Martino: Tinsley – Thrown Under the Bus

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Have you been thrown under the bus lately? No, that’s good! Neither have I. But in my humble opinion, Palm Beach Gardens City Councilwoman, Marcie Tinsley, has seen the tire tracks of the City Council bus run over her dedication and hard work, not once but twice. In a sometimes not so subtle way, her cohorts on the City Council, Messrs. Eric Jablin, Joe Russo, David Levy, and Bert Premuroso, at recent Council meetings have thrown Tinsley under the bus.

As the City Council bus made its only scheduled April 2015 Council chamber stop, City Council members, Eric Jablin, Joe Russo, David Levy, and Bert Premuroso threw the lone female member Marcie Tinsley’s attempt at elevating herself to the ceremonial positions of Mayor or Vice-Mayor under the bus. In a unanimous vote the Council voted to appoint Eric Jablin as the new Mayor. In a 4 to 1 vote with Tinsley voting for herself, her fellow Council members elected Levy as the new Vice-Mayor for the coming year. I must note here that Premuroso, who nominated Tinsley, did not vote for Tinsley, his nominee. Why? In defense of herself, Tinsley expressed her desire to be elevated and honored as Vice-Mayor and/or Mayor, as all of her cohorts had been, citing her dedication and arguing her hard work in office as being equal to her counterparts. Her points were valid. But regardless of her rationales the bus kept rolling. Her fellow Council members stepped on the accelerator while patronizing her with political double-speak telling her she was qualified but that Jablin and Levy’s experience was more valuable and necessary for continuity. The tires of the bus left their tracks.

On its route for June 2015, the City Council bus made its single stop for the month. Again, instead of allowing Councilwoman Tinsley a seat on the bus, her fellow Council members closed the doors, as they coaxed her under the bus once more. Messrs. Jablin, Russo, Levy, and Premuroso would not validate her ticket, a District Park Report, which the Council seemingly authorized in September of 2014. Their recollection of the authorization was fuzzy and left Councilwoman Tinsley perplexed. No matter, the bus kept rolling. Without a formal policy resolution to consider, without a motion or vote of concise policy intention that I could ascertain, the City Council simply verbally instructed Council member Tinsley to advise County officials that the County should retain ownership of the property and assemble a multi-purpose District Park at its expense. It is important to note that this District Park which will exist in the middle of Palm Beach Gardens would be open to use by all residents of other municipalities, such as, Riviera Beach, Lake Park, North Palm Beach, Juno Beach, and Jupiter, as well as, all County residents. More tire tracks in the wake of a City Council, which as a body is often dysfunctional and communicably challenged.

From my perspective, by their actions and comments, Councilwoman Tinsley’s fellow Council members have disrespected her efforts on behalf of the residents of the City. She deserves better. She is right in saying she merits an opportunity to be Mayor or Vice-Mayor. Not that it’s of any consequence but for the record I would have voted for her for either position. As far as the District Park issue is concerned it is my considered opinion that City Council has erred again. Palm Beach Gardens does not need a County District Park on this particular piece of property in the middle of prime residential neighborhoods, just as we did not need a baseball stadium on this same Central Boulevard property. In my opinion, the City should negotiate for the outright purchase of the property and comprehensively plan its use to suit Palm Beach Gardens residents.

Finally, by virtue of her being elected on two occasions to the City Council by substantial margins, Councilwoman Tinsley not only deserves a seat on the City Council bus, but because of the voters’ trust she owns one.