Palmetto Bay campaign - getting physical and out of bounds. Well, I see this uncivil behavior at the polls as a reflection of the uncivil behavior from the current Palmetto Bay Council

Did anyone imagine this type of behavior here in Palmetto Bay?  I am shocked and dismayed.  As reported by the Palmetto Bay Neighbors Alliance in an email of Sunday, November 3, 2024 - supporters of the current council members continue to sink lower in their brutal campaign tactics.  Now the police have been required to get involved. This hurts.  My Palmetto Bay is much better than this. 

Where are the candidates to whom these campaign workers are responsible to either explain or reject this incident?

See below:

PBNA Mission Statement Palmetto Bay Neighbors Alliance is an organization of Palmetto Bay Residents who are actively involved in our community. Their objectives are: Maintaining and improving the quality of life in Palmetto Bay; Keeping the community informed on important issues; and Encouraging residents’ active involvement in their government. Police Stepped In! Dear Neighbors, Palmetto Bay Neighbors Alliance is reporting a disturbing incident that occurred during early voting yesterday at the Palmetto Bay Branch Library during one of the busiest times for our community to cast their ballots. Campaign surrogates working for Leanne Tellam and Steve Cody initiated a physical confrontation by repeatedly shoving another campaign's volunteer. Is this who we want to be? The situation became so severe that multiple police cars had to respond to our library. This sight greeted dozens of our neighbors simply trying to exercise their fundamental right to vote. For nearly an hour, voters had to navigate past law enforcement vehicles and witness police interviews just to access the polling site. Unfortunately, this is not an isolated incident. Multiple campaign workers from different campaigns have reported to us concerning interactions with these specific surrogates who have established a reputation for prior confrontational behavior. The police ultimately had to establish a three-foot separation rule between campaigns, which is a sad commentary on what our local politics has become. Palmetto Bay Neighbors Alliance believes Palmetto Bay can do better. We should be a community where expressing your opinion should never require police intervention. This incident begs the question: do campaigns really need police intervention to prevent assault? Our village is a peaceful place, a bedroom community where families live, children play, and neighbors greet each other with a smile. We are not a village where intimidation and aggression should ever be the norm. When campaigns resort to physical actions, it sends a chilling message to people that they might face hostility if they speak up or get involved. The campaign tactics of Leanne Tellam and Steve Cody and the conduct of their surrogates is an embarrassment to our community. Candidates are responsible for promoting respect and civility among their workers. We all have a role in making Palmetto Bay a reality without violence and intimidation in our politics. Let's choose politicians who heal, not hurt. Let's act in ways that bring us together instead of promoting those who push us apart. If you have concerns or experiences you'd like to share, please feel free to reach out. Your voice matters, and together, we can foster a community we're all proud to call home. This email reflects the opinion of the Palmetto Bay Neighbors Alliance. Sincerely, Palmetto Bay Neighbors Alliance Palmetto Bay Council may be contacted at the following email addresses below: Entire Council council@palmettobay-fl.gov Mayor Karyn Cunningham, kcunningham@palmettobay-fl.gov Vice Mayor Leanne Tellam, ltellam@palmettobay-fl.gov Council District 1 Patrick Fiore, pfiore@palmettobay-fl.gov Council District 2 Steve Cody, scody@palmettobay-fl.gov Council District 3 Marsha Matson, mmatson@palmettobay-fl.gov Village Manager Nick Marano nmarano@palmettobay-fl.gov Village Clerk Missy Arocha, marocha@palmettobay-fl.gov We recognize that not everyone may want to receive this information, and therefore, you can simply click the "unsubscribe" at the end of the communication and we will remove your name from distribution. PALMETTO BAY NEIGHBORS ALLIANCE palmettobayneighborsalliance@pbneighborsalliance.com The opinions expressed are those of Palmetto Bay Neighbors Alliance based on information we believe to be accurate. Questions or your feedback may be sent to the email above.