Early on council member Blaxberg chose the role he would play. It was clear from his initial vote against hiring Metro-Dade or Florida Highway police to provide interim protection to Pinecrest while our police department was formed that he would be the contrary voice. A contrary voice in of itself is not necessarily a bad thing. The fact is, on several occasions council member Balxberg's contrary point of view has led to constructive results. 

The problem is that all to often the only way Blaxberg seems capable of making his point is through unsubstantiated and just plain mean spirited attacks. His latest victims are the Village Manager and the police department. The Manager has his issues, I have never hesitated to raise them, but he has also run one of the best, corruption free local government operations in this state. Blaxberg knows that the Village Manager works for the Council and won't attack him back. As for the members of the police department, they can only complain about Blaxberg privately, or risk their jobs.

In his 3 years on the Council his actions have been largely unproductive and invariably negative as well as negligent, they speak for themselves. Blaxberg has caused an ethics complaint to be filed against Cindi Blanck, which the State Ethics Commission threw out. He has accused Leslie Bowe of an ethics violation, which an independent attorney for the Florida League of Cities determined to be baseless. He has accused Bob Hingston of having a conflict of interest on park issues because Bob coaches sports at Sunniland Park. He made the first Village Attorney, Lynn Dannheisser's, who so brilliantly secured our revenue sharing funds when it was impossible to do so, working environment so contentious she quit. I have lost count of the number of times he has accused Mayor Greer of "hidden agendas", conspiracies, bad motives, and secret negotiations. To what end?

Blaxberg's accusations have always been nasty, vicious and pointless - he accuses without facts or provides miss-leading facts. (Just read the facts of the "so called" Eckerds robbery he alluded to in his last column, on the front page) and then drops the issue without making meaningful suggestions. I have attended most of the council meetings held in the last 3 years, Blaxberg has never introduced one single ordinance or resolution, except the home office ordinance. And where is that ordinance? Even Dade County has adopted a modern home office ordinance, but Pinecrest's is still in his committee (which has not met for more than a year). Otherwise - nothing. Perhaps the greatest irony of all his antics is that on several occasion he has call this paper the "Pravda"; likening the Pinecrest Tribune to the Russian communist government propaganda newspaper. Yet, he alone, uses this newspaper to promote his own destructive and irresponsible agenda. Blaxberg has chosen to bypass the normal procedure for discussing and resolving problems. Instead he chooses to use a public forum (this paper as well as others) to express his "so called" concerns through accusations.

I could fill this newspaper from cover to cover with lists of positive behind the scenes work that Mayor Greer, Vice Mayor Bowe and council members Blanck and Hingston have been involved with. Collectively, they have spent countless hours in meetings with the Village Manager and the police chief addressing their concerns. Mr. Blaxberg has never once requested a meeting with the Village Manager or the Police Chief to discuss his concerns or suggest solutions. Not once!

Blaxberg's style is counterproductive. A contrary point can play a positive role, however the way he has chosen to play it is, self serving, mean spirited and destructive to this community. Wouldn't it be better to ask questions before making accusations - unfortunately for this community that's not Blaxberg's style?

I can be reached at 305-666-7969 or via fax, 305-666-8487.