By Michael Martino
Martino: Don’t touch our elections! Don’t touch our term limits! Leave them alone!
On Election Day, November 4, 2014 the registered voters of the City of Palm Beach Gardens were asked to vote YES or NO on the following ballot question… SHALL THE PALM BEACH GARDENS CHARTER BE AMENDED TO ESTABLISH TERM LIMITS PROVIDING THAT CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS SERVE NO MORE THAN TWO CONSECUTIVE THREE YEAR TERMS An overwhelming majority of approximately 80%, or 16,000 registered voters, answered YES. With that kind of majority vote there is no... [Read More...]
Martino: The New City Council – What We Expect
The City Council of Palm Beach Gardens elections for 2017 are over and my mailbox now has room for my bills. Let me add my congratulations and best wishes to the new Council members, Ms. Rachelle Litt, and Messrs. Mathew Lane and Mark Marciano. They join with Council members, Ms. Maria Marino and Mr. Carl Woods to form the first 5-member City Council since the overwhelming passage of term limits in 2014. At their first meeting the new Council elected... [Read More...]
Martino: Educate Yourself, Pick Your Favorite and Vote on March 14!
On Thursday, February 16th, I attended the North County Neighborhood Coalition Candidate Forum involving the nine City Council candidates for the three open seats, Groups 1, 3, and 5, in Palm Beach Gardens. My attendance was for the purpose of learning more about the individuals who will shape the future of the Gardens. There will be another Candidate Forum on February 28th at the Palm Beach Gardens Library. The election will be held on Tuesday, March... [Read More...]
Martino: Transparency Missing in $30 Million Surtax Windfall Spending Spree
It did not take long for the City Council of Palm Beach Gardens to spend their share of the Sales Tax Revenue windfall from the successful November 2016 Sales Tax Referendum which they opposed. In fact they would spend all of the $30 million expected over the next 10 years, tomorrow, if they could, even though the first dollar has not yet arrived. Am I exaggerating, well maybe a little, but not much? On the January 3rd agenda for approval was Resolution... [Read More...]
Martino: Sober Homes Should be Addressed by the City Council
Do you know what a Sober Home is? If you don’t, you should. The chances are if you live in a single family neighborhood in Palm Beach Gardens you do, or probably soon will. Sober Homes are group homes for people who are recovering from addiction issues, such as, drug and alcohol abuse. While living in the Sober Home these people, who come from all over the country, have stringent rules they must follow and may undergo periodic drug testing. These... [Read More...]
Martino: IG – Take a Closer Look at Palm Beach Gardens!
On September 20th the local section of the Palm Beach Post ballyhooed the following headline… Palm Beach Gardens Inspector General Report IG: GARDENS VIOLATED LAW ON CLUBHOUSE City didn’t record some meetings concerning $4.5 million project. Well, Mr. Inspector General you might want to take a more in depth look at the Gardens. In my opinion, this is business as usual in Palm Beach Gardens. Transparency is not a virtue or a basis upon which this... [Read More...]
Martino: New Council Members Need to Demonstrate Leadership, Change and Transparency
In March of 2016, the Palm Beach Gardens City Council elections were held. Maria Marino, a new face, was certified as the Group 2 City Councilperson. Because of various court challenges to the election results in Group 4, newcomer Carl Woods had to wait until October 2016 to take his seat on the City Council. Both of these new Councilpersons were elected, in part, as a result of term limits. Hopefully, Ms. Marino and Mr. Woods, recognize that embedded... [Read More...]
Martino: Erosion of Council-Manager Form of Government
From my perspective, the August 4th Palm Beach Gardens City Council meeting further emphasized my concerns about the deterioration of the Council-Manager form of government in Palm Beach Gardens. On exhibit was the City Council members’ usual lack of questioning, discussion, and thought sharing among themselves and with the public concerning the agenda items. On display, once again, at the August 4th meeting was the shabby treatment of the rightful... [Read More...]