Another example of bad leadership: Shelley Stanczyk and her bizarro world of one-sided decorum in Palmetto Bay

Come on Shelley, couldn’t you go a single entire meeting enforcing the decorum ordinance? What ever happened to the golden rule, ‘treat others as you would have others treat you’?

Village Code 2-45 defines Decorum.  Meetings have now deteriorated to the point where it is now read prior to each meeting. Shelley Stanczyk even brought it up for lesson at the Committee of the Whole workshop held Wednesday, July 18. She asked for more civility and particularly “to stop calling people out” or venting. Clearly the Mayor’s lesson, in practice, was lay off the Mayor, Vice mayor and Councilwoman from district 3, but the other two are fair and appropriate game.  I was disappointed to see Mrs. Stanczyk allow two separate speakers, coincidentally, both board members of the CCOCI to praise her, the vice mayor and council woman Lindsay, but then allow both speakers to personally admonish and ‘call out’ Howard Tendrich and Patrick Fiore in direct contradiction to her pleas made less than an hour earlier in the very same meeting.  Has she no recall of what she preached earlier or does the Mayor’s call for civility apply only to her and not to the two dissenters on the Palmetto Bay council?  Perhaps it was because these two council members crossed the CCOCI party line and failed to continue to support endless litigation. The two speakers can be viewed on the village web cast (1:57:45) and (2:04:09).

I ask that Shelley Stanczyk please take the time to actually read Village Code 2-45. It provides that all speakers must address their remarks to the mayor, speak in a dignified and courteous manner, and avoid admonishing individual members of the public, council and representatives of the village.   This is not what occurred however, when the CCOCI officers spoke.

Shelley Stanczyk failed to once again follow the long standing code for decorum and allowed personal attacks to be launched against the two council members who ironically were correct in their following of the law, but were nonetheless improperly ‘called out’ for failing to listen to the ‘will of the people’ and creating a ‘banana republic.’ Both Howard Tendrich and Patrick Fiore were judged ultimately correct in trying to follow the law, but they were one vote short. Had any of the other 3 on the council followed their vote and direction, and the advice of private legal counsel, the appeals would have ended much earlier and without imposition of fees and costs imposed against the village taxpayers which has still yet to be calculated.

I was personally shocked and would respectfully disagree stating that no, CCOCI board members, I believe you have it backwards. A “banana republic” is created and maintained when government officials and a minority of residents refuse to act within the rule of law and that government and its official cater to the will of a small ‘ruling class’ in opposition to the general public.

Kudos to both Howard Tendrich and Patrick Fiore for not engaging and making the situation even worse. Shame on Shelley Stanczyk for not making it through even one meeting trying to change a lack of decorum situation. Respect is earned. Shelley Stanczyk should not continue to maintain a double standard, one that chastises those who disagree with her, while allowing negative personal comments against those on the council who may publicly disagree with her.

Please view another blog that I think has properly framed the issue, South Dade Matters, in a July 18, 2012, post “PB: NPO and Decorum” which raised the issue:

Will Mayor Stanczyk address the decorum of her minions who sit in the back of the chamber and heckle anyone with whom they disagree? Go to the video of the last council meeting at 1:07:39 to hear the ugly, empowered mob heckle a resident into silence. SDM notes that Mayor Stanczyk reprimanded the audience generally for their hostility towards the speaker.

Yet, SDM understands – and is willing to be corrected if wrong – that a family member of the Mayor participates in this practice. There is no doubt that most of the hecklers howl only when the Mayor’s, the Vice Mayor’s and Councilwoman Lindsay’s opponents are speaking.

SDM Wonders: Is the Mayor tacitly endorsing this repulsive behavior when she fails to discipline her admirers? Decorum cuts both ways – or at least it should.

(Emphasis added) (and further note that in my opinion, the reprimanding was done long after it occurred)

The banana label was clearly misapplied on July 18, 2012.