The events now unfolding leave one to wonder what may be happening in our fair city.
Our sources now tell us that one of the first acts of the new Commissioner de Jesus is to appoint the darling of the boozing set, the charming friend of police officers, both Davie and Cooper City), and the role model for the impressionable Commissioner Mallozzi is none other than Former Commissioner and Infamous Bart ‘Give them the Finger’ Roper to P&Z, Planning and Zoning Board of Cooper City.
It appears as though Commissioner de Jesus thinks that Mr. Roper’s recent past indiscretions so widely viewed on the local television stations in stories regarding dinner/drinks on the taxpayers tab and the DUI/Sleeping in your car in the middle of the street, are just boys being boys.
Ms. Mallozzi’s scathing comments of 1 ½ years ago directed to Commissioner Roper and the others on the commission now appear as very shallow if not totally disingenuous. I guess she wanted out more and needed some place to go, presto, why not a city commission meeting. At the time she seemed quite concerned. I guess after her election and a year of watching him in action (sobriety tests are not required for city commission meetings) and her gushing adulation of praise at the last meeting must indicate either a back room deal of some sort or she is off her meds again.
It should be clear to even the most distant viewer of city politics that the decisions of the P&Z should be regarded by the citizens and the commission as being in the vital best interest of the city. Any decisions in which Mr. Roper will participate will have to be second guessed as to whether or not alcohol may have had any influence.
The conventional wisdom is that all of the members of that board are persons of good character and that none would be influenced by anything other than good common sense, Gregg Ross might be the exception. It is the view of many who have been made aware of this planned transgression that rather than commit this gross misjudgment another appointee should be selected. We can only hope that sound judgment will prevail and that the composition of this important citizen’s advisory board will not be diminished by a rush to fill a position without solid reflective thought process.
2 comments:
dejesus is the antichrist!
Referring to the March 11th closing statement and the history of Commissioner Bartlett Roper, at every turn Mr. Roper has violated the public trust, thwarted property rights and given our city a black eye, now he uses his final words to attack Commissioner Sims? It’s unconscionable.
He stated that he’s taken a couple of ‘pot shots”. Well Mr. Roper, when you come to work for the People under the influence of alcohol, and give the people trying to help you, the police, paramedics and the public, along with the entire nation the finger, you deserve it.
Yes, we will continue to question your lack of respect, honesty and integrity because it is deserving of your criminal and hateful behavior. You frivolously attacked Commissioner Sims regarding meeting with lobbyists, yet in your false and ad hominem attack you failed to be honest and forthright with this commission and the public, in the fact that he met with a lobbyist because a vendor, including their counsel, along with members of this Commission and city staff, deliberately and willfully deceived and mislead him, and the public. His intent was to get to the truth of the red-light issues, and he did, although not yet completely.
The truth that was intentionally and willfully hidden from the public and that truth is that the vendor in question has a poor and very litigious track record.
Commissioner Sims had no choice but to meet with a lobbyist in order to find out the real facts that were hidden from all of us, in order to disseminate the truth on these issues along with exposing the sole source contract initiative. You attacked Commissioner Sims for meeting with a lobbyist, yet you, not him, approved hiring one to the tune of sixty thousand dollars a year to work directly for you last October and Commissioner Sims voted against it.
You disgraced the City and the Commission and again, brought shame upon this city by falsely accusing Commissioner Sims of violating the Sunshine Law. Well, Mr. Roper, if you knew the Sunshine Law, you wouldn’t be spewing forth your ad hominem venom in the form of false and malicious attacks regarding Commissioner Sims’ sending of e-mails to the staff, the commission and commissioners-elect in regards to a proposal for hiring a new manager. Had you spoken the truth Mr. Roper, and you too Commissioner Mallozzi, you would have said that Commissioner Sims’ communication regarding the hiring proposal for a new city manager was indeed public domain material, that he never ever claimed to be the author, that it was indeed allowed to be used and modified for any purpose whatsoever for this exact purpose, not copyrighted, the fact that he had permission to use it from the Colorado Municipal League and the National League of Cities, and no that credit was necessary.
You should have done your homework like you falsely accused Commissioner Sims of not doing, and found this out on your own, yet you chose to deliberately deceive the commission, staff and the public on this issue.
If you would have done your homework Mr. Roper, which you accused Commissioner Sims of not doing , (This also goes for you Mr. Greg Ross and Mr. Ron Aranow regarding their comments about Commissioner Sims’ budget blog entry), you would have known that one way communication to other commissioners, even on how you are going to vote on a particular matter and why, is allowed under the Sunshine Law, which are delineated with particularity in Attorney General Opinions 2001-21, 89-23, 2008-07, 2007-35, 2000-68, 96-35, among others, which in opined that: the use of a memorandum by a city commissioner to provide information to the commission on a particular subject prior to a public meeting would not violate Sunshine Laws, that a city commissioner may,
outside of a public meeting, send documents that the commissioner wishes other members of the commission to consider on matters coming before the commission for official action, that it is not a violation of the Sunshine Law for council members to prepare and circulate their own written position statements to other council members, that the use of a written report by one commissioner to inform other commissioners of a subject which will be discussed at a public meeting is not a violation of the Sunshine Law, that a commissioner may send informational material to the other commissioners outside of a public meeting and in order to avoid the appearance of impropriety, forward such information to the other commissioners rather than physically meet to exchange the materials, which Commissioner Sims did, and that it is not a violation of the Sunshine Law for a member of the commission to prepare and circulate an informational memorandum to the other members, that such memorandum is public record available for inspection and copying, which it was, and which Commissioner Sims allowed an opportunity for public input, that there is no statutory prohibition against a city council member posting comments on a privately maintained electronic bulletin board or blog, nor is there any statutory prohibition or proscription against a city council member serving as the webmaster of such a site.
When writing your attack Mr. Roper, you must have had a severe case of cognitive dissonance. Your closing statement was nothing more than Ad Hominem - Using public office and a resident to make ad hominem arguments is disgraceful. This unhealthy political strategy must be seen for what it is, nothing more than the inability to debate and discuss the issues that truly face our community, and speak the truth.
Ad Hominem also in the sense that you claim that you are innocent by your statements, but you cannot be trusted since again intentionally and willfully mislead the public and disgraced this city while in your last hour of public office.
You notoriously insulted and belittled Commissioner Sims, and pointed out frivolous character flaws or actions which are irrelevant to your argument.
This tactic is frequently employed as a propaganda tool among corrupt politicians who are attempting to influence the voter base in their favor through an appeal to emotion rather than by logical or factual means, especially when their own position is weaker than their opponent's. I take your comments for what they are worth Mr. Roper, absolutely nothing.
The remarks of Bart Roper were false. Mr. Roper knew the statements he made were false and acted in reckless disregard of their truth or falsity, and they were made with the intent to injure and defame Commissioner Sims. These allegations are sufficient to pierce the statutory immunity defense of the Florida Statutes because they plainly were spoken with malicious intention and subsequently published in bad faith, written with malicious purpose and in a manner exhibiting wanton and willful disregard of Commissioner Sims rights and the rights of the commission.
In addition, the statements by Mr. Roper, and allowed by the Mayor, were made knowing they were false, with improper motives and malice, and that as a result Commissioner Sims has suffered general damages: upset, shock, emotional and physical distress, shame, public humiliation, and embarrassment, and that this may well cause even future damages.
Further, your statements fell just short of accusing Commissioner Sims of a serious crime, which tended to injure his person in my business or profession, all falling into the classic definition of slander and defamation for which you have no common law immunity.
Truth is an affirmative defense to slander and defamation claims. When combined with good motive, truth is a complete defense. However, there is no truth to Mr. Roper’s statement; therefore there is no defense to his violations of the law, his ethics violations and his disgrace as a sitting commissioner.
Mr. Roper, you and Commissioner Mallozzi did nothing but play and attack on semantics in regards to Commissioner Sims’ proposal instead of ‘a’ proposal. What about the Mayor’s exact copies of Ordinances & Resolutions? Why not attacks on her of the same caliber? The proposal Commissioner Sims submitted is not determinative of author.
It was an attempt to do the right thing, not hand pick a political crony from a cabal. Why do you attack and discredit for no reason? The dirty politics continues even after your so-called truce.
There is and has been a very disturbing pattern here over the past year and a half. Our Mayor’s lack of leadership and unprofessional behavior of her colleagues had been allowed to continue which directly reflects on this city and her leadership. Who is your next victim Mayor? Commissioner DeJesus? Commissioner Curran? Commissioner Mallozzi?
The drama of your statement Mr. Roper is hardly in keeping with your previous comments after more than 10 years of service to his community. The nature of your final comment you made brings shame to the record of an otherwise commendable commissioner. This part of your show appeared to be a final act of the last three meetings. One begins to assume that this reoccurring theme has been planned and probably choreographed by someone.
The facial expressions of the Mayor, the leader of our community pretty much indicate who was involved.
I don’t, nor should this city, be associated with this kind of vitriol, hatred & ridicule. I wonder what kind of person espouses that type of hate. Particularly when we/they just adopted ‘Global Love Day’, passing a resolution abhorring ‘Hate’ and its associated crimes, all while working diligently on the ‘Peace Rally’.
Commissioner Sims has suffered damages or injury as a result of Mr. Roper’s act and omission of the facts, along with many other instances in this chamber, arising out of and in the scope of his, and other’s employment. Mr. Roper affirmatively and willfully acted in bad faith, with malicious purpose, and in a manner exhibiting wanton and willful disregard of my rights and the facts and furthermore, purposely mislead and deceived the public along with the Commission in regards to his closing statement at the March 11th Commission Meeting. Mr. Roper, your office should have been forfeited based on your public drunkenness under the Charter (Sec. 3.10(2)) and we wouldn’t have had to tolerate
the disgrace you have so dishonorably bestowed upon this city. I am holding this city, and the Mayor, responsible.
A concerned resident who will not tolerate this anymore…
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