pool losses mount, officials unconcerned

IF we rented the pool to Doral, which in turn rented it to Goulds, how much did we rent it to Doral for? What are OUR expenses for this weekend? Why are we using resident tax dollars to provide profitable oppurtunities for private businesses? Does our rental fee even cover our expenses? If not, why not? Do we make any money from concession sales? If so, how much? Where is THAT money reflected? The pool arrangement is almost identical to the CC setup, where the residents pay for ALL the expenses and all thats left is for the private business to collect the profits. How many private businesses are we expected to support? This is all happening with the approval of the City Manager. ANOTHER case of horrible mismanagement of City properties and funds. AGAIN. STILL. How does the City Manager explain this? Does he have ANY plausible explanation, other than its how we have always done it? Private businesses profit while the pool loses $260,000 that is billed to the residents. Whats wrong with this picture? Is this ineptitude? incompetency? Lack of supervision and awareness? Lack of concern? Special interests kickbacks? corruption? Any or all of the above? Take your pick. At least TWO local private businesses are being paid for with tax dollars- is that where we want our tax dollars going? Is that where we intended our tax dollars to be spent? No way. The buck should stop at the City Managers desk. It certainly DOES on paydays. Why not any other days? The Mayor and Council provide NO oversight and are just as responsible for this ongoing fiasco, except for Dotson.

protesters petition to vote on annexation

1371 protesters yesterday turned in a petition at City Hall to demand their American rights to vote on any issue of significance that would alter the entire nature of their community for years; in this case, annexation. This is a multi-million dollar decision that requires careful scrutiny, debate, and sound decision-making from substantiated facts. The MS Council, like VG, has done little and NO due diligence in this instance. They have blindly accepted numbers from a City Manager that has a horrible track record of getting anywhere CLOSE to the actual numbers involved. LOOK at the CC addition, and the bathrooms. His numbers werent EVEN close to being accurate; not in the same galaxy. Why would we believe his estimates NOW? How did he derive his numbers? From what sources? Are THOSE sources and numbers posted online so they can be examined? If not, why not? When does the Mayor and Council plan to address any pollution issues? FEC? Boundaries? mitigation fees? ZONING? It IS possible that after due diligence is finally done, that annexation will be beneficial to MS, but until ALL the issues are addressed and resolved we are just rolling the dice and hoping. Wishing and hoping are not really sound business priciples on which to make a multi-million dollar decision that will effect us for the next century, are they?

due diligence finally?

VG has done "proper research and planning"? When was THAT done? At least a dozen people I have spoken with in the past 3 weeks know NOTHING about the pollution, zoning, contiguity, and mitigation fees issues. NONE, and at least ONE works for the Village. What was the results of their RESEARCH into any possible pollution concerns? Mitigation fees? Zoning? Contiguity? Boundaries? FEC? How did they derive the numbers they used in this RESEARCH? Where are those numbers posted? Who came up with the numbers? What are their qualifications? How much, if any, of this information is posted online so that others can examine it? NONE of the 12-15 residents I spoke with had even HEARD of these other outstanding concerns. All of those issues need to be addressed before ANYONE can make an informed decision, and it appears that the neither the Village Council nor the Springs Council have done anything CLOSE to DUE DILIGENCE. Isnt it their duty and obligation to the residents who elected them to look into ALL the options before making any decision? If not, WHY not?

government insanity

WASHINGTON AP - The nation’s unemployment rate bolted to a 14-year high of 6.5 percent in October as another 240,000 jobs were cut, far worse than economists expected and stark proof the economy is deteriorating at an alarmingly rapid pace. The new snapshot, released Friday by the Labor Department, showed the crucial jobs market quickly eroding. The jobless rate zoomed to 6.5 percent in October from 6.1 percent in September, matching the rate in March 1994.
Unemployment has now surpassed the high seen after the last recession in 2001. The jobless rate peaked at 6.3 percent in June 2003. How much more proof will our City officials need before they decide to do what everyone else is doing - tightening their belt, reducing costs, avoiding further debt, suspending projects that are not critical, freezing hiring, etc.??? Does anybody believe that the Mayor and Council are doing the same stupid things in their private businesses, as they are in their official positions? Of course not- that would be insane.

pool mis-management continues

Perhaps the private Doral swim club could get together with the scuba guys, Columbus, Springs, and Reagan high schools, and those using our pool for meets to split the 200k equitably, according to how much they use our pool? We do not necessarily need to make a large profit during the school year, but we also shouldnt be expected to take a large loss either. Why is it just assumed that the 13,000 residents should somehow pay 200k for 6 Springs kids to practice? We have done it in the past, but times were much better then. We cannot afford to indulge these 6 kids and their parents any longer. The 15k from Doral should be 150k for them to be given any serious consideration, with the other private entities making up the 50k difference. If they were nonprofits, it would probably be different, but that is NOT the case here. City officials are SUPPOSED to look out for the interests of the residents, not private businesses. Why is that NOT happening in this case?

annexation issues

VG is "moving forward" without ANY inquiry into pollution, mitigation fees, contiguity, or zoning issues?? There is NO evidence that VG has looked into ANY of these issues either, just like Miami Springs. What happened to doing DUE DILIGENCE by either Council? Both governing bodies have somehow decided that DUE DILIGENCE is no longer an obligation of theirs to the people who elected them. How did they come to that conclusion? Was it divine inspiration? Rigged and unsubstantiated numbers? A decree of the King? A voice from above? A LARGE payoff? There is no evidence that VG has done ANY more DUE DILIGENCE than MS has, and that is precious little. Conversations with several VG residents in the past month has confirmed this. IF VG residents allow their Mayor and Council to make decisions based on highly questionable numbers, thats their business. If MS does that, and they ARE, that is all MS residents business, and that was clearly demonstrated yesterday with the petition for the people to be able to vote on annexation. The residents of VG need to start their own petition, so THEY can vote on it too.

pool issues

While I agree that the parents of the 6 Springs kids should pay for their kids to swim at our pool, I believe another solution would be for the private Doral swim club to split the costs among ALL of their members to make up for the 200k we are losing during the school year. If they cant pay, have them find another place to practice, or close their doors. That $200,000 is only fair to the rest of the 13,000+ residents who live here. Having 13,000+ residents paying an additional $200,000 for 6 Springs kids is grossly unfair to the residents. Having them pay up or move on would NOT be an attack on the program, just a request for them to pay up or move. The character traits developed by a swim team are acknowledged but, in these times of ever-deepening recession, it has simply become a luxury we can no longer afford here. Nearby pools are available where those skills can be honed. Closing during the school year, or being paid at the very least our costs, would be a rare instance of fiscal responsibility, common sense, and fairness to the LARGE majority of the taxpaying residents of our City. The taxpayers should vote on this issue. Perhaps this can be placed on the ballot along with the annexation vote.

pool audit needed

We have allowed Columbus,We have allowed Columbus, Reagan and Springs to use our pool for free. While its nice to be a nice guy, its NOT good business to continue those expenses in a deepening recession. Why would we rent to Doral, who then rents to Goulds? We rent to private swim teams so THEY can profit, while OUR taxpayers foot the bill for the standard maintenance, etc. plus whatever EXTRA bills are due from running the meet!! They make thousands in profits and our compensation for all of these profit-making activities is some hotdog sales from a concession stand? What kind of idiots would make a deal like that? WHY would we subsidize private, for-profit organizations? Makes NO sense. NONE. AGAIN. STILL.

Gymbo giveaways

So the private Doral team is charging the Goulds team-and making a profit- to host the meet at OUR pool. We CAN rent the pool to private entities for THEIR benefit - how much do we charge to use OUR pool for THEIR benefit? What are OUR expenses and revenues for those meets? where are those numbers to be found? We CAN charge rentals is NOT the same as we DO charge rentals, is it? If we CAN, and DO charge rental fees, where is that revenue reflected? And what are our expenses for each meet? If we CAN charge rentals for private enterprises, but DONT, why not? If these were nonprofit organizations it might be a little different situation, but it ISNT! And there is NO proof that we have EVER charged ANYBODY a nickel, except the residents of course, to use OUR pool, is there? We are paying ALL the expenses for private entities to make a profit, just like we are doing at the Country Club! To keep the pool open from Sept-June to subsidize those 6 Springs kids and the private businesses is ridiculous! and EXPENSIVE! Its just ANOTHER case where private special interests benefit at the expense of the taxpayers - all of which is approved by the City Manager. The horribly inept, incompetent, and expensive, mismanagement continues.

pool audit needed

One of the Objectives listed for the Aquatics Division is to increase marketing efforts to M-D County swim teams for additional swim meets. In that area it appears they have been VERY successful, as there have been MULTIPLE swim meets this year. They should have NO problem marketing our pool for swim meets because swim meets at OUR pool are FREE, apparently. Revenues are listed as down 48.8% for the swim team and water polo teams to $2150 for this year. At the standard rate of $165 an hour ONE weekend meet would bring in THAT amount! Fiscal Year 2006-07 indicates a total loss of $303,214 and a loss of ONLY $260,985 is projected for this year. Swimming pool admissions are projected at 47k this year and its reasonable to assume that over 90% of that income is realized during the Summer. Does anybody know how much we get from resident admissions from Sept-June? WHY are we NOT charging the standard fees charged at any other pool in town OR at least OUR COSTS for these meets? Why are the residents paying for FREE swim meets? year-round practice for 6 Springs kids? Why are there NO CONTRACTS? What do the scuba guys pay? Why cant we get any answers? Do we at LEAST have a contract with Dade Co schools to host the MSSH swim team? the MS Aquatic Club? How active is the Senior Water Aerobics Program, and what revenue is realized there? So many questions, so few answers....

water conservation project

Any and all residents who are interested in owning a rain barrel should contact the EcoHawks Club at the high school as part of a water conservation project. The barrels are 55-gallon, clean, food-grade, and adaptable for collecting rain water for use on our lawns, washing our cars, pets, hands after working in the yard, and watering our flowers and gardens. We are still on a water restriction and coming into the dry season. They will be especially useful after our NEXT hurricane as water to bathe in, clean up, and flush our toilets. Water is critical after a hurricane and we should save the drinking water for drinking. The residents of MS can get their barrels at a deep discount to the online prices of $70-150 each, probably less than $40 each, depending on how many people sign up for a barrel, so we could get a volume discount. The guy who gives these talks all over, from Broward to the Keys, will come and show us how to make our rain barrels correctly and help us for FREE. Put your contact information on a list with the EcoHawks.

business recycling

Two local businesses, Starbucks and Milams, have agreed to recycle their cups, boxes, cans, and bottles IF the City will include them on their rounds to pick it up every Wednesaday. Even one Counmcilman has said its "just common sense". All the residents will be getting the large, 90-gallon, roll-around bins in the next month or so and the trucks are out here collecting every Wednesday, so there IS no real extra cost involved. It just amounts to rolling by those businesses on their way to pick up the residents recycling. What are the chances our Council and Mayor will see that this happens? These businesses would be taking a leadership position and would serve as an example for all other Springs businesses. The Council and MAYOR COULD do this but have been environmentally unaware and insensitive up to this point. Is it possible that they will awaken from their environmental slumber? There is cause for considerable doubt, along with a sliver of hope. We shall see.

bathroom brainfreeze

It is possible that the final numbers released for the bathrooms is accurate. There were $48,300 in change orders involved there. The total put forward is $413,869.10, which is ONLY $206,934.55 EACH. Is there ANYBODY ANYWHERE that has 558 square foot bathrooms that cost over $200,000 EACH? Trump? Buffett? Gates? Possibly. THIS is the guy who will be responsible for building a 32,000 square foot building ???? These are bathrooms that originally didnt include any sewer, water, or electric hookups! For most people those are pretty much neccessary to utilize any bathrooms, no? How could they NOT be included in the original costs? Incredible. Gym IS pretty sure that the new gymnasium project will have those hookups, right? Those services are included in the original prices, right? What else has been forgotten on this new project and will have to be added later? as an expensive change order? like with the bathrooms?

historic transition

Classy concession speech by McCain. A good and decent man. Went against a tide of negativity for the Republicans. I was a little disappointed with Obamas acceptance speech. Sounded like a professional politician reading from cue cards, sound bites. I think he is a man of GREAT potential, not guarantees, as NOBODY can guarantee anything, I guess. A new day has come. The transition starts TODAY, lets hope its a smooth one. No Bin Laden message. Obama has put a mechanism in place to go after Bin Laden. His people have already received top secret clearances and will put something in place soon. Gates will probably stay for 6 months or so to insure a smooth transition. The times, they are a changing....

appointment comments

How many YEARS do you think it will take for Billy and Youngs to complete their appointments? It is currently 2 1/2 YEARS on one appointment for each,at this point. Out of the 14,000+ residents they cant find ONE person each for those appointments!!???? Do you think they need some suggestions to fill those spots? It looks like they could USE some help, no? Perhaps filling their appointments is not a priority for them. One might think that not much energy or time would be required rubber-stamping the City Managers $400+ a square foot (and considerably more at times) projects; approving bathrooms without electric, sewer, or water connections; okaying the loss of $300,000 a year at the pool in spite of significant incoming revenues that is not reflected anywhere; making few significant budget reductions; and spending 500k for the CC addition before giving it away for a song, among other issues. those are certainly energy-draining activities, not to mention money-draining for the residents.

Obama birth certificate

http://www.snopes.com/politics/obama/birthcertificate.asp
For those who persist in believing Obama isnt an American citizen, go to the above Snopes site and you will be dissuaded of that position. His birth certificate shows his fathers race to be African and his Mother to be Caucasian. The stamp didnt come thru well because it was applied to the BACK of the document.

natural gas supplies

Taking a look at data from the Energy Information Administration, the US uses about 21.6 trillion cubic feet of natural gas per year, most of which is produced domestically (18.5 trillion cubic feet) with the difference being imported (4.2 trillion cubic feet). Proved natural gas reserves in the US amount to about 211 trillion cubic feet. If my math is correct, without taking into account any increase in demand, the US only has about 11.5 years of natural gas left. After that, we’re back to square one: importing oil from Russia, Qatar, Iran, and Saudi Arabia

Like petroleum, two-thirds of world natural gas supply exists in just a few countries. If we’re at all worried about having domestic (let alone renewable) energy sources, basing the future of US transportation on natural gas puts us right back in the same position we’re in now.

The Pickens Plan would switch us over to natural gas for the next ten years as a stopgap measure, until solar, wind, wave, geothermal, and fuel cells can be developed. A substantial increase in demand would decrease the amount of natural gas available but the increase in wind power could make up for it.

VOTE

The most important thing all Americans can do tomorrow is VOTE, either way. If you dont vote, you lose your right to complain later, if things dont go well. You will have had a chance to make a difference, in the election, but passed. The single-issue right-to-lifers were busy around the Circle tonight.

selective hearing

There is a rumor that an Open Forum request about the final costs on the bathrooms actually WAS responded to - can that be? Billy and the rest of the Council stopped listening to the residents LONG AGO. They ARE very good at listening to special interests who want free use of our facilities or contractors who want to be paid for work that WASNT done, tho. You might think they would pay attention to the ones who foot the bills AND put them in office, but you would be WRONG.

Of course it would be better if those with valid complaints posted them here AND voiced them at the Council meetings. The City Manager and the Council are counting on people getting discouraged and/or moving on to other topics. Make a Freedom of Information request and keep a copy for yourself, whether its an email or a paper request, so you can document when the request was made and what it covered. It will be ignored otherwise. Good documentation and persistence increase the odds of getting a response of some kind, altho it may have been massaged and manipulated prior to handing it over. At least they are on record attached to SOME numbers that can be scrutinized for accuracy and appropriateness. For example, the bathrooms came in at 414k, which may be accurate BUT are certainly NOT appropriate, since it can easily be built for 140k. Where did that extra 275k go, over and above what the actual costs are? That is an easy TRIPLE of what it SHOULD have cost, close to $400 a square foot.

residents hosed again

Only RESIDENTS are charged the $165 an hour rate? NONRESIDENTS and private for-profit entities can use our pool for free, sometimes for whole weekends, at OUR expense? Why would we, the residents, be interested in raising funds for private businesses? THEY do well, and WE are stuck paying the 300k in losses to keep the pool open and maintain it!!! SWEET deal for THEM! No expenses, just profits! Is the Rodrigues family related to Mr Santana? They BOTH got the SAME deal! Cousins maybe? Old high school buddies?

home grown socialism

Is it possible that, in the 5-year course of building this new gym, they will screw up the repair so badly, or just decide that we need a NEW pool too? Another couple million in new debt will surely bankrupt us if the new gym alone doesnt do it! The City of Miami Springs is a welfare state! We pay the City Manager for Water and Sewer administration that he DOESNT do; we paid the CC contractors an extra 350k+ for work THEY didnt do and the bathroom contractors an extra 275k for work THEY didnt do - we already have a welfare state for well-to-do businessmen, contractors and the City Manager. Those blasted Democratic socialists have already taken us over!Wait.. you mean they ARENT Democrats???!!!!

Borgemanns Black Holes

The pool is supposed to be fixed (100k) as a part of the LINK contract, as it was included in the package. I spoke with the LINK representative when it was given to LINK and he confirmed it. Of course there will be MANY change orders and resultant cost overruns attached to that project too, like every other city project associated with the City Manager. WHO are the Rodrigues family? Are they Springs residents? If not, WHY are we NOT charging them to use OUR pool? Even IF they WERE Springs residents, they should be charged the going rate for pool rentals, $165 an hour, no? What about the water polo team? The scuba guys? Do we charge ANY of those guys? If not, why not? Residents pay for it so that nonresidents can use it for THEIR benefit! The Country Club arrangement works at the pool too! How many OTHER sweetheart deals are there?

a pattern arises

The last City enterprise that lost money consistently from horrible mismanagement by the City Manager was given away to Santana for a song. Could it be that the pool will suffer the same fate? Could the pool functions be leased out to private enterprises where we, the residents, pay ALL the expenses (insurance, taxes,electricity, utilities) and private businesses take the profits? Sound familiar? It should. There is an obvious pattern forming here.

tax monies disappear AGAIN. STILL.

Is it POSSIBLE that the pool could be closed to residents for three days and a meet be held for the benefit of outside private parties at the expense of the residents (who cant use the pool during that time) and there is NO contract or protection from liability provided? I assume there are usually contracts for these meets, right? It just makes sense. Does anybody think that yet another sweetheart deal could happen WITHOUT the approval of the City Manager? How many of these meets have we hosted and paid for, but not benefitted from, this year? Past years? How long has this giveaway been going on? Its NO WONDER we are losing OVER 300k on the pool this year! More mismanagement, sweetheart deals, and freebies by the City Manager! If the standard fee for County meets is $165 an hour, why arent we charging that? Residents are paying thru the nose for a City facility that only a few can use (and NOT all the time) and getting little or NO benefit from - sounds a LOT like the Country Club. Where does that money go?