Martino: The Silence from City Hall is Deafening!

---

What is that sound coming from the City Hall in Palm Beach Gardens? Can you hear it? No, you can’t! Me neither! It’s the sound of silence emanating from the City Council regarding the runoff election for the Group 4 City Council seat that the City Charter mandates must be held on March 29, 2016?

The silence from City Hall is deafening. Did the Mayor and City Council adopt another forbearance agreement; this time against speech?

If you haven’t heard, the tabulation of the Group 4 election results is mired in ambiguity because no candidate received a *majority of the votes cast as the City Charter (Sec. 26-6) requires. Therefore, a runoff election is mandatory, again, per the City Charter. The total votes cast in the Gardens’ Group 4 election were 13,789. Of those votes cast David Levy received 6,632 or 47%, Carl Woods received 6,245 or 45%, and Kevin Easton received 1102 or 8%.

Section 26-6(b) of the Charter declares…

“Whenever a general or special election is held to fill any elective office in the city, the candidate receiving a majority of the votes cast at such election to fill such office shall be declared to be duly elected; provided that if no candidate for a particular elective office shall receive a majority of the votes cast for such election to fill such office, then a run-off election shall be held on the fourth Tuesday in March of the same calendar year the general election was held; and in the event a special election is held, except for the year 2016, when any required runoff election shall be held on the fifth Tuesday of March, and a run-off election is required,…”

*Please note from the Merriam-Webster dictionary…

Majority : a number that is greater than half the total number

Cast : to deposit (a ballot) formally

Now, let’s return to discussing the forbearance agreement on silence. In my opinion, there is one, whether it’s official or not. Otherwise, we would and should be hearing from the City Council members as to their enforcement of the City Charter which they were elected to do. Where is Eric Jablin’s ever present usual prepared speech on the City Charter runoff requirement? How come no posturing speech, as yet, on the City Charter from Joe Russo? Come on Bert Premuroso, tell it like it is, do what’s right by speaking up for a runoff election as the City Charter elaborates! Marcie Tinsley, if you want to be Mayor than do the mayoral thing and insist on the runoff election. David Levy, if we are to believe all the literature you sent to our homes regarding your qualifications for the City Council than you should have no problem with understanding the need for scheduling a runoff election as the City Charter dictates.

Silence is gold, speech is silver, and so the saying goes. The residents of Palm Beach Gardens are not greedy. In this controversy City Council members, silver speech is acceptable and expected.