Did you read the St Pete Times article on the upcoming budget process?  Newspaper writers; their job is to sell newspapers.  We have had the proposed budget up on the city website since the 24th of June.  I doubt if all the commissioners have read it through yet.  Let alone the Budget and Finance committee.  Want the objective truth?  Read it.  Give us (the Commission or the Budget and Finance Committee members, your input.  Click on these words to go to the online version and start reading.