District 6 Sheriff’s Captain Martin Bechtel hosted the second session of the Citizen’s Academy at District 6 Headquarters, Jog road, Boynton Beach. It was an evening packed with information and demonstrations by the brave deputies who protect us every day.

First speaker was Bomb & Arson Squad Detective William Atkinson. Assisting him was Deputy Udell. Det. Atkinson explained the intensive training they go such as 150 hours to be certified for hazardous material handling. The group then went outside for demonstrations of the department’s robot and the safety equipment they wear when on a bomb investigation. The helmet weights 12 lbs.; the jacket about 60.

Next demonstration was given by Sheriff’s Deputy Beth Goldweber who is assigned to traffic patrol in her cruiser. She showed how tickets are printed out right in her cruiser; how she can access records on the computer and how she uses her radar gun to clock speeders.

The final event of the evening was a demonstration of K-9 dogs and their handlers. K-9 Deputy Luis Ledbetter of the K-9 Unit stated that there about 50 dogs in the program. All were German Shepard’s, except for the 3 bloodhounds in the unit. All the Shepards are imported from overseas at a cost of 7 to $9,000. All dogs are male, with one exception. Each dog and deputy goes through 480 hours of training. It takes about one year to train the dog and his deputy handler. Each dog has one handler with whom he stays for his entire lifetime. The dogs have a 12 to 13 year life span and work for about 7 years. At the end of a dog’s tour they have a value of between $8,500 to $100,000, dependant on the work they have done such as explosives, narcotics.

Captain Bechtel was greeted happily by Deputy Ledbettter's bloodhound "Clue."

Deputy Frend introduced us to Falco, his German Shepard. Falco used a grassy open space adjacent to the parking lot to have Falco demonstrate his obedience to Frend’s commands,

including giving chase to Captain Bechtel (wearing a protective arm guard) posing as a bad guy.

It was an exciting, informative evening.

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Friday, August 15, 2008

The Alliance of Delray, The League of Women Voters of Palm Beach County and The Palm Beach County Partnership for Aging invite you to listen, question and learn as we
“Meet the Candidates” for the offices of Supervisor of Elections, Property Appraiser, Sheriff, Clerk and Comptroller, State Attorney and State Representative, District 78.

With Primary Election Day on August 26, just 11 days later, this is the perfect venue and time to listen to the challenger’s present their views. Each candidate will make an opening statement, respond to questions from the audience and the co-sponsors, and make a closing statement.
Moderator: Sally Robinson, League of Women Voters of Palm Beach County

The Public is Invited
South County Civic Center
16700 Jog Road
Delray Beach
Doors open at 9:00 A.M.
Meeting begins at 9:30 A.M.

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Now available throughout the Hurricane Season a direct link to the National Hurricane Center on the Alliance of Delray Website:

Go to www.allianceofdelray.com and click on "Hurricane Tracking" in the very center of the home page...you will immediately be connected to the National Hurricane Center of NOAA (National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration)

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County Finances at Your Fingertips

If you wish you knew a little more about what government does with your hard-earned tax dollars, now you can! The Clerk & Comptroller’s office puts County finances at your fingertips with the second edition of Checks & Balances: Your Guide to County Finances available at www.mypalmbeachclerk.com. The guide was released in May following Clerk Bock’s “Fiscal Year 2007 Year-End Financial Review,” an annual presentation to the Palm Beach County Board of County Commissioners that provides important information about the county’s debt, investments and overall financial health.

The easy-to-read Checks & Balances guide is produced annually by the Clerk’s office and highlights current issues impacting County finances. The award-winning guide answers questions about how your property taxes are assessed, how special districts impact your tax bill and how the County incurs and pays debt. On each page you will also find links to additional useful information.

"By educating the public and increasing fiscal awareness, I will continue my commitment to promoting transparency and accountability in County government," said Clerk Bock. As the accountant, treasurer and auditor for the County – the Clerk’s office provides a check and balance on the County’s revenue and spending. The Checks & Balances guide contains condensed and simplified information, mostly from the Comprehensive Annual Financial Report (CAFR), a more detailed report the office produces at the end of each fiscal year containing roughly 200 pages of financial statements and reports. At just about 20 pages, Checks & Balances is much shorter and intended for the general public.
Now Available Online at www.mypalmbeachclerk.com:

New! Checks & Balances: Your Guide to County Finances

New! Comprehensive Annual Financial Report (CAFR)

New! Annual Investment Guide
New! Annual Debt Guide

In the interest of educating and informing residents about County finances, I’ve also made other publications available online. Visit www.mypalmbeachclerk.com to find not only Checks & Balances, but also the FY2007 CAFR and two new publications—the Annual Investment Guide and the Annual Debt Guide. These are YOUR guides. Please use them to better understand your community and the government that serves you.

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"The financial downturn has affected everyone in the country, especially
in Palm Beach County. Homeownership is a staple of being an American.
Through the efforts of this Task Force, we aim to give HOPE to those in
our community who are in danger of losing their homes. The first
business of government is to protect and to serve. There is no greater
goal now than to protect our homes from foreclosure."

The Governor’s Florida Home Ownership Promotes the Economy (“HOPE”) Task Force is established to develop a state plan of action to address escalating foreclosure rates and to identify effective ways to preserve home ownership for Floridians. Palm Beach County has been suffering from a high rate of foreclosures in the home and condominium markets. The outline of the Governor’s vision will be applied to specific instances of foreclosures here in the real estate market.

HOPE for Palm Beach County is hereby established as an outreach of the statewide task force. Its members shall consist of the following:
-Maria Lorts Sachs, State Representative, District 86
-Burt Aaronson, County Commissioner
-Susan Whelchel, Mayor of Boca Raton
-Rita Ellis, Mayor of Delray Beach
-Jerry Taylor, Mayor of Boynton Beach
-Cyd Spiro, CEO, Regent Bank
-Howard Milchman, Esquire
-Joseph Kaknes, Mortgage Expert
-Brian Lipshy, Esquire, Saraga and Lipshy
-Louis Caplan, Esquire, Sachs and Sax
-Mike Owen, Realtors Association of Palm Beach County

HOPE for Palm Beach County will have the authority to review the following issues:
1. An analysis of those mortgages that are in danger of arrearages
2. An assessment of available financial resources (public and private) to assist Palm Beach County homeowners facing foreclosure
3. Recommendations designed to assist the homeowner in maintaining homeownership
4. Practical solutions to assist the homeowner in working with the bank to maintain their home ownership
The mission of the Task Force is to assist the citizens of Palm Beach County to maintain homeownership by bringing together banking and mortgage industry representatives, lawyers specializing in home and condominium real estate, city officials, and real estate policy advocates to find practical solutions to the growing foreclosure problem.
For further information contact:
Michael Lapidus
The office of Representative Maria Lorts Sachs
Phone: (561)266-6645
Email: maria.sachs@myfloridahouse.gov

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State Senator Ted Deutch and staff members Casey Kustin and Josh Sztorc held a luncheon meeting for the board of directors of the Alliance of Delray Residential Associations Wednesday, May 14, 2008.

Senator Deutch wanted to hear from this group about issues that concerned them and their member communities. In a free wheeling, informal hour and a half meeting, the following subjects were discussed and are being addressed by the Senator’s office:

1. Sen. Deutch is working on securing funding for FAU’s Holocaust Center.
2. Congressman Wexler is working on seeking parity for HMO payments between Miami-Dade, Broward and Palm Beach County at the Federal level. Sen. Deutch will work to make sure State will be on board for whatever Federal changes may come.
3. Sen. Deutch staff members are checking to learn if Solar panels are allowed on homes under HOA rules
4. Researching the amount of revenue generated from state gas tax with rise in current gas prices.
5. My Safe Florida Home Program- Has the original $40 million grant been exhausted? What is the status of the free inspection program?
6. Confirming status of Mitigation reports to home buyers. New law stating sellers with Citizens must provide Mitigation report. In 2011 all insurance companies will provide.
7. Provide an outline of provisions of new Healthcare Bill.

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Richard Herman, Vice President of the Alliance of Delray; President of his Kings Point Condominium and a member of the Kings Point Board of Directors sent the following letter that is important for all to read. M.M.

To: Representative Julio Robaina & Committee Members.

I attended your session that was held at the Broward Community College last Saturday, the 26th of January.

I came with eleven other individuals representing communities in the Delray Beach area of Palm Beach County. We are all volunteers that are on local association boards of directors and all belong to the Alliance of Delray Residential Communities. Each and every one of us have been working in our community associations for our neighbors and are well qualified to speak to issues with 718 and 720.

Of this group, only two of us intended to speak, Barbara Zee on HOAs and me on Condominium issues.

We arrived shortly before 10:30 AM and signed in. (we were told that the sessions started at 11:00 AM).

Many speakers preceded me, complaining about everything. One complained about an assessment to repair his garage after the county engineers stated it had to be repaired for the safety of the building, but he thought his engineering degree and his lovely wife trumped the county assessment of the structure. Another gave a 15 minute diatribe concerning how the mafia had turned route 95 into a highway to riches for the New York mob. A third took 15 minutes to describe how his board had looted hundreds of thousands of dollars from the association. I sat through five and a half hours of these individual complaints, and as serious as many of them are, 95% are criminal complaints which should be resolved by existing criminal law and, at no time did you interrupt any of these speakers or actually compress their time for speaking.

When I was finally called upon to speak, I had a handout for each of the committee members which I wanted read into the record, including suggestions to strengthen existing statutes to protect unit owners and their treasury. Within three minutes of my briefing, you callously interrupted me, asked how many more pages I was going to read (you already had my two page input) and cut me short. In my opening statement, I referenced the Posey/Gardner bill which, at the conclusion of my statement, elicited a negative comment from you.

I got your message! You are only interested in horror stories from the disgruntled few and want to subpoena and further harass boards, many of whom already spend too many hours working for their neighbors. You seem disinterested in hearing about the problems facing well run associations, the source of these problems and suggestions on how to improve the situation.
You did not do your homework. You did not go into the communities to see for yourself what is actually going on. You expect unit owners from well run communities that are satisfied with their boards to come to you - it will not happen. Even when someone comes before you to "testify", if it is not a diatribe against their board or some horror story, you seem uninterested.

The South County Partnership, which is comprised of three umbrella organization has over 200 member communities. There are similar umbrella groups all over the state of Florida. You could have randomly selected any community to view their operation and get a truer picture.

I am extremely disappointed in the method you and your committee are using to collect information and data. Anecdotal input based on organized complainers will lead to bad legislation.

S/ Richard S. Herman, Vice President, Alliance of Delray Residental Community Associations
561-498-4343 

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To the Honorable Committee Members,
 
I e-mailed Rep. Robaina before the meeting to tell him I would like to appear before the Committee with positive information regarding boards of directors and members.  Surprisingly, Rep. Robaina called me and left a message saying he would be glad to have me appear and hear something other than negative concerns and complaints.
 
I made the trip (total of 80 miles), signed in at 10:30 am, and waited almost 6 hours (without food or water - not allowed in the auditorium) to be called to speak.  Dozens of people appeared before me and each was given all the time they needed or wanted.  Most speakers were before the Committee for 10 to 20 minutes.  Some were even asked for suggestions regarding legislation to solve their problems with the associations and boards.  While the others were speaking, I was taking notes on their specific problems.  At about 3 pm, Chairman Robaina stated that each speaker should take no more than "5, 6 or 7 minutes".  However, most of them continued with the same 10+  minute time frame. 
 
My name was finally called at 4:15.  The lady before me has a local religious radio show.  She spoke for 15 minutes about her program, her websites, her e-mail addresses,how she was going to talk every day, every hour about the problems, and pray for the Committee, etc. 
 
Now it was my turn at the microphone, I had a 6 -7 minute written statement:
 
"Good afternoon.  Thank you for this opportunity to appear before you.  My name is Barbara Zee.  I am a resident of a homeowners' association in Delray Beach and Secretary of the Board and the Vice President of Legislative Affairs for the Alliance of Delray Board, an organization that provides a forum for the consideration of community, county, state and national legislation and other issues that may affect 70,000 residents.  Through the Alliance, I also have a relationship with COCA, the statewide association of associations.
 
COCA acts as a conduit for solutions to association problems and provides information regarding the same types of issues as the Alliance only on a statewide level.  In 2007, Dick Spears, one of the founders, stated that COCA as an association of people who live in associations should examine 718 & 720 and decide what, if any, changes should be made. 
 
With support from the Alliance, the COCA Legislative Project Committee was organized with expertise coming from Richard Herman (who spoke today), myself and others from the Alliance, Charlotte Greenbarg (who also spoke earlier) and members from the Broward Coalition, West Boca Community Coalition, COBWRA of West Boynton and many other knowledgeable members from across the state.  All the proposals that were submitted for 718 & 720 were consolidated by Dick Spears into 2 drafts, and placed with legislation professionals who finalized our efforts.  Now, Rep. Andy Gardiner is the sponsor for HB 679, and  the Senate bill will be sponsored by Senator Bill Posey.
 
This Bill contains provisions for making owner participation easier, less restrictive and adds clarity to what was ambiguous language."
 
(At this point Rep. Robaina stopped me and told me that since I had my information in writing, I should stop now and just send my points to the Committee.  I responded that  there were requests today of the speakers from the Committee for suggestions for legislation.  A number of their complaints and concerns are already addressed in this bill.  For example...)
 
"One concern expressed today was the law doesn't say when meetings with attorneys are not "open".  The new bill adds the words "to discuss proposed or pending litigation" with the association's attorney.
 
Several concerns were about members' rights at board meetings: 679 says, Members have the right to attend all regular meetings of the board and speak for at least 3 minutes on any agenda matter.  After the completion of the regular agenda, members may also address nonagenda issues..."
 
(Rep. Robaina said I would definitely have to stop and just give out my website address.)
 
I felt that I was treated unfairly, with discrimination and a lack of respect.  It is my impression that Rep. Robaina was doing to me what those "offensive, abusive boards" are accused of doing to their members at a meeting.  My testimony was not about a "horror" story, and it wasn't about the Committee's legislative effort.  It offered positive legislative changes, in an existing bill, which would correct some of the problems about which the Committee was hearing.  Why was I encouraged by Rep. Robaina to come to that meeting and give him positive information when it seems he really wasn't interested in hearing it? 
 
With respect, regret and disappointment,
 
Barbara Zee
561-638-0731
bzee7028@comcast.net 

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Residents throughout south Florida attended an all day meeting at Broward Community College South Campus in Pembroke Pines conducted by the new state Select Committee on Condominium & Homeowners Association Governance chaired by Rep. Julio Robaina on Saturday January 26 from 11 A.M. to 6 P.M. This is the first of five statewide public hearings. Four others will be held in Miami Beach, Tampa, Orlando and Tallahassee.

People who wanted to speak filled their name out on a form when they arrived. Those forms were placed in front of Robaina and he called the people’s names to speak. As each person spoke it was evident it was a complaint session. Richard Herman, Kings Point community President, who tried to say something positive about boards and board members, was cut short by the committee. “I was deeply disappointed in the bias of this committee,” said Herman.

The major complaints were lack of response to residents from boards; unavailability of meeting minutes and financial records; being unable to get copies of contracts with vendors for services.

Several members of the Alliance of Delray: Robert Schulbaum, President; Barbara Zee, V. P.; Lori Vinikoor, V.P.; Richard Herman, V.P.; Jack Miles, Alliance Board member; Carol Klausner, Vizcaya community board member; Rene Zerah, President Emerald Point; Jerry Mark, board member Emerald Point and Leo Plevy of Tivoli Isles were among those attending the meeting.

Richard Herman and Barbara Zee wrote scathing letters to Rep. Robaina and the committee members which will be posted in this space over the next few days.

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