IRB'S FINANCIAL PERFECT STORM

Three Forces at Work

[2009 and 2010 in IRB ain’t going to be pretty from a revenue standpoint. This is the first in a series of three postings written by IRB resident Kelly Cisarik on the subject.]

There are three forces creating a financial "perfect storm" (if you will) in IRB. These forces will affect the city’s revenues starting this year, continuing at least through 2010…and likely much longer.

Financial Perfect Storm Force #1:
DECLINING PENNY FOR PINELLAS REVENUE

Clearwater’s estimates are 14% less “Penny” revenue over the next ten-year “Penny” term, requiring the City of Clearwater to knock off about $20 million in planned projects. IRB’s “Penny” revenues will also decline however there has been no public discussion of cutting projects and reducing expenses since the 2008/2009 budget process ended.

Click on the title below to read an article by Staff Writer Mike Brassfield that appeared in the January 25th St. Petersburg Times:

“Clearwater feels Penny for Pinellas tax squeeze”

Kelly Cisarik
IRB

Check back tomorrow for Force #2 in IRB’s impending “Financial Perfect Storm.”

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LET IT SNOW

Just Not Here

A friend in an eastern suburb of Cincinnati e-mailed me this photo of his house yesterday. Christmas card material. See what we're missing?

Nancy Obarski
Beach Trail/IRB

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DON'T VOTE

At Least Not Yet

Voting is a civic duty. Voting EARLY is not.

In fact, for me, who still loves the thrill of stepping into the voting booth on Election Day, I’m more than baffled by it…especially given the all-but-certain problems facing IRB in the coming years.

Some of you have, no doubt, already cast your ballot. Why would anyone do that? Why wouldn’t everyone want to hear anything and everything there is about the issues and the candidates before deciding? I just don’t get it.

To my way of thinking, early voting is the bedfellow of narrow-mindedness. And, based on past history, IRB has one of the highest percentages of narrow-mindedness of all the barrier island beach communities.

In the November ’08 presidential election, 10.1% of the total 2,491 votes cast in IRB came from early voters. Contrast that with 5.8% in Madeira Beach, 6.0% in Redington Beach, 5.4% in neighboring Indian Shores and 5.7% in Treasure Island.

Even if you prefer to vote by mail, you have until 7 p.m. on Election Day to submit your ballot…so why jump the gun?

Turns out my fondness for the voting booth environment puts me in the minority; only 48% preferred to vote the old-fashioned way last November after hearing absolutely everything there was to hear and carefully weighing the choices right down to the last nanosecond.

I can’t imagine having cast my vote for commissioner yet. We will be electing two of the three candidates vying for the open seats at a time in the history of our little beach community that couldn’t be more critical.

I’m probably the most familiar with Terry Wollin as a seated commissioner who is re-running for her seat, since I’ve had the opportunity to see her in action while occupying the position for the last two years. I know of Don House's qualifications and what he has accomplished as a member of the IRB Planning & Zoning Board. (I know he opposes the Beach Management Plan…which is good enough for me!) I know the least about Phil Hanna other than his participation in the preparation of the film that successfully swayed the community to vote for the Fire District rate increase. I wouldn’t think of casting my vote until I know more about Hanna especially since he was at least brave enough to step up to the plate and go for it. I owe him that. We owe all the candidates that...personalities aside.

I’m not urging you NOT to vote…I’m urging you to not vote EARLY before you know all the facts. Attend Candidates Night at City Hall on Wednesday, February 19th. Get yourself to a commission meeting before Election Day so you can hear what’s going on in our city firsthand instead of what you read in the newspapers and on IRBeHEARD. (You don't even have to speak, just come and listen with an open mind!) There’s no substitution for front row-seat research.

Nancy Obarski
Beach Trail/IRB

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SHUT UP & AGREE IRB

New IRBeHEARD Exclusive Feature

[This is a new IRBeHEARD exclusive feature that will appear from time to time and focus on ongoing efforts by the IRB City Commission and others to reduce your freedoms as a citizen in IRB.]

One reason the IRBeHEARD blog exists is a personal one. I am a staunch believer in First Amendment rights, open government, free speech and freedom the press. Having attended more city commission meetings than not over the last few years, I’ve had a front row seat to watch our local government become less and less accessible to its citizenry.

From establishing a more stringent public records policy to implementing more rigid rules of commission meeting decorum, changes have been proposed, and in some cases adopted, so that honest opinions may never be heard.

Whether these restrictions are legal or illegal is of no matter…they might well be. But, the mere suggestion that the speech of our residents be restricted IN ANY WAY SHAPE OR FORM--especially given last year's financial debacle--is the central issue at hand and the subject of this ongoing blog feature.

It’s clear that there will never be total agreement in IRB. Who would want that anyway? Admittedly, IRB tends to be a little more contentious than other neighboring beach communities, but isn’t that something we should embrace and be proud of…not something our elected officials, who are supposed to represent US, should continually look for ways to discourage?

Nancy Obarski
Beach Trail/IRB

(Note: If you'd like to comment on this posting, simply click on the "Comments" link at the bottom of the article and follow the prompts. You may comment anonymously if you'd like. Or, you can always e-mail your comments to irbeheard@cmdinc.net and we'll post them for you!)

LOVE NOTES TO LEO

"Ubiquitous" Typos

Leo, buddy—our residents can’t thank you enough for providing us with the definition of “ubiquitous” in your recent Web site posting.

Let’s see if I can use it in a sentence: “The typos were ubiquitous in Leo’s last posting.” Am I using it correctly? Ever heard of spell-check, buddy? The word is not “ubiquitious.” Actually, you get 50% credit since you spelled it correctly once and blew it the second time. And, it’s not City “Manger” either. At least you didn't end up with City “Mangler”...which would have been almost humorous.

Are you alright up there in Maryland, buddy, or is the cold affecting your keyboarding skills? Aren’t you overdue for a trip to visit our fair city? It would be great if you popped your head in on a commission meeting and saw for yourself that all the terrible misconduct you report—doesn’t happen.

Heads up though…the new “Third Reich” rules of decorum the commission is getting ready to adopt this Tuesday will preclude your duking it out with another gentlemen on the floor of the City Hall Auditorium. In the event that your history repeats itself, you will be promptly bounced out on your old kiester.

Just messing with you, Leo. (Or is that "Lyo"?) You know IRB loves you...we just don't want to admit it.

Anyone else have a couple new spelling words for Leo? Be nice.

Nancy Obarski (with an “i”—not a “y”)
Beach Trail/IRB

(Note: If you'd like to comment on this posting, simply click on the "Comments" link at the bottom of the article and follow the prompts. You may comment anonymously if you'd like. Or, you can always e-mail your comments to irbeheard@cmdinc.net and we'll post them for you!)

GRIESHABER BLOWS IT

The Whistle…That Is

Since April 2007, an unquantifiable amount of your tax dollars has been spent chasing a former City Manager for the sum of approximately $15,000. The total amount, even if IRB prevails, cannot be recovered.

Mediation held on November 20th resulted in an impasse. Both parties had the chance to walk away, each bearing their own costs. Neither took the deal. Instead, at the direction of our City Commission, trial is set for the week of April 20th.

Grieshaber’s countersuit is the scariest part of the deal. It includes a whistleblower claim under the False Claims Act, which results when a current or past employee feels that his position has somehow been compromised by bringing illegal deeds to light. To what misdeeds does Grieshaber’s counterclaim refer? Are the unauthorized loans at the crux?

Just hope that IRB doesn’t end up in the City of Detroit’s shoes. In 2008, a jury found Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick guilty of retaliating against a former Deputy Chief for investigating wrongdoing by the mayor’s inner circle. After the case lumbered through the courts for four years, jurors awarded the police $6.5 million after three hours of deliberation. By the time interest and legal costs were added, the figure mushroomed to $8.5 million. The city settled for $8 million with another $400,000+ in legal fees on top of that. The final cost to the City of Detroit--nearly $9 million dollars!

A month before the trial, the city could have settled for $2 million and didn’t on the advice of their city attorneys. According to Sam Riddle, a political consultant and chief of staff, “Had this same deal been made before the trial, the city could have saved millions of dollars.”

University of Michigan law professor Paul Reingold stated, “…putting the case in the hands of a jury also is a gamble…In the end, a jury is unpredictable."

If the City of IRB had bigger coffers right now, it might be worth the gamble. But rolling the dice when the city is allegedly “flat broke” is akin to playing Russian roulette with what’s left of our hard-earned tax dollars. What other services will be cut from the IRB budget to free up more gambling money?

(Note: The trial is scheduled AFTER the March election so that a ruling not in IRB's favor has no chance of reflecting poorly on either of the two incumbent commissioners who voted to move forward--should either or both decide to re-run for their seats.)

Nancy Obarski
Beach Trail/IRB

(Note: If you'd like to comment on this posting, simply click on the "Comments" link at the bottom of the article and follow the prompts. You may comment anonymously if you'd like. Or, you can always e-mail your comments to irbeheard@cmdinc.net and we'll post them for you!)

YUCKING IT UP IN IRB

Potential City Charter Change:

The throwing of sandals is expressly prohibited

in the City Hall Auditorium.

PLEASE STAY HOME IF . . .

To All Commission Candidates

Next week, the week of January 5th is a big week in IRB. It’s the time when residents in our community make that all-important decision about serving on our City Commission.

Running for office is a major commitment—certainly not one not to be taken lightly. Commissioners Bert Valery and Terry Wollin have served their two-year terms and their seats will be filled by the top two vote-getters in March. Even if you haven’t agreed with a single one of their decisions, these two are to be admired for the amount of personal time they’ve invested during their terms. Commissioner Valery, in particular, has brought a “good business mind” to the commission—something that will be sorely needed as IRB faces even greater financial challenges in the years to come.

Some residents feel that our elected officials do their community a great service. In reality, it’s a privilege we, as citizens, give to those we trust.

In some cases, the greatest service one could render this community is to STAY HOME instead of pulling a packet and throwing their hat into the ring to run for office.

PLEASE STAY HOME IF…

YOU need a consultant (which our tax dollars pay for!) to read a budget.
YOU haven’t seen the business end of a calculator in a coon’s age.
YOU have no “balls.”
YOU have no analytical skills.
YOU don’t welcome vigorous debate and are more interested in holding hands and singing “Kum Ba Yah.”
YOU have little or no respect for those who don’t agree with you.
YOU have a vision for IRB that includes having your name plastered across the front of a million dollar library.
YOU care more about parks and sea oats than you do about the financial challenges of our residents.
YOU are most interested in keeping “the Harbor Drive crowd” (not all of you!) happy than doing what’s best for the community as a whole.
YOU actually need the money the job pays.
YOU are not inquisitive by nature.
YOU define “micromanaging” as paying attention to the details.
YOU are more interested in “power trip secrecy” than in open government.
YOU are unable or unwilling to check your personal agendas at the City Hall Auditorium door.
YOU have never worked for what you have.

Packets will be pulled. Campaign signs will go up. Promises will be made. And, on March 10th, IRB will decide who amongst us gets the honor of being our voice for the next two tumultuous years.

Nancy Obarski
Beach Trail/IRB

(Note: If you'd like to comment on this posting, simply click on the "Comments" link at the bottom of the article and follow the prompts. You may comment anonymously if you'd like. Or, you can always e-mail your comments to irbeheard@cmdinc.net and we'll post them for you!)

IRB YEAR IN REVIEW

No Thanks for the Memories

The beginning of a new year is always a good time to reflect on the 365 days that preceded it. In 2008, our City Commission:

--Increased the millage rate by such a high percentage that a unanimous commission vote was required.

--Jacked our sewer and solid waste rates by 60%.

--Adopted a new public records policy making it more difficult for residents to obtain information.

--Moderately reduced our police force…although Commissioners Wollin and Valery wanted a more drastic reduction.

--Folded the library underneath the City umbrella instead of keeping it a subleased entity.

--Fondly waved bye-bye as the Friends of the Library, who previously operated the library, walked out the door--no public questions asked--with approximately $80K, ignoring that ALL income associated with the library was, by contract, to be deposited into the City treasury.

--Authorized more legal fees to chase former City Manager Al Grieshaber, even in view of that fact that there is no hope of recovering the total investment.

--Allowed the Whitehurst beach access, the southern entrance to our city, to continue looking like Sanford & Sons’ backyard while IRB’s anemic bottom line staggered under the weight of legal fees associated with an ownership dispute of 7.3 feet.

--Repeated the vote to set the millage rate—not once, not twice, but THREE TIMES—due to procedural errors.

--Continued to waste taxpayer money on the A2K/USF Gulf Blvd. Study, even after the preliminary unveiling of the plan was an absolute abomination.

--Insisted on implementing a new sign ordinance requiring most IRB business owners to spend money bringing their signs up to code at a time when some are just barely hanging on.

--Forced our residents to repay loans that no one apparently authorized without answering pointed questions about who, what, when, where and why.

--Voted 4-1 to approve yet another “surprise” $400K adjustment to the budget from the prior year--well after the year-end close and well after the need for the adjustment was determined.

--Failed to implement (at least publicly) any new systems and/or procedures to keep 2008’s debacle from repeating itself in 2009.

And, here are just a few goodies already on tap for the new year:

--Giving the City Manager position more power when we’ve been unable to keep one for any appreciable length of time.

--Cramming the defunct Beach Management Plan down residents’ throats by “sneaking” it in through new amendments to our City’s master Comprehensive Plan.

Nationally, 2008 has been referred to as the worst year Americans under the ago of 70 have yet to experience. Locally, it's been equally as dismal. Other than a few new dune walkovers, there must be some positive highlights from the past year besides living in the best beach community on the entire Gulf Coast. Aren't there?

Nancy Obarski
Beach Trail/IRB

(Note: If you'd like to comment on this posting, simply click on the "Comments" link at the bottom of the article and follow the prompts. You may comment anonymously if you'd like. Or, you can always e-mail your comments to irbeheard@cmdinc.net and we'll post them for you!)