Friday, October 16, 2020

"Me, Myself and I"- MacDonald Kennedy

 

For starters, I want for you to as objectively as you can read the symptoms listed below very carefully. This, to create a baseline to expose the basis and direction for this candidate analysis.

1.      Have an exaggerated sense of self-importance

2.      Have a sense of entitlement and require constant, excessive admiration

3.      Expect to be recognized as superior even without achievements that warrant it

4.      Exaggerate achievements and talents

5.      Be preoccupied with fantasies about success, power, brilliance, beauty or the perfect mate

6.      Believe they are superior and can only associate with equally special people

7.      Monopolize conversations and belittle or look down on people they perceive as inferior

8.      Expect special favors and/or unquestioning compliance with their expectations

9.      Take advantage of others to get what they want

10.  Be envious of others and believe others envy them

11.  Behave in an arrogant or haughty manner, coming across as conceited, boastful and pretentious

These are the symptoms of textbook Narcissistic Personality Disorder. And MacDonald Kennedy checks all the boxes. You know, there is a lot you can gather about a person’s character from reading material that was not intended for you via public records. I picked up early on MacDonald’s shtick when I received an email from him using IT’S MAC! as the senders identification. I mean… who does that? (Symptom #1, #2, #11)

When he was elected to finish up the term for a resigned commissioner, he had to create a special signature line (which I’ve not seen done here before) to virtue signal and further stand out from the rest of the commissioners.

Yup, it’s what he does. This is further evidenced by his abuse of the community app NextDoor (which he treats like a personal Twitter account) featuring him Soapboxing, Publically Shaming Others, Ranting, and Over Posting. These are not the signs of a person with a healthy emotional state of mind or from one showing respect for others that also happen to live here. (and yes, he is still narking on neighbors on code issues- but he does this through his personal email account- as if that makes any difference) Regular people don’t feel the need to constantly blow their own horn and seek attention and validation. In other words, it’s not all about Mac and his wants as he thinks it is.

I believe that everything MacDonald sees is through a prism of Exaggeration & Biased Personal Ideologies. And an exaggerated narrative is not a creditable one. But this is how he chooses to go through life.

And this is the reason why people like this should not be elected to the role of a public servant as they have their heads shoved too far up their own collective ideologies to ever represent other opinions impartially.  Like Tracy Truppman before him, MacDonald Kennedy is a moral authoritarian.

MacDonald cannot be content being part of a group or working within the confines of a group structure. (see special snowflake above). I’ve witnessed this first hand. No, he chooses to climb way up on his soapbox and lecture on his list of demands in his quest for attention, power and control. And it’s not working… I mean who here has benefited from ALL of his complaining, drama and havoc? (Symptom #1, #2, #3)

Watch @ 3:27:00 forward: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CTi95HP01ig&t=27s

(And BTW, the Village interim attorney MacDonald supported didn’t even have the professional courtesy to stay for the remainder of the meeting once the majority chose another firm- this speaks to poor judgement for both. Also, earlier in this video MacDonald cavalierly explains him talking to the Village attorney for hours during a long drive. And guess who paid for that…. at $225.00 an hour neighbors? (Also symptom #7, #11)

To me, MacDonald is predisposed to his personal ideologies and that if you don’t see it HIS way, something is wrong with YOUR thinking… that you need to somehow be reprogrammed. (Symptom #6, #8) This “wrong think” platitude is prevalent throughout his screeds and is generally adopted by today’s fringe minority extremists. He is not politically correct; he’s a political coercive.

He’s a Burden to Management and Staff:

In the public records I’ve gone through, he is found begging staff for special favors. For example, his repeated (and boy, do I mean repeated) requests to write, design and proof ALL Village communications. What he doesn’t understand is this is not the role of a commissioner. (Symptom #4, #7,#8) And when he is rejected, he whines endlessly and then points out any fractional (and mostly insignificant) future mistakes made playing the “gotcha game.” And it’s beyond tedious… and unproductive. Yea, some oasis you’ve created here MacDonald.

His forwarding of Village information to NextDoor became such an issue that both the police and adminstration departments had to open their own NextDoor accounts in an effort to stymie his activity there.  And no, he wasn’t asked to do that as he tells it… or he pestered staff so much they caved in just to shut him up for a minute. Would it help you if I acted as a clearinghouse for questions to you?”

Sat 3/14/2020 10:45 AM- “Thanks for the info. I am happy to hear that, but I will not share with residents at the direction of David and John Herin. They don't want information posted on social media or anywhere other than the village website, per a phone call I just had with John. I'm not the boss, so I'll allow David to decide how and when to share information. “ 

So you see that MacDonald knew he was “not to share information on social media” at the direction of the Village manager and attorney. But, did that stop him? No… he just went ahead and did what he wanted to anyway. I hope you’re now gaining a better understanding of who this person really is. 

Mon 3/16/2020 8:56 AM- (Note this is 2 days after he was already told not to share Village information on social media) “I'll offer to act as your public information officer on Nextdoor if that would help spread word about village issues. I can post what you approve and copy/paste many things. I think it's important for the village to speak with one voice (as long as it’s HIS VOICE) and to convey one message, and we need to spread that info as far and wide as we can. Nextdoor reaches MANY more residents and also reaches them faster. It has an "urgent" option that pushes messages to phones, too. I'll be happy to come to village hall today and show you all options so you understand what I could do for you on there.” 

And this goes on and on and on and on… However, this should come as no surprise for when you give a needy malcontent a bigger soapbox… what did you really expect would happen?

He refers to himself as a  “professional writer and editor.” Funny, in that his profession is running sales for a Beauty Supply company. And how is this any different than Tracy telling people she was an “engineer” when her profession was as a school teacher? (Symptom #4, #8) 

I don’t know where his sense of entitlement comes from, but it has done little but overburden staff to the point they have to ignore his continuous bombardment of demands, gripes and questions. That or they can’t get any work done for you know…the rest of the Village residents. He has alienated two Village managers so far and will at some point start on a third. And I wish that person good luck in dealing with him and his “high maintenance” needs. Here is how I explained MacDonald to another resident based on his short time in office, “here's what I see... 20% of the vote is eating up 80% of the time chewing scenery and virtue signaling.” 

However, truth be told, MacDonald is in no position to demand anything here. Not as a resident, and not as a commissioner. He has, per usual, created an exaggerated impression of what he thinks being a commissioner here should be, and then bullies and belittles the other commissioners that don’t hold up to his expectations. (Symptom #7, #11) And that’s not his place as he’s only 1 of 5. And we all know that 1 is the loneliest number. His inability to build a consensus with the other commissioners (which he blames on the other commissioners naturally) insures his demands will remain just that… empty demands.

He’s a Wannabe Activist:

In addition to his narcissistic personality disorder, MacDonald also fancies himself an activist. Since the first day he moved here he has chronically complained to anyone that would listen (and for many who didn’t, i.e. staff) about all of HIS particular problems with our Village. He has proven to be a discontented person.

Discontented Person: somebody who is discontented or dissatisfied, especially somebody who seems continually or chronically discontented.

The problem comes in as while he is serving as a commissioner, it’s not about his personal identity politics or belief system.  All residents here do not support his vision of gay rights, BLM or any of his other “causes.” 


Having a sign in his front yard (originally a first responder and police support sign) he modified to read BLM (now considered Burn, Loot and Mayhem by many after the 40+ deaths and riots executed in their name) and “No Justice No Peace” is not acceptable from an elected official here whose sole purpose is to represent the entire body of constituents. All commissioners need to leave their personal belief systems at the door when in office representing our community at large.

Why is MacDonald cheerleading for a large audience?

How Intersectional Activists Destroy Institutions- Playbook 

They infiltrate enough, and then they can attack, like bacteria. Once enough of the viral load is in, they try to destroy the host organism. Here’s how it goes:

  • ·         Pack the audience with enough sympathizers
  • ·         Find or manufacture a precipitating event
  • ·         RAISE HOLY HELL about it
  • ·         Divide and conquer with no neutrality allowed
  • ·         Press on until owned or dead
  • ·         Rinse and repeat


Diversity is not a virtue. It is mundane. And elevating the mundane to virtue is idolatry. 

Political activists have become so problematic in business that policies are now being designed to protect employers. See the Coinbase video here: https://youtu.be/fbvGcVazwgE

Here is another: https://youtu.be/2L6uHzWJnjY

In these videos it is explained that this company has determined that offering a generous severance package to get rid of its “woke activists” employees is the best and perhaps only option. Add to this a new employee search firm named UnWoke who’s function is to weed out woke activist candidates from employment searches as they have been deemed too toxic to the work environment.  What they are basically saying is that There is No Room for Activism in Business… and in truth, not in our small local government either.

Look at Disney, Hollywood and corporations that Got Woke and Went Broke. There are countless stories of companies pandering to the minority of woke only to have it backfire on their bottom line. One example is Gillette, who produced an anti-man and more specifically, anti-white man ad that resulted in an $8Billion dollar write down of their stock. Ouch! Know your market Gillette.

Then there is Disney and Hollywood who has forced this “race swapping and gender bending theme” into their movies and entertainment, ALL which has been box office bombs and rejected by the general public. Now their award shows viewership is at an all time low. And the same can be said for the woke NBA Finals...there was nothing but crickets. Worst number EVER for the Finals. And as mentioned above, there are countless additional stories on the subject.

He’s an Overly Pushy Snake Oil Salesman:

Residents have told me they have criticized MacDonald for his “in your face pushy demeanor.” He counters that with “I’m a salesman.” And that reply is both lazy and deluded.  You have no further to look than the automobile industry to see they have all but abandoned their “hard sell tactics” to know the party is over. And why? Because it creates distrust and has a negative effect on the customer. And in our community, residents are the only paying customer.

MacDonald is an agent provocateur of sorts, a person who provokes trouble, causes dissension, or the like; an agitator. He’s a mind virus that’s spreading among the uninformed. His intentions are not about you, he’s merely using you as useful tools in his attempt to gain leverage, power and moreover, control. (Symptom #9) And you may not see it now….but you will in time. And when he doesn’t get what he wants, when he receives any criticism… this is what we’ve witnessed: 

          

MacDonald identifies with authoritarians who have a zealous ideology based in identitarianism. As one who has both trained and managed salesman in my career, I know all about dealing with peacocks. And it has always been a balancing act between their production, or worth to the company versus the headaches they present. The same is true for sport franchises which have often rejected the “prima donnas” and instead looked for slightly lower ceiling players that won’t destroy your locker room with their drama and self-serving diva demands.

He’s a Diva: “But I’m the Only One That Cares…um…I have Higher Standards

The Covid Truth. I’m not sure anywhere in the World was prepared for a global pandemic, and we were no exception. A State of Emergency was issued and according to our plan, our Village manager (interim if that matters) Chief of Police and Mayor (all trained in emergency management protocols) took over to create public safety guidelines, shut down non-essential operations, rotated staff in and out and provided updates to the residents via YouTube videos. Most residents that spoke up seemed happy with these services…but not MacDonald.

For you see, instead of supporting staff and taking a back seat during this unprecedented time, letting those with experience run the daily operations, MacDonald constantly pushed for Zoom meetings from Day #1.  (Reply's below are from MacDonald's email account- any additions by me will be shown in red)

Mon 3/16/2020 5:17 PM- In the interest of moving village business along during the COVID emergency and maintaining as sense of normalcy while folks isolate, I’m curious what our options are for conducting commission meetings virtually. Can we meet via ZOOM (my favorite webinar app)? The public could also easily “attend” and even make public comment. David has canceled this week’s special meeting and also the regular April meeting. That means no village business will be conducted until May, unless Ginny calls an emergency meeting. We have urgent business to attend to (Code board filled, processes started to fill manager and attorney positions among them), so if there’s a way to meet virtually I think we should look into them seriously and quickly. Who’s the authority on this topic?

From: Herin, John R. 
Sent: Monday, March 16, 2020 5:47 PM
To: MacDonald Kennedy 

BP virtual meeting options

I am the expert, and it’s not allowed on the scale you are suggesting absent intervention by the Governor. He would have to suspend the Sunshine law (don't think he has the authority to do that) and/or develop guidelines for local governments to follow regarding remote meetings and "public involvement."

AGO's on the subject state that remote access is allowed on a limited basis, but you still need a physical quorum and public must have the right to attend in person. This is a never seen before situation so there is no existing "playbook" to follow.

From: Herin, John R. 
Sent: Thursday, March 19, 2020 9:46 AM
Subject: RE: FLC Letter to Gov. requesting guidance re: coronavirus

That statement by the FLC is their telegraph to the Governor as to what the FLC wants him to say.  Otherwise, it is just a suggestion to local governments. As of today’s date, I am unaware of any municipality following that suggestion and started using virtual meetings to conduct business.  In fact, later today I will be going to the other municipality I represent for a “regular in-person” special call meeting to discuss whether or not it should adopt any of the suggested restrictions regarding beach access and use.

Thu 3/19/2020 6:07 PM- To the manager: If you’re still planning to record the YouTube video, let me know if you want me to work on copy for you. I’m not 100% sold on the idea of that video yet. (Because you see, MacDonald was not involved in any of the YouTube videos. And it wouldn’t matter if he’s “sold on the idea” or not anyway as he’s just 1 of 5 and this is not a commissioners responsibility- another example of his meddling into everything)

Mon 3/23/2020 10:06 AM- I am working from home, so please let me know if there’s anything I can help you with … writing notices, etc., all to your approval. (he’s at it again)

Tue 3/24/2020 2:10 PM- I have read your emails on the topic of virtual meetings, and I want to share my opinion that the BP commission should hold an emergency meeting as soon as possible using Zoom or other virtual means, with the main interest falling under the “public peace” portion of our special meetings definition. If you have the authority to call that meeting yourselves under our current emergency state, I’m asking you to exercise it today and to conduct that meeting tomorrow. If Ginny’s the only person who can call that meeting, I’m asking you to discuss that with her. (It’s not the manager’s place to try to sway the decision of the Mayor)

There’s no good reason not to meet virtually and not to do that at our first opportunity. There’s no good reason to wait until next week. I’m asking you all to be proactive leaders by getting that meeting to take place.

Thu 3/26/2020 9:31 AM- This email BEGS the question: Why are other municipalities conducting virtual meetings and making important decisions and we haven't and/or can't? ZOOM is practically idiot-proof, (who do you think he is referring to here? Symptom #6, #7) and in my opinion we should have had that set up last week and be ready to go. I would like a meeting at our first opportunity. 

Thu 3/26/2020 9:45 AM- (14 minutes later) I have been asking for a virtual meeting since before the governor allowed it. We should have had ZOOM set up last week, and we should have already conducted at least one meeting if only to work out the kinks. I have not heard one good reason why we can't/haven't/won't/shouldn't do that at the first opportunity, like tomorrow. (Just look at the timestamps. He’s just firing off email after email without allowing any time for staff to consider- THIS is who he is)

 Thu 3/26/2020 11:02 AM- (3rd email on the same subject within 2 hours) Perhaps the commissioners who don't want to meet virtually should be removed from payroll like a furloughed employee. The one thing we actually do every month is show up for one meeting. One monthly meeting. If they won't do that by clicking a link in an email, why should they collect their $166.67 this month ... $333.33 for Ginny? (Now he’s going into some abstract logic about money and who should receive that money. This border line temper tantrum is due to him not getting his way while remaining tone-deaf on the real situation- COVID. This is WAY OUT OF LINE) 

From: MacDonald Kennedy 
Date: March 30, 2020 at 10:44:45 AM EDT

Gentlemen. I’m going on the record again (yea, no duh) that I feel strongly that we are not being proactive enough in handling the COVID emergency, specifically that we should already have conducted a virtual commission meeting to work out the bugs in Zoom. (I’m not confident in the ability of all players to execute, and I don’t think that’s an unfair criticism.) (OMG- symptom #6, #7) Further, that meeting will instill confidence in residents and enable their questions to be answered directly. (ROFL! – This is priceless. MacDonald actually thought that residents here dealing with this pandemic lock down needed to hear from untrained commissioners and/or him specifically? Remember, staff was updating residents weekly. The hubris illustrated here is otherworldly) Other communities are doing that, and I don’t see any good reason why BP shouldn’t/can’t/won’t be as organized and proactive. (The Youtube video is not a substitute.) (Because HE was not involved or featured in them. Are you getting the point here? Note: those PSA staff videos received many more views than any commission meeting he has monopolized) 

[Excerpts for brevity] Last week, John and David both told me that we “don’t have the votes” to call the virtual meeting. I’d like to know which commissioners voted yes and which voted no. Please let me know how the votes went down … or explain why I can’t know that information now. (push,push,push,push) I would think those “votes” are a matter of public record now, but you explain to me if I’m wrong about that. (Do you find this attitude helpful or the opposite? Does this sound to you like someone who can handle being told “no”?)

Tue 3/31/2020 12:00 PM- (The bloody next day) I would appreciate a response to the questions in my email below, specifically those in the second paragraph:

Last week, John and David both told me that we “don’t have the votes” to call the virtual meeting. Please explain what that means. My understanding is that the mayor can call a meeting on her own, so I can only surmise that she can’t/won’t do that … or four commissioners can call the meeting. In the past, I was told that those four commissioners would have to do that during a public meeting. Perhaps the rules are different for emergency meetings. So, did someone poll the commission and ask for votes to conduct a virtual meeting? If so, I’d like to know which commissioners voted yes and which voted no. I can’t imagine that you providing that information would be a Sunshine violation, as we won’t be voting on that matter later. Please let me know how the votes went down … or explain why I can’t know that information now. I would think those “votes” are a matter of public record now, but you explain to me if I’m wrong about that. (He’s just mostly repeating himself again. This is what's going on behind the scenes. He just never stops tormenting all of those he thinks are standing in his way. He is completely tone-deaf to the fact these employees have more important things to do than field his numerous daily emails. Do you see how this is a problem here?) 

Wed 4/1/2020 8:13 AM- Nextdoor has an option to conduct polls among members. Yesterday, I posted a poll asking residents of they thought BP should be conducting virtual commission meetings. I did not indicate my opinion in any way. As of this morning, 78% of respondents indicated that BP should conduct virtual meetings, and 73% said they wanted a link so they could attend. (Desperation has now set in. A poll? Really? Error- it was 60 votes in total. 73% in favor, 10% against, 17% no meeting during COVID-19. Remember when I told you about his exaggerations?)

Wed 4/1/2020 1:09 PM- FYI, the mayor could call the meeting, but she hasn’t found it within herself to do that for no reason that she’s stated publicly. Likewise, the other four commissioners could also call the meeting, but we have one who refuses. Leaders should look and plan ahead, so I hope the mayor and that one holdout are able to do that before a dire emergency requires it to happen. (More exaggerations, he’s now trying to float the idea of some imagined dire emergency to support a weak minority position- he does this a lot)

Wed 4/1/2020 1:29 PM- (A mere 20 minutes later) I have been as vocal as I can be about having a virtual meeting, and the topic of succession should be included on that agenda, in my opinion. If you’re permitted to do so, please share that concern with the other elected officials. If they aren’t already worried about succession here in the village, perhaps they should be. Not sure if you’re allowed to share my concerns, perhaps without naming me … or make it your own concern and leave me out of it. Follow Sunshine rules, certainly, but know that I’m looking several steps ahead at “if this, then that” scenarios. (He’s way out of his lane again and his "what if games" are time consuming and mostly unnecessary)

From: Luis Cabrera 
Sent: Wednesday, April 1, 2020 4:13 PM
To: MacDonald Kennedy 
Subject: Re: BP succession

Commissioner, 

The concerns that you’re inquiring about have been addressed in our emergency planning meetings. We have discussed the temporary absence of the Interim Village Manager, Clerk and the Chief of Police. I can assure you that the lack of leadership and teamwork is not a concern at this point. The Manager and all his subordinates are taking numerous precautions to avoid jeopardizing their health and well-being.  

Thu 4/2/2020 4:51 PM- I would also like to ensure that the meeting in concise, organized, thorough. If you need help in putting together the information in advance, that’s VERY much my strong suit. I do that for a living, and I’m happy to help with that now for the village. I’m quite skilled at taking a lot of info and organizing it, compacting it, making it easy to follow. (This is getting ridiculous at this point- he just doesn’t listen)

Thu 4/2/2020 5:37 PM- More votes in, and the YES votes are 82%. (Error- again the yes votes were only 73% as of today- 44 people) None of the NO votes have stated a reason “why not,” but the YES votes are basically saying many of the same things I’ve said. (Incorrect- first off MacDonald has no knowledge of what the 10% (against) or the 17% (no need during COVID) of voter’s opinions were. So, he's just ranting into the void...)

Mon 4/6/2020 3:32 PM- See below … NoMi conducting a virtual council meeting tomorrow, just announced a few minutes ago. Nice to see them arrive at the party, albeit late and reactive as opposed to proactive and forward-thinking. Perhaps one day BP will function like a real city. Not today, I suppose, but perhaps some day soon. (Now he’s just lashing out against his perceived oppressors. And this is childish and unproductive behavior. Is this really the type of representation you’re looking for? Also, a grammar error- that should be “someday” there Mac- lol)

Mon 4/6/2020 3:44 PM- (Now 12 minutes later- OMG! Are You seeing this? Please put yourself in our staffs shoes for a minute...how long would you last? No wonder David Hernandez ran out of here like his pants were on fire) NoMi is pulling off a meeting, and so are lots of other places, including the other city that John personally represents. They are functioning rather than appearing impotent. Good for them! (I’m sorry but the only picture I’m getting here is that of a spoiled brat) 

Mon 4/6/2020 4:57 PM- (Just over 1 hour later. How many times does he need to repeat the same thing?) I was informed by the manager about an hour ago that he doesn’t have the votes to conduct a virtual meeting and he doubts that will happen at all. As you know, Ginny can call the meeting on her own … or the other four commissioners can call it collectively. I don’t know who’s voted which way, but I know we don’t have the votes and the meeting won’t be taking place. So, BP grinds to a halt until further notice. (No, it didn't) We survived three years of nothing much getting done, so we’ll survive this, too. I prefer “thrive” to “survive,” but I get only one vote. (It's not about You MacDonald) 

Wed 4/8/2020 12:36 PM- North Miami had a virtual meeting. El Portal had a virtual meeting. Surfside had a virtual meeting. What is Miami Shores doing?

OK, OMG- I’ve had enough! I will literally throw up in my mouth if I go on any further. I could however, as this is just the tip of the iceberg. But, if you can’t see from this sample his destructive self-centered mission and the trouble he creates... I can’t help you.

What manager do you think would want to work with this type of person? It is impossible to appease him, that is unless you kowtow to his every wish and demand. 

And all of this is just way too much drama from and for one commissioner.


Standing Watch,


Milton Hunter

The Biscayne Parker

“This is Fine”- William Tudor

 


This will be the shortest of the three reviews for the existing or previous BP commissioners. Why? Because after 4 years in office, I know little more about Will Tudor than when he popped up out of nowhere in the first place.

That said, I do not think that Will is a toxic, ego driven person with ill intentions. And that is something I cannot say about all the candidates. He has not proven to needlessly waste Village time and money ranting on about his personal agendas… moreover, he’s just kinda there.

However, his turning a blind eye to Tracy Truppman when she was running roughshod over our Charter and residents was a problem. His lack of understanding that his role is to represent The People over his support of commissioner colleagues is/was also a problem. My personal experience with him is pretty much limited to when he first ran for office, and he spent 2+ hours with me discussing various Village issues. That’s about it. As a person, I like Will and when he does get involved, he is prepared on the subject and I don’t cringe with what comes out of his mouth. Mostly. It’s just too infrequent and his seeming aversion to controversy hasn’t always served our Village well.

Another point that needs to be addressed was his clearly rehearsed and sole leading support of X-Village manager Krishan Manners during his, um…cough, “name clearing meeting."  And part of the problem with that, other than him overlooking Krishan’s mistakes and incompetence (I suppose to avoid controversy) was that according to the suspension with pay agreement Krishan received, he was to have no contact with the Village during his suspension. Will clearly was leading Krishan with biased questions to the point Chuck Ross mentioned he could see those sections Will referred to were highlighted on Krishan’s paperwork. This was staged and that was a bad optic for anyone paying attention.

Will did however lead to the formation of two new Village boards, one of which has done some things for the community. Further, he knows his role as a commissioner and supports, but does not interfere with staff, which is a plus. He also has, on a few occasions, stood up against various bullying and misconduct occurring among different commissioners. I just wish to have seen more of this.  I truly believe Will is thoughtful and seeks more civility on the commission and within the community. But again, we hear this every election cycle from candidates with little to no follow through or results. And that blame falls on more people/commissioners than just Will Tudor.

I wish I had more to state, but it is what it is. Will does have experience from being on the commission, he is not a controversial personality and we could do worse. 

The question is…can we do better?

 

Standing Watch,

Milton Hunter

The Biscayne Parker


Thursday, October 15, 2020

The Devil We Know- Fred Jonas


This is Fred- or at least how I view him. As a noxious, mean spirited little man. Or, as the internet would describe those like him… a troll.

The title above was lifted from one of Fred’s blogs where he was per usual, bad mouthing and back stabbing the other candidates. As he always does… same old Fred.

Is this a community leader you think represents you?

Here is a link to a post I wrote about him on his second attempt at office, nothing has changed: http://thebiscayneparker.blogspot.com/2016/11/for-best-we-can-be-whatever-cost.html

So, the book we have on Fred is that he sits under his bridge (actually a metaphor, he’s behind his keyboard) spewing toxic waste at all different points of view from those who have rejected him. If you want to know more about him… just go to his blog and read for yourself his never ending barrage of baseless accusations, hateful name calling and nasty commentary towards, well… just about everybody outside of his insignificant and petty echo chamber. (BTW, this represents the vast majority of residents here) Link: http://biscayneparkfla.blogspot.com/

And yes, for this post he will be getting a dose of his own medicine. We’ll see how it goes down. Speaking for myself, Fred is utterly irrelevant. However, it’s past time to call him out on his repellent behavior…

Observe for yourself his twisted pretzel logic screeds and his obvious comfort in lying and misrepresentations in order to prop up his ambiguous narratives. A deeper dive down his rabbit hole will uncover unsubstantiated conspiracy theories and well, just more sludge.

Is this a community leader you think can help us?

This is Fred’s third attempt at public office, so we have a track record to discuss. To review, on his first attempt he secured a last place finish edging out Harvey Bilt by a mere 6 votes. His second attempt resulted in a loss- and by a wide margin if I remember correctly. Yet, nowhere to be found in that loss was any admission of his own faults, or the fact that voters just did not find him relatable, trustworthy or likeable. Nope, when he lost he blamed others (including myself) and played the “victim.”

As a commissioner here is what we witnessed from Fred being Fred:

  • ·         Disrespect to our Flag and Country by refusing to join in the Pledge of Allegiance (atheist)
  • ·         His smug condescending attitude- often broiled in disputes with others
  • ·         He was an unprepared commissioner that didn’t study the agenda and thought he could just show up monthly and “wing-it “
  • ·         He’s proud to boast of him not taking a salary, and we got what we paid for….nothing

But, why would he need to spend his time studying the agenda backup when his sole mission for being there was to blindly support his friend and ally Roxy Ross? The only time I remember him disagreeing with her (or voting to the contrary) is when she wanted to push our taxes to 9.8 and he wanted 10, or 10+ … Oof.

But wait there’s more…

Not only was he pushing for higher taxes, on top of that he wanted to add an ongoing special tax assessment. And for what you ask? A $13 million dollar boondoggle storm water program that was at its core dishonest, misguided and unethical. And he failed. (More on this below if you’re interested)

Read Here: http://thebiscayneparker.blogspot.com/2016/11/the-f-word.html

Fred refused to see or admit the problems we had with a Village manager during his time in office until her misconduct slapped him in the face and he was forced into action. Albeit, too little and too late.

He constantly fought with Dan Keys (when Dan headed Park and Parkways) demanding plans for the medians while not even understanding the half-baked nature or limitations of his idea, costs involved, or in the acknowledgment of the utility purpose the medians serve that would reduce (or eliminate) their usefulness for resident overflow guest parking. Or for your landscapers to use, etc. So, where are they supposed to park Fred? In the middle of the street blocking traffic?? For anyone who would be adversely affected by “his plan,” did Fred ever drop by to discuss this with you and suggest solutions? Nope. All we got was…

Here’s another point, did he consider for one minute our ability to properly maintain, weed and water them? Nope again, he just wants what he wants. Sound familiar??

Here is a real world example Fred didn’t consider: after the debris dumping on the 114 St. median, multiple new oak trees were purchased and planted to replace the trees lost to the hurricane and dumping. I then watched them over time slowly die off until they were ultimately removed. So, it resulted in a waste of both time and money. Why? Because there is only so much our PW staff can handle and in my opinion, they are already stretched thin.  I’m sorry, but we need to deal in reality and within our capabilities. So with this said, how on earth are we going to maintain planting all the mediums? You see, Fred just doesn’t think things through.

Is this a community leader you think can help us?

Fred was unable to build a consensus on any of his ideas (few as they were) during his time in office. This was due to his inability to compromise, find middle ground or work with others that don’t share his agenda. All Fred is interesting in representing is his small circle of friends.

Do you want a community leader that can’t work well with others?   

Now he’s back on his blog demeaning the other candidates and telling you Who to vote for. 

I cannot suggest you vote for Judi Hamelburg, because she has not shown the kind of even-temperedness and devotion to the Village (that part of it that is outside herself) that is necessary for proper Commission functioning. We don’t see much of Judi, and when we do, she either talks superfluously, or she quickly works any discussion about anything around to her own personal experience, as if everything was somehow always all about her. ”

I cannot suggest you vote for William Abreu, because I know nothing about him, and he has given no one any reason to assume he is interested in or knowledgeable about the Village. I’m told he’s Brazilian, very young (possibly under 30) and that the idea that totally uninitiated people can govern an area and constituency seem to be infectious. Political novices can do a great deal of damage, and they’ve done it big time right here.”

I strongly suggest you not vote for Will Tudor, because he has enabled every bad thing that has happened to the Village since the end of 2016, and he is plainly not interested.”

So, he’s acting as Judge and Jury here actually having the gall to attempt to steer you how to vote… and moreover, how to think. And that’s really insulting. For you see, only Fred can decide who is a “marginal resident” or not and who is worthy of your consideration. Fred is telling you that, in his opinion, you are either too stupid or ill-informed to think for yourself and draw your own conclusions based on what you experience, see and hear. No, “He” needs to do that for you.  Yikes!

Fred seems to think the only people that can contribute to our community are those who either attend meetings or are members of boards. And as there is a sliver of common sense there, he himself is living proof that those requirements do not automatically produce a good public servant. And after all, that’s what all of this is supposed to be about.

 In his own words, “I am steady, goal-oriented, and I have always been good for my motto: “For the Best We Can Be.” (Pfft…lol) I provide stability, no nonsense, and I act as a kind of ballast. I prevent the ship from getting out of control or tipping over. I suggest you vote for me.”

He then goes on to suggest you vote for MacDonald Kennedy (a BFF and ally, they’re thick as thieves) and for Art Gonzales, (who has already gone on record stating he wants no part of being in any group, with Fred or otherwise) suggesting “they” will form their own self-serving majority and conquer the World! OK, I’m kidding on the last part but let’s go back for a minute and break down his previous statement.

  • ·         I am steady.” I will agree he is consistent, and that’s not meant as a compliment. He is “steady” in his constant demeaning of all of those who don’t conform to his ideals
  • ·         Goal-oriented.” He accomplished none of his goals set forth as a commissioner
  • ·         Good for my motto.” A meaningless narcissistic musing 
  • ·         I provide stability    Another meaningless narcissistic musing
  • ·         No nonsense.” I suppose he’s referring to his condescending nature here
  • ·      And I act as a kind of ballast.” OMG no, he doesn’t. This is pure hubris. What he does is to create divide, ill will and unwanted drama
  • ·         I prevent the ship from getting out of control,” blah, blah, blah…

I think you get the point by now. The truth is that when Fred was in office, he rode the coattails of the sound and level headed leadership provided by Mayor David Coviello and was mostly just along for the ride. But, let’s wrap this thing up.


In preparing for this article I went over to his blog to harvest some material. And to my shock, I witnessed just how much free real estate I’m taking up in his head. And it’s unhinged and unnatural. You see I’m mentioned multiple times on multiple posts and clearly have taken on the role of the Boogie Man hiding under his bed. And, of course, I’m the main reason for all of his failures. (I suppose Fred blames me for the Corona virus as well… silly me, I thought everyone knew it was China, but I digress) Who knew I was such a master mind and brainwasher of all people and things? Of course and as mentioned previously, ALL of his accusations are without any shred of proof and his claims vary wildly. Scary wildly if you ask me. And as such, Fred is not creditable. Based on what I read, he’s more deserving of a padded room than a commission seat. It’s now to the point I may need to consider filing a virtual restraining order against him.

Do you want a delusional victim that can’t face his failures making decisions that affect you?   

Not me… but then again, I’m not here to tell you how to vote, or how to think. That’s up to you.

 

Standing Watch,


Milton Hunter

The Biscayne Parker


Saturday, October 3, 2020

New BP Candidate Interviews

 

Hello Neighbors,

As we approach another election I thought to invite each of our 3 new commissioner candidates to sit down and discuss their campaign and ideas. Please find each interview below:

Art Gonzalez- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ikg_FondnH8&t=9s

Judi Hamelburg- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AT0VthX7_WA

William Abreu- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n9GEcTyrQbU


As for the other 3 candidates, I will be posting a future article on each of them as they all have a track record to review and analyze. 

Lastly, William mentioned during his interview a commentary Art had posted previously regarding “What Makes a Great Commissioner?” When I saw it originally, I liked the idea of reminding us all what public service is supposed to be. 


What Makes A Great Commissioner?

One item that should be first on every list: a great commissioner has a servant’s heart! Why? All commissioners are leaders; great commissioners are servant leaders. Robert K Greenleaf, who coined the term “servant leader” around 1970, said this: “The servantleader is a servant first…Becoming a servantleader begins with the natural feeling that one wants to serve, to serve first. Then conscious choice brings one to aspire to lead.

That person is sharply different from one who is a leader first… The difference manifests itself in the care taken by the servant first to make sure that other people’s highest priority needs are being served.” Those with a servant’s heart demonstrate certain characteristics that enable them to be great commissioners:

Effective Listening – they seek to understand what a speaker is saying to them, demonstrate their interest, and provide feedback.

Empathy – they can understand and share the feelings of the one with whom they are speaking.

Vision – they are able to assess current strengths and needs and then envision and communicate a future that builds upon the former and addresses the latter.

Persuasion – they are able to translate vision into action; they can cause people to believe in and work towards fulfilling a vision.

Accountability – they spend their time celebrating other’s success and looking for ways to improve performance than in offering criticism. When issues arise, they take responsibility publicly and work privately to avoid recurrence. 

Team Orientation – they build teams and engage them in creating and fulfilling a vision; they seek opportunities to enable team members to grow and develop knowledge and networks that will enable greater success. Those with a servant’s heart are comfortable with and prepared to demonstrate the characteristics of “2nd Century Service:”

  • ·         Visioning
  • ·         Continuous improvement
  • ·         Engagement
  • ·         Collaboration 
  • ·         Linkage 

Transparency Technical skills, experience, passion, priorities – all of the things we’ve talked about before in other articles about recruiting commissioners, are important. But a servant’s heart is the single prerequisite when seeking Unit Service candidates.


Standing Watch, 

Milton Hunter

The Biscayne Parker

 

P.S. Art has a website. Here is the link: https://home.art4commissioner.com/index