Is the Palmetto Bay Council in Crisis? Grant Miller takes a wry look, using humor rather than heavy-handedness to review the unfortunate situation which occurred on Monday, May 21, 2012, or as Grant Miller states; “the day in Palmetto Bay Council history when Mayor Stanczyk called upon the police to remove a concerned resident from a council meeting.”
He asks the question that many who regular attend council meetings have been asking:
He asks the question that many who regular attend council meetings have been asking:
What has happened to civility and respect for opposing viewpoints in Palmetto Bay?
Is this current council so convinced that their opinions are the only valid opinions, that mocking opposing viewpoints is the norm?
Or is stress leading to an unraveling of those serving on the council?
Grant Miller pointed out that anyone who did watch the meeting on cable was probably confused. Was this a Council meeting, or a rebroadcast of the movie Braveheart? I can see where some contrary speakers may feel as if Brian Pariser as well as Shelley Stanczyk do treat them as Braveheart Character King Edward Longshanks did in the movie excerpt below; (just before throwing the character out a window): “Who is this person that speaks to me as though I needed his advice?” Only instead of a window, uniformed police were used to escort a dissent out of the meeting.
Did Mr. Harris need to be thrown out? Absolutely not. He spoke from his chair - in the front row and in response to comments made by Brian Pariser. I have personally heard Mrs. Stanczyk's own spouse call out from the back of the room, yet he has never been "escorted out." What is the difference other than the marital relationship? I believe that Shelley Stanczyk simply got flustered under the pressure.
I do agree with Grant Miller and also complement Councilman Patrick Fiore who did show some much needed leadership that night and disarmed a terrible situation that could have deteriorated even further. We could use less signs of force and mob mentality and more compassion. Strong leadership and respect for speakers would have also prevented the hostility. Mrs. Stanczyk was very indecisive in removing the speaker, beginning at 27:00 of the official meeting tape - "Madam Clerk, should we have him escorted? ... Please have him escorted out...Oh, alright never mind."
It is not healthy to get angry anymore, but it is time to stop the foolishness and begin to work together. There is more than one opinion in this village and all deserve respect, not scorn. It certainly ceases to be funny when their actions reach the point to where Palmetto Bay faces another potential lawsuit, this time for violation of a resident's personal civil rights.
I do agree with Grant Miller and also complement Councilman Patrick Fiore who did show some much needed leadership that night and disarmed a terrible situation that could have deteriorated even further. We could use less signs of force and mob mentality and more compassion. Strong leadership and respect for speakers would have also prevented the hostility. Mrs. Stanczyk was very indecisive in removing the speaker, beginning at 27:00 of the official meeting tape - "Madam Clerk, should we have him escorted? ... Please have him escorted out...Oh, alright never mind."
The article ends with the point that the council members should remember that democracy is filled with unpopular opinions. It is the job of government, large or small, to respect all opinions.
Read the article, link at top and feel free to express your thoughts. E-mail me at eugeneflinn@bellsouth.net if you do not want to publicly post. You can always remain anonymous.
You are too much my friend.
ReplyDeleteI miss the good old days. When you let people say their peace and then sit down.
ReplyDeleteIt is obvious that the 3 ruling members of the council have their minds made up. Forcibly removing Mr. Harris was Mrs. Stanczyk’s way of telling any opposition to remain silent and that their viewpoints will no longer be tolerated.
ReplyDeleteI assume you saw the article in today's neighbors section. Maybe the ACLU will get involved and stop this madness. Let’s all hope that Shelley Stanczyk and Brian Pariser have learned their lesson and will respect speakers. I was there. Did you notice how she gave a big THANK YOU after most of the speakers in support of the majority opinion?
ReplyDeleteFree JB Harris!
ReplyDeleteFree JB Harris? Isn't that what he council did, freeing him from the confines of the council chambers?
ReplyDeleteAnyone who knows JB Harris knows that he is far from free.
ReplyDeleteThe Village Police need to be smarter in regard to how they follow instructions from Shelley Stanczyk and Brian Pariser. Those two are in a race to the bottom and they don’t care who they drag down with them. Those on the council do not care for you beyond what you can do to serve their ultimate goals.
ReplyDeleteWe should never forget crimes committed by people in power and those who enabled them under the guise of “I was just following orders.” Let this be fair warning to all: That is not a valid defense. This current city council is hard at work indoctrinating people on their dogma, creating issues and scapegoats to deflect their own faults as well as to allow them to increase their own power.
Everyone should ask themselves what their role be in this village
Remember that should the need arise, many of us hope that a sufficient number remain who have the strength to follow our consciences and not “just follow orders” to fight the evil of our time.
Another sad day in the history of Palmetto Bay.
ReplyDeleteGreat video and great article by Grant. Keep it up Gene!
ReplyDeleteI heard about this article, but forgot to check. Thanks for posting it to Facebook. Who are you supporting for Vice Mayor?
ReplyDeleteI was hoping another candidate would file. I am waiting until qualifying period is over and will make an announcement and I will also be actively working for that endorsed candidate. We need to stop the slide in Palmetto Bay. Too many good people worked far too hard to allow this slide to continue.
DeleteIn the meantime I am actively working to reelect Howard Tendrich. He has been the voice of common sense on the Council. He is pro green, not greenwashing or the mere appearance of green. He gets it. He has also been big on taking advantage of the new technology the new village hall allows for in regard to greater transparency. Too bad the Mayor and Vice Mayor are not more receptive to his efforts.
They say "All politics is local". Unfortunately our council lived up to the negatives that we sometimes see on the state and federal level. This gives our village a black eye and can only send a bad image to others thinking of incorporating. It is sad to see one council member, Ms Lindsay, running a one woman show, by virtue of her own agenda, incessant chest pounding, and school teacher like tactics in which she believes that waving documents and reiterating the same statement in a slow precise cadence, as if speaking to a room of grade school children, is tolerated. The meetings have become an embarrassment. I, for one, choose to sit this "administration" out.
ReplyDeleteI am you!
ReplyDeleteI am you!
ReplyDeleteI am you!
ReplyDeleteI am you!
ReplyDeleteI am you!
ReplyDeleteWho could have foreseen such a slide in just 2 years
ReplyDeleteBrian Pariser will reap what he sows.
ReplyDeleteShame on the Palmetto Bay elected officials. This is there vision for us? This is becoming a police state.
ReplyDeleteWe voted them in, we can vote them out. I encourage people to make the effort and show up at the polls. This is the democratic way of correcting course.
ReplyDeleteShelly once threatened me -- on Facebook -- on a public page -- with having code enforcement officers pay me a visit after I posted in something she didn't like about her run for mayor. The salient portion:
ReplyDelete"I heard code enforcement is coming by your house after you leave for work to tag you for ......... Well it's going to be expensive. Sounds like you are backing the wrong horse in this race."
(One slight snag in the plan -- I live in Cutler Bay, not Palmetto Bay.)
Having someone arrested for saying something not Mayor-approved? Sounds about par for her course.
I remember seeing that on Facebook and hoped she was kidding, but her behavior since election says otherwise, especially when she overreacted by throwing out a speaker who was unpopular with the vice mayor, the mayor and her friends and supporters, JB Harris. I have tried to talk to her, but to no avail. She hides behind the dais. Everyone should watch the tape of the June 7 meeting where another resident documents the claims of harassment that he details. Shelley Stanczyk is far too thin skinned.
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