PB: Is Captain Kreepy doing CCOCI’s bidding?
by SDM
As regular SDM readers know, SDM has a pet name for Palmetto Bay’s flack: Captain Kreepy. The name comes from the flack’s publication on the village Facebook page of a group of children Kreepy was trying to identify.
Kreepy’s job ostensibly is to keep the community updated regarding various goings-on and to make sure village meetings are webcast and televised on the cable channel. Most of the time, he runs a good shop although he did manage to delete more than half of a crucial meeting on the “neighborhood protection” ordinance.
But then over the weekend, Captain Kreepy published this notice:
David Singer Makes Information Request for Village E-mail List
Village realizes residents may experience some inconvenience in use of your personal e-mail addresses, but must comply…
PALMETTO BAY, FLA., Oct. 20, 2012 — For more than four years, the Village of Palmetto Bay has distributed e-Currents to keep residents and other interested parties abreast of Village news and information. We do hope you have enjoyed the content and format of our newsletters — and hope that you will continue to do so in the future.
This special edition e-Currents is to advise you that an individual by the name of David M. Singer has requested the list of all e-mail subscribers to our Village newsletter. Under the laws of the State of Florida, disclosure of public records is the norm unless there is a specific exemption. In the case of an e-mail list that is accessible to the city, the e-mail list is a public record and subject to release. Additionally, while we belive (sic) your privacy should be respected, Mr. Singer may use the list without your approval.
We realize you may experience some inconvenience as a result of the release of your e-mail address; however, the Village must follow the Florida Sunshine Laws.
For information, contact the Village (see below), or David M. Singer [information deleted by SDM].
SDM has confirmed that in addition to publishing this message on the website, it was also sent under the village-owned constant contact account. What’s odd about this email is that the village website contains the following warning for anyone wanting to join the e-currents mailing list:
Be advised that if you do not want your e-mail address released in response to a public records request, do not send electronic mail to or share your e-mail address with Palmetto Bay.
So why is there a need to warn folks on this public email list that someone, in fact, made a public records request for the list?
SDM Codebreaker: Mr. Singer is one of three Palmetto Bay residents who formed Recall Palmetto Bay, which seeks the defeat of Vice Mayor Pariser and the recall of Mayor Stanczyk and Councilwoman Lindsay. The Three Amigos and their SOP puppet masters at the Concerned Citizens of Old Cutler (CCOCI) don’t like him much and they apparently think they can intimidate him into silence.
This isn’t the first time the village has stooped to attempting to intimidate someone for having the nerve to request a copy of the village’s email list. Palmetto Bay attacked Grant Miller (publisher of the Palmetto Bay News) and the Palmetto Bay Village Voice for doing so.
Yet, SDM does not recall a similar message sent out when Mayor Stanczyk got a copy of the list. Stanczyk regularly terrorizes the public with incoherent emails sent without permission from the recipient.
But one significant part of this obnoxious tactic surprised event the jaded SDM. Captain Kreepy published Mr. Singer’s business address, phone numbers and email! There is only one reasonable explanation for doing so: Kreepy is trying to shut Mr. Singer up.
SDM Wonders: Who ordered Kreepy to put out this email and to publish this notice? Will Palmetto Bay residents condone this outrageous behavior from a village employee? If Kreepy was acting under orders, how high does this aggressive act of intimidation go?
SDM Says: The village council must ask Village Communications Director Bill Kress to explain why he published this offensive message and whether he did so under any person’s instructions. Village residents must not be implicitly excoriated when they ask for records to which they are entitled.
Sorry to say, if they are trying to intimidate me they will need to do a better job. Their juvenile attempt this weekend just put more wind in my sail.
If Bill Kress did this himself, then he will answer to the New council for this behavior. If our City Manager, Ron Williams told Bill to do this — Ron has the right to do this — but will answer to the new council for doing so. If Mayor Stanczyk and Vice Mayor Pariser told Bill to do this, then they are in violation of our Village Charter, which states that Council members cannot directly speak to staff. All inquiries, by the Council must go through the Manager. So the Mayor and Vice Mayor will be brought up on Ethics Charges for doing so.
So Which Is It? I will ask all concerned which one it is.
I wonder if I will get an answer before the election?
Anonymous,
I asked this morning and could not get an answer. If it’s a Ethics violation please let me know so I can file a charge. You can reach me at the phone number that’s listed on the Village email.
This is just another example of this paranoid government. All they want to do is punish people who they find to be annoying.
SDM would argue that the publication of your information after you made public records request constitutes a violation of the charter’s Citizens Bill of Rights (see s. A(3)), which enshrines your right of access to these records. That charter amendment does not permit or authorize the village to release your information though it does not prohibit doing so either.
If a member of the council ordered Kress to send out that email or even suggested it, SDM would argue that the member of the council violated a different provision of the charter.
Releasing your name and business information is likely not an ethics violation but it is a blatant attempt to attack you and it reinforces a precedent. Namely, the village feels that it may “call you out” when you make a request pursuant to the village charter and Florida law.
[SDM is assuming you don't have any actual damages based on having your business information published. If you did suffer any damages, SDM suggests you contact a bad-a@# trial lawyer and sue.]
Where exactly is the line drawn with respect to this type of action? Does every person who makes a public request for the mailing list get the same treatment?
Maybe we should send in a couple thousand requests just to test their resolve.
3 out of 5 members of the village council report to CCOCI for instruction, why shouldn’t Captain Kreepy?
I have put in a Public Records request for anyone who has requested the email list in the last five years. I’m sure that who ever has received those documents in the past has not been publicly vented like David Singer. We shall see!
A recall meeting to organize and discuss recall procedures will be held on Thursday, November 1st at a location to be decided. Anyone who would like to help in the petition process needs to attend for specific instructions. For more information please contract David Zisman at eve9621@aol.com or dmsinger@bellsouth.net.
Thank you
I just put in a records request for everyone who has ever put in a records request of anyone who has ever put in a records request!
SDM, what do you think of this?
http://blogs.miaminewtimes.com/riptide/2012/10/palmetto_bays_civil_war_pacs_p.php
Oh by the way, Joan was sited at City Hall today looking perfectly fine. Quite a recovery Joan? Even more Curious?