Monday, March 23, 2015

Greenacres wants to communicate with Staff directly

Comment Up

We are always comparing ourselves to Greenacres as it has similar demographics and we wonder how they can  have their own police department and can run their city cheaper than we can.  Now their city commission is entertaining the idea of a policy review involving communication with staff.  Right now, everything has to go through their city manager if a commissioner wants to discuss city business with an employee. A few commissioners in Greenacres don't like it.  There should be a separation of powers--policy and administrative--staff jobs should not be politicized.

What our charter says this under Article 3, Legislative:

Section 6, Prohibitions (b) Interference with administration. Except for the purpose of inquiries and investigations, the city commission or its members shall deal with city officers and employees who are subject to the direction and supervision of the city manager solely through the city manager, and neither the city commission nor its members shall give orders to any such officer or employee either publicly or privately. Nothing in the foregoing is to be construed to prohibit individual members of the city commission from closely scrutinizing by questions and personal observation, all aspects of city government operations so as to obtain independent information to assist the members in the formulation of sound policies to be considered by the city commission. It is the express intent of this charter, however, that recommendations for improvement in city government operations by individual commissioners be made to and through the city manager, so that the manager may coordinate efforts of all city departments to achieve the greatest possible savings through the most efficient and sound means available.


Section 23.2-1. - City commission. The city is governed by a city commission consisting of five (5) elected members, including a mayor as more particularly set forth in the City Charter. In addition to any authority granted the city commission by state law, City Charter or other regulations of the city, the city commission shall have the power and duty to act as the final decisionmaker with respect to certain types of applications and appeals. A table illustrating city commission authority is contained at section 23.2-9. Sec. 23.2-2. - City manager. The city manager shall be the chief administrative officer of the City of Lake Worth, with ultimate authority over the implementation of the LDRs. The city manager has the authority to delegate this authority to city staff as necessary for the effective administration of the LDRs.

6 comments:

Anonymous said...

Greenacres has higher home values, more businesses, and smaller CRA. Please tell me this is attempt to get rid of PBSO.

Lynn Anderson said...

Not true, anonymous at least their home values are not higher. Their income per person is a little higher and to rent there is higher.
This has nothing to do with PBSO.

Anonymous said...

Bornstein needs to give a city manager report at each regular commission meeting and stop meeting out of the sunshine. What he says to one commissioner is not necessarily what he is saying to another.

Anonymous said...

You obviously don't know how this type of government entity works. It is Bornsteins job to run the city. It is the commission's job to set policy. Each has their own parameters and they should stay in them.

The idea that a commissioner cannot even TALK to a city employee is a little unsettling. They are not able to instruct them to do anything, but justto talk about city business?

Lynn Anderson said...

They can't be quizzed. That's the city manager's job.
A commissioner can say, "HI, how are ya" or engage in small talk. You can't undermine the CM's job.

Anonymous said...

Maybe asking our own staff/employees why employees are quiting and why they are feeling targeted or in fear of their jobs?