Saturday, October 28, 2006
Council Selects Retired Trucker to Council
Retired trucking company owner Donald Achenberg was selected decisively Thursday to fill the Village Council seat left vacant by Patty Schmidt's resignation. The council had not announced it would make a decision at the meeting, and not all of the nine village residents who requested the post were there to speak on their own behalf.
Mayor Chris Sante expressed concern about the sudden decision, saying all candidates should have had a chance to speak. And three residents approached the podium to suggest the council do what it could to include the will of the people in the decision. "If you are going to put somebody in that seat, you need to know where they stand and have your constituents know where they stand also," said local hotelier Deb Gillis.
The village charter required the council fill the seat by Nov. 16, but council members decided they didn't want to wait. Councilman Dave Boerner said a quick decision would allow a full council to move forward in dealing with village issues without further disruption. Vice Mayor Michael Reckwerdt said applicants could make no statement that would be as important as what he has observed and learned about them over time — and when they were not seeking office.
"I am more than ready to make this decision now," he said.
Before making the selection, the council invited the six applicants in attendance — Achenberg, Ron Levy, Dave Purdo, Joe Ziomek, John Fernandez and Jill Zima Borski — to make a brief statement. John Deagle, Chris Morton and Jim Rhyne were not there. After a brief discussion, the council decided on a two-step process that began with a paper ballot in which each council member was asked to list his or her top four picks. After the written ballot was tabulated, three finalists — Achenberg, who until Thursday chaired Islamorada's Local Planning Agency; Levy, a former village mayor; and Ziomek, an automotive engineering consultant — were chosen as finalists.
Reckwerdt and Councilwoman Cathi Hill said they would support Achenberg, even though he had campaigned against them in their respective election campaigns. "I would lean toward Don because of his time on the [Local Planning Agency] and because he has a way of expressing himself that is very easy to understand," Reckwerdt said. Boerner also threw his support to Achenberg, whom he previously had appointed to the planning agency and the village's Charter Review Committee. "I don't want somebody that agrees with me, I want somebody that cares about community first," he said.
With three votes already counted, Sante, who had not listed Achenberg on his paper ballot, supported him without a fight, and with little comment. "Don, get your book and come up here," he said as the discussion ended. Achenberg, 67, said he would be mindful that he received only four votes, not the number it would have required to win a traditional election. "That is something that I would constantly remember," he told council members before they made their decision. "And I would work very hard to earn not only your trust, but the trust of those I represent."
Mayor Chris Sante expressed concern about the sudden decision, saying all candidates should have had a chance to speak. And three residents approached the podium to suggest the council do what it could to include the will of the people in the decision. "If you are going to put somebody in that seat, you need to know where they stand and have your constituents know where they stand also," said local hotelier Deb Gillis.
The village charter required the council fill the seat by Nov. 16, but council members decided they didn't want to wait. Councilman Dave Boerner said a quick decision would allow a full council to move forward in dealing with village issues without further disruption. Vice Mayor Michael Reckwerdt said applicants could make no statement that would be as important as what he has observed and learned about them over time — and when they were not seeking office.
"I am more than ready to make this decision now," he said.
Before making the selection, the council invited the six applicants in attendance — Achenberg, Ron Levy, Dave Purdo, Joe Ziomek, John Fernandez and Jill Zima Borski — to make a brief statement. John Deagle, Chris Morton and Jim Rhyne were not there. After a brief discussion, the council decided on a two-step process that began with a paper ballot in which each council member was asked to list his or her top four picks. After the written ballot was tabulated, three finalists — Achenberg, who until Thursday chaired Islamorada's Local Planning Agency; Levy, a former village mayor; and Ziomek, an automotive engineering consultant — were chosen as finalists.
Reckwerdt and Councilwoman Cathi Hill said they would support Achenberg, even though he had campaigned against them in their respective election campaigns. "I would lean toward Don because of his time on the [Local Planning Agency] and because he has a way of expressing himself that is very easy to understand," Reckwerdt said. Boerner also threw his support to Achenberg, whom he previously had appointed to the planning agency and the village's Charter Review Committee. "I don't want somebody that agrees with me, I want somebody that cares about community first," he said.
With three votes already counted, Sante, who had not listed Achenberg on his paper ballot, supported him without a fight, and with little comment. "Don, get your book and come up here," he said as the discussion ended. Achenberg, 67, said he would be mindful that he received only four votes, not the number it would have required to win a traditional election. "That is something that I would constantly remember," he told council members before they made their decision. "And I would work very hard to earn not only your trust, but the trust of those I represent."
Sunday, October 22, 2006
Village Meeting List
October 23, 2006 – Monday *Special Call Local Planning Agency Meeting5:30 PM at Islamorada Fire Station 20, 81850 Overseas Hwy, Second Floor, Islamorada, FL
October 24, 2006 – Tuesday - CANCELLED Near Shore Water Support Citizens Advisory Committee Meeting5:15 PM at Island Christian High School, High School Library, 83250 Overseas Hwy, Islamorada, FL
October 25, 2006 – Wednesday Water Quality Improvement Citizens Advisory Committee Meeting5:30 PM at Islamorada Public Library, 81850 Overseas Hwy, Islamorada, FL
October 26, 2006 – Thursday Regular Village Council Meeting5:30 PM at Islamorada Fire Station 20, 81850 Overseas Hwy, Second Floor, Islamorada, FL
November 1, 2006 – Wednesday Water Quality Improvement Citizens Advisory Committee Meeting5:30 PM at Islamorada Public Library, 81850 Overseas Hwy, Islamorada, FL
November 7, 2006 – Tuesday *LAAC++2:00 PM at TIB Bank, 80900 Overseas Hwy, Islamorada, FL
November 8, 2006 – Wednesday Charter Review Committee Meeting5:30 PM at Islamorada Fire Station 20, 81850 Overseas Hwy, Second Floor, Islamorada, FL
November 9, 2006 – Thursday Regular Village Council Meeting5:30 PM at Islamorada Fire Station 20, 81850 Overseas Hwy, Second Floor, Islamorada, FL
November 13, 2006 – Monday Landscape Citizens Advisory Committee Meeting6:15 PM at Islamorada Public Library, 81850 Overseas Hwy, Islamorada, FL
November 14, 2006 – Tuesday Parks and Recreation Citizens Advisory Committee Meeting6:30 PM at Islamorada Public Library, 81850 Overseas Hwy, Islamorada, FL
November 21, 2006 – Tuesday Code Compliance Hearing1:30 PM at Islamorada Public Library, 81850 Overseas Hwy, Islamorada, FL
November 21, 2006 – Tuesday Regular Village Council Meeting5:30 PM at Islamorada Fire Station 20, 81850 Overseas Hwy, Second Floor, Islamorada, FL
* These items have been added since the last update++ LAAC Land Acquisition Advisory Committee
Friday, October 20, 2006
Founders Park Events Oct. 12-22
Founders Park Teen Club Presents 2006 Water Olympics: Saturday, October 21, 2006 at 3pm.
6th, 7th, and 8th Graders. Water balloon toss, slip n’ slide races, noodle races, water bucket relay, swim races, water basketball, greased watermelon contest. Cost; $2 per person and metals awarded to winners.
Haunted Skate Jam: Sunday, October 22, 2006 from 5:30pm-7:30pm. Skate, inline, and bmx jam. Safety gear required. $4.00 per person (includes pizza and drinks).
6th, 7th, and 8th Graders. Water balloon toss, slip n’ slide races, noodle races, water bucket relay, swim races, water basketball, greased watermelon contest. Cost; $2 per person and metals awarded to winners.
Haunted Skate Jam: Sunday, October 22, 2006 from 5:30pm-7:30pm. Skate, inline, and bmx jam. Safety gear required. $4.00 per person (includes pizza and drinks).
Saturday, October 14, 2006
Patty Schmidt Resigns from Village Council
Councilwoman Patty Schmidt on Thursday night announced she will resign from the Village Council due to personal financial reasons. The resignation will be effective Tuesday."This is probably the hardest decision I've ever had to make," Schmidt, 46, said during the announcement, which came at the end of a six-hour meeting. "I've never been good at putting decisions that would benefit me at the top of the list."
Vice Mayor Michael Reckwerdt briefly tried to persuade the councilwoman to reconsider, but was muted by Schmidt, who said the decision was hers to make and was final. "Patty and I started out on difficult terms because we came from different points of view on many issues," Reckwerdt said. "But I have learned a tremendous amount from her, and we have both worked hard to come to the center." "I am really going to miss Patty and I've really felt that she served a strong purpose on the council and it will be very difficult to replace her," he said.
"Out of all the council people I have ever worked with, Patty is by far the best," councilman Chris Sante said. "Since she has been on the council, she has always been prepared. She never did anything for personal gain. Everything she did, she did in the best interests of the village. We were totally flabbergasted."
The council is faced with the task of selecting Schmidt's replacement. According to Village Clerk Beverly Raddatz, village code stipulates that the council appoint a replacement by majority vote within 30 days. She expects the matter to be discussed at the next Village Council meeting, which is scheduled for Oct. 26.
Schmidt, in her statement on Thursday, said increasing financial hardships, caused by rising living costs as well as changes in her personal life, had led her to decide to move outside of the village. She will move to Key Largo Tuesday, the day of her resignation, she told The Citizen Friday. "When I ran for office it was never my intent to not fulfill my promises, it was not," she said Thursday. "But my biggest promise was to myself."
