Monday, December 4, 2023

World War 2 cannon left to decay by SURFSIDE'S LACK OF LEADERSHIP (SAVED and RESTORED) by HONORABLE VOLUNTEERS

To view the restoration of the WW2 cannon, write cannon in box on right. 

Live stream Surfside, Florida on closed circuit tv https://www.townofsurfsidefl.gov/departments-services/town-clerk/public-records/channel-663


What is going on?

Despite the intentions of some Town officials and the naivety of others, the people of Surfside will not allow our community to be dismantled and destroyed. —

“To know what people really think, pay attention to what they do, rather than what they say.” ― RenĂ© Descartes


Surfside sues police chief

https://www.axios.com/local/miami/2025/01/10/surfside-police-chief-lawsuit


Surfside police chief calls it quits after just 3 weeks on job

https://www.local10.com/news/local/2025/01/09/surfside-police-chief-calls-it-quits-after-just-3-weeks-on-job/


Surfside Mayor again involving himself in police activity.


One day after Local 10 News reported on Mayor Charles Burkett’s latest run-in with town police officers, Surfside’s police chief is abruptly stepping down as of Friday.


Highlights (lowlights) of the Surfside Town Mayor and Commission 2022 to 2024:


Abuse of authority: 

Public lying about FDOT and the Champlain Towers Memorial plan:

Violation of respect and decency: https://youtu.be/30O5oMjHD3k?si=9zT3xDlRDHClGfH8



Public lying about the park project: https://youtu.be/-BBNIrvVWZA?si=aSrRVJQ64ABd74OH





Billionaire gets key to Surfside


“Ask not what your country can do for you—ask what you can do for your country” is a memorable line from John F. Kennedy's inaugural address on January 20, 1961. The line was a key moment in the speech, which also urged Americans to participate in public service. 

Kennedy believed that democracy thrives when citizens contribute their talents to the common good, and that leaders should inspire citizens to sacrifice. He also believed that the world would be better if nations worked together, and that the United States and Russia should cooperate instead of competing. 

Kennedy's speech was a sensation, lifting the spirits of his listeners even as he confronted the reality of the nuclear age.

Compare Kennedy to Politicians in Surfside, Florida

Be on the right side of history. Be on the side of the public interest, not the side of self-interest or special interest.

Ask not what Surfside can do for you. Ask what you can do for Surfside


Update summary compiled from multiple sources about Surfside and the Big House lobby and influence campaign.

Amidst fear mongering led by a few people formerly against overdevelopment, and now in favor of it, as part of a scare tactic launched with stealth and deception rooted in new and hidden self-serving motives, issues have become deliberately muddy.

Surfside residents are smarter than the loudmouths who keep trying to use and abuse the Town for their own benefit. That includes some new switch-sides that simply expose true colors.  

The majority of the Town Commission caved in. Instead of bringing the town code back from the outrageous, corrupt and crazy excesses of the Danzinger/Rose/Landsman administration
of restoring the town's traditional scale as the standard, the new Commission made a meaningless reduction from the Danzinger levels and set up Surfside for having big houses as the new norm going forward.

The new levels they voted for (3-2)are much bigger than the traditional houses in town and are excessive in every way. This was no "compromise"-this was a capitulation.

It was approved 3-2 due to an inability to employ courage and wisdom to simply say NO to the demands of a few who want to maximize profit in the residential area regardless of damage to the community.

Weakness of elected and appointed town officials leads to permanent damage to the future of Surfside.

OFFICIAL FINAL VOTES ON October 8, 2024

Motion by Nelly Velazquex IN FAVOR OF BIG NEW HOUSES as a New Norm, with MORE OT COVERAGE, ON SMALL LOTS;

Actual votes after extensive rhetoric.

Charles Burkett        :NO
Tina Paul                   :YES
Ruben Coto               :NO
Gerardo Vidostsqui  :YES
Nelly Velazquez         :Yes

Surfside Commissions and the litany of C's:

2020-2022 Crazy

2022-2024 Corrupt

2024-2026 Cowardly

Blog sources and resources uncover information that is being hidden from public view. Feel free to send us comments on information you become aware of and wish to share with the Surfside community. It will be checked out but remain confidential.


 Amidst all the consternation about big-house influencers twisting the arms of Town Officials there is more coming out that residents are becoming aware of. There are secret talks and meetings going on involving the mayor, the manager, and the town attorney about cutting into the sanitation budget and considering privatizing the sanitation service. That would be a horrendous downturn for quality of life in Surfside and would be amongst the most damaging and short sighted and foolish moves that any town administration could make. But here we are. These town officials just ended new workers' entry into the town pension plan, imposed a new 401k plan into the system, froze cost of living increases for directors, and created a negative work environment for all town employees with many looking elsewhere to bring their talents. We are talking about the good employees wanting to jump this ship. They are part of what makes Surfside special and the silent effort to cut them is incredible.

10/9/2024 

Surfside voters and residents who did not watch the Town Commission meeting last night are waking up today to discover that Surfside has been betrayed by its own town officials. The majority of the Commission has lost the confidence and support of the very people who worked to help get them elected. In a demonstration of weakness and poor judgment, they voted in support of big houses, greed, and overdevelopment. Instead of bringing the town code back from the crazy excesses of the Danzinger administration, instead of restoring the town's traditional scale as the standard, they made a meaningless reduction from the Danzinger levels and set up Surfside for having big houses as the new norm going forward. 

The new levels they voted for (3-2) are much bigger than the traditional houses in town and are excessive in every way; they were approved 3-2 due to an inability to employ courage and wisdom to simply say NO to the demands of a few who want to maximize profit in the residential area regardless of damage to the community.


OFFICIALS' FINAL VOTES on October 8, 2024:

Motion by Nelly Velazquez IN FAVOR OF BIG NEW HOUSES as a New Norm, WITH MORE LOT COVERAGE, ON SMALL LOTS:

Charles Burkett: NO
Tina Paul:           YES
Ruben Coto:       NO
Gerardo Vidostsgui: YES
Nelly Velazquez: YES

Kushner backed PAC Network that backed
Surfside Politicians, Miami New Times.


From the Broward Bulldog

Miami-Dade State Attorney Katherine Fernandez Rundle’s Office is looking into multiple complaints of voter fraud in Surfside, three high-ranking members of the agency confirmed this week.

But contrary to what former Surfside Mayor Shlomo Danziger claimed, the investigation doesn’t include him.

Danzinger, who placed fourth in a six-way race for Miami-Dade Mayor last month, emailed members of the press five days before the Aug. 20 Primary accusing Fernandez Rundle of “secretly investigating” him and “over 100 newly registered Jewish voters.”

The probe, he said, began in response to complaint




By Dan Christensen, FloridaBulldog.org


Way back in 1951 The Miami Herald ran the Pulitzer Prize-winning project “Know Your Neighbor” that called out organized crime figures who lived in town.


If U.S. Sen. Ron Wyden’s suspicions about former President Donald Trump’s son-in-law are correct, it might be time to consider an update spotlighting unregistered foreign agents.

https://www.floridabulldog.org/2024/07/kushner-rakes-tens-millions-saudis-unregistered-foreign-agent/


A look at Florida condo reforms

https://www.wlrn.org/the-florida-roundup/2024-07-01/a-look-at-florida-condo-reforms-three-years-after-the-surfside-collapse

3 Years later:



Ethics board: Ex-Surfside mayor, now seeking county seat, improperly campaigned from dais 

BY AARON LEIBOWITZ MAY 31, 2024 1:17 PM

https://www.miamiherald.com/news/local/community/miami-dade/article288906960.html#storylink=cpy


Not directly connected to the above, but another link to dishonorable deeds connected to Surfside.

“I believe God made it happen for me because I’m a good person and I was treated unfairly,” he said, adding that his supporters tried “multiple paths” to get him out of prison but he had no idea which one succeeded.

https://www.nytimes.com/2023/11/26/us/politics/trump-pardon-braun.html

https://therealdeal.com/miami/2024/01/11/kushner-scores-approval-for-luxury-resi-project-in-surfside/

https://www.miaminewtimes.com/news/charles-kushner-funded-pac-network-that-backed-surfside-politicians-19916430


There is an old saying, What goes around, comes around.

Moscow sent three ships and a nuclear-powered submarine to the Caribbean for what U.S. officials say will be a set of extensive military air and naval exercises — the first of their kind in at least five years.

While the Biden administration has said it is not concerned by the Russian activity, it has nevertheless authorized the deployment of three powerful destroyers and a submarine reconnaissance aircraft to the region,

Gov. Ron DeSantis presented a Medal of Merit to a South Florida WWII veteran who participated in the fighting in Normandy on D-Day 80 years ago.

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/south-florida-wwii-veteran-receives-florida-medal-of-merit-from-gov-ron-desantis/ar-BB1ot2wr





Over two decades ago Mayor Paul Novack worked to obtain a piece of US military equipment and history to include in Surfside Veterans Park. The United States Army recognized Surfside - and its mayor - in donating a 155mm Howitzer from its inventory, an honor for the community. Ever since, it has been a demonstration of support for our nation, our military, and especially our veterans and most of all - our hometown veterans. 
That Howitzer, and those Flags, are NOT going to be demolished by (intentional) neglect. Former Mayor Novack, former Vice Mayor Frank MacBride, and the people of Surfside will make sure of that.

Wonderful update news: April 24, 2024

Cannon at Veterans Park Refreshed by Collaborative Efforts of Second Infantry Division, Local Leaders

 

The cannon at Veterans Park has undergone a striking transformation, thanks to the collaborative efforts of the Second Infantry Division of Florida Bruce Lamberto, Howard Rennert, Commissioner Ruben Coto, and Parks and Recreation Maintenance Worker Carlos Vina. This revitalization not only preserves a piece of history but also symbolizes the unity and commitment of the community to honor its veterans and preserve their legacy for future generations.

From former Mayor Paul Novack. Thank you Surfside Veterans Park restoration team! Applause for volunteers Howard Rennert and Bruce Lamberto, Parks and Recreation Director Tim Milian and Carlos of the Parks and Rec staff, and with exemplary leadership and work by newly elected Commissioner Ruben Coto and former Vice Mayor Frank Macbride. Their hard work and dedication to community service in restoring Surfside's Howitzer, a gift honoring veterans, patriotism, our country and our community from the U.S. Army, is again proudly on display.



U.S. Military Veterans never forget!

A huge thank you to Frank McBride and Paul Novack for leading the effort.

We should never forget our history as the Greatest Nation on Earth


After electoral shakeup, Surfside town attorneys quit

2024 Commission
e

Prosecutors drop battery charge against teen accused of shoving Surfside vice mayor
Police Chief Antonio Marciante defended the March 1 arrest. He resigned Friday.



Members of Surfside Police Department push back against comments from new mayor, commissioners


The Town of Surfside Commission unanimously appointed Marisol Vargas as the Interim Town Manager.

The following may have implications for condo owners in Surfside, Florida.

From the Miami Herald:  miamiherald.com

Miami Herald reporting triggers investigation into foreclosure auction attorney
This attorney has found a way to win condos at foreclosure auctions for a fraction of their value. Now he’s being investigated by the Florida Bar.


The Hollywood, Florida, lawyer, Brad Ira Schandler, refused to identify his clients and declined to say how much money that he makes, other than to tell the Miami Herald: “It beats waiting tables.”


“After auctions with Schandler rules,” however, “there is typically no surplus left over for heirs,” the newspaper said.









World War 2 cannon left to decay by SURFSIDE'S LACK OF LEADERSHIP (SAVED and RESTORED) by HONORABLE VOLUNTEERS

To view the restoration of the WW2 cannon, write cannon in box on right.  Live stream Surfside, Florida on closed circuit tv https://ww...