Yes, it’s been a slow news week

North Miami Beach residents can take comfort in the fact that our Police Department has a brand spanking new (renovated) Divisional Emergency Operations Center, which was unveiled Tuesday at a “media event.”  I can tell you this system is pretty awesome.

According to the press release, North Miami Beach will now be “directly linked technologically to the main Miami-Dade County Emergency Operations Center,” and is “one of eight Miami-Dade County Divisional EOCs… responsible for emergency response to seven northeast Miami-Dade municipalities and several local universities in the event of a disaster.”

Folks, this is HUGE.  The Command Center set up, with all its big screen monitors lining the walls, and tables equipped with hotlines to every agency imaginable reminded me of the stuff you only see in the movies.  For someone not easily impressed, I was blown away.

Unfortunately I was the only member of the “media” in attendance.  The Press Release, issued on Monday, was sent out to all local media outlets.  And, yet, not one reporter bothered to show up.

This project, the crowning achievement of retiring Police Chief Larry Gomer, should have made headlines on every local station.

Instead, you’re reading it here on VotersOpinion.  How lame is that?

We could have used this event as a marketing tool to announce the “re-branding” of North Miami Beach.  C’mon, people, do we want to get on the map?  Or does NMB want to keep fading into obscurity while our neighboring cities get all the glory?

Sending out really boring press releases that end up in the collective media’s round file is not the way to go about it.  I’m no marketing expert, but I certainly see that North Miami Beach is sorely in need of one.

Just saying.

Confidentially Yours

To the person who anonymously sent me a well researched package of dirt on one of our strip clubs:  I received your information and I appreciate the work you did.  I don’t see much of a story right now, but I will definitely hold on to it for future reference.  It’s always possible that it might come in very handy.

Robert Rolls in his Grave

The Monday night meeting of the Civil Service Board, of which I am a member, was a comedy of errors.  For some reason I cannot fathom, there was a question of whether or not the newest member of the Board had been sworn in before he voted on an issue that had already (and contentiously) passed.  Based on an emphatic “no” by the secretary, the vote had to be rescinded and voted on again after it was determined that he should not have voted in the first place.  Heated discussion then ensued about whether or not this process was properly done, or if the matter should be tabled until the next meeting.  Despite raised voices and tempers, Assistant City Attorney Dotie Joseph correctly advised that this was indeed the exact procedure that should be followed, and the Board took her advice.  Since there was still a quorum even without the new member’s vote, the issue passed again as expected.

Here’s the thing.  I may not be an expert in marketing, but I do know Robert’s Rules of Order.  Been there, done that, read the book.  For six years on the Little League’s Board of Directors, Robert’s Rules was my bible.  Unlike some self-professed Experts On Everything in NMB (you know who you are!), I never claim to know everything.  I do know how to run a meeting, however.  And I can tell you that absolutely, positively, without a doubt, the Civil Service Board’s proceedings were done according to the Rules.

What I can’t tell you is why the CSB was told that the new member was not eligible to vote when I found out on Tuesday that he actually was sworn in on August 27, 2013.  I also can’t tell you why the new member didn’t speak up at the meeting, or why the secretary didn’t remember being told that he was already sworn in.

WTF?

What I can tell you is that not all ditzes are blonde.

Aside from the forty five minutes I’ll never get back, this episode slightly discouraged me from volunteering for anything ever again.

Just saying.

Happy Halloween

If you’re one of the many lucky parents who get to accompany your costumed little darlings to Trick or Treat tonight, remember to be safe, don’t let them take candy from strangers, and take solace in the fact that eventually they’ll grow up, have kids of their own and suffer through the same annoying rituals you have to deal with now.

Yeah, baby.  Karma’s a bitch!

Stephanie Kienzle
“Spreading the Wealth”