City Attorney's Reply to Ted Noftall
Re: Public Records Request from Greg Kisela
[gview file=”Public Records Request.pdf”]
- Has Greg Kisela Been Harassed & Threatened by 2 Port Orange Officials?
- Wanted Maintenance Worker II in Parks Dept.
Re: Public Records Request from Greg Kisela
[gview file=”Public Records Request.pdf”]
Didn’t the former CM also mention Ted’s computer and phone?
Shouldn’t he supply these also?
I think this is going to get interesting. Don’t City Council members also have notes and personal I pads or laptops which may contain communication about city activities?
Hank those Ipads are provided by the city. Im sure the contents of city issued iPads are considered public record.
The Ipads are city issued so I am sure the contents on the Ipads can be considered public record
Why is it that Noftall is the only one serving on any of the city’s boards and committees that is required to turn in all his notes.
I think that could be considered harassment and intimidation, in addition to a case for discrimination .
Ted is the only one who has a citizens public records request looking for his notes. Just because you are on a committee doesnt mean you turn over all your notes… but if someone requests to inspect them it appears you would then have to turn them over, minus any redactions or exemptions.
I think this whole thing is about trying to one up each other (I personally think that it is stupid request, but I think that Ted’s Public Information request are a waste of time as well). When you are in public office you are hit from all sides (That is your choice for being a public figure). Ted made the choice to be a public figure. Like it or not he is an activist and by nature activist are subject to questions. Ted serves on a board… He takes detailed notes… From the letter it seems that he stopped bringing the notebook after he was told that he needed to start using City email. Why is that? Did he stop bringing the notebook? Did he use something else to take notes i.e.: his cell phone, or a recorder?
His refusal to use the City Email opened him up to this. He is an official on a board. Now the question is does this board have any power? Can they make decisions or put motions to the council for approval? If no then this is a useless request and the board is useless and needs to be disbanded, but if they can then Ted needs to produce the materials just to show that he is above board and is willing to play by the same rules. If he refuses he is now looked at as someone who is hiding something and that makes it harder for him to get anything done. Is it fair? Of course not, but it is perception and that is what politics is all about!
The only reason he is being asked to produce documents is because he is vocal and is not a fan of the former CM. Honestly it is all about politics.
What I have read on this site, Ted decided not to use a city provided i pad or city e-mail address opening up his personal stuff.
Looks like the Council has finally had enough of Ted.
They made a motion to terminate him from the ABAB now pending a hearing on charges. Burnette laid it out and it looks like there will be little or no opposition.
Best to disband this ABAB board now too (my opinion)
Get rid of the board, they serve no purpose, as seen at tonight’s council meeting.
What’s up with the sudden re emergence of Judy Anderson lately ?
Did Burnette’s mother write that for him ? That was not his own.
It was defiantly not Don’s script he was having to much trouble reading it . It was interesting to watch how the Mayor also Kennedy and city attorney knew what was coming . – but Ford and Bastian were caught by surprise by his speach
I thought that Burnette was kind of nervous reading his statement. And that’s ok, I would be nervous too reading such a statement in public. By the way, I have posted the video of Burnette’s statement and Sonya Laney’s statement. You can find it on my web site, http://www.popdradiolog.com
Although not asked to, lol, I will be giving my opinion on the turn of affairs which happened in the 8 5 14 City Council Meeting. A detailed analysis of what went on last night in the city council will be provided by me, on my web site.
In general, let me say that the strife that we are seeing in city hall politics is a by product of American Democracy. In the long run, it is good for citizens. In the short run it takes away from some important immediate issues which need to be attended to. The problem is politics, and the nature and personality of some principals working through the issues. Some emotions are high, and are probably because of personal reasons. We are dealing with humans and as of yet we do not have computers to run these problems through and get an unemotional conclusion to our problems. Or do we? In general I would say that at this time, and maybe for a long while, it will not be something to boast about, that you work for the city of Port Orange, or are a city councilman, or even a citizen on a voluntary board. This is not the first time suspicions or speculation have arisen about a citizen serving on a board or committee. And it will not be the last. This too shall past, but not too quickly.
I have done a google search of the 5 candidates for the position of interim city manager of Port Orange. You can see the results of my search on my web site. Almost all (4 out of 5?) of the candidates have public reports about past problems while serving as city managers. It is a tough job, and it is tough these days to be in Politics. Some of the problems of city managers have to do with working in a hostile atmosphere, lying to the council, not being forthright, not informing the city council, (transparency?) and problems with real estate land deals. These problems are nation wide and now Port Orange has its share of some of these problems.
Throughout these troubling issues there is the notion of “perception”. I ask, how does one in politics remove bad perceptions of themselves and their actions? The only way I know of is to engage in honest dialogue about one’s activities and to always take the time to explain to the citizens and others in politics, how and why one is proceeding down certain paths of activity. But this has to be done in public.
The Mayor once again mentioned blogs. Most of the time I can not hear what he is saying in front of the microphone. Except for the times when he reminds council people that he is the chairman, and tells a CRA member to not express his opinion (shut up?) I can’t hear what he is saying. A couple of weeks ago a member of the audience shouted out that she could not hear the mayor and he jokingly replied “I don’t want you to hear me”. Alas, maybe coming from someone else I could appreciate that humor, but oh how many times have I heard him mutter something to someone, almost unintelligible unless you review the video/audio tape, which gives me the perspective of only wanting to get a comment on the record, in order to serve as a possible defense in later times for positions taken on issues. Need I enumerate? And thus a perception, which may be more of a personality issue than a devious strategy to play both sides of the political game.
The political game is being played right now in Port Orange. It is not nice. You will see in my analysis when I post them on my web site, that I find fault with Ted Noftall, but that does not mean I do not support the citizen activists group in Port Orange, and that I am disgusted with Ted Noftall. Ted if he does get removed as chairman can still play an important role in the citizens’ desire for reform and control of city operations. More about that later in my editorials.
I have not shaved and showed for a few days, busy with reporting issues in city government, and putting out my endless opinions. It is now 530 am, need to shower and shave, take a break, have a breakfast and step back and consider where we go from here. These times have come to other cities. We can get by them, but politics in Port Orange will never be the same as they were in the days of blissful ignorance. — hank springer
The word going around city hall is that the reason Judy Anderson and a few other shills are recently speaking at council meetings is at the request of the Mayor. The mayor is trying to offset the number of activist speakers and try to demonize some of those local activist
He sure knows how to play the policial games
I have heard the same about Judy 2 weeks ago. In all actuality, she made an absolute fool of herself. She makes it obvious she has been called in for the Mayor’s purpose.
Yes John he certainly does. He’s the one stirring things up again by allowing these antiquated people to try and make his distracters look bad. Onlooker suggests we just move on. How about we all meet for a hot fudge sundae, play kissie face and forget about all the internal control errors, meter debacle, employee blacklisting,unpaid money owed to the city.I could go on and on. Lets just be good little citizens, sit down, shut up, enough, I’ll get back to you… (a favorite saying of Mayor Green.)
Why can’t we move on.
Any one with a positive comment?
NO!
Onlooker2 we have moved on from one unresolved debacle to another adinfinitum. Each time the shit gets deeper and the organization implodes even further. Nothing has been resolved and no real solutions have been posed by upper management or elected officials. It’s simply damage control and lets move on.
Moving from one paradigm to another is not easy. It means the death of and old paradigm. Growing up is not easy, a divorce is not easy, losing your youth and health is not easy, facing the mortality of your physical being is not easy.. All of these involve the death of something we are attached to, and the uncertainty of what lies ahead. This organizational paradigm is in its death throws and those that are desperately attached to it are clinging to it for dear life, even to the extent of denying the existence of a bright tomorrow with anything other than their dying paradigm. They want to move forward with the old and reject the new.
Do you remember who said you never but new wine in old bottles, or the old bottles will burst, but you put new wine in new bottles? What is happening in Port Orange is that the few that remain in power are desperately clinging to an old paradigm of good old boy private club closed governance, and trying to recycle these old bottles even though the new paradigm of open and transparent governance is here to stay.
You can try and suppress it and make your final desperate attempt to squash it, but it will not be denied and this new wine will inevitably burst your old bottles. You need to prepare yourself for the new paradigm by allowing the old ways of doing business to die peacefully and embrace a brighter future. The proponents of the old paradigm appear to not want to release their attachments peacefully. Are you one of them?
It is obvious that onlooker 2 is a supporter of the dynamic trio on Council that is soon to be down to the duo after the election. The dirty political ploys at last nights meeting was the lowest blow I have seen thus far. Onlooker 2 go ahead and stay on the sinking ship. They will save you. Lol