Schless Pink Slipped--AGAIN?
At the October 14th commission meeting, Finance Director Marty Schless was, by a 3-2 commission vote, relieved of his duties as our city’s Chief Financial Officer. However, the item, as it appeared on the meeting agenda, called for a performance review only. Once again, it took citizens to point out that Marty’s firing was not agenda-ed properly and that the action taken needed to be formalized by a resolution since termination of a charter officer requires it.
At last night’s commission meeting (October 28th), the City Attorney indicated that a resolution is in the works and asked that it be put on the next meeting’s agenda. So, another vote will be taken and Marty will be fired—a second time—by resolution. The termination, according to Kiefer will be retroactive. Doesn’t it seem like a lot of things require “doing and re-doing” these days?
Kennedy, who made the motion to fire Schless at the 10/14 meeting, went predictably into “blame mode” and asked if she did anything improper in making the motion to fire Marty. Kennedy carefully pointed out that she asked the City Attorney first before making the motion and Kiefer gave her the go-ahead.
Could this incessant need to point fingers be why no one on the commission seemed particularly “excited” about Kennedy’s desire to be appointed as the beaches’ representative on the Pinellas Planning Council?
At the October 14th commission meeting, Finance Director Marty Schless was, by a 3-2 commission vote, relieved of his duties as our city’s Chief Financial Officer. However, the item, as it appeared on the meeting agenda, called for a performance review only. Once again, it took citizens to point out that Marty’s firing was not agenda-ed properly and that the action taken needed to be formalized by a resolution since termination of a charter officer requires it.
At last night’s commission meeting (October 28th), the City Attorney indicated that a resolution is in the works and asked that it be put on the next meeting’s agenda. So, another vote will be taken and Marty will be fired—a second time—by resolution. The termination, according to Kiefer will be retroactive. Doesn’t it seem like a lot of things require “doing and re-doing” these days?
Kennedy, who made the motion to fire Schless at the 10/14 meeting, went predictably into “blame mode” and asked if she did anything improper in making the motion to fire Marty. Kennedy carefully pointed out that she asked the City Attorney first before making the motion and Kiefer gave her the go-ahead.
Could this incessant need to point fingers be why no one on the commission seemed particularly “excited” about Kennedy’s desire to be appointed as the beaches’ representative on the Pinellas Planning Council?
In reference to Kennedy’s fingerpointing on the Schless firing, Kiefer said that everything was done properly but that a resolution was required. So, Marty’s “real” firing is now scheduled for the upcoming meeting on November 13th.
Blamers and bumblers and whiskers on kittens…some of IRB’s favorite things.
Nancy Obarski
Beach Trail/IRB
5 comments:
BACK THERE
October 29
Indian Rocks Beach has reached another milestone in its lovely history.
This swell beach community by the Gulf has turned into a lovely place – not in its geography and amenities, but a group of dedicated individuals who could not be called much else except hard working and classy pioneers.
It is as though IRB has resurrected the methods of the Radiance to enlighten people, emit in divergent lines, display every kind of splendor behavior – and all in the name of democratic freedom.
Certainly, there is nothing wrong with the clamor of competing voices on issues as they come along. That is what democracy is all about. It’s all about teamwork and all hands in agreement. This city is brimming with it!
I’m proud to say, IRB has a healthy aspect of competing ideas.
It’s beautiful. There is no other way to describe it.
A truly wonderful thing of course, is that some of this crowd might get elected to public office. And that is why March is being eyed so anxiously by so many.
The fact is that Indian Rocks Beach took an up-turn when Bill Ockunzzi came to political prominence early in this decade.
As a result, a crooked city manager left town, another was driven out, a third was a total failure, a fourth just never got out of the blocks successfully. Good thing great individuals like Ockunzzi were there to recognize the issues.
Now they have a competent, experienced city manager in office for almost a year.
Parallel to all this was the unbelievable mess created by an incompetent city treasurer who was fired years ago. She was fired because he could see what was coming down. What Ockunzzi told the then city manager, John Coffey, was, "We want someone who has brains."
She was inexperienced in city finance, and that was the main qualification Ockunzzi set forth when the search was on to fill the job.
Well, of course, you can draw the conclusion. "Hire a guy who knows what he is doing and I (Bill Ockunzzi) can, in effect, do what I was elected to do, represent the people."
Here’s the big upside – Ockunzzi may be on the ballot in March! Another name might be that of Phil Wrobel, an honest and hard working man who, in his latest defense of the people, gave the city’s lawyer, Maura Kiefer, a deserving hard time. He was aided by his pal, Scott Shapiro, who also could be a candidate.
Maybe Jim Palamara will return to the electoral wars. For sure, Jeremiah Carmody, once part of a triumvirate with Palamara and Ockunzzi, is also considering. His copybook is filled with good will, another example of what has been a string of honest behavior with this guy.
"These people have enhanced the commission," Commissioner Terry Wollin said. "I really don’t know what I’m doing and don’t understand government work, I’m lost and have been since I was elected, so I’m happy they’re here to help!"
A main ingredient and maybe the paramount factor in this wonderful town is the mayor, R.B. Johnson, whose authority and control is paramount in the conduct of public government meetings. Some members of the public, and blog writers of which are chief disrupters in IRB, are sometimes allowed to get completely out of hand. Johnson understands that you can’t please everyone all of the time, so he lets these blowhards yowl. The chief blowhard of them all, Leo Coughlin, an out of state coward, reportedly run out of town by a beat down from a 93 year old lady – instinctively crawls out from under his rock up north once a week and yowls to stretch his lungs.
There is no need for this yet these disrupters are the people Johnson chooses to tolerate. Johnson is a strong and virtuous leader.
Indian Rocks Beach has a very clear rule on conduct at public meetings which is always followed, but not by Coughlin. It is printed in every agenda for every regular City Commission meeting as a reminder to him due to his learning disability.
Here it is Leo –
"Any member of the audience may come forward, give his or her name and address, and state any comment or concern that he or she may have regarding any matter over which the Commission has control, excluding agenda items. All statements made to the commission shall be made to the commission as a whole, not directed to any individual member, and no personal, impertinent or slanderous remarks shall be permitted. No speaker shall be interrupted and no debate shall take place between the speaker and the commission."
For reasons unknown to one and all, Johnson refuses to enforce this modicum of discipline with Leo. The yowler speaks again and again, carry’s on dialogues with his imaginary friends (and is foolish enough think they talk back), and engage in the ugliest of body language and bowel sounds.
In the days when Bob DiNicola and his rude gangsters were running these meetings this kind of stuff never happened. And for one simple reason – DiNicola would not have tolerated Leo for one second. Anyone not obeying his command to come to order would have been summarily removed by a deputy, or asked to change his diaper.
And that is why Johnson is a bigger man than DiNicola will very be. He understands people like Leo exist. Awful as it may be.
Indian Rocks Beach is wonderful.
Great city manager.
Transitioning treasurer.
A very effective mayor.
Finances under control.
A citizenry that is honorable and involved.
Leadership that tolerates the likes of undesirables like Leo.
Great town, great future!
IRB is a wonderful place to live. It is full of wonderful caring people, none of whom are perfect. How do we get through to wonderful caring people who think they are doing the right thing and doing the best they can? How would someone get through to you?
Dear Anonymous,
I’m not sure who you are directing your comments to, but I’d like respond. Yes, I’ll agree, this is a wonderful place to live and we have wonderful caring people here. And yes, none of us are perfect. I take great exception to your next two statements. What snobbish and condescending remarks. I did not know we had someone in town as perfect as you. To say “How do we get through to wonderful caring people who “think” they are doing the right thing and doing the best they can?” tells me you “think” Mayor Johnson is wrong and you must be right with whatever agenda you are pushing. Furthermore, to say “How would someone get through to you?” either means, you thinking your thoughts or feeling about a particular situation or issue is superior to someone else’s. I feel one of the problems in town is the lack of sensitivity that other people might have a differing opinion than yours. Mayor Johnson is sensitive to both sides, as one would expect. You are not. I can understand that you might feel frustrated when speaking to another and the other is clearly exhibiting intellectual dishonesty, but to talk down to someone has no place in IRB. Your comments are uncalled for and shameful. I believe Mayor Johnson is a fine city mayor. If you feel you can do better, run in the next election.
Must be Commissioner Wollin bragging about what a fine Mayor we have in RB. All these procedural errors and bias allowed from the center chair on the dais are the result of the Mayor's poor preparation, understanding and attention to details and personal agendas being allowed to take precedence over the rights of the people to ask questions and demand answers. Cops guarding and protecting the egos of the Mayor and Commissioners smacks of a gestapo. Why are Driscoll and Commissioners allowed to attack people with impunity? Why is so much important business tened to without any kind of workshop? Looks like conducting business in the backroom is being used to deter public input and avoid costly errors in public.
Because of the way this town is now going, we are definitely staying in Indian Rocks Beach. It used to be controlled by DiNicola and his ruffians. Now there seems to be a tranquil setting and certain citizens have stepped up and helped all of our elected representatives. The mayor seems to be on the ball. Now we think highly of Cookie Kennedy. Under DiNicola’s rein she seems to be erratic. I believe you are right when you write that RB is a just and honest mayor.
Ed Brown and Family
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