Proposed Town Manager Charter Amendment fails the 'smell' test

Fellow voters and residents of Hillsobro Beach,

We are sad to report that the Town Commission is on the verge of potentially passing a Town Charter amendment to hire a Town Manager, but in name only. The Manager would have neither the Police Department nor Town Clerk reporting to him/her, thus making the position inconsequential, ineffective and a waste of their salary. The Pelican newspaper summed up the Commission workshop meeting over this issue like this.

The Commission will vote on this charter amendment on December 2. Because we believe that this position, without the required authority would simply be a waste with little if any benefit, we sent the following note to the Commissioners:

Dear Commissioners,

We, the HBA, urge you to REJECT the Town Charter amendment to hire a Town Manager as it is currently written. We strongly endorse the idea of a Town Manager with full responsibility, but we believe that a manager whose portfolio includes roughly half the Town's budget and staff would not make financial or administrative sense. It would be a waste of taxpayer funds while potentially setting up organizational conflict.  

The Town Manager should have all Town departments and staff reporting to that position. Without this provision, the charter amendment should be voted down. Without it, it is a bad change which is much worse than no change at all.

Many of the Town's citizens agree with this position.  

Should you reconsider and approve a vote for a Town Manager with full authority, enclosed is an updated Charter amendment with that verbiage.

Respectfully yours,

Hillsboro Beach Advocates

Most residents we have talked to agreed with this stand. Please help by voicing your opinion to the Commission to either fully authorize the 'Town Manager' in the Charter amendment or to reject the amendment as it is currently written. You can find a copy of an updated Charter amendment that would be acceptable here, which we also shared with the Commission.

A great commentary describing where we are now and why a Town Manager should be hired by Hillsboro Beach was written by the Pelican staff in the Friday, November 21 edition, titled "Government in Hillsboro Beach must step into the present". It is worth a read.

Why Hillsboro Beach needs a Town Manager

1. The Model City Charter recommends the council/manager structure of municipal government. This is stated in the 8^th edition published in 2003. It has become the most widely used governmental structure in American cities.
2. The Town did a Charter Review in 2008 and the recommendation was to convert to a Town Manager/Commission form of government. Our current Mayor was a member of the review committee.
3. Most Florida towns our size have moved to the Town Manager form of government since the Sunshine Laws made it illegal for Commission members to interact on a daily basis. Similar/neighboring towns include:

Highland Beach

Pompano Beach

Deerfield Beach

Lauderdale-by-the-Sea

Jupiter Island

(All of the above have the Police Chief reporting to the Town/City Manager.)

4. The Sunshine Laws create the need for a Town Manager. Commissioners cannot talk to one another except at public Commission meetings once a month, but a Town Manager can talk to anyone anytime.
5. Commissioners are largely volunteers donating spare time and offering their best efforts to run a $6+ million business. No private sector corporation would install five volunteers (meeting once per month, who cannot discuss business among themselves otherwise) without a manager running the daily affairs of the enterprise.
6. A $6+M entity cannot be run efficiently without daily, professional oversight. Though small, HB is a complex entity including: Police, Water Department, beach issues, and 30 employees/contracted consultants.
7. Without a Town Manager, even minute details of management cannot be dealt with except once a month and in public, wasting the time of a room full of people, many of whom are Town employees paid by the hour.
8. Every employee needs a job description and an official annual evaluation. All equipment/processes must have manuals detailing operations and procedures. A Commission of volunteers is not equipped to oversee this.

Come to the meeting this Friday and tell the Commission you want them to put this vital issue on the March 2015 ballot. We hope you will make it a top priority to attend. This issue is fundamental to the future efficiency and effectiveness of your local government.

If you cannot make it, please email your thoughts to the Commission, care of the Town Clerk and ask that it be sent to all Commissioners:

 jmmark@townofhillsborobeach.com .

We're looking for Commissioner Candidates

Introduction

The Hillsboro Beach Advocates (HBA – an ad hoc citizens’ group) is preparing for the March election of three of our five Town Commissioners. HBA wants to assure that progress on managing our beach is accelerated by voting in the right candidates. Here’s why:

Over the past six decades, Hillsboro Beach has suffered significant beach erosion resulting from the combined impact of the Boca Raton Inlet and the man-installed ocean rock formations adjacent to Deerfield Beach (Deerfield groins). The combined erosive impact has resulted in six re-nourishments, costing the citizens of Hillsboro Beach over $11 million and counting.

The Town of Hillsboro Beach has just begun to address the root causes of our erosion problem but needs to do much more, in the opinion of the HBA.

Interaction between HBA and Hillsboro Beach Commission

The HBA has researched the technical issues of beach erosion and the licensing and permitting by state and federal agencies of the two entities causing major erosion to our beach. HBA has developed a strategic plan of how to proceed to mitigate the impact of the Boca Inlet and the Deerfield groins. These efforts have been shared with our Commission and specific steps proposed. These significant efforts have yielded a few positive results; however, HBA believes much more should be done.  

The Town of Hillsboro Beach should have a high-priority goal of reducing the need for expensive, frequent re-nourishment projects. To accomplish this goal, the Town must be more pro-active than it has been in the past. The Town Commission must work with many entities to get results: the Florida Department of Environmental Protection, the US Army Corps of Engineers, County, State and Federal appointed and elected officials, our neighboring towns and our town residents. This is a difficult task that the HBA has been advocating since its founding. We need to work in harmony to improve our chances of success.

Looking ahead

In the upcoming March 2015 election, three of the current Commissioners' terms will expire. The citizens of Hillsboro Beach will be presented with an invaluable opportunity to elect Commissioners who will put the interest of the Town above all others. If we, the citizens of Hillsboro Beach, do not capitalize on this opportunity, the status quo of the past six decades will persist.

What needs to be done?

The HBA has been working hard to find qualified candidates to fill the Commissioner openings that will be available in March 2015 with dedicated individuals willing to take on this challenge.

If you feel you are the right person or know of someone you feel comfortable recommending, please step forward now. Now is the time we all need your help.

Click Here to Volunteer or Recommend 

Sincerely,

Hillsboro Beach Advocates
Working to save your sand and tax dollars

Meet and greet with Chip LaMarca, your Broward County Commissioner!

Dear Hillsboro Beach Neighbor,

We’d like to invite you to meet Chip LaMarca, your Broward County Commissioner. Chip wants to meet you and hear your concerns about our vanishing sand and costly tax assessments to replenish our beach.

Where: Hillsboro Club, 901 Hillsboro Mile
When: October 8, 2014, 4:00 pm to 6:00 pm

Chip knows how beaches behave and misbehave.

He understands the dynamics of what is known as a coastal “cell,” which is a coastal region located between two inlets. This is exactly what we have here in Hillsboro Beach.

Mother Nature normally does a good job of constant sand re-nourishment for beaches that are not altered by humans. This is done through a steady flow of suspended sand floating just off-shore and washing up onto the beach naturally with the waves. This is called the “littoral drift,” and it moves in a southerly direction past Hillsboro Beach, constantly replacing sand.

It's not nice to fool with Mother Nature!

But bad things happen to beaches when humans interfere with Mother Nature and obstruct the littoral drift. In Hillsboro Beach we have two different kinds of man-made obstacles preventing the littoral drift from naturally replenishing our beach sand. We have the Boca Inlet, and the Deerfield groin field.

It's time to fix the source of the problem and stop taxing the victims.

Until recently, Hillsboro Beach had never made a request to Boca or Deerfield asking them to address the damage their man-made structures cause to our beach. It is distressing to watch our newly purchased sand get washed out into the littoral drift (as nature intended), without being replaced by new sand coming in (NOT as nature intended.) The sand that should be coming our way is only partly bypassed at the Boca inlet thenr held by Deerfield’s groins.

Several months ago, Commissioner Chip LaMarca began a dialog with both Boca and Deerfield regarding the difficulties imposed on Hillsboro Beach. While there are no quick fixes for the situation, Chip has taken it upon himself to speak up on our behalf.

Thank you, Chip, for listening to our concerns and seeking solutions.

Please show your support by joining us at the Hillsboro Club on October 8th from 4:00 to 6:00 PM.
Introduce yourself, thank Chip for his efforts on our behalf, let him know your concerns, and hear what he has in mind for the future.

Chip is running for reelection on November 4th. Now that we have an elected official who is listening to us and speaking on our behalf, it’s imperative that we get to know him better and get ALL Hillsboro Beach voters to the polls on November 4th (or remember to send in an absentee ballot if you will be out of town.)

We hope to see you at the Hillsboro Club on October 8th!

Sincerely,

Your Hillsboro Beach Advocate* neighbors

_________________________________________________________
*Hillsboro Beach Advocates is a non-partisan group of citizens dedicated to protecting the beachfront in Hillsboro Beach. Subscribe to our email updates by sending an email with subject “Save our Beach” to hillsborobeachadvocates@gmail.com. Or call your Hillsboro neighbor, Rhea Weiss, at 954.425.4349

HBA Progress Update

HBA Progress Update I - Introduction Since our last update, the Hillsboro Beach Advocates ( HBA) have been working very hard on your behalf, the citizens of the Town of Hillsboro Beach. The HBA Executive Committee is comprised of few dedicated and committed volunteer professionals. The demand of the mission is daunting and the majority of us are spending full time job hours and more. II - Accomplishments It took time, but we gained the respect of the Town Commission and have been able to influence decision-making. A Marine Advisory Committee (MAC) is being formed to focus on the business of our most treasured resource, the beach. The HBA has written a draft charter for the MAC and submitted it to the Commission for review and approval. The Town and the HBA have commented on Boca Inlet dredging plan renewal,  which affects our beach. This is the first time that the Town commented on any permits. We have reached out to Boca Raton and Deerfield Beach explaining our beach erosion issues and how we are affected by the Boca inlet and the Deerfield Groins. We have started forging professional relationships with key members of Broward County who have already been influential in advancing our issues with our neighbors to the north. We have had several written and telephone communications with key members of the Florida Department of Environmental Protection (FDEP). We communicated our devastating beach erosion issues and its significant monetary impact on the Town. We believe we are making progress with the FDEP but more work lies ahead. We set up a political platform including the most important issues to the Citizens of the Town to be used to screen and select the best candidates for commission positions that will serve the Town the best. We have developed the framework for goals, objectives and strategies for the two key projects, Boca Inlet and Deerfield Beach groins. Once completed, we will get buy-in from the Commission and use it as a map moving forward. This will streamline our efforts towards accomplishing our goals. We have met individually with the commissioners to review the proposed 2015 budget and stressed the following: The town should be run as a business and a professional administrator should be hired to accomplish that. To solve our complex beach erosion issues, we need guidance from a prominent Marine Engineer and attorney and proper money has to be budgeted. Major budget items have to be evaluated every year to explore options and assure that we are getting the most for our investments.  III - Challenges Ahead Select the best candidates for the three commissioner openings in the upcoming March election. Complete the Goals, Objectives and Strategies for the Boca Inlet and Deerfield Beach Groins and get buy in from the Commission. Work with the Commission to finalize the MAC. Continue dialogue with the FDEP to get them to increase the sand bypassing at the Boca Inlet to levels commensurate with the net annual sediment transport in that area.  This will force more sand to our beach. Incorporate the HBA as a non-profit organization 501(C) (3). This will give the HBA more credibility when dealing with regulatory agencies and other entities. IV- Summary It has been very rewarding to see some progress. We hope that you will become more involved. We would like to hear from you and get your feedback on how we are doing and what other issues you would like us to work on. We have carried out a skills assessment of our group and we identified a few gaps: Marine law Publicity Government affairs, local, state and federal Web Design, A web site for the group would be very valuable We encourage anyone who fits the above skills to join us so we can collectively serve our Town in the most optimum way. Sincerely, Your Hillsboro Beach Advocates neighbors

Our mailing address is: Hillsboro Beach Advocates 975 Hillsboro Mile Hillsboro Beach, FL 33062

HBA activity in June

The HBA was very active in the last month.

A private meeting with Chip LaMarca, 4^th district representative for Broward County, was held at the home of an HBA member. The purpose was to provide him with background about our beach issues, to promote a dialog with the County regarding our plight and solicit guidance on how best to navigate the County and other organizations so they understand our issues. Representative LaMarca was very open in his remarks, the meeting was very successful. We think he will be a friend and asset in our dealings with the County and State.

We had asked for and the Mayor scheduled a workshop with the Commissioners to discuss beach issues specifically. This meeting was held on June 24, where a great deal of information and viewpoints were exchanged in a non-adversarial environment. Many of the HBA members spoke and their comments were well received. There was interest shown by the Commissioners but no commitment that our recommendations would be implemented. One of Mr LaMarca's aides was also present.

Prior to today's Commission meeting:

• The HBA had drafted a 'proposed' letter to Deerfield outlining our case with the groins asking Deerfield to work cooperatively with Hillsboro Beach to solve our mutual problem. We provided this letter to the Commission so they would have a chance to review it; we had hoped the Commission would send this to the Deerfield representatives.

• We sent another note to the Commission requesting that subject-specific experts be hired to review and provide advice about a few issues that have great potential impact on our discussions. The Town needs this expert input to help formulate our technical and legal positions.

• As stated in a letter sent to the Town on June 28, a special meeting of the Deerfield Commission is scheduled for July 2. It seems that the Deerfield officials may want to abrogate their portion of the small beach nourishment scheduled for this coming spring, because they think Hillsboro Beach wants to 'remove' the Deerfield groins. (Our goal is to stop the downdrift erosion they are causing, nothing else.)

Hillsboro Beach Commission Meeting of July 1, 2014

The Hillsboro Commission meeting was held today. Two HBA members spoke at the meeting. The Deerfield 'letter' was brought up and we asked that it be sent, which they did not act on. As HBA had made clear to the commission, the HBA would send it under HBA signature and has done so.

We asked that the town retain a topic specific attorney to provide advice re: permits, other documents and the government agencies. The Mayor said:  “I would like to keep attorney’s out of this at this point. ” A letter drafted by the town engineer addressing the Florida Department of Environmental Protection was not brought up either.

It seems that nothing more will happen until the September Commission meeting, but we will update you should anything consequential occur.

News Flash:

Canceled: Special Commission Meeting – July 2, 2014

YOU ARE HEREBY NOTIFIED that the Special City Commission meeting scheduled for Wednesday, July 2, 2014, at 6:30p.m. in the City Commission Chambers of the City Hall Complex, 150 Northeast Second Avenue, Deerfield Beach, Florida has been canceled.

Perhaps we CAN have a meaningful dialog with Deerfield about this beach erosion issue after all!

HILLSBORO BEACH TO MAKE ITS FIRST-EVER OFFICIAL REQUEST FOR RELIEF

Recently, you may have seen articles in local newspapers highlighting the ongoing beach controversy in Hillsboro Beach. These articles shine a light on the escalating demand by Hillsboro Beach taxpayers for a long-term solution to the problem created by our neighbors—specifically by the rock piles just off Deerfield Beach (groins) and the Boca Raton Inlet. It’s been only three years since the major nourishment of 2011—which we will all be paying for through a special tax assessment until 2021, and already another nourishment is needed on the north end of town. In the three-year interim, sand prices have risen exponentially.

Boca Raton Inlet Progress

On June 3^rd, our Commissioners voted unanimously to send a letter to the Florida Department of Environmental Protection (FDEP) requesting the terms of the permit for the Boca Inlet be amended.

Currently, Hillsboro Beach is required to send 45% more sand south past the Hillsboro Inlet than we receive from the Boca Inlet bypass. Obviously, that leaves us with a deficit right out of the gate. In addition, Boca Raton’s city records show that for quite some time, Boca has not, in fact, been passing the full amount of sand required annually by their permit. Commissioners have finally taken the first step to address these inequities by voting to send this letter requesting FDEP involvement.

Deerfield Beach Groin Progress

Unfortunately, addressing the Deerfield Beach groins in any fashion has been pushed back until the July Commission meeting.

Although three Commissioners (Garcia, Feaman, and Maggiore) favored immediately pursuing relief for the groin situation along with the inlet situation, Mayor Schubert convinced the Commission to delay a vote for making any groin-directed requests. The Mayor does not want to address the groins in any way until AFTER the emergency nourishment planned for Spring 2015 is completed, fearing Deerfield will “back out” of their share of the project. A majority of the Commission was not willing to wait nearly a year to begin serious discussion of the problem with appropriate authorities, therefore; a compromise was reached:

Commissioners voted to have a similar letter regarding the groins re-drafted using less inflammatory language and presented again at the July Commission meeting.

Biggest Takeaway from the 6/3/14 Commission Meeting

FINALLY, a majority of Commissioners realize something besides purchasing sand at the expense of Hillsboro Beach taxpayers MUST be done to alleviate the financial pain being sent “downstream” to us by our neighbors.

What does this mean for you?

Unless the problem of the inlet and the groins is rectified, the Town of Hillsboro Beach could very well become financially insolvent, obviously causing property values to nosedive as well as a raft of other problems for residents.

Hillsboro Beach Advocates is waging a campaign to get information out to residents. Once people understand the gravity of the situation, they are in full support of doing what should have been done years ago. To that end, we’re working to set up a network of residents with one or two representatives from each building who are willing to be contacts for their buildings. If you have any interest in being a contact for your building, please let us know.

For some of you, this may be the first communication you’re receiving from the Hillsboro Beach Advocates group. If you would like more explanation for any of the points covered herein or for the science behind the issues, please review some other pages on this blog or email us at hillsborobeachadvocates@gmail.com.

Boca Raton Inlet History and Funding Alternatives page added

Check out a great new page with the above title describing the history, in detail, of the Boca Raton Inlet.
At the end, a section also outlines potential funding sources for inlet upgrades.

Meeting with Town Engineer and Document Delivery

Representatives of the HBA (Hillsboro Group Advocates) met with the Town's engineering consultant, MR. Douglas Mann on Wednesday, May 14. The Mayor authorized a one hour meeting between our group and Mr. Mann. The purpose of the meeting was to explore if and how we can cooperate in completing the Inspector General (IG) requests he is tasked with writing by the next Commission meeting. We had lots of questions, as did Mr. Mann. Notes of this meeting were taken by the Town Clerk.

Most of the hour was spent in wrestling with issues surrounding the Boca Inlet and Deerfield groins, facts versus opinions and perceptions of permit violations. Mr. Mann said he had not filed an IG request before. At one point he questioned if that was the right step to take, and asked if we had pursued formally any of the errors and violations through the normal channels before addressing the IG, or if the HBA had realized that there could be adverse consequences to filing the IG requests. We had not, partly because we are not a government organization.  Therefore the HBA has neither the resources, nor the staff contacts (which apparently Mr. Mann has), nor the standing as a governmental body to pursue individual staff in these organizations.  Thus we do not have the same access or resources as say our town does, but also because we are not intimate with the process. Very little time was spent on this in our one hour so we asked Mr. Mann in an email subsequently if he could elaborate on these issues, since they could be germane to the filing. We are awaiting his response.

The HBA group met on Friday to review what transpired on Wednesday then decide what could or should be done. It was agreed unanimously that Mr. Mann should receive the current drafts of the IG requests, for both the DEP and Army Corps, as well as a set of questions to explore which could lead to further permitting errors the HBA had. Mr. Mann was also informed that additional information, further potential data on permit violations and a great deal of documentation was available for the asking. We did not want to flood him with  every detail the HBA has in fear of overwhelming him in the short time he has to prepare to respond to the Commission. Last, we offered to work with him in any capacity to help in getting these requests completed and to make them as robust as possible.

The HBA sent the documentation out in an email a little while ago. We are hoping Mr. Mann will ask the HBA to review the filings before it comes up at the next Commission meeting so we can offer advice or analysis. It should be ready for the next Commission meeting in June.

We will continue to inform you of developments as they occur.
Thanks for your continued interest and support for our cause.

Our Commission has acted to support our cause!

Dear friends and neighbors,

 At the Commission meeting on Tuesday, May 6, our Commissioners voted unanimously to take the first step of a long overdue journey.  They have agreed to file official inquiries with the Inspector Generals of the US Army Corps of Engineers (Corps) and the Florida Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) regarding Hillsboro Beach's unnatural erosion issues.  This is very good news!  This was the goal of the petition that has recently been circulating through Town.

 The negative impact caused to our beach by the Deerfield Beach groins and the Boca Raton Inlet is a result of permits issued by the Corps and the DEP. Now, for the first time ever, the basis and propriety of these permits will be officially evaluated.  

 To start the process for contacting the Inspector Generals (IG¹s), Commissioners have asked Coastal Planning and Engineering (CPE), the engineering firm with which the Town contracts, to draft a letter to the IG's that includes input from Hillsboro Beach Advocates.  This letter is slated for presentation to the Commission at their next meeting, which will be held June 3rd.  Please keep in mind, this is only the first step of a very long process‹just the tip of the iceberg, so to speak.  It will be necessary for US, the residents of Hillsboro Beach, to stay involved with this process every step of the way to ensure things keep moving through the necessary bureaucracy. 

 At the meeting, the Commission also passed a motion to pursue the establishment of an official advisory board regarding beach issues.  Theoretically, this board would add an element of residential involvement to our Town government.  The specifics for the advisory board will be discussed as an agenda item at the next Commission meeting.

 We have cleared the first hurdle in resolving our beach erosion issue‹our Commissioners agree we must address the root causes of the problem.  The Commission and residents can now speak with one voice.  It's important for us to support our Commission in their efforts, while assuring that progress continues.

 To those of you who have attended meetings on the issue and/or signed the petition, thank you VERY much.  And thank you also to those who attended the Commission meeting.  By filling every seat in Town Hall, we made quite an impact!   :-) 

 Hillsboro Beach Advocates will do our best to keep you up-to-date on new developments.  Have you heard?  We¹ve created a Œblog¹ that contains current and past news updates, information about beach erosion, and links to relevant sites.  Look for HillsboroBeachAdvocates.blogspot.com, where you can also sign up for automatic notices or give us feedback.

 If you are interested in becoming an information point-person for your building, please respond to this message and let us know.  We are shooting to have at least one person from each building taking information back to the folks in their building.  The President of each condo association, and/or a member of each board would be ideal.  In the meantime, please share this information with your neighbors as best you can.

 Thanks for your involvement! 

 Sincerely,

Hillsboro Beach Advocates

HillsboroBeachAdvocates.blogspot.com

 

(BTW, the first item on the agenda at the Commission meeting was to recognize the winner for the new Town by-line.  We are now officially known as "Town of Hillsboro Beach ‹ Florida's Magnificent Mile."  Very nice!)

Summary of Meeting of April 30, 2014

A short meeting was held at Opal towers to inform the pubic of what our town's long term beach issues are, why they are happening, how we propose to start solving the problem and what our town's residents can do about it.

The meeting was an unqualified success. All of our objectives were met and surpassed!

We described in very understandable terms exactly where and how beach erosion is taking place, from Port de Mer downdrift for a mile. The action of the Deerfield groins as well as the sand volumes being passed from the Boca inlet were shown and related to our beach erosion.

We next described what an appropriate action should be - to petition the Inspectors General of the permitting agencies to review the harmful outcomes, why this is the right next step and why we think the Town commission should take the lead.

Finally, we asked the attendees and residents at large to support us by signing a petition to the Commissioners asking them to initiate the above actions.

There was a 20 minute question and answer period following this to respond to anyone's inquiry. Applause was generous at many points and the meeting was very cordial. About 60 to 70 people were present.

For those wishing to stay, we showed the 'Where is the Sand' presentation which had also been shown during the Town's 75th birthday celebration.

To our knowledge, almost everyone there supported our cause and returned a signed petition or had emailed their support in advance. Many people also took petitions with them for friends and neighbors to fill in.

The press was represented.

WE NEED YOUR SUPPORT

The next Commission meeting is on May 6 at 9:00 AM. We need residents to be present, whether you choose to speak during the public comment period or not. Many of us will be there making presentations. It should be interesting.

Links to information and Help Wanted

Two new pages are available:

A page containing links to other sites and videos describing beach erosion issues.

A 'Help wanted' page contains a list of 'jobs' we need filled by volunteers. We hope you have the time, skills and want to participate in our efforts by addressing a vacant job. 

Where is the Sand? Video Presentation

A video presentation added describing the history, causes, impacts and near term actions taken as a result of the dramatic and continuous sand erosion occurring on our beach.
A little over 20 minutes in length

Initial pages

If you click on any of the 'Pages' links to the left, we have included:

1. Our Mission Statement
2. First notice to the Community outlining the issues and what we are trying to accomplish
3. A petition we ask everyone to endorse to support our cause
4. A letter to the Commissioners describing the potential financial impact to us all if the long-term beach erosion problems are not addressed

Other posts of interest will follow.

Please sign up to get emails when new messages are posted by filling in your email address and clicking the 'keep me posted' button at the bottom of the window.

Thanks for visiting our Blog!!