What we expect is accountability and performance from our employees and elected officials, We expect our Charter and Citizens Bill of Rights to be strictly adhered to, We expect you to hold your fellow commissioner(s) accountable when they go off the reservation. We expect you to not meddle with our employees, to support our codes, and to stay in your lane.

The decorum statement cuts both ways- so fix it. Censorship is the child of fear. Censorship reflects a society's lack of confidence in itself...

Amateur Hour

  

Let’s start off with Happy New Year Neighbors!
And speaking of neighbors, one asked me during the Holidays why I’ve cut back on my writing over the past two years. My answer was in two parts, first, my general level of disgust towards Tracy’s commission and two, the fact that there was little to write about… as precious little has been accomplished. [Aside- the reason why I refer to this as Tracy’s commission is that this is what this thing has become. It’s not “our commission,” as it has little to do with the community, it’s ALL ABOUT Tracy feeding her ego and insecurities, at the expense of all else.] Be that as it may, I was alerted to this week’s monthly meeting, and thought to share with you the embarrassment that is Tracy Trumpman.

Video link is here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dZBBSjQv7O4&t=2413s

I’m not sure why people attend commission meetings. For me personally, one who abhors politics, I attended meetings as a show of support for a commission. I’m sure that others have different reasons. But, one thing is abundantly clear, Tracy’s commission has failed to engage the public, with meeting attendance at an all-time low. People don’t show up, people don’t watch the videos…people have just tuned out.  I wonder if she/they even care? David, you are missed. As I’ve stated before, any semblance of professionalism and ethics left town with David.

So, get your popcorn, strap in, and away we go…

Good and Welfare (or Warfare depending on how you view it)  The purpose of G&W is to give the community an opportunity to speak (3 minutes (or less, as you’ll soon find out) on topics of concern. Typically it’s on current agenda items, but not exclusively. And let me be honest here, this month’s agenda was pretty flimsy, as has been the case over the past two years. So the complaint from new commissioner Wise that, to paraphrase, “that public comments is wasting valuable time needed to conduct Village business” is just a smokescreen.  As mentioned above, few even show up for meetings now and even fewer choose to speak. Sorry to have to explain this, but any form of public censorship is just another example of bad government. If you can’t stand the heat- get out of the kitchen Betsy.

[5:50] Rox Ross starts off public comments by correcting last month’s meeting minutes where she was misquoted. She explains that there was language in the minutes that she never spoke of and that “the minutes are supposed to reflect what exactly occurred without editorial comments from the transcriber.” She mentions that the commission will be voting on the minutes and asks if they want them to be correct? She then scolds the commission on their ignorance of not being able to answer a simple question asked by a visiting Senator. And the question was “what is the Village’s taxable value?” Doh. No one knew, new or old, to include the manager.  (see post title above) Rox said that she felt disappointed and moreover, embarrassed by this. Tracy then cuts her off at the 2:57 mark. Rox tries to continue, as she felt this information was important, especially for the new commissioners, but Tracy just wouldn’t have it! Rox states that “after 9 years of service on this commission I would beg that you allow me another 60 seconds to complete this thought.”  Tracy countered with “30 seconds and Go!" (I am sure that this was THE highlight of her night) The rest you can all see for yourselves. Tracy’s bile and spite is on full display here.

[10:34] New commissioner Betsy Wise chirps in that “she thinks” that the decorum rules have been violated.  Yes, the same decorum statement (more to follow on this later) that has NEVER BEEN RATIFIED has been violated. I mean, you just can’t make this up as you go Betsy. It is also apparent that our new village attorney, along with Betsy didn’t know that this decorum statement has never been ratified. (see post title above) Mind you, Betsy  is a person that had never attended a commission meeting before, is as big of a Village nobody as one who moved in last month, (based on contributions to this community) but yet, she has come out swinging.

[10:55] Chuck Ross is up next. Chuck only gets 43 seconds of his prepared statement out before Tracy shuts him down. (remember, we are to get 3 minutes- not fractional minutes) So, she then continues to talk over him and then calls for the attorney to intervene. What Tracy doesn’t realize is that she’s not lording over her 4^th graders here, but adults who aren’t going to be bullied by some decorum rule that she has weaponized for her own benefit.  She also threatens to remove residents via the use of the decorum club, which she doesn’t even have the authority to do- but when has that stopped Tracy? As Chuck was not afforded the opportunity to finish his statement, here it is in its entirety.

“A number of residents spoke at the December meeting concerned that the charter had been violated, the new Commission was not sworn in within the time frame prescribed by the charter. 

In my mind, the charter violation in this case isn't the concern so much as the dismissive behavior of the Mayor towards the residents.  Yes the time delay to certify the election caused a time lapse that was only a few days.  However, I believe that the excuse used to dismiss the resident’s concerns was created after the fact.  Again the dismissive attitude towards the residents is a problem. 

Further to the point who if anyone made the decision to defer the swearing in or who is steering the ship?  Is it Krishan, is it Tracy as most of us believe, and if so that would be a charter violation or are we just aimlessly drifting out to sea with no one at the wheel?  We need a stable leader to guide this Village, we don’t have one right now.

Next, the Charter violations in connection with the Leg Requests were presented at the Dec reg. meeting by Rox Ross before she stepped down after 9 years.  Again, flippant irrelevant excuses were heard by Tracy and Krishan to attempt to defend & deflect.  However, the Mayor in fact admitted she violated the Charter or collaborated with Krishan to do so by sending the Leg Requests to our Lobbyist without running it by the Commission as is required, not once but twice. (I added the underline for emphasis)

Based on this admission, I believe it is now your duty to take this up as an agenda item according to your sworn oath as BP Commissioners to have these matters further investigated.  While this is being investigated the Mayor should step down and pass the gavel to the Vice Mayor, as I believe the procedure to install her was improper in the first place.  Tracy was not the Mayor when the organizational meeting began last month; she was a Commissioner like the rest of you and should not have run the meeting.  By doing so she gained an unfair advantage to have herself nominated and in my mind it was a conflict.  In the past the organizational meetings to select the Mayor have been run by the Attorney.

The criticisms of the Mayor above have been described by the Mayor as a personal attack on her in the past and deliberate misrepresentations.  These statements and concerns have nothing to do with the individual but with the manner that Village business is being conducted and there have been no deliberate misrepresentations, I urge you to watch to watch the meeting videos.

Lastly, road reimbursements that Tracy pushed through in late 2017 have turned out to be not well thought out; it would have been a waste of funds.  The base of our roads needs to be restored before we resurface the roads among other issues.  Tracy claimed there was no harm in asking, not true; harm was caused by missing an opportunity in an election year to ask for funds for a different project, maybe a lighting project around the rec center as an example.  So, losing an opportunity is harmful, losing our credibility with our State Senators and Representatives by bringing half-baked projects is also harmful.  Tracy brags it landed on the governor’s desk but he vetoed it, if you read his reasons he vetoed it because the process we followed was flawed.

 We need change.”

Chuck brings up very important points in his statement that I will be elaborating on in a future post.

[14.56] Tracy has had enough!

She moves to shut down the meeting as now she’s triggered. However, the meeting continues… with Chuck moving away from the podium as to not bog the meeting down further. Watch for yourselves... if you dare.

[27.30] Janey Anderson is now up. She basically discusses a last minute agenda item sponsored by Betsy Wise stating her concern that “it’s just not fair to the public not to see what’s out there and to be able to comment.” She then refers to Betsy’s inflammatory language as subjective. That it’s the commissions responsibly to defuse issues. Etcetera.

[30:01] Dan Keys agrees with Janey regarding the tone of Betsy’s agenda item backup. That the only statements she has made so far have been “to denigrate residents that have spoken at the pulpit.”  That “you’re supposed to be able to take it.” He points out the shortfall of the manager in not properly dealing with the Charter violation regarding the timing of swearing in the new commission. Then he "again" addressed the fact that the commission does not respond to the public, and that it’s a problem. (see post title above) Dan gets slightly over his 3 minutes before Tracy attempts to cut him off. But, Dan continues to explain that having department heads conduct a planned workshop (and not the manager) would have got him fired when he was the PW department head @ Coral Gables. Alrighty then...

[34:17] Barbara Kuhl now has the floor and pretty much unloads on the commission.  She seems concerned in the commissions attempt to restrict the dialog during public comments. (we can’t see from the video, but Barbara is addressing Betsy’s eye rolling and other dismissive body language) She continues to explain that there was no transparency regarding the recount of the election until the public had to bring it forward.  (see post title above) The rest you can see for yourselves.

[37:42] Gary Kuhl follows with “democracy is a messy process. Freedom of speech is a right. We’re not an audience, we’re participants, but we’re treated like an audience.” Sage words Gary. Truly. We can only hope that they were heard, but I’m not holding my breath. He then addresses the upcoming workshop and the fact that it has not been properly noticed or communicated to the public. (see post title above)

Before I move on to the decorum club this commission is attempting to wield, I have some advice for new comer Betsy Wise. Betsy, if you ever plan to earn the respect of this community (and yes, it has to be earned- not given freely) you need to first understand your limitations of general knowledge, and to approach your new position with some humility with both ears open and your mouth shut. You're not "so awesome" so far. You’re off to a poor start; and I suggest you learn from your mistakes. And as you like to sling some Latin around, I have a Latin word for you, hypocrita eice. This means hypocrite.  Do better.

[1:15:20] The (non-ratified) Decorum Statement Discussion.

New commissioner Dan Samaria objected to Tracy’s idea to move the decorum statement from the back of the agenda to the front. And to have it read aloud at every meeting. And to have it posted all over the podium. Dan says he seeks to build a better relationship with the public and that he finds this offensive.  Good for you Dan and good luck with that. Tracy continues to decry her need to push this due to all the “personal attacks” per usual as she’s always the victim in life. Never responsible for her actions, or missteps, only that “others” are always out to get her.  She then tries to spin this attempt to limit and/or restrict our right of free speech into some form of fiscal responsibility. LOL! As I already mentioned above, so very few people attend meetings and ever fewer choose to speak, so that was disingenuous. Please remember that Tracy approached me years ago urging me to have Fred's blog taken down (which I wouldn't do even if I had the ability to do so) because of him writing about her. In my opinion, her goal is total censorship of any narrative she can't control.

[1:42:52] Tracy interrupts the attorney during his discussion, informing him on how to do his job, natch.

Lastly, that State Representative Dottie Joseph wants satellite office space here. Costs are approx. $5,000.00 and she wants a decision now. So, it looks like we would lose office space in Village Hall and possibly also in the Log Cabin.   

So, that’s about all I have for this version of Amateur Hour.  

Standing Watch,

Milton Hunter

The Biscayne Parker

Election Prep- 2018

The Interview- BP Election 2018

Hello Neighbors,

I had every intention to title this post “The Interviews” (as in plural), but our candidates simply would not comply with my request. Or, as it seems, with the requests from anyone else here in their attempt to properly access them. This marks the first time I can remember that BP candidates have deliberately gone so far out of their way to avoid any community sponsored vetting and our traditional Meet the Candidates Q & A Event. Rather they have preferred to attempt to ply voters with sweets, a concert, and several casually segregated, (and in my opinion), meaningless assemblies.

Now that I’ve got that off my chest, I’ll give you some insight into this entire fiasco.

As one who has hosted several Meet the Candidates Events, I acknowledged the feedback from both residents and several candidates about getting the same questions downline and in possibly repeating what someone else had already said. The purpose of asking the same questions was one of fairness, and not to have any one candidate feel singled out, etc. So, for this election I had something else in mind (private one-on-one interviews) and starting reaching out to the candidates around the end of September.

During my first sweep, I received interview commitments from Dan Samaria, Jared Susi, and Manny Espinoza. I told them all that I was in the process of contacting the other two candidates and would keep in touch regarding my progress.

Long story made short (or somewhat short for me), Will Tudor (the incumbent) dodged my calls and emails until I finally reached him. (after sending a somewhat shaming email) After relaying what I had in mind, he stated that he “needed 24 hours to consider it.” That was on September 28^th and is the last I’ve heard from him. Know that I have asked nothing of Will Tudor for the two years he’s been on the Commission and his deliberate avoidance is troubling. Not the behavior befitting an incumbent, in my opinion.

Now for Betsy Wise or The Great Unknown as I view her.  Since I had no idea who she is, I asked for her phone number so that I could contact her at her convenience. After several cat and mouse emails back and forth between us, I never got her phone number, nor had the opportunity to even explain what I was planning in person. Then, all contact was cut off on her side. The last email I received from her on October 4^th stated, “and rest assured I will get back to you.” Well, it’s now 19 days later and I’m still waiting…?... Like Will Tudor, this deliberate avoidance seems contrived and moreover, totally baseless. Neither has legitimate grounds to shun neighbors, nor seem to understand the role of public service. And that is to serve the public’s trust, and that means ALL of the public people. Not just a select few. This is Betsy’s first run at the Commission.

As time is now getting short, I issued a “Last Call” email this past Friday to once again attempt to schedule the remaining interviews. Only Manny Espinoza had the common courtesy to reply and that was to inform me that he was reneging on his previous commitment. Now call me old fashioned, but to me your word is your bond and is part of what forms ones integrity. But, he was polite and good enough to not leave me hanging in the wind, so to speak.  And for that I am appreciative. This is Manny’s second run at the Commission.

Dan Samaria also reneged on his commitment, but in his case, he was on one day, the next off, then on, and then off again. So, a flip flopper one could say. He also asked for “a couple accommodations prior to sitting down for our interview.” These included “that you provide the questions in advance” and that “you provide me with an unedited version of the videotaped interview for my records.” I replied that I would not disclose the questions in advance (as we’ve never done that, and was the same answer I gave him during our last election when he again asked for the questions in advance) but would be happy to provide the video. I then (on October 8^th) received a series of odd emails from him asking “who else had agreed to do it” and “if it is only jared and manny it is not worth it for me.” And lastly, “two of the candidates i will beat easy and they are the one i believe u have and one of them i dont trust are being control by a gtoup of people that dont have the residents interest at heart.” This is Dan’s third run at the Commission.

That leaves Jared Susi who visited with me last Thursday evening. The link to his interview is here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XbReu_Fij74 . This is Jared's first run at the Commission.
 

Needless to say, what should have been an easy request for access from various neighbors turned into a frustrating run around. I felt the responsibility to share my experiences with you all for the direct purposes of transparency and discovery.  On paper, I have issues with all of the candidates and find myself ill prepared to vote with so little meaningful contributions offered from them.

Talk is cheap, so I put little value in printed pamphlets or other perfunctory campaign promises.  Actions speak louder than words and the actions I’ve observed from some of the candidates have proven to be, petty and segregating, fearful, dysfunctional and as such mostly unworthy in my opinion.  

Standing Watch,

Milton Hunter

The Biscayne Parker

 

2018 Semi-Annual Crime Statistics

 

Earlier this week Police Chief Luis Cabrera, Commander Nick Wollschlager, Chuck Ross and I met to review the 2018 semi-annual crime report statistics. We also discussed some other issues to include methods to enhance the interaction between our Police Force and our Crime Watch with the intent to restore quicker communications to our residents, as we had benefited from in the past. The point being that delayed reporting defeats the very purpose of Crime Watch- which is to alert the resident members and to utilize the networks eyes and ears to potentially assist in gathering information as it is happening.

In my opinion Chief Cabrera clearly understands the need to get the verified and proper information to Crime Watch as soon as is possible. Chief Cabrera has offered “his 200%” effort regarding total transparency and cooperation towards this goal. I find his enthusiasm compelling and can relay that new programs and institutional improvements are on the way.  

In other words, more to follow.  

So, without further delay, let’s now review the numbers.

Property Offenses                      2017          2018 (Jan.- June)

Total Index Offenses                             57                  45          -21.1%

Burglary                                                  10                   14          +40.0%

Larceny                                                   35                   26          -25.7%

Larceny is a broad category that covers various methods of theft as well as amounts. For instance, Vehicle Burglaries in which a vehicle is entered whether unlocked or not and nothing is taken is categorized here.

Motor Vehicle Theft                             6                      2            -66.7%

Clearance Rate for Index                    22.8                 13.3       -41.5%

Other Offenses

Simple Assault                                       2                      4            +100.0%

Arrests

Burglary                                                  7                      1             -85.7%

Larceny                                                   2                      2               0.0%

Motor Vehicle Theft                             3                      0            -100.0%

Total Arrests                                     31                   13            -58.1% 

Stolen/Recovered Property

Total stolen property                      $159,848          $81,408   -49.1%

Total recovered property               $183,000           $70,000   -61.7%

Okay- so these are the main categories that affect us. For anyone interested in seeing any other crime categories, I suggest you visit the Village website as they are listed there in full.

A Message from Chief Luis Cabrera:

 

_{Reviewing the 2018 Uniform Crime Report Mid-Year statistics, there are key areas I feel are important to note as benchmarks of success. The Village of Biscayne Park continues to remain low in Part I violent crimes due to the continued vigilance of our officers patrolling the streets and keeping them safe. The sustained growth of our Reserve Officer Program continues to supply additional police services to the community at no added salary costs and is currently operating at 18 officers.}

_{There was a slight rise in burglaries during this time frame; however we are still trending below the 2017 year-end total of 26. Additionally, we have instituted several initiatives that have been successful. A few examples of our initiatives are as follows: Zone Integrity Patrolling was created to assure better accountability of area patrolling, the use of directed patrol to address specific concerns, we have also created a Village Resource Officer position to better inform the community in safety concerns and guide the public in crime prevention. We are also adding 4 part time officers for visibility patrolling and directed patrolling. This year has shown a reduction in motor vehicle theft as well as overall larcenies (including vehicle burglaries). When all factors are taken into account, there has been a 21% reduction in the Total Crime Offense Index. We anticipate these numbers to stay low with the assistance of our residents continuing to lock their vehicles and being vigilant about not leaving keys readily accessible.}

_{Traffic concerns continue to be a top priority of the department and our officers work tirelessly to keep the streets safe for pedestrians and motorists alike. The Village continues to undergo efforts such as changing out signage that is vague or faded to allow for enforcement of no median parking properly and fairly. The Village has also reposted several No Thru Trucks as well as Share the Road signs in key locations. Additionally, we have expanded the pilot program Motorcycle Unit to be a full time patrol.}

 

_{We look forward to continuing to grow our partnership with the community in an effort to keep Biscayne Park a place you proudly call home.} 

For any specific questions, I would suggest to contact our police department directly.  

Standing Watch, 

Milton Hunter

The Biscayne Parker

 

2017 Annual Crime Statistics

The Police Department is pleased to announce the completion and submission of the 2017 end year Uniform Crime Report. The Florida Department of Law Enforcement will be presenting the statistics on their website following the receipt of all reporting parties.

Though the entire report is of value, I would like to touch on a few areas of note.

Larceny is a broad category that covers various methods of theft as well as amounts. For instance, Vehicle Burglaries in which a vehicle is entered whether unlocked or not and nothing is taken is categorized here.

Motor Vehicle Thefts increased from the previous year; however they have slowed due to several arrests in multiple jurisdictions. All vehicles taken during the time frame have been recovered. The dollar amount reflected in recovery being higher than that of taken is due to the diligent work of our officers locating and arresting individuals in stolen vehicles that were taken from outside our jurisdiction.

Burglaries saw a decrease in the reported timeframe as well as a rise in clearances.

Domestic Violence instances are categorized separately; however, they extend into other areas of crimes reported. Property crimes are not presented in Domestic Violence, however a Robbery, Burglary, or Larceny which is presented in these charts can and are reflected in the total number of offenses.

I am pleased to report that our newly formed Detective Bureau is working tirelessly to bring the individuals responsible for these crimes to justice and have shown a drastic increase in productivity from the previous year.

Chief Nick Wollschlager

Property Offenses                  2016          2017

Burglary                                              37                  26            -29.7%

Larceny                                               54                  60           +11.1%

Motor Vehicle Theft                           7                  11*          +57.1%

Total Index Offenses                         100              106           +6.0%

Clearance Rate for Index                  6.0               25.5          +324.5%

[*The 11 vehicle thefts were ALL unlocked with all but one vehicle having their keys left in them]

Other Offenses

Simple Assault                                  7                      2            -71.4%

Arrests

Burglary                                             3                      6         +100.0%

Larceny                                              2                     10        +400.0%

Motor Vehicle Theft                        2                      4         +100.0%

Stolen/Recovered Property

Total stolen property                 $226,607             $446,659   +61.5%

Total recovered property          $144,565             $277,000   +91.6%

MH- Okay- so these are the main categories that affect us. For anyone interested in seeing any other crime categories, I suggest you visit the Village website as they are listed there in full.

Some Observations from Chief Wollschlager:

As we take a moment to look back over the course of 2017 several terms come to mind, some good, some not so good. We look to expound on and continue to progress on the good and as for the not so good, we look to it for learning capabilities and in gaining wisdom through experiences.

One particular area of concern going into 2017 was a withered reserve program that once flourished. A program that allows for experienced officers to donate their services free of charge to the village was operating with only four officers. Throughout the course of the year we have been able to operate around fifteen reserve officers with some leaving to take full time positions and us having to rotate in other qualified individuals.

Biscayne Park carried a well-known moniker of “Don’t Even Think About Speeding”, yet in the not so distant past, that message was lost. Through reinstituting state funded programs such as the “Click It Or Ticket” campaign and cooperating in new ones such as the “Put It Down” campaign, we are reestablishing the Biscayne Park Brand.

The department was restructured to better utilize personnel and serve the public more efficiently. In this effort we utilized our newly recharged reserve program to form a Detective Bureau that operates at zero salary and is staffed by four individuals as opposed to one. In doing this, we are also able to ensure all our full-time officers are on the road.

***

My Observations:

First and foremost, there has been a marked improvement in our Crime Clearance Rate (solved crimes). Not only have we boosted our crimes clearance rate by +324.5%, but all of this was accomplished by our reserve officers. This method is cost effective and in truth, simply efficient in general based on this actual performance. Another area which stood out for me was the recovered stolen property increase of +91.6%. The 6% uptick in our Total Index Offenses is the best/ smallest increase we’ve seen in years.

Lastly, and a question that should interest all BP taxpayers was “how did the Department manage their budget for the year.” I am happy to report that I was told our Police Department came in under budget for the year. A good effort all around.

The Not So Good

The +57.1% increase in Motor Vehicle Theft.

The +61.5% increase in stolen property.

However, it is hard for me to place too much blame on the Police Department regarding our Motor Vehicles Theft increase when we still have neighbors who invite these “Crimes of Opportunity” into our community by not locking their vehicles and removing their keys. This presents an “easy target” and this is totally self-inflicted.

Please realize that this does not only affect you… but all of us once they’re here roaming around our streets searching for easy targets. We need to do better in this regard.

For any specific questions, I would suggest to contact our police department directly.

Standing Watch, 

Milton Hunter

The Biscayne Parker

miltonhunter@gmail.com  

Errors and Omissions- Hurricane Irma

Hurricane Irma impacted Florida on September 10, 2017. The last of our debris/mulch removal from the staging areas on 114 St. was hauled off on December 13th, just over three months later. This report is intended to inform residents of the myriad of mistakes, poor judgement, and basic ignorance of FEMA and other State requirements demonstrated by our Village personal in dealing with this hurricanes aftermath. It is clear that we had no viable Emergency Management Plan in place and instead resorted to uneducated decisions that failed to take into account changes made to the debris management site (DMS), sound procedural organization, and the health hazards created by the proximity of toxic mulch piles. 
[CORRECTION 12/21/17: - Commissioner Rox Ross was good enough to forward me the Village's Comprehensive Emergency Management Plan from 2012.  She states that "no official updates have been made to Reso. 2012-43, but from conversations with prior and current Village Managers, I know that emergency plans have been reviewed at minimum at the start of each hurricane season, when all municipalities are required to attend a coordinated briefing at the County." So, we do have an emergency plan after all]

The purpose of this report is to create a record to identify these errors in hopes that we can learn from our mistakes and follow the required rules moving forward. It’s not a matter of “if” but “when” we will have another hurricane affect us, and the time for systematic planning is prior to the storm, not after the fact. We simply cannot be caught with our pants down again.

Source material from the FEMA website and/or any other governmental agency will be shown in blue. Red X’s will denote errors.

Most of this report will deal with the post hurricane “cleanup stage” of the operation, but there were fundamental mistakes made before we ever started with the cleanup that we need to identify and understand.

Errors

1.      Power Outages. Power on 114 St. went down on Saturday night (September 9^th) and remained out until late Friday afternoon. Throughout this time our Village Hall and Police Department (infrastructures) were without power. During the construction of the new administration building it was determined that it needed a backup generator, but due to the cost overruns, a generator was never purchased.  In speaking with FPL and the EOC that covers BP, it was not made clear that they knew of the new location of the building- as it was not treated as a priority for power restoration. And this was the first time this ever happened here. Police stations, hospitals and other important infrastructures are to be listed as a priority and must be noted to the local EOC. The EOC in turn relays that information to FPL.  Again, in speaking with FPL it was not clear that they were informed.

2.      Communications Breakdown. There were many complaints about the lack of communication from the Village immediately following the hurricane. In hindsight, there should have been a method in place to communicate with our residents prior to the hurricane on where our “command and control centers” would be located, police and public safety notices, instructions for debris management, and for basic guidelines on possible contaminated water restrictions, etc. Relaying on electronic messaging only after a hurricane strikes when power, internet and cell service is out (or compromised) for days resulted in unsatisfactory results.

3.      Improper Procedures- FEMA Debris Monitoring Contract. In short, Tracy Truppman took it upon herself to enter into a contract on September 12^th without consulting the other Commissioners and before the issuance of an RFP.  This appears to be a Charter violation. Due to the lack of an RFP, we may not be reimbursed the expenses incurred by the debris monitoring service which now, due to the extended length of time is approx. $200,000.00.  This panicked action was improper as there was more than sufficient time to arrange for an emergency meeting of the Commission to vote on this contract and follow the required RFP procedure. Debris removal didn’t commence until nearly one week after the hurricane, so her excuse of acting under some alleged “state of emergency” is dubious. This looks moreover to be yet another example of her abuse of power and possibly an expensive mistake for our taxpayers.

From FEMA (excerpts): Decisions made in the first few days after a disaster are critical in determining the success of a debris removal operation. The quality of management and oversight remains a key element in success or failure of the program. State and local governments are encouraged to plan for, and are expected to manage, their own debris removal operations following an emergency or major disaster, with eligible costs being reimbursable under the PA program. As part of debris planning, state and local governments are encouraged to prequalify local or regional debris removal contractors to ensure the immediate availability of coordinated debris removal. Another important element of debris planning and preparation is identifying debris disposal sites in advance.

Perhaps the only FEMA criteria the Village got right was having a debris removal contractor in place and in the timing of them clearing our streets. But as we’ll now discover, that was just a small part of their overall requirements.

FEMA debris monitoring specialists do not direct field operations on behalf of the applicant. The applicant has the primary responsibility for implementing and managing the debris monitoring activities. 

“Field operations” and “oversight” were to be managed by the applicant, BP in this case and Krishan Manners specifically as the Manager or point person. Yet, in meeting with him twice over the span of several days to inquire about the delays in power restoration to the Police Station, he had no answers other than to “be patient and FPL is here working hard.”  After hearing this same canned response from him for a second time days later, I drove the entire Village myself and found not one FPL truck (or any other power contractor) working in the Village. I then proceeded back to the Rec. Center to inform him of this and mentioned that if he’s being told by FPL that “they’re here working hard,” he has been misinformed. His reaction was to immediately call FPL, (in front of me) only to get their voice mail… Point being, why was he unaware that we had no one  in the Village working to restore our power? His actions were to “defer to the professionals” and as such failed to deliver proper oversight and field management as outlined by FEMA. 

As FEMA states above, “Decisions made in the first few days after a disaster are critical in determining the success of a debris removal operation.” As we’ll discover in this report, the decisions made over the first few days were faulty, uneducated and as such resulted in numerous errors that extended the entire timeline of the cleanup operation thus costing our taxpayers extra money and personal hardships.

“Identifying debris disposal sites in advance.” According to DERM, the last disposal site request received from the Village for approval was the year 2012. That’s 5 years ago. This is required annually. So, in essence the two locations used on 114 St. were considered illegal dump sites from September through late November due to not having the required preapproval and permit for use.  X

Site selection should be based on the following criteria:

• Ownership

• Size

• Location

• Environmental and historic concerns (baseline study findings)

Applicant-owned sites that will not require extensive repair costs, such as parks, vacant lots, or sports fields, should be considered as well.

Size and Location: Apparently there was no consideration to the material changes made to the main dump site due to the new building, parking lot and drain field which reduced over half of the previous usable space. Basic common sense should have dictated that due to this space reduction this site was no longer a viable option. But, rather my belief is that the prevailing thought was “we’ve used this site before, so we’ll just do it again.” Grubbs (the debris removal contractor) commented to me more than once that this site was too small and as such presented multiple problems for them to properly work within its confines. Which led to another violation dealing with the lack of controlling the pile itself as it extended into the private property of the Church and breached standard setback requirements resulting in property damage. X  

Baseline Data Collection: Baseline data collection is essential to documenting the condition of the land before it is used as a DMS. Private and public land used as a DMS needs to be returned to its original condition following the end of all debris operations. As soon as a potential site is selected, the designated Debris Project Manager and staff should work closely with local, tribal, and State officials to develop baseline data criteria. The following actions are suggested to document the baseline data on all sites: 

1. Videotape and/or Photograph the Site. Thoroughly videotape and/or photograph (ground or aerial) each site before beginning any activities. Periodically update video and photographic documentation to track site evolution.

2. Document Physical Features. Note existing structures, fences, culverts, irrigation systems, and landscaping that can help evaluate possible damage claims made later.

3. Investigation of Historic Significance. Research the past use and ownership of the property to document any issues regarding the existence of historic structures or archeological sites.

4. Sample Soil and Water. Soil and groundwater samples should be collected prior to use of the site. Advance planning with community and State environmental agencies can establish requirements, chain of custody, acceptable sampling methods, certified laboratories, and testing parameters.  

X. To my knowledge, none of these baseline data collection guidelines were followed. 

Due to the extended length of time it has taken to remove all of the debris, we have lost some money from FEMA towards our reimbursement. The first tier deadline of 90% had passed on December 2nd, the deadline to drop to 75% reimbursement is on Dec 19th, and we are currently at 80%.  So, it looks like the loss is 10% (which we split 50/50 with the State) based on the cost of what wasn’t completed by December 2^nd. As of this writing, I have no idea as to how much money this actually represents. X 

Environmental and Historic Concerns:  Being that BP hadn’t followed the proper procedure over the past five years of submitting disposal site location(s) for review and approval, there was clear ignorance demonstrated over the fact that these sites on 114 St. are listed as a historic district. This,  based on the historical designation of our Log Cabin. In speaking with DERM and the Miami-Dade Historical Preservation Society, both indicated that after this current cleanup is completed, they will disallow any future use of these locations. Compliance with environmental and historic preservation requirements is required. X

So, Biscayne Park needs to come up with an alternate DMS feasibility plan and submit it in advance for review and approval prior to next year’s hurricane season. 

Environmental and Health Hazards: Location- The debris management site (DMS) should be established in an area that does not impede the flow of traffic along major transportation corridors, disrupt local business operations, or cause dangerous conditions in residential neighborhoods or schools. Whenever possible, avoid locating a DMS near residential areas, schools, churches, hospitals, and other such sensitive areas.

In the process of using the main DMS, the Village violated most of the FEMA criteria in creating dangerous conditions to residents and residential property, and staging areas that were too close to a Church and the School that operates there. X

Health and Safety Strategy: Applicants (BP) should include a health and safety strategy in the overall debris management plan. The health and safety strategy should establish minimum safety standards for the applicant and contractor personnel to follow. The health and safety strategy should identify potential hazards at debris loading areas and DMS. Many of these actions can pose safety hazards to the public. Mixed debris that contains hazardous materials, can pose potential health risks.

Equipment and fuel should have a designated storage area and signs posted appropriately. The fuel storage areas need to be designed to contain spills. Water should be readily available at all times. Water storage areas should be strategically positioned throughout the site and identified appropriately. 

We had no health or safety strategy. It seems as if we had no strategy at all. X

Mulch stored in huge piles, 10 to 20 feet deep, has also been known to build up enough heat from internal decomposition to start a fire. Mulch can be hot enough to produce steam. When mulch becomes too dry, the heat can build until a fire begins from spontaneous combustion. Steam rising off a pile of mulch (producing gray ash) occurs when the hot air from the decomposing wood mixes with cooler air. Also, as the mulch heats up, it cannot release the gas, and the mulch piles actually become toxic. When this occurs the mulch develops an over bearing odor that will take your breath away.

Residents on 114 St. that I have spoken to have all suffered various health issues due to the proximity of the vegetation and mulch piles. Typically, these fell under respiratory related problems, sinus and varying degrees of coughing and sneezing. Also, there were reports of sore throats and burning eyes.

According to DERM, mulch piles are not to sit for 30 days due to the hazards they present (fire and health) as listed above. The mulch piles at the main DMS sat for over 30 days. I emailed Krishan Manners on November 20^th asking for answers to 6 questions, one to include the core temperature readings of the mulch piles as they were producing steam. This being a concern for me specifically as I had mulch piles in close proximity to both one side and behind my house.

 I also inquired as to what schedule the piles were being safety monitored as the site was forced to be abandoned for 10 days due to not having a permit for use. That email remains unanswered… which leads me to…

Debris Hauling Delays and the Mysterious RFP. Krishan first explained in his weekly report during the week of October 27^th that we were having hauling delays due to fact that “our contract price is considerably less” than the current market rate. This language is repeated, cut and pasted, up until the week of November 9^th, when he first mentions the “preparation of an RFP” to bid on other haulers. This resulting from the impasse with Grubbs, and FEMA stating they would not pay anything over our contracted rate (which was 4-5X’s too low). This information is now also cut and pasted verbatim in his reports up until Thanksgiving week when Grubbs finally agreed to haul off the debris (at a loss) which started on Friday November 25^th. To review, Krishan first disclosed the problem of the hauling rate during the week of October 27^th, yet the process of actually removing the mulch piles didn’t occur until November 25^th. And the RFP mentioned on November 9^th never materialized. That meant that the residents of 114 St. had to continue to suffer the effects of the mulch and vegetation piles for one extra month due to the underpriced hauling contract and seemingly the inability of the Village to make a decision in a timely manner.  X

Omissions 

Assignment of Tasks

The public information strategy should assign staff the following tasks:

·         Prepare information to be distributed.

·         Process to distribute the information.

·         Process to update, correct, revise, and redistribute information as operations progress.

·         Establish a debris information center or a venue to address all concerns, questions, and complaints.

After a disaster, residents want answers regarding recovery operations. The goal of the public information strategy is to ensure that the residents are given accurate and timely information. If information is not distributed quickly, rumors and misinformation spread and erode confidence in applicant management of the recovery operations.  

Update and Redistribution: Residents hold community leaders responsible for misinformation and slow progress if information is not routinely updated to remain current and accurate. The planning staff must consider how the public information strategy addresses changes and revisions as the debris removal operations progress. The changes in operations directly affect how often information to the general public is distributed. During the early stages of the operations, the applicants may rely on the immediate transmission of the information, such as through radio and television, to update the general public regarding the debris removal operations. Once the operations become more routine and predictable, the information can be distributed through the print media, such as newspapers, mailings, and flyers. 

There was little to no effort from the Village to update, inform or distribute current information to the residents of 114 St. as stated in the FEMA guidelines. We had delays, a work stoppage, broken equipment and various other issues to deal with, yet the Village remained MIA.  Krishan was not visible on our street and has only responded to residents that sought him out. And as previously mentioned, he still hasn’t replied to my email from November 20^th.  X 

P.S. Kudos to Jason Clark from Grubbs (or their contractor) who was the only person who provided updates and information to the residents of 114 St. This may not have been his responsibility, but he was understanding enough to do so none the less. Thanks again Jason. Your efforts were much appreciated. And the silence from our paid employee has been duly noted.

Conclusion

There is more I could add, but I’m sure some of you are already grumbling due to the length of this report and I’m also running out of red ink.

DERM did not mention to me if they plan to fine the Village for its many violations and errors- though they would be within their rights to do so. According to the DERM inspector, Biscayne Park was the worst example he had seen in all of the DMS he'd reviewed in the County.  DERM did mention that had they not granted us the “after the fact permit” for the DMS used, we would not be entitled to ANY FEMA reimbursement. And this is the point I want each and every one of you reading this to think about. This uneducated mismanagement of hurricane Irma’s aftermath could have potentially bankrupted our Village. Are you okay with this?

Krishan, Tracy and whoever else was involved in this decision making were clearly in over their heads.  

The decision to hire Krishan Manners as a Village Manager knowing he lacked any meaningful municipal government experience was a self-fulfilling prophecy. Having no contacts in local government or being reluctant to reach out for help resulted in harming this community needlessly. Residents were getting sick all around 114 St. and he was totally unaware. I had been in touch with a friend trying to get some input on our hauling delay problem and it was mentioned that she asked Ana Garcia if she’d heard anything from us asking for help or guidance. And the answer was “no”. For any of you who don’t know Ana (a former Manager here), one thing l’ll tell you about her is that she’s a mover and a shaker. She’s now managing a $100M budget in NMB. She has a broad array of contacts and resources and knows how to get things done! Understand this is not personal, nor is it about if Krishan is a nice guy or not, or how hard he tries. I have found him to be a nice guy that tries hard. But, this should only be based on his actual performance.

I do realize that the tone of this report is critical. And due to the nature of this topic, it was unavoidable. All homeowners here are in essence, shareholders, and I feel we have a common responsibility to each other. As such we have a right to this information. Please understand that hard truths to hear are truths just the same. My hope in producing this report is to encourage the Commission to schedule a community workshop to discuss, dissect and discover better solutions so that we don’t find ourselves in this dysfunctional situation again. We need to completely rethink our hurricane debris and communications programs from the top down.

And that time is now.

Standing Watch,

Milton Hunter

The Biscayne Parker